Eid ul Fitr tomorrow

The holy Eid-ul-Fitr, one of the greatest religious festivals of the Muslims, will be celebrated across the country tomorrow with religious fervor and zeal.

The National Moon Sighting Committee declared the date of this year’s Eid- ul-Fitr at a meeting at the conference room of Islamic Foundation at Baitul Mokarram National Mosque on Wednesday as the moon of Shawwal month of 1442 Hijri was not sighted in the country’s sky with National Moon Sighting Committee Chairman and State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan in the chair.

“The moon of Shawwal month of 1442 Hijri was not sighted today (Wednesday) in the skyline of the country. So, the holy Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated on Friday,” Islamic Foundation (IF) Public Relations Officer Shayla Sharmin told BSS after the meeting National Moon Sighting Committee.

Eid-ul-Fitr is an Arabic word meaning “festival of breaking of the fast”. The festival marks the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Muslims abstain from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk during the holy Ramadan.

On the Eid day morning, usually, Muslims gather at mosques and prayer venues to perform Eid prayers and greet each other. The festival is celebrated by visiting friends and relatives, hosting food parties and sharing sweets.

Children not only get new clothes and shoes, but also receive cash gifts called “Salami” from their elders, relatives and well-wishers.

The occasion is seen as a time of forgiveness and giving thanks to Allah for helping people to complete their month-long spiritual fasting. Many Muslims distribute cash and food to the less fortunate ones.

But, this year, the Eid-ul-Fitr is going to be celebrated in a different outlook like the last year as the government has imposed a strict restriction on all the social gathering and urged the Muslim devotees to celebrate the Eid maintaining health guidelines to contain the spread of the COVID-19.

Earlier on April 26, the Religious Affairs Ministry issued a circular asking the authorities concerned to hold Eid Jamaat of the Eid-ul-Fitr at nearby mosques instead of Eidgahs or open space aiming to contain the spread of coronavirus.

It also urged the Muslim devotees not to hug each other after Eid-ul-Fitr prayers, which is the common scenario of the Eid festival to exchange greetings.

According to the circular, carpets could not be rolled out on mosque floors for Eid prayers. The mosques must be cleaned using disinfectant water before prayers. The devotees could bring their respective prayer mats with them.

Soap or hand sanitizers must be kept in places designated for ablution and entrances of the mosques. Every devotee must come to the mosques after performing ablution at their respective homes. All the devotees have been urged to wash their hands for at least 20 minutes during their ablutions.

The devotees must use masks while offering Eid prayers and they cannot use caps and prayer mats (Jainamaz) kept at the mosques. The devotees have been urged to maintain social distancing and follow health guidelines while standing in queues for prayers.

The children, elderly and ailing people and those who are engaged in nursing ailing people have been strictly prohibited to take part in the Eid prayers.

All have been urged to abide by the guidelines issued by health services division, local administrations and law enforcement agencies to ensure security of all people, the circular said.

Local administrations, law enforcement agencies, Islamic Foundation’s officials and managing committees of the concerned mosques have requested to implement the guidelines. In line with the government directives, Dhaka north and south city corporation decided not to hold any Eid jamaat on the open spaces, including at the National Eidgah on the High Court premises, in the city.

Besides, the historic Eid jamaat at the Sholakia Maidan in Kishoreganj has also been suspended this year for the second consecutive time due to COVID-19 situation.

However, five Eid jamaats will be held at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque like every year, according to Islamic Foundation.

The first Eid jamaat at Baitul Mukarram will be held at 7am on Friday where Mawlana Mizanur Rahman will lead the congregation.

Hafez Mufti Mawlana Muhibullahil Baki Nadvi will lead the second Eid jamaat at 8am. The third Eid jamaat will be held at 9am. Hafez Mawlana Ehsanul Haq will lead the third Eid jamaat at the national mosque. The fourth Eid jamaat will be held at 10am and Mawlana Mahiuddin Kashem will lead the congregation in the national mosque.

The fifth and the last Eid jamaat will be held at 10:45am. Hafez Mawlana Waliur Rahman Khan will lead the last jamaat. Mufti Mawlana Muhammad Abdullah will lead the Eid jamaat in case of absence of any scheduled imam. Besides, another Eid jamaat will be held at the historic Azimpur Dayera Sharif Jame Mosque in the city at 10am on the day.

Source: BSS

AH