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Sacrifice). It falls on the tenth day of Thul-Hijjah, the last month of the Muslim year,
following completion of the course of Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca), an extremely
devotional course
The Islamic ‘Eeds are unique in every way. To them there can be no similar in any
other religion or any other sociopolitical system. Besides their highly spiritual and
moral characteristics, they have matchless qualities:
1. Each ‘Eed is a wholesome celebration of remarkable achievement of the individual
Muslim in the service of God. The First ‘Eed comes after an entire month of
“ absolute” fasting during the days of the month. The second ‘Eed marks the
completion of Hajj to Mecca, a course in which the Muslim handsomely demonstrates
his renouncement of the mundane concerns and hearkens only to the eternal voice of
God
2. Each ‘Eed is a Thanksgiving Day where the Muslim assemble in a brotherly and
joyful atmosphere to offer their gratitude to God for helping them to fulfill their
spiritual obligations prior to the ‘Eed. This form of thanksgiving is not confined to
spiritual devotion and verbal expression. It goes far beyond that to manifest itself in a
handsome shape of social and humanitarian spirit. The Muslims who have completed
the fasting of Ramadan express their thanks to God by means of distributing alms
among the poor and needy on the First ‘Eed. Similarly, the Muslims who have
completed the course of Hajj at Mecca, as well as those who are at home, offer their
sacrifices by slaughtering oblations to be distributed among the poor and needy. The
distribution of alms and oblations constitutes a major part of the ‘Eed’ s highlights.
This Islamic form of thanksgiving is a wholesome combination of spiritual devotion
and humanitarian benevolence, a combination which cannot be found except in Islam
3. Each ‘Eed is a Day of Remembrance. Even in their most joyful times the Muslims
make a fresh start of the Day by a plural session of worship to God. They pray to Him
and glorify His name to demonstrate their remembrance of His favors. Along with
that course, they remember the deceased by prayer for their souls, the needy by
extending a hand of help, the grieved by showing them sympathy and consolation, the
sick by cheerful visits and utterances of good wishes, the absentees by cordial
greetings and sincere considerateness, etc. Thus the meaning of Remembrance on the
Day transcends all limits and expands over far-reaching dimensions of human life
4. Each ‘Eed is a Day of Victory. The individual who succeeds in securing his
spiritual rights and growth receives the ‘Eed with a victorious spirit. The individual
who faithfully observes the duties, which are associated with the ‘Eed, is a triumphant
one. He proves that he holds a strong command over his desires, exercises a sound
self – control and enjoys the taste of disciplinary life. And once a person acquires
these qualities he has achieved his greatest victory; because the person who knows
how to control himself and discipline his desires is free from sin and wrong, from fear
and cowardice, from vice and indecency, from jealousy and greed, from humiliation
and all other causes of enslavement. So, when he receives the ‘Eed, which marks the
achievement of this freedom, he is in fact celebrating his victory, and the ‘Eed thus
becomes a Day of Victory
5. Each ‘Eed is a Harvest Day. All the good workers in the service of God all the
faithful believers reap the fruits of their good deeds on the Day, as God grants His
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