In every tradition there are festivals that are celebrated once a year. Perhaps the most important festival for Hindus is Deepavali; for Christians, Christmas and for Muslims, it is Eid al-Fitr. In terms of form these festivals seem to be different, but in terms of spirit they are all one and the same. What is that common spirit? It is to promote social harmony. That is, living together with the spirit of Peace and brotherhood.
Festivals, more often than not, are born of historical tradition. As traditions of different communities are different, when these take shape, naturally the forms become different. However, the underlying spirit is the same.
With reference to the festival of Eid al-Fitr (the literal meaning being‘Feast of the Breaking of the Fast’), in an extended sense, we can say that Eid al-Fitr means breaking the barriers and joining in celebration with groups of different traditions.
On the day of Eid people meet, greet each other, exchange gifts and sweets. Observe two units of prayer in congregation.
Eid or other festivals are basically a part of social culture. Festivals are not meant just for exchange of gifts. They are more than that. They are meant for exchange of thought. Every such occasion is bound to create interaction and discussion among people. Where there are interactions and discussions, there is bound to be intellectual development, leading to all kinds of development in our lives.
In life, everyone is engaged in areas of self-interest. This state of affairs produces a kind of distance between different groups. Eid and other festivals provide a remedy in that they help develop an environment where people may come closer to one another. On festivals people reunite, re-conciliate and maintain social harmony and solidarity.
Eid al-Fitr may seem to be a festival pertaining to a particular community – but from a wider perspective it becomes a part of the celebrations of all communities worldwide.
Comments
Post a Comment