‘Eid is a day when all the Muslims of the world, in India, Africa, Arabia, Egypt, Syria, China, and in every other country, are very, very happy and glad. They get up early in the morning at 3 or 4 o’clock, prepare the choicest dishes, and by the time the sun rises, young children can be seen going briskly hither and thither, carrying some sweet gifts to their neighbours, friends and relations. After their bath on this morning everyone puts on the best clothes they can afford, scented with perfumes, and the streets are variegated with beautiful fancy-coloured dresses. Even serious-minded people yield at this time of the year to some of the innocent beckonings of gaiety. Drinking, music, and dancing are not allowed in Islam, but people entertain one another in the most sumptuous manner. It is usual on this day to embrace one another and say, “‘Eid Mubarak, ‘Eid Mubarak,” i.e., “Happy ‘Eid congratulations, happy ‘Eid congratulations!” Special fairs are held in many places and these various expressions of happiness are continued late into the night, till at last their gaiety is spent, and the festival comes to a close.
It may be asked why a Muslim is happy at ‘Eid. Most Muslims are happy on that day perhaps, because they look upon it as a festival which has been celebrated annually from the very time of their birth, and has some sweet associations attached to it. Some might be happy merely because the world looks happy. Some indifferent ones would perhaps say they are happy because now that the month of fasting is over they can eat and drink whenever they like, and live comfortably as they could before the month of Ramadan. But it is not really so, for Ramadan is not a burden upon the Muslims. If it were so, the early Muslims would not have asked the Holy Prophet(saw) after it about the blessings of the other months. They would not have been eager for its arrival. The Holy Qur’an records:
They ask you about the new moons (after the month of Ramadan), say, they are times appointed for the benefit of the people.(Ch.2:V.190)
The Holy Qur’an was revealed, as is well-known, in the month of Ramadan, and the followers of the Holy Prophet(saw) had had such spiritual exaltation that in order to make further progress they inquired if such was the case with the other months as well. This surely shows clearly that fasting was not regarded as a burden by the Muslims.
The ‘Eid may be understood to commemorate, in a sense, the beginning of the spiritual ministry of the Holy Prophet(saw), for the Holy Qur’an having been revealed in the month of Ramadan, the Holy Prophet(saw) began to preac