Eid al Fitr- A Celebration of Accomplishments
Staff Writer, Ottawa Muslim Network

Muslims in the Ottawa-Gatineau area awoke at dawn praising and thanking their Creator for the bounty of Ramadan, the month of fasting, patience, reflection, and self-assessment.  Throughout the day they will be reciting the Takbir to praise God  and acknowledge that there is no power greater than God.

These words of attestation of faith and praising of God would continue to be repeated after each of the five daily prayers today..

Muslims around the globe are celebrating Eid al Fitr and will be following the same practice of praising their Creator and greeting friends and relatives with "Eid Mubarak"  in a spirit of solidarity under one faith and one God.  

Not many years ago in Ottawa, Muslims gathered in one location  for the the Eid prayer but with the growing population of Muslims in the Ottawa-Gatineau area,  Eid prayers were held in at least eleven locations scattered throughout the city of Ottawa and in Hull.

Due to the large turnout for Eid prayer, finding appropriate space to accommodate thousands has become a problem for organizers.  Unlike countries with more temperate climate where prayers can be held outdoors, Muslims in Canada face the challenge of finding indoor facilities that can accommodate large crowds.

Thousands from among the  over 60,000 Muslims who live in the Ottawa-Gatineau region  attended the prayer. One of those locations was the St. Elias Centre, where the  Muslim Association Canada (CMA) sponsored the  Eid Al-Fitr prayer.  

Mohamed Rida Beshir, a well know Islamic worker throughout North America delivered the Khutba (sermon).  He spoke of the need of the Muslim community to remain firm in its convictions and to use the training of patience and perseverance inculcated during the month of Ramadan to meet their worldly challenges. Beshir started his sermon with explaining the takbir.  He explained that the takbir is "the motto of Muslims, and it is the  slogan of Islam, Allahu Akbar - Allah is the Greatest; we repeat it and we say it when we call for prayer, to start the prayer, and between every movement in the prayer, when Allah bless someone with a baby we start with Allahu Akbar in his ear, even in the battlefield the charge is made with Allahu Akbar".  He posed the question: Why do we do this? Because  our whole life revolves around Allahu Akbar- Allah is the Greatest.

He emphasized that Allah wants us to be 100 percent sure without any  doubt, that no matter what is happening, although the falsehood is flourishing, although tyrants are ruling the world now, we should never forget that God is greater than anybody and God is not leaving them alone right now.  It is not because He is not aware of them now, but because He is giving them respite.

Beshir commented "our celebration is celebrating our efforts, applauding the achievement of depriving ourselves of food and other things, just as an act of obedience to Allah, the Glorified One".   By executing and implementing whatever Allah is telling us, "we celebrate achievement, we celebrate success, we celebrate this effort. We start our celebration with Allahu Akbar to keep in mind all the time that Allah is the greatest".

He continued "We should never give up, never feel despair, feel hopeless, no matter how bad the situation is.  As Muslims we should always remember Allahu Akbar.  Eid is not only for those who can afford it but for every Muslim, that is why Allah made it obligatory on everyone to pay zakat-ul-fitr (charity to the poor to enjoy Eid), so everyone could enjoy the celebration of Eid"..

Beshir reminded the congregation that a  believing person always audits his actions and that Ramadan gives the Muslims the opportunity to do just that. As he said "lets remember the purpose of Ramadan - the Qur'an tells us that fasting was prescribed so that we can have Taqwa (God-consciousness)".

He asked the questions :  Did we gain and achieve the peace of self, the control of mind, and the patience and perseverance that Ramadan was supposed to teach us?  Do we feel that we are part of the Muslim Ummah (community)? He said that this ummah is one of justice, a median ummah, and ummah of goodness, a moderate one not going to extremes....are we proud of being Muslims -we should ask ourselves this question to see if we realize the full benefits of ramadan.

Lastly, Beshir asked the congregation to remember the less fortunate, the orphans, the widows, the needy, and those who are suffering from persecution.  He said "wherever you turn your face, Muslims are being persecuted and tortured because of who they are.  There are children who do not have food or gifts for ramadan, and their fathers are not with them because they are detained or have simply disappeared -so support the relief organizations who are trying to help".

He summarized his sermon by calling on Muslims to return to the Qur'an, to read, study, and implement the Qur'an in all aspects of their lives, and that they should not despair of the mercy and help from Allah, as it is not becoming of a believer to lose hope no matter what conditions exist.

After a month of Taqwa (God-consciousness), discipline, self-assessment, and  intense spiritual rejuvination, many worshippers look forward to implementing the things they have learned and practiced during Ramadan throughout the whole year until the next Ramadan arrives.

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