According to Rahyafte(the missionaries and converts website):Eid al-Fitr is one of the greatest Islamic festivities and, along with Eid al-Adha, is considered one of the two main Eids.
On Eid al-Fitr, Muslims celebrate after one month of fasting and worshipping God, performing the Eid prayers and doing Mustahab (recommended) acts and rituals. On this day, fasting is Haram (forbidden) and giving Zakat al-Fitra (charitable donation) is Wajib (obligatory).
The word eid comes from the root of aud, which means return. The occasion is called Eid because the purity and virtue rooted in Fitrat (nature) return to the soul as a result of true acts of worship and serving God in Ramadan and impurity, which is against Fitrat, is removed.
The Quran implicitly refers to Eid al-Fitr in Verse 185 of Surah Al-Baqarah: “Allah wants ease for you and does not want hardship for you. And that you fulfill the number of days and exalt Allah who has guided you in order that you be thankful.”
So with the end of Ramadan, the number of days of fasting (29 or 30 days) is completed and the obligation (of fasting) is fulfilled. From this reference to fulfilling the days, it can be realized that the apparent perfection of fasting is in its completion and its spiritual perfection lies in doing it with the required conditions and manners, which would help one achieve Taqwa (God-fearing), which is the main purpose of fasting.
In this verse, although the phrase “and exalt Allah” is for the guidance that God has granted us, but it also has reference to the Takbeers (chanting Allahu Akbar) that are recommended to be performed at the night before Eid and in the prayers performed in the morning of Eid.
On this day, Muslims wear their clean clothes, wear perfume and go to the places where Eid prayers are performed in congregation. On their way, they chant the Takbeer of Eid, which is as follows: “God is Great; God is great; There is no God but Allah and God is great: and praise belongs to Allah; Praise be to Allah for having guided us; And thank God for what He has granted us.”
iqna
