The month of Ramadan, which is full of divine blessings for our nation and other Muslims, is over and many happy people benefited from the blessings of this month. These people spent the day obeying God while they were fasting and while they felt hungry and thirsty in such hot weather and on such hot days and they avoided carnal desires and curbed their human passions.
At night, many people engaged in prayer and dhikr and they kept a vigil for God. Those who carried out their responsibility by worshiping God and fulfilling divine obligations in this month feel satisfied and happy. Engaging in spiritual deeds and fighting against human passions in this month gives a feeling of joy and spiritual happiness to you dear people who are the masters of determination and willpower and who exercised patience in fasting. One of the characteristics of carrying out responsibilities for the sake of God and making efforts and engaging in jihad for the sake of God is that one feels happy although one endures hardships and difficulties. And God has connected this happiness with the happiness that we feel on the day of Eid ul-Fitr. In order to show the greatness of this day. [Aug 9, 2013]
God's invitation to those who have turned their backs to Him
We should ask Allah the Exalted to generously give value to the prayers of our dear people in this month.
"O He who collects the little that is given to Him and shows gratitude for the paltry that is done for Him!
O He who shows gratitude for the small and rewards with the great!
O He who comes close to him who comes close to Him!
O He who invites to Himself him who turns his back on Him!
O He who changes not favor and rushes not to vengeance!" [Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya, Dua 46]
This is the dua that Imam Sajjad (a.s.) would recite on a day like this - on Eid ul-Fitr - and he would also teach others to recite it.
If you take one single step towards Allah the Exalted, He will help you move closer to Him. Those who have turned their backs on God and religion, Allah the Exalted invites them to turn to Him out of His mercy and kindness. This is divine mercy and grace. By Allah's favor, our dear youth, who developed certain spiritual characteristics in this month, will preserve these characteristics. By Allah's favor, they will preserve these spiritual characteristics until the end of their lives or at least until the next month of Ramadan, the next Eid ul-Fitr. We should preserve our close bond with the Holy Quran, our attention to God, our involvement in divine remembrance, our presence in the arenas in which Allah the Exalted wants His servants to be present - including the arenas relating to our inner selves and the arenas relating to the world of Islam, our society and the Islamic Ummah. And Allah the Exalted will bless us. [Aug 19, 2012]
Eid Al-Fitr, the Eid of struggling to form a unified Muslim nation
According to the works and statements of great religious personalities, one of the characteristics of Eid ul-Fitr is that it is the Eid of the united Islamic Ummah: "He is One Who turned this day into an Eid for Muslims" [quoting from prayer recited during Eid ul-Fitr]. It is the Eid of all Muslims. This means the outlook of the holy religion of Islam is towards building an Islamic Ummah. The same outlook exists in the teachings of the great Prophet of Islam.
When we look at many Islamic teachings, we witness an effort for creating a united ummah. Today, the Islamic Ummah is disintegrated. This disintegration does not mean differences between Islamic denominations. These differences are natural and they are not contradictory to forming a united ummah. Different beliefs and opinions can exist - on major and minor issues - alongside a united ummah.
What has separated Muslims from one another today is policies, political motivations and motivations for seizing power. Muslim countries can pass through these motivations. This is the responsibility of political and influential personalities and those who have governmental positions in Islamic countries. If this happens, then a kind of power will emerge that is better than and superior to - in the real sense of the word - all transgressing and arrogant powers in the world. If this happens, no one will be able to bully an Islamic country and no power will be able to blackmail Islamic countries and Muslim governments.
If we stay together, if we pay attention to and focus on our common points, if hunger for power, selfishness, dependence and corruption do not separate us from one another, then a power will be formed that can defend and support the rights and interests of one billion and a half Muslims. But unfortunately, such a thing does not exist today. [Jul 29, 2014]
Eid Al-Fitr increases the Islamic nation's dignity and honor
The important point is that we should appreciate the value of such opportunities. Allah the Exalted made auspicious Eid ul-Fitr a source of honor and dignity for the Islamic Ummah and for the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.). "You made it an Eid for the Muslims and for Muhammad (God's greetings be upon him and his household) and a source of honor and dignity and bounty." This is an instrument for increasing the dignity and honor and of the Islamic Ummah and the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.). This depends on how we Muslims make use of such opportunities and occasions. The Muslim nations can use the month of Ramadan and Eid ul-Fitr as an instrument to achieve glory and dignity. They can use them as a ladder to climb towards spiritual and material improvement and towards dignity in this world and in the next. We should be vigilant. We should use these opportunities. [Aug 19, 2012]
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