One of the major Muslim festivals, Eid-ul-Fitr is celebrated on the first of Shawwal. The occasion of Eid signifies a day of thanksgiving as Muslims all over the world celebrate having spent another Ramazan, fasting, praying and recitating the Holy Quran. Eid is essentially the culmination of all the ibadat done during Ramazan. It is also characterized distinctly by the galore of new clothes, mehendi, sheer khurma and of course loads and loads of Eidi. But does its gala reflect in cyberspace? I went on an e-Eid tour of the WWW to find out.
The very first web site to check out when exploring Eid-ul-Fitr online is http://www.netglimse.com/holidays/eid_ul-fitr/index.shtml. There are many different sections here pertaining to the various aspects of Eid. The recipes’ section offers the method to try some delicious dishes to spruce up your lunch/dinner on Eid. Also, there is a section on Eid prayers which includes its characteristics and Sunnah acts. There is also a section explaining how to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr which includes Ahadis references detailing how Prophet Mohammed (Peace be upon him) used to celebrate Eid.
Finally, as with almost every Eid-related web site you will come across, there is a section on e-cards to wish your friends and family members a very Happy Eid.
Another multi-purpose web site related to Eid-ul-Fitr is http://www.101eid.com/. Here you can find out what different types of ‘days’ does the day of Eid-ul-Fitr represent. For instance, did you know that Eid is a day of remembering the bounties of Allah or that it is a day of forgiveness? Find out the details of all these aspects of Eid-ul-Fitr on this web site. Apart from that, there is a limited selection of Eid e-cards, recipes to enhance your Eid cuisine, a list of things to do on Eid and finally, a list of links to similar web sites around the Internet.
The key to having a successful Eid-ul-Fitr lies in a good plan made well-ahead of time. What are you planning to serve the guests? Which places are you likely to visit? For some simple tips on how to plan for Eid check out http://www.soundvision.com/info/eid/. This web site also has some informative articles on why and how to give Eid gifts to people.
To understand what we celebrate year after year in the form of Eid, check out http://www.jamaat.org/islam/eid.html. This is a really interesting book entitled What does Eid celebrate again and again? written by Khurram Murad. This book is a wonderful appraisal of the reasons to celebrate Eid. It reflects on the fact that Eid is a celebration of thankfulness at having been through another Ramazan. Also, it reflects on Eid being a symbol of Muslim unity and collective conscience. This book is definitely a must-read. More information on the importance of Eid is given at http://www.mrc.org.uk/eid-ul-fitr.htm where you can also read on the extra blessings which you can earn by fasting for six days in Shawwal.
The Eid-ul-Fitr section of the Islamicity web site at http://www.islamicity.com/ramadan/Eid_default.shtml is a bit short where content is concerned, but pretty informative all the same. There is a special emphasis on the payment of zakat-ul-fitar. Some Sunnah acts of Eid are also listed. Plus, the how-to of Eid prayers is also the focus of this web site. So if you’re unsure about any aspect of it, you can check this web site out first.
Another brief but enlightening web site on the subject can be found at http://www.integratedislam.com/fasting_during_ramadan/fast_during_ram_related/eid_ul_fitr/eid_ul_fitr.htm. It starts by explaining what Eid-ul-Fitr actually is, and goes on to narrate the proper way in which it should be celebrated. This includes those acts that are desirable before going for Eid prayers, and those which are not permitted on Eid at all, such as fasting or praying before Eid prayers. Proper etiquette of praying the Eid prayers is also elaborated.
Where Eid is concerned, e-cards are a must. We all have someone or the other, whether a friend or a family member, who we want to send these cards to. To wish them all a Happy Eid, check out http://al-habib.tripod.com/kartupos.htm and http://theeid.dgreetings.com/card/index.html, both of which contain an amazing collection of e-cards, both animated and unanimated. However, if you don’t find a card which you like there, then http://www.eidmubarak.com/new/index.php is always there for Eid e-cards. These two web sites, have a limited collection.
When we talk about Eid, another thing which immediately springs to mind is mehendi or henna. The Internet has now made it really easy to download and print some really cool, yet easy to make designs from different web sites. http://www.hennapage.com/ is one such web site. Here, you cannot only learn about the history and traditions associated with henna, but you can also get some free patterns of henna designs for your hands. Similar web sites can be accessed at http://www.everydayhenna.com and http://www.kenzi.com/HENNA/HTML/hands.htm. These two web sites also offer enlarged versions of henna designs for hands. A plus point of some of these web sites is that the graphics of the designs are black and white, which makes them pretty printer-friendly.
Designing new clothes is another aspect of Eid which is universally relished. Instead of making long trips to boutiques to copy designs (ahem!), you can find some latest designs online as well. http://ipaki.com/content/girls/ is a very good web site in this regard. The best thing about this web site is that it offers dress designs for many different kinds of clothes: shalwar suits, ghararas, shararas, lenghas etc. Plus, there are designs for different types of clothes as well for example silk, georgette etc. You can also view some more designer clothes at http://www.jamnagaronnet.com/shop/salwar_kameez/salwar_kameez_cotton.htm. Designs for shalwar qameez can be accessed at http://www.mystiqueasia.net/women.htm
So there you have it — a whole collection of web sites to bookmark. Whichever aspect of Eid you’re looking to delve deeper into, you’re sure to find one web site or another dedicated to it. In the end, here’s wishing you all a very Happy Eid, in advance.
One of the major Muslim festivals, Eid-ul-Fitr is celebrated on the first of Shawwal. The occasion of Eid signifies a day of thanksgiving as Muslims all over the world celebrate having spent another Ramazan, fasting, praying and recitating the Holy Quran. Eid is essentially the culmination of all the ibadat done during Ramazan. It is also characterized distinctly by the galore of new clothes, mehendi, sheer khurma and of course loads and loads of Eidi. But does its gala reflect in cyberspace? I went on an e-Eid tour of the WWW to find out.
