EID UL Fitr is always a wonderful occasion to forgive others and seek forgiveness for one’s own self. The fasting month of Ramazan, which precedes Eid, demands from us the sacrifice of selfish pursuits. If, on Eid, we nurture grudge and animus against any of our relations or acquain-tances, we cannot relish the spiritual joys of the occasion. If we embrace each other while nourishing William Blake’s poison tree in our hearts, that embrace is just a zombie embrace — lifeless and deleterious. The spirit of fasting and its celebration on Eid lies in conquering our own selves — our negative selves. To forgive is to kill our ego.

If you are fighting a fierce battle in your mind about forgiving anyone, you cannot enjoy a single moment of Eid’s gaiety and euphoria in the real, desired sense. We generally snub the thought of forgiving others for the fear of being snubbed by others. But we should remember that only a forgiver among us can hope to be forgiven by the Forgiver. To be in a position to forgive others is a lofty status.

Let us smile and let others smile this Eid to build a better version of ourselves. Let us all make this Eid genuinely sweet. Let us celebrate this Eid like innocent kids untouched by any ill feeling for our peers. We should play our role in increasing the joys of Eid before slicing out our pie of joys. Some of us reminisce about the childhood Eids, but we must think about what joyful memories we are imprinting on the minds of our children who have inherited a world of hostility and hatred. Opportunities like Eid can turn joys into happiness only if we leave no room in our hearts for grudges.

Let us make a vow that on this Eid we will forgive those against whom we have stonewalled ourselves. Eid is a celebration consummated only by keeping relation-ships alive. Without mending relationships, the festival of Eidul Fitr is just another day.

M. Nadeem Nadir
Kasur

Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2026