Special Postage Stamps on The Eve of Eid Celebration August 13, 2012:- Eid-ul-Fitr
is the most important festival in the Islamic Calendar. This festival is the
Culminating point of the Holy month of Ramzan, during which Quran-ul-Hakeem and
Laila-tul-Qadar (Night of Grandeur) were gifted to the Muslim Ummah. While
fasting teaches us self-discipline and provides us moral and spiritual
blessings, Eid-ul-Fitr marks the end of the fasting and brings the message of
collective merry-making as well as sharing our good fortune with the less
fortune in our fraternity.
The entire Muslim Ummah
celebrates this most auspicious festival in every nook and corner of the world
with great spiritual devotion, offering Eid prayers in Eidgahs, mosques or open
spaces in towns and cities. The Eid prayer is the climax of this grand
festival. One can see during this special congregation endless sight of row
upon row of the faithful spread across the open air Eidgahs, a supreme
manifestation of Muslim fraternity and equality of mankind.
After Eid prayers, the Muslims
embrace and greet other fellow Muslims and pay visits to graveyards to pray for
the departed souls. This sufficiently indicates that Islam is the religion of
peace, friendship and aspires to promote universal brotherhood. Special sweet
dishes are prepared and served to friends, relatives and other visitors. The
young folk wear bright costumes and enjoy themselves with various types of
entertainments on Eid day including a visit to special Eid Fairs and
participating in different cultural activities. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) used to
wear a new dress on this occasion. But it was always very simple which every
member of the brother could afford.
No boubt, there were people who
could not even afford such simple dresses. To make it possible for them to join
the rejoicings of Eid, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) ordered the rich to pay them a
prescribed amount (known as fitrana) in advance, so that they may be able to
get their new dress prepared for the occasion. The institution of Fitrana re-inforces
Islam’s emphasis on one’s obligations towards society. Some of the prescribed
practices or special spiritual etiquettes of Eid-ul-Fitr are given below:-
It is compulsory fo all the
faithful to take a bath and wear new dress.
It is Sunnah to eat dates or some
sweet dish before leaving for Eid prayers. The Holly Prophet (PBUH) always use
to go for Eid congregation after eating some dates. (reported by Anas Bin
Maalik & collected in Saheeh Al-Bukhari (Eng. Trans, Vol. 2 P-40 No. 73)
& Ahmad.
It is Sunnah to recite “Takbiraat
“loudly while going to Eidgah for offering Eid prayers or coming back from
there. It is reported that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) himself used to recite these
“Takbiraat” with a loud voice on Eid Day.
Pay Fitrana before Eid prayers to
ensure that the less fortunate among us are also enabled to share the
festivities. Fitrana is to be paid for every young or old. Its rates are fixed
according to the prevailing rates of wheet and dates by Ulema.
It is preferable to offer “Eid
Prayer” in an open ground or Eidgah and not in the Masjid, if possible. (Bukhri
and Muslim)
It is Sunnah to adopt different
routes to and from the Eidgah, preferable going on foot. The Holly Prophet
(PBUH) himself used to go the Eidgah on foot and declared that it was more
reqarding to seek the Divine blessings. Jabir reported that Prophet (PBUH) used
to come back from the Eid prayer on a path other than the one used in going to
it.
Sending Eid greetings to friends
and relatives are customary on this occasion throughout the Muslim world.
Exchange of special Eid cards is to show affection for the near and dear ones.
Pakistan Post Office has been
issuing beautiful designed Eid Cards at different times. A special Eid Greeting
envelope was also issued by Pakistan Post Office. Pakistan office issued
following stamps on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr in the past.
On 24th December, 1999 two stamps
of Rs. 2 & 15 denomination were issued.
On 14th November, 2002 One stamp
of Rs. 4 denomination was issued.
On the eve of Eid celebration, Pakistan Post is issuing a Set of 4 Special postage stamps of each Rs.8/- denomination on August 13, 2012.
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