Eid-ul-Fitr message: The essence of fasting

Baba F Trawally, the Amir of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at in The Gambia has said that Eid-ul-Fitr is a reflection on the purpose of the blessed month of Ramadan that has just ended.

 According to him to the objective of Ramadan is the attainment of Taqwa (righteousness). Below we produce the full text of his Eid-ul-Fitr message.

We have by the grace of Allah Almighty come to the end of this year’s blessed month of Ramadan.  All praise belongs to Allah Almighty for blessing the Muslim Ummah with such a blessed month.  In it, the Noble Qu’ran was revealed as the guidance for mankind until the day of judgement. We cannot find words to express our gratitude to him for not only blessing us with the Ramadan but also enabling us to fast it to conclusion.  Alhamdulillah (All praise is His).

As we celebrate another Eid-ul-Fitr, we should reflect on the purpose of the blessed month of Ramadan that has just ended.  According to the Holy Qu’ran, the objective of the Ramadan is the attainment of Taqwa (righteousness).  Allah Almighty told the Holy Prophet Muhammad Mustafa (saw) that all the deeds of man are for himself but the fast is for Allah Almighty himself and he shall reward it. In other words, he will be the reward of the fast.  

A strong relationship is established between a servant and Allah Almighty when the servant sincerely fasts for the whole month for the sake of Allah Almighty alone.  All his previous sins are forgiven and he is granted the nearness of Allah Almighty.  Therefore, we should all continue striving throughout our lives to maintain that strong relationship that is established between us and our Creator.

Let us all remember that Taqwa (righteousness) should not be a stranger in our lives; it should not just visit us in the month of Ramadan and abandon us thereafter.  The true Taqwa (righteousness) is that which guides every action and thought of man.  It is permanently resident in the heart and beautifully embellishes the actions of the righteous. It is this Taqwa that the Ramadan has come to instill in us.  

That is why the Holy Prophet Muhammad Mustafa (saw) said that Ramadan is a shield.  It shields us from all undesirable and unrighteous behaviors and strengthens us in carrying out the commandments of Allah Almighty.  The Holy Prophet Muhammad Mustafa (saw) has described that as the closure of the gates of hell, the opening of the gates of Paradise and the fettering of Satan.  Let us strive hard to continue closing the gates of Hell, opening the gates of Paradise and fettering Satan.

The month of Ramadan also teaches us love for humanity and devotion to their service. This is further manifested in the giving of the Sadaqatul Fitr, a charity that is given in order to be distributed among the poor and the needy so that they can also happily join in the celebration of the feast.  This commitment to the service of humanity should also continue after Ramadan.  If that is done, the food crises that face the poor countries will be solved.  Ramadan is therefore an institution aimed at bringing us closer to Allah Almighty and also installing true love for his creatures in our hearts.

May the lessons learnt from this blessed month be the guiding principles of our lives in our day to day activities in all walks of life and may Allah Almighty accept and reward our humble sacrifices.  Ameen.

We are hereby once again rendering our sincere gratitude to Allah Almighty for His special grace on us in enabling us to witness and fast this blessed month.  We continue praying to him to strengthen us on the paths of his pleasure and protect us from all evil thoughts and deeds.

I wish every Gambian, and Muslim in particular, in the country and the sub-region Eid Mubarak.  I am also conveying to you the warmest Eid Mubarak greetings and prayers of His Holiness, Hadrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih V (ATBA), the Supreme Head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at who is always praying for the country’s peace and success.

May Allah Almighty protect our dear motherland, the Gambia and her people.  May he grant us peace, tranquility, prosperity and stability.  May he bestow on us good health and long life with firm faith so that we can witness next year’s month of Ramadan and many more.  May he establish mutual love among humanity, peace, harmony and security. Ameen.