Islam community observes Eid-ul-Fitra with enthusiasm

KATHMANDU: The Islam community in Nepal observed the Eid-ul-Fitra, one of the major festivals of the Muslims, with enthusiasm today. The festival is observed following the conclusion of the one-month-long Roja (rigorous fasting), that ended on Wednesday.

This morning, they visited the BP Chowk-based Idgah, a public place for offering prayers, en-masse, and recited Namaz, ritual prayers, wishing for lasting peace, prosperity, and goodwill in the nation and among the community, according to a Muslim religious leader, Maulana Abdul Jabbar Manjari.

People from other communities including political parties, the business community, and representatives from various organizations joined the Eid greetings-exchange ceremony on the occasion.

With cheerful faces, they embrace each other and extend Eid-best wishes warmly.

Nepalgunj-based Muslim leader Mohammed Harun Halawai said he could see the Muslim people celebrating the festival with a much fanfare in Nepalgunj, enjoying and offering special delicacies.

During the one-month-long Roja, they observed a rigourous fasting followed by the recitation of Namaz five times a day, tried to refrain from doing wrongdoing, speaking lies, seeing unwanted things tolerated heat with the belief that their Allah ( god) will forgive them all of their mistakes, according to Manjari,

Roza is considered a mandatory practice for people from the Muslim community. If any individual fails to observe the Roza due to physical condition or illness, such individual should offer food to another person from a poor community for a month.

Hindus and Muslims greet ‘Eid Mubarak’ to each other

Likewise, the Islam community of Mohattrai is engaged in observing Eid today. The settlements along the Mithila region in Mahottari where the people from the Islam and Hindu communities reside together exchanged Eid greetings, gesturing a mutual respect and bonding.

In the district headquarters Jaleshwor, the people from the Hindu community visit the houses of Muslims to offer the Eid greetings. Binaya Bishwakarm, 30, of Jaleshwor-2, said they are visiting his Muslim friends at their homes to extend the Eid best wishes. “The atmosphere is joyous.”

Mayor Suresh Sah Sonar said Jaleshwor highly reflects the presence of social cohesion and goodwill here and such feature is exemplary. Hindus are ahead of the relatives of Islam reaching the latter’s homes with Eid best wishes while Muslims reach the homes of Hindus during the Hindu festival with best wishes before the relatives of the latter do the same. This practice is founded on the Mithila culture and traditions.

Such communal bonding is released in each parts of the district, according to the District Coordination Committee, Mahottari Chief Suman Kumar Lal Karna, such bonding sometimes make us emotional, he added. “This is due to also the influence of the Buddhist philosophy.”