Eid al-Fitr Khutbah

Eid al-Fitr Khutbah delivered by Mufti Didmar Faja on 6/4/2019 at UICA.

Formatted by H. Fawaaz Hossen

All praise be to Allah, the Creator and the Sustainer of the universe. Peace and blessings be upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), his family members, his companions and all those who follow his way of life.

Eid is not a celebration for the good foods, the new clothes or the parties. It is a day when the believers feel a sense of satisfaction for having successfully completed the set of tasks, stipulated by Allah, throughout the month of Ramadan.

One of the most heard things in particular during this Ramadan, is that the days went by fast. Indeed, time is flying by and so is our life. Nonetheless, it can be taken as a positive thing for the believers, as a sign that Allah has placed sincerity in our heart and has accepted the deeds of His servants. However, the struggle does not end along with the month of Ramadan. The believers should continue to strive for the rest of the year just like they did during the month of the Qur’an, in order to make every day feel like the days of Ramadan.

During the month of Ramadan, people increased their acts of worship and the righteous deeds. They attained closeness to the Mercy of God and they became pro-active. However, these are not to be done only during a particular month, days or nights. As a matter of fact, scholars remarked that in order for one to know whether he/she has benefited out of the month of Ramadan, he/she should look at the days after Ramadan. If the person continues on the same trend, then know that Ramadan has been accepted from him or her. On the contrary, if there is a change in the course of one’s worship and righteous deeds, the person should hold himself into account, for there is a question mark on the acceptance of his/her Ramadan.

This Ramadan has brought a beautiful community spirit at UICA. Here are some of the major points which have contributed to a successful Ramadan and have garnered the satisfaction of our community members.

• An increase in the number of volunteers (both brothers and sisters) – But above quantity, it is about the quality of their work, relentless dedication and utmost commitment.

• The unity of our board members and their cooperation with one another to respond to the demands of the community members.

• An increase in the number of brothers and sisters who embraced Islam during this blessed month.

• The generous contribution of our community members and elsewhere, whether for our fundraising, through mosque donation, Zakaat and/or Sadaqatul Fitr, to help those in need, locally and internationally and for our school fundraising as well.

• The approval of the initial plans for the expansion of our center which will allow us to proceed with the construction.

• The involvement of our youth has never been like before. Be it whether for lending a hand to help, organizing events or just to embellish the atmosphere, they made their presence felt.

• The sisters and even the new converts have been more active than before, on daily basis.

• An increase in the number of students at our school, Greenway Academy to over a hundred, doubled of what we had last year, who are studying different Islamic sciences under qualified teachers.

• We strengthened our relations with the Phoenix Police Department. They are often invited to have dinner with us, during the month of Ramadan and outside as well. UICA and the PPD are very active and are working hand in hand to provide the best for the community.

• Getting engaged as well as taking the role of leadership in multi-faith activities with the different faiths’ leaders in Arizona.

These were just a few positive points that we experienced during the month of Ramadan. Nevertheless, it is as important for us to be aware of the challenges that we face, locally and nationally.

• An increase in hate towards religious people in general, particularly towards Muslims. Sometimes, it is due to the misinformation and misrepresentation of Islam or negative portrayal of Muslims and sometimes it is due to misguided individuals who intentionally wish to plant the seeds of Islamophobia, hate and bigotry.

• Another challenge is the lack of a closer involvement of the different community members in the services that Islamic centers provide.

Community involvement must be highly emphasized, not only during the month of Ramadan but throughout the whole year, for it will make our challenges easier to overcome.