A Blessed Eid al-Fitr

A blessed Eid al-Fitr greetings to all Muslim brothers and sisters!

Today ends the end of the holy Islamic month of dawn-to-sunset fasting. This celebration is called the "Festival of Breaking Fast". Wikipedia says "it is forbidden to fast on the Day of Eid". Muslims have the ritual prayers and they do the obligatory acts of charity for the poor and needy.

In the Philippines, by virtue of Republic Act No 9177 and Presidential Proclamation No. 1083 signed into law on 13 November 2002, Eid al-Fitr (Araw ng Lebaran / Araw ng Raya), is declared by the Philippine government as a regular holiday. "The Philippines is the only majority Christian country worldwide to have done so," Wikipedia wrote.

Being in the Middle East (UAE) for more than a decade, I have witnessed the Ramadan tradition for many years. Since my first day here, I have met Muslim people and some of them got close to me and treated me as a family member.

Fasting, for them, makes the view of spiritual and physical realms clear and distinct from each other, with the spiritual on the very top and over the physical realm. In avoiding worldly desires during the month of Ramadan, they empty themselves to re-energize with the divine power.

I have met some Muslim friends who have helped me beyond measure in my darkest hours. They do not judge me for what I have or what I have not in terms of material riches. I can feel how they sincerely care for and highly respect me.

They rejuvenate their religion in terms of thanking the Creator for all the blessings and sharing them with the less fortunate men and women, regardless of color, nationality, and belief.

According to PsychologyToday.com, "research suggests it is possible to boost the capacity for emphatic understanding".

Ramadan helps boost their capacity for emphatic understanding. The world needs empathy badly. Many people feel damaged and are hurting. We cannot see them, but we can feel them, despite their wide smiles and loud waves of laughter.

"Empathy," per PsychologyToday.com, "is the experience of understanding another person's thoughts, feelings, and condition from his or her point of view, rather than from one's own. Empathy facilitates pro-social or helping behaviors that come from within, rather than being forced, so that people behave in a more compassionate manner."

Today, eat and be merry as we join our Muslim brothers and sisters in celebrating Eid al-Fitr! And yes, spread empathy.

Here in my quiet space, I passionately meditate to boost my emphatic understanding of people. My prayers go to some special human vessels of hope, particularly to someone who is like a bright moon to me.

I can see colorful fireworks lighting the velvety black sky on this very first day of what they call as Shawwal*. Am carrying something meaningful. Lift me, my Lord.

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*Shawwal is the tenth month of the lunar-based Islamic calendar; means 'to lift or carry', so named because the female camel would be carrying a fetus at this time of year.

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Photo credits: Pixabay

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Passionately M

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