Sufis Celebrate Eid al-Fitr

Today in Georgia (in the U.S.) Sufis, like all Muslims (who have sighted the new moon indicating the end of the Ramadan), are celebrating the Eid al-Fitr (the festival of the breaking of the fast). At the Athens, GA mosque (which is called the al-Huda Islamic Center) the Eid prayer began at 8 am with the traditional two sequences (rak'a) of prayer. The former Imam of the mosque (who had left Athens at the conclusion of his studies), Mr. Hishameldin Ahmed, returned to lead the prayer and deliver the sermon. During the prayer he recited the Surat Qaf (chapter #50) and Surat al-Qamar (chapter #54).

Subsequently, he delivered a beautiful sermon. Among his points of emphasis, two points stood out: the importance of meditating on the Qur'an, in particular by taking even one aya (verse) and repeating and contemplating it at length (even for hours), such as the aya "alhamdulillah ir-rabb il-'alamin" (Grateful praise is due to God, the Lord-Sustainer of all worlds), contemplating it deeply in one's heart, mind, and body.

A second point of emphasis was on the importance of people relating well to their spouses, but especially a man's relating with the utmost love and care for his wife, in which the a case in point was that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "The best of you is one who is best to his wife; and I am the best amongst you because of my behavior to my wife."