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on 01-12-2002 22:23
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By Z H Khan
Eid is not just about delicacies, eidhi, and stylish clothes. As our society becomes more and more advanced and educated, we are learning more about the fundamental values of our timeless religion. Eid is about family, charity, goodwill, and Gods orders. We provide you a guide on how to best plan your Eid day to make it a learning experience for your children and help build the ties of family.
Give your Eid day a loose schedule to make the most of it. Let your friends and family know when youll be home so they can drop by accordingly. Better yet, tell them of your plans and invite them to try a new twist on the Eid experience like you.
EID PRAYER
Take the entire family to Eid prayer this year to help build a sense of kinship. Leaving the women at home to take care of tasks might be part of our culture, but including your whole family in the biggest part of Eid makes it more of a shared experience. Some masjids might not have a satisfactory prayer area for women, so choose your masjid well in advance. Best places to look are landmark mosques, like Faisal, Babri, and Tauba, which can be a history lesson to your children as well as a pleasant family experience. Visiting a popular masjid will give your family a chance to see a wide slice of life, aside from your usual, small local community mosque.
Tips: Expect to encounter beggars. Remember to keep cool and dont lose your temper over their persistence. A good idea is to bring little ‘tiki’ packs of biscuits to give to beggars. Theyre cost effective, small, and ideal; rather than giving the panhandler money and perpetrating his habit, giving him some biscuits which will fill his stomach and rest easy on your conscience. Remember, our Holy Prophet (PBUH) was a kind and charitable man, so on our holy days we should do our part and try to follow his example. Also, leave valuables at home; crowded areas like a full mosque are often frequented by pickpockets.
FAMILY PORTRAIT
One new custom thats quickly building in popularity is the tradition of taking family Eid pictures. While youve got everyone dressed up in their Eid best, pack the family into a car and get your portrait taken. Over the years youll enjoy looking back on these pictures as a window to the past. Your kids will love comparing how looks changed over time and how small they used to be.
Tips: Not every portrait studio is open on Eid, so make an appointment with the photographer before hand. Choose a studio that has enough space for your whole family and whose previous work and backgrounds you like. Dont bother going to the salon or beautician for this photo; elaborate hairstyles will be lost in a front-angled picture and heavy make-up will make you look out of place compared to your childrens rosy natural cheeks. Let this picture catch your family in their natural element.
DINING OUT
This may not be an original idea, but eating together always strengthens the bonds of family. According to your preference, eat lunch or dinner out at a nice and reasonable family restaurant. Choose a place that has foods that even your pickiest child will eat. Over the meal, talk about the meaning of Eid and share the new experiences and understandings your family has had this holiday. If you want to truly make it a learning experience, bone-up on hadith regarding this holy day and share what Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) did and said on Eid.
Tips: If you are worried about your children acting out in public, talk to them ahead of time on the importance of manners and how you expect your children to behave. Of course, reasoning with children doesnt always work so you might want to offer a reward for the best-behaved child. Keeping your kids new Eid clothes stain free might be a bit of a challenge, so have the messy eaters wear something nice but expendable. Also, if your children dont know the purpose of napkins, now would be an excellent time to teach them!
HELPING OTHERS
Eid is about charity and goodwill to fellow man. To instill these values in your children, take these ideals and act on them. Distribute clothes, shoes, and toys in a poor community. The more you give, the more you receive from Allah. If this is beyond your budget, call your local Edhi centre, Red Crescent, or other charitable organisations to see if you can volunteer your help. Take a few hours of your day and benefit those who are in greater need.
Tips: If you are wary of visiting the poor sectors of your city, you can offer your charity of clothes and such to your own household help (workers) or donate them to collection centres. If you plan to volunteer at a benefit group, call them before Eid to find out the best time and location. Dress according to the task youll be undertaking (i.e. if distributing food, wear clothes you dont mind spilling food on).
FAMILY REUNION
If your family is spread out across the country or a city, then a family reunion might be just what you need to bring them all together. This requires a bit of prior planning and work. At least a week in advance call your family and schedule a date and time sometime during the three days of Eid that is convenient for most of them. Even if your family can only spare a few hours, it will be enough for everyone to meet, greet, and renew ties.
Tips: If you are worried about the expenses of feeding such a group, have a potluck dinner, which is when everyone brings one dish. Most people bring favourite desserts and appetizers, so you will be better off to make at least one main dish to feed everyone. Biryani or plow is good because you wont have to worry about bread, and it includes both complex sugars and protein.
Last update : 01-12-2002 22:23
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