DEVOTEES GEAR UP FOR SHAWWAL FAST

Muslims across India, with the exception of Kerala, will celebrate Id-ul-Fitr on Saturday, with congregational prayers being held in all major mosques and idgahs.

“I have been fighting the spread of communalism and extremism in Hyderabad all my adult life. I will pray for sanity to return to my beautiful country. Zealots and self appointed protectors of the faith, irrespective of their religion, are damaging the social fabric of this country,” said Muhammad Abdul Qadeer of Masab Tank.

His seven-year-old daughter Sumaira Fatima is all excited about her pretty pink frock and matching bangles. She also plans to collect lots of Idi from her father, uncles and grandparents. “She is blissfully unaware,” says Mr Qadeer, who is happy that he got to fast for 30 days instead of 29 like Muslims in some parts of the world. “I will, InshaAllah, fast for six days of Shawwal, beginning Sunday. Each day of fasting in Ramzan equals 10 days of fasting in other months. The same rule applies to Shawwal. So if I fast for six days in Shawwal, it would be like I have fasted for the entire year,” he said.

Aijaz Hussain from Talabkatta has a different perspective of Id. “Id is a celebration. I have done my prayers in Ramzan, I prayed for what I wanted. On Id, I will be celebrating, going out with my cousins and some friends to see the latest Salman Khan release. I have already booked the tickets,” he said.

Incidentally, while the start of Ramzan began on the same day, May 17, across the world, in some places like Kerala, Saudi Arabia and even in the United States, Id was celebrated on Friday since the crescent moon was sighted on that day in these places.