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A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day with Zahid Hussain

Good morning and Eid Mubarak!

This is the second Eid this year; the first one marked the end of Ramadan, and this one heralds the culmination of the Hajj the great annual Pilgrimage to Mecca.

Eid in Arabic means ‘feast’ and this one lasts three days and commemorates the sacrifice that Prophet Abraham was ready to make – the sacrifice of his firstborn.

My children are looking forward to Eid hopeful that they’ll get a day off school!

Since the Pandemic hit the world has changed so much. Annual rituals were transformed, and many places of worship were closed for many months. Thankfully, sacred buildings are open once more. I’m grateful to be able to return to a semblance of normality.

I think we’ve all learned valuable lessons from the long Lockdowns.

Eid is a big celebration for the Muslim community, yet even in this moment of joy it’s important for us to reflect.

It’s tradition for families to visit the local cemetery on the way back from Eid Prayers. However, it’s a poignant experience for everyone I know because of the large number of graves. Everyone, from whichever community they belong to, has felt grief. Entire swathes of my local cemetery have filled up over the last eighteen months.

Holding the memory of those who’ve gone on before us informs our present and helps us, I believe, to make better choices.

It makes us, I believe, more grateful, not less.

Lord, you existed before the beginning, and you will exist after the end. You bring the dead out of the living and living out of the dead. Almighty God, many have returned to you. Have mercy on them; forgive them and bless them with your infinite grace.

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