The excitement of Eid visiting can be felt in the air once again after two years of lock down. Families and friends put on their Raya finest in different colors outfits. If you live in the HDB estates, you can hear the greetings of ‘Assalammualaikum’ at the front doors of your neighbours homes and the glittering chasing lights (lampu lap lip) adding to the joyous mood and atmosphere of Eidul Fitri in Singapore.
In Islam, visiting our family and friends is highly encouraged and Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah said, "Whoever visits the sick, or visits his brother in Allah (faith), a caller calls out: 'May you have goodness and livelihood be good, and may you dwell in an adobe in Paradise.'"
As we go about celebrating Syawal, Islam reminds us the adab or mannerisms that we should observe when we visit our brothers and sisters. Here are several Sunnah ways of being a gracious guest this Syawal.
1. Adab in Dressing
When you are visiting (or receiving guests) regardless of whether they are your peers, relatives, teachers and friends, observe your dressing such that it is clean, modest, appropriate for the occasion and covers your aurat.
2. Inform in advance
It is always respectful to ask if your hosts are accepting guests on a certain day and time. Let them know the time and the number of people visiting to prevent them being caught off guard. Avoid visiting too late in the night, especially when they have elders, the sick and young children who need their rest. Do not inconvenience your hosts by overstaying.
3. Greetings and Supplication
Give your salam when you arrive, greet your hosts and wait to be invited to seated or to enjoy the food and drinks. Exchange congratulations and pleasantries such as wishing your family and friends "Eid Mubarak" or "Selamat Hari Raya". In addition, you can also greet each other like the Sahabah used to greet each other on the day of Eid by saying: “Taqabbal Allaahu Minnaa Wa Minkum”, which means ‘May Allah accept (the fast and worship) from us and from you”. And what is better than greeting others in the form of supplication!
4. Managing our young children
It is normal to let children enjoy the atmosphere of eid visiting. However, prep them in advance and remind them on how to behave, greet the hosts with respecttl and to eat or drink only when offered. Remind them too to refraim from opening their green packets and announcing the value in front of the hosts.
5. Avoid personal and sensitive questions or remarks
One of the most important adab of visiting is to be pleasant to our hosts. Avoid commenting or giving remarks that may hurt or offend them or embarrass them. Prevent asking personal questions on their family, marriage, children or other matters that are too private to be shared or discussed.
6. Bringing gifts
If we are visiting our teachers or the elders, it would be a pleasant gesture to bring gifts. However, the act of gifting can be offered to anyone during visits. Prophet Muhammad SAW said, "Give presents to one another for this would increase your mutual love."
May you have a blessed and happy Eidul Fitri and may the uhkwah among our Muslim brothers and sister be strengthened. Insya Allah.
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The beauty of Islam. You get to enjoy great hospitality, awesome food, children get $ raya, And in the end, your will be rewarded by Allah after each house, Subahanallah Allahu Akbar.
A good reminder for all while we bask in the festivities of EID this year.
For me, number 2 & 5 are things that we need to always remind ourselves.
Number 2 - Inform in advance. Something simple and taken for granted by man, but easily resolved by just a phone call. As much as we the visitor "Takyah susah-susah lah. Kita datang nak ziarah awak", but as the one that will be hosting you, we need to be prepared to receive you, and not just from a food and refreshment perspective.
Number 5 - Avoid personal and sensitive questions Yes, I understand that the intention is that you are concerned, but you will never know the struggles and challenges one…