She looked at him as he appeared with his beautiful face, shy and hesitant, burdened with great sorrow, as if he were in pain! Were he not a servant commanded with absolute obedience, he would not have appeared before her. In her mind, the image of her missing father, her wounded mother, and her siblings beneath the rubble flashed before her. Visions of the displaced, her occupied hometown, her destroyed neighborhood! Exhumed graves whose inhabitants had not been spared even in death. Young men in the prime of their youth with amputated limbs. Premature infants whose breaths had been extinguished, their lives stolen away. Entire neighborhoods leveled to the ground without regard for the sanctity of an infant, an elderly man, a weak woman, or even an innocent animal.

The images rushed before her eyes as if she were seeing them in reality—children screaming, orphaned, weeping for their parents, left without a father to care for them or a mother to embrace them! Young girls, once as fresh as blooming flowers, their radiance stolen, their faces covered in dust, the ruins surrounding them, running aimlessly, desperately chasing life, fleeing in the hope of survival, which now seemed almost impossible. Mosques, schools, universities, clubs, and hospitals—once symbols of knowledge, strength, and life—had ceased to exist!

A relentless stream of images haunted her every moment, whether awake or asleep, with no escape. She cried out from the depths of her soul: “Where are my mother and father? My family and siblings? Where is my home, my room, my friend?!”

She awoke from her haunting visions only to face the painful reality—Eid had arrived, but instead of bringing joy, it came with sorrow. She drank deeply from the bitterness of loss and deprivation. No father, no mother, no home, no family. No sweets, no Eid cookies, no decorations, no new clothes, no gifts! No security, no peace, no love, no solace. At that moment, she understood why her crescent today appeared sorrowful, despite always being a symbol of joy and delight. Yet, in spite of her overwhelming emotions and searing pain, she overcame her grief and softly pleaded to Allah with a voice choked with tears: “O Allah, bring this crescent upon us with security and faith, and with peace and Islam.”

It was then that she realized how precious the blessing of security is—a blessing so great that the Prophet (peace be upon him) specifically mentioned it in his supplication, making it the very first request.

The Crescent of Eid

The crescent of Eid has appeared before Muslims, heralding the arrival of their celebration. The appearance of the crescent symbolizes completion and signifies an end. To those who see it, it represents the renewal of life, its cyclical nature, its rise, and its inevitable decline. With every new sighting of the crescent, hope is rekindled in the hearts of those who behold it, longing for a longer life and renewing their sincere intentions to improve their deeds in the time that remains.

As Ramadan concludes, a Muslim finds themselves wavering between fear and hope—fear that Allah may reject their deeds, and hope in His acceptance and mercy. After a month of fasting, prayer, and disciplining the soul to restrain its desires and elevate its willpower, those who have succeeded in this school of Ramadan receive the great glad tidings from our Prophet (peace be upon him), who said: “There are two pleasures for the fasting person, one at the time of breaking his fast, and the other at the time when he will meet his Lord; then he will be pleased because of his fasting.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari) But can the joy of Eid Al-Fitr truly be complete for Muslims in these days?

The Stolen Joy

The crescent of Eid has risen over the people of Gaza after the disappearance of the Ramadan crescent. But their joy in Eid is incomplete—it is a joy with amputated legs, unable to stand and reach them!

The people of Gaza have suffered tremendously. They fasted without suhoor, broke their fast without iftar food, and prayed without mosques. A fasting person among them could not find even a loaf of bread for their children to break their fast or a few dry morsels for suhoor.

No one came forward to relieve their hunger, to stop the killing, destruction, and siege imposed upon them. This, in an age that prides itself on civilization and progress, that loudly proclaims human rights, that raises slogans demanding women's and children's rights—rights that have proven not to be meant for them!

The world erupts in outrage over the smallest issues, yet thousands of children, women, young men, and elders have been slaughtered and bombed without cause. A mother loses all her children at once, a child is deprived of both parents simultaneously, entire families are wiped out in an instant, and yet the so-called “human rights advocates” remain silent!

As children were buried alive by hunger, and mothers drank from the bitter cup of both starvation and loss, and men sacrificed their lives just to obtain a sack of flour—sometimes even soaked with their own blood—no human rights organization rose to demand their right to live in dignity! The world hears the news, sees the tragedies, and witnesses the horror—yet acts as if nothing has happened.

Are these rights only preserved for certain people? Are women and children worthy of protection only when they belong to other nations? Are these oppressed souls seen as less than human? Are they from another world?

The Sorrows of Eid

The crescent of Eid has come carrying the grief and sorrows of the oppressed in the land of Al-Isra' (Palestine). They do not know how to rejoice, nor when to celebrate Eid, nor with whom to celebrate it!

Eid has arrived while their loved ones remain beneath the rubble—neither alive in their homes nor honored in their graves!

Eid has come, and a father mourns: “I have no one left in this world… with whom should I celebrate Eid?”

Eid has come, and a mother whispers to herself, mourning her kidnapped son: “What have they done to you, my beloved?!”

Eid has come, and a young girl weeps for her martyred brother, crying: “Bring him back to me! He was sleeping in my arms!”

Eid has come, and a little boy sobs for his murdered brother and friend, asking: “What was their sin?” His voice trembling, he carries his infant sibling, crying: “By Allah, I am scared!”

Eid has come to the people of Gaza, and the greatest dream of a mother is: “I just want to return to my home and see my children go back to their universities.”

Believers Are One Body

If this is the Eid of the people of Gaza, then the hearts of believers everywhere mourn with them, sharing their grief and striving to ease their suffering. They pray for them day and night, in secret and in public, unable to sleep peacefully or rest with ease. Their hearts ache with sorrow for them, wishing they could sacrifice themselves and their wealth to aid them.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The believers in their mutual kindness, compassion and sympathy are just like one body. When one of the limbs suffers, the whole body responds to it with wakefulness and fever.” (Narrated by Muslim)

This is the deep bond of faith that ties a Muslim to their fellow Muslim—a connection that compels believers to lift the burdens of suffering from their brothers and sisters wherever they are, with every lawful means available.

Yet, despite all this, the believers remain certain that Allah's decree holds wisdoms beyond our understanding. Within trials and tribulations, there is immense hidden good. The Prophet (peace be upon him) assured us saying: “Know that patience over what you dislike brings great good, and know that victory comes with patience, relief with affliction, and hardship with ease.” (Narrated by Al-Bayhaqi)

If this Eid has come with sorrow, then surely tomorrow it will bring joy. Tomorrow, the homes will be rebuilt, the fearful will find safety, and the displaced will return. Tomorrow, schools will reopen, universities will be established, and minarets will rise high. Tomorrow, children will be born, families will grow, and lineages will extend. And tomorrow, the rightful owners will reclaim their rights, in fulfillment of Allah’s promise: “And that day the believers will rejoice. In the victory of Allah.” (Ar-Rum: 47) “And incumbent upon Us was support of the believers.” (Ar-Rum: 4-5)

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