Points to Ponder — Page 46
— 46 The Fast People celebrate Eidul- Fiṭr considering that their fasting has been accepted. They are pleased that God provided them the opportunity to worship. But the question is whether God did in fact give us the opportunity to worship and whether He did in fact accept our worship. If we availed the opportunity to worship, then do we know if our worship has been accepted? Some of our prayers are not accepted … in the same way the fasting of some people is not accepted. There are also some who could not avail the opportunity to fast because of their illnesses and inabilities. There are others who do not fast despite their ability. All these people … participate in the celebration of Eid. Rather, the latter are ahead of the others in the celebration of festivities. A joke is well known in our country. A servant lady arose diligently during Ram aḍā n to eat in the morning but did not keep the Fast. One day her mistress said, “You get up in the morning to eat but you do not keep the Fast despite eating before dawn. Why then you need to get up before dawn?” She responded, “ Neither do I offer Prayers, nor do I keep the Fast; should I become an infidel by not even eating before dawn? ”