Central Eid Sermon: “Eid – The Mirror of Our Relationships and Hearts” (Gallery)
Central Eid Sermon – Eid al-Fitr
All praise is due to Allah, who has brought us out of the darkness of weakness, doubt, and division into the light of faith, clarity, and brotherhood. May peace and blessings be upon His last Messenger, Muhammad, as well as his noble family and companions.
Dear brothers and sisters,
Eid is more than a date, more than a celebration, and more than a tradition. Eid is a day of spiritual insight, emotional purity, and human greatness. It brings us back to one another. It reminds us that happiness is not in empty luxury, but in the fullness of the heart, in forgiveness, in an embrace, in a handshake, and in reconciliation.
An Eid without forgiveness and handshakes is just another date on the calendar.
So, if we have passed through this Ramadan without forgiving each other – then what are we celebrating? If we are still trapped in jealousy, misunderstandings, and mistrust toward one another – where is our spiritual victory?
Hatim al-Asam, a great master of the heart, said:
“I observed people, and I loved some while I disliked others. The one I loved had given me nothing, and the one I disliked had taken nothing from me. So, I asked myself: ‘Where does this come from?’ I realized it was jealousy, so I freed myself from it and loved everyone. And whatever I do not like to be done to me, I do not do to others.”
As long as we do not love people and wish for them what we wish for ourselves, our hearts will not find peace, and our Eid will have no true meaning.
Ibn al-Jawzi narrates the story of Bishr, whose sister Mudgha passed away. He grieved deeply, weeping, and said:
“When a servant neglects the worship of his Lord, He deprives him of the person close to him.”
How many of us today grieve over lost relationships? How many dear ones are no longer with us, yet we still live in conflict with those who remain? Eid is an opportunity to mend – before it is too late.
The greatest distance between people is not physical, but rather misunderstanding. Nothing destroys relationships more than interpreting someone’s actions in the worst possible way. This creates a maze of doubts, bitterness, and silence. Between misunderstanding, poor treatment, and distrust, even the deepest bonds fade away, and the purest souls suffer the most.
Is it not time to heal this illness? To stop looking through the lens of suspicion, to stop reacting with anger, and to start loving and understanding – with the heart?
A man once said:
*“I entered the mosque in Damascus, Syria, and I saw a young man with a radiant smile, surrounded by people who turned to him whenever a disagreement arose, accepting his opinion. I asked, ‘Who is this?’ and I was told, ‘This is Mu’adh ibn Jabal, may Allah be pleased with him.’
The next day, I hurried to the mosque, but he had arrived before me. I found him praying, so I waited. When he finished, I approached him, greeted him, and said:
‘By Allah, I love you for the sake of Allah.’
Mu’adh asked me, ‘Do you say this for Allah’s sake?’
I replied, ‘For Allah’s sake.’
He repeated, ‘For Allah’s sake?’
I confirmed, ‘For Allah’s sake.’
Then he grabbed me by the upper part of my garment, pulled me close, and said:
‘Rejoice! For I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say that the Most High says:
My love is guaranteed for those who love each other for My sake, who sit together for My sake, who visit each other for My sake, and who spend on each other for My sake.’”
If today, on this blessed day of Eid, we shake hands for the sake of Allah, forgive for the sake of Allah, and visit each other for the sake of Allah – then we will be under the shade of His love.
And know, dear brother, dear sister:
If Allah is with you – who can harm you?
If Allah is against you – who can help you?
If you have gained Allah’s love – what have you lost?
And if you have lost it – what have you truly found?
Haram ibn Hayan said:
“No servant turns his heart sincerely to Allah except that Allah turns people’s hearts toward him.”
Eid is a day when hearts connect. Not only through prayers but through concrete actions – a kind word, a smile, a visit, a gift, and forgiveness.
So let this day not be just about a festive meal and new clothes. Let it be a day of returning to humanity, a day where tears of humility are worth more than table decorations, a day where an embrace means more than a gift.
Someone’s care for you is a sign of deep love…
Not everyone who says they love you truly does, but the one who sincerely cares for you undoubtedly loves you.
So let us take care of one another. Today. Immediately. With the spirit of Eid.
O Allah, grant us the strength to forgive, to forget, to humble ourselves before You, and to uplift one another in our relationships. Let our Eid not be just a date, but a return to You and to one another. Ameen.
Eid Mubarak!
(Central khutbah of Eid al-Fitr by the religious leader Hafiz Hilmija Redžić on March 30, 2025, at the cultural centre “Al Seeërei” in Diekirch)
