Faizel Patel – 20/07/2021

As South African Muslims prepare to celebrate the day of Eid-ul-Adha on Wednesday, it is expected to be a sad and solemn day for many who have lost family members, loved ones, friends and even colleagues.

The Coronavirus pandemic has claimed millions of lives as the world battles to contain and extinguish the virus.

Esteemed Islamic scholar Ml Sulaiman Ravat says many people are facing challenges in dealing with the loss of a loved one from the time of Eid-ul-Fitr  until Eid-ul-Adha.

“People sometimes put themselves on a guilt trip, ‘I’m not supposed to feel like this, it’s the day of Eid’ and they try and totally suppress their emotions and that is not correct, that is not required. It’s natural for you to feel the pain, that’s how life is, these are special moments. The day of Eid is a special moment for a Muslim, for a believer and you have so many memories from the past of celebrating Eid with the person who you lost between the last Eid and now.”

Ml Ravat says people should not feel guilty for celebrating Eid after losing a loved one.

“Don’t fight your emotions on this day, don’t go to that extreme. But then avoid the other extreme also, where you allow it to totally overwhelm you and it becomes only a day of sadness because it is the day of Eid. You need to try and manage those emotions, try and work through those emotions.”

Ml Ravat says we should remind ourselves that feeling sad and heartbroken is part of the healing process, adding that no one is meant to live forever, pandemic or no pandemic, people are due to pass away at some point or the other.

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(Twitter: @FaizelPatel143)