Eid al-Fitr and Self-Image Whitening

On the 1st of Syawal, all Muslims around the world will celebrate the day of victory, a day when believers are restored to their original purity—known as Idul Fitri.

Eid al-Fitr exists because of the fasting (shiyam) of Ramadan, therefore there is no value and identity of the self-image of a believer if there is no implementation of the shiyam of Ramadan.

Why are believers today being returned to their natural state? Because during the months of Ramadan and Syawal, all blessings are bestowed by Allah SWT upon Muslims. I have analyzed that there are seven types of these blessings.

First, there is the grace that has been sent down by Allah in the first ten rounds (al-'asyr al-awwal) in the month of Ramadan. Even before Ramadan, Allah has promised His faithful servants: that whoever rejoices in welcoming the coming of the month of Ramadan, Allah will forbid his body from the fire of hell (al-Hadith).

Second, there is magfirah which has been revealed in the second or middle ten rounds (al-'asyr al-ausath).

Third, there is liberation, which has been revealed in the last ten rounds (al-’asyr al-awakhir).

Fourth, lailatulqadar which is revealed on odd nights (which is better than a thousand months, equivalent to 83 human ages).

Fifth, zakat fitrah, which can cleanse sins and restore human nature.

Sixth, the reward for fasting six days in Syawal, which is equivalent to fasting for one year. Seventh, halalbihalal (mutual forgiveness among individuals, which can erase their human sins).

For Muslims, the month of Shawwal is a new chapter, namely the chapter of returning to one's original nature, as in the hadith of the Prophet: "Every son of Adam has sins, and the best of those who sin are those who repent" (al-Hadis).

Likewise, in another hadith it is mentioned that every child of Adam is born in a state of fitrah. This means that every child who is born has been given positive potential or energy. Both of their parents will shape them into Jews, Christians, or Magians. Well, this is what distinguishes it from John Lock's tabula rasa theory and Plato's innate ideas.

In John Locke's tabula rasa theory, it is stated that a child is born like a blank sheet of paper, depending on who will provide the color or notes. This means that a child has no inherent potential and is passive. It is also likened to an empty glass.

While Plato's theory says that reality (being) exists because of our mind. This theory was later developed by his followers, such as Rene Descartes with his popular dictum cogito ergo sum (I exist because I think).

And finally another dictum also developed: you are what you think. As if these theories were the same as Islamic theories, when in fact they are clearly different.

In the Islamic concept, children are born with potential or positive energy. Like a battery that already has its contents, we just need to charge it more (fully charge). So, the essence of education is developing potential: nurturing, caring for, and developing potential to become a well-educated human being.

In modern times, positive traditions such as the silaturahmi that were built by our parents in the past are increasingly disappearing.

So, the terminology of tarbiyah comes from the words raba-yarbu-rabban, rububiyatan or rabba-yurabbi-tarbiyatan, slike the nature of rububiyyah God who maintains this universe. However, as time progresses and as children become adults and socialize freely, external influences cannot be stopped so that many viruses and negative energy enter.

Along with that, humans cannot avoid sin. This is where Eid al-Fitr is truly an annual reformation (tajdid sanawi) or self-purification. However, all of that is still vertical to the theological realm, not to the sociological and cosmological realms.

Therefore it is not finished, and this must be completed. One of them is through forgiving each other which in Indonesian tradition is called halalbihalal, which is the realization of wal ’afina ’aninnas (QS Ali Imran: 133).

The month of Syawal in the tradition of the Indonesian nation is the most appropriate momentum for the media to forgive each other, to do halalbihalal, as a form of horizontal and mass sin elimination (annual reformation), annual self-whitening (annual bleaching). If at the presidential level there is remission, and the governor has motor vehicle tax amnesty every year, then God every year whitens human identity.

As narrated by Muslim from Abu Hurairah, that one day the Prophet asked his companions: Atadruna man al-Muflis? Do you know who the person who is called bankrupt or insolvent is?

The companions answered: “A bankrupt person is one whose possessions are all gone.”

Then the Prophet said: "No, that is not the person referred to as bankrupt. A bankrupt person is someone who, when facing Allah on the Day of Judgment, brings the rewards of their prayers, fasting, almsgiving, and pilgrimage, but during their life in the world, they often committed injustices (harming their brothers, neighbors, seizing others' rights) and passed away without having had the chance to seek forgiveness from them." Such individuals will have their entry into paradise delayed.

This is where the importance of the social dimension in Islamic teachings lies. It is not only the sociological dimension but also the cosmological dimension (QS Al-Qashash: 77).

In this modern era, positive traditions such as maintaining connections, which were established by the elders in the past, are increasingly disappearing. This is due to modern life, which tends to be materialistic and individualistic. People are willing to form friendships only if there are work or business interests involved.

In major cities, for instance, neighbors do not know one another because their homes are separated by fences and high walls.

As predicted by Alvin Toffler, the modern era will give birth to impersonal humans, humans who are uprooted from their human values. The influence of technology and other social media devices, such as mobile phones and Android, also reduces the value of friendship which is no longer face-to-face, but has been replaced by Facebook and other applications, including classroom learning with fully e-learning.

However, fortunately, Muslims still have positive traditions that need to be preserved to overcome the impact of modernization, such as tadarus Al Quran, tahlil and yasin congregation, berzanji and diba', taklim assemblies, both at the RT and RW levels.

The tradition is one part of the form of Islamic brotherhood, ukhuwah basyariyah from among the many other good traditions that exist in Islamic teachings and the traditions of Islam Nusantara. The tradition of halalbihalal, silaturahmi, visiting relatives, neighbors and friends, honoring guests, is a positive behavior taught by Islam.

In fact, the Prophet emphasized that if people want their livelihood to be expanded and their lives to be extended, they must establish kinship. If we look more deeply into QS Al-Qashas: 77, the dimensions of Islamic teachings are not only theological and sociological, but also cosmological.

M Zainuddin, Professor of Philosophy and Sociology of Religion, Rector of UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim, Malang