Hari Raya Puasa
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The festival of Eid, known in Singapore as Hari Raya Aidilfitri or Hari Raya Puasa, falls on the first day of Syawal, the 10th month of the Hijrah (Islamic) calendar. It is a celebratory occasion following a month of fasting, which is known as Ramadan. Hari Raya is Malay for "grand day of rejoicing". In Singapore, it is the most prominent of all Muslim festivals.
Date Of Hari Raya Puasa
According to the Hijrah calendar, Hari
Raya Puasa falls on the first day of the 10th month of
Syawal. The Hijrah calendar is a lunar
calendar and therefore the dates on which Hari Raya Puasa falls
varies each year.
Hari Raya Puasa should not be mistaken for the first day of the
Islamic New Year.
The Fasting Month Of Ramadan
Ramadan falls on the 9th month of the Islamic
year. Puasa is Malay for "fasting". Fasting
in Islam means abstaining from eating, drinking, smoking and
indulging in any form of behaviour that serves to nullify the
fast. During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk and
perform religious duties, such as reading the Quran.
All Muslims are required to fast, with the exception of
children who have not reached puberty, feeble elderly, the sick
whose health is likely to be severely affected by fasting,
expectant mothers and women nursing their children. Women who
are menstruating can take a maximum of 10 days off. However,
they must make up for each day taken off at another time.
Travellers are also permitted to eat during the period of
fasting provided they make up for the lost days later on. Fast
is broken after sunset when it is time for the evening meal,
which is known as Iftar.
The breaking of fast can be performed individually or as a
group. When breaking fast communally, individuals can take
turns to undertake the necessary preparations for the
majlis berbuka puasa (gathering for the breaking of
fast). In Geylang and Jalan Bussorah (behind Masjid Sultan),
streets are brightly lit with all sorts of Malay culinary
specialties that go on sale for the breaking of fast.
It is desirable that, during the nights of Ramadan, Muslims
perform tarawih prayers in addition to their daily
prayers. Tarawih prayers are performed only during
Ramadan and are conducted after the Isyak (night)
prayers, the last of five obligatory prayers of the day for
Muslims. While tarawih prayers may be conducted alone
at home, Muslims are encouraged to join the congregation at the
mosques or temporary prayer halls at the void decks of housing
flats.
During Ramadan, every Muslim is obliged to give to the poor the
zakat fitrah (religious tithe). The tithes are usually
paid according to amounts stipulated by the Majlis Ugama Islam
Singapura (MUIS). Many Muslims also choose this time to pay an
obligatory yearly amount of 2.5% of their annual savings.
Zakat literally means purification and growth. In
Islamic law, the zakat prescribes 2.5% of property or
1/40th of income to be distributed to the poor and needy. By
the eve of Hari Raya Puasa, Muslims would have paid their
zakat at authorised collection centres, mostly in
mosques around Singapore.
The Festival of Hari Raya Puasa or
Aidilfitri
Hari Raya Puasa marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.
It is a time of forgiveness within the Muslim community and a
time for strengthening of bonds amongst relatives and friends.
New clothes, decorated houses and exchange of invitations
between friends and relatives commemorate Hari Raya
Puasa.
The first day after Ramadan is a busy one. A visit is made to
the mosque and the recitation of special prayers is a practice
that Muslims observe on the morning of Hari Raya Puasa to
celebrate the end of the month-long fast. Other practices
include asking forgiveness from elders and visiting relatives
and friends. Visitations usually begin with the parents'
home as the first destination. It is a custom among many
Muslims to ask forgiveness from their parents for the wrongs
they have committed in the past year. Although it is not
required for Muslims to visit the cemetery during Hari Raya,
many do so as a remembrance of those who have left them.
Hari Raya Puasa is a public holiday in Singapore. On this day
Muslims in Singapore have a lavish spread of food on their
dining table. They would have specialties such as beef
rendang (a spicy dish of beef that is like a dry
curry), ketupat (rice cake wrapped in coconut leaf)
and lontong (rice cake immersed in coconut gravy).
Along with these would be cookies, cakes and pineapple
tarts.
In the past, homes were lit with lampu colok, a small
kerosene lamp that was usually homemade. The trend now is to
use decorative, flickering lights.
Hari Raya Puasa 1996-1998
From 1996 to 1998, Hari Raya Puasa and Chinese New Year fell on
the same week. There was a double celebration of the festivals
within the Chinese and Muslim communities. The term
'Gongsi Raya' is a creolised term originating
from Malaysia and accepted in Singapore to commemorate the two
festivals. Gongsi Raya, or 'Kongsi
Raya', became a derivative of this "shared
celebration". The occasion brought about a shared
experience of respect for ethnic diversity and tolerance of
cultural difference. Both Muslims and the Chinese kept their
homes open to visitations from friends and relatives, bringing
closer ties.
Hari Raya Puasa 2004-2005
In 2004, Deepavali fell on November 11, just three
days before Hari Raya. In 2005, Deepavali and Hari Raya Puasa
fell on 1st and 3rd November respectively. This led to the
coining of the term 'Deepa Raya' that was used
both in Singapore and Malaysia.
Author
Mazelan Anuar & Heirwin Mohd Nasir
References
A day for prayers and forgiveness. (1992, April 4). The
Straits Times. Retrieved 10 Sep, 2009, from Factiva
database.
A Pillar of Islam. (1999, January 7). The Straits
Times, Life!, Home, p. 52.
Countdown to Deepa-Raya. (2005, October 31). The Straits
Times. Retrieved 10 Sep, 2009, from Factiva
database.
Fast facts for Ramadan. (2005, October 12). The Straits
Times. Retrieved 10 Sep, 2009, from Factiva
database.
Festival of Eid following fasting of Ramadan. (1995, August
28). The Straits Times. Retrieved 10 Sep, 2009, from
Factiva database.
Food for the soul. (1986). Goodwood Journal, 2nd Qtr.,
11-15.
Hari Raya celebrations- Thousands throng Sultan Mosque. (1995,
August 28). The Straits Times. Retrieved 10 Sep, 2009,
from Factiva database.
Hari Raya Puasa. (1983). The Singapore Heritage,
1.
Ida Bachtiar. (1991, April 8). Doing God's will. The
Straits Times. Retrieved 10 Sep, 2009, from Factiva
database.
Leong, G. (1992). Festivals of Malaysia (pp. 35-45).
Petaling Jaya: Pelanduk Publications.
(Call no.: R q394.269595 LEO)
Noor Aini Syed Amir. (1991). Malaysian custom and
etiquette (p. 37). Singapore: Times Books
International.
(Call no.: RSING 395.09595)
Reme Ahmad. (2004, October 28). Happy Deepa Raya. The
Straits Times. Retrieved 10 Sep, 2009, from Factiva
database.
Zuraidah Ibrahim. (1994). Muslims in Singapore: A shared
vision (pp. 35-41). Singapore: Times Editions for Majlis
Ugama Islam Singapura.
(Call no.: RSING 305.697105957ZUR)
Further Readings
Abdul Jalal Ajmain. (1960). Adat2 Melayu [Malay
customs] (p. 81). Singapore: Educational Book
Centre.
(Call no.: RCLOS 390.09595 ABD)
Kerven, R. (1997). IId-ul-Fitr (p. 7). Texas: Raintree
Steck Vaughn.
(Call no.: J 297 KER)
Twice the celebration. (1996, February 20). The New Straits
Times, p. 10.
The information in this article is valid as at 2009 and correct
as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not
intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the
subject. Please contact the Library for further reading
materials on the topic.
Subject
Ethnic Communities>>Festivals and Celebrations
Festivals--Singapore
Islamic New Year
People and communities>>Customs>>Festivities
Philosophy, psychology and religion>>Religion>>Islam