What say you: Ramadan

Oleh Ahmad,

3 September 2009.

It’s the thirteen day

of Ramadan today and I asked my friends from

around The World to tell us what goes

on in their country.

Ramadan is a month of fasting for Muslims. That means that

between sunrise and sunset,

you can't drink, you can't eat,

and you are constraint from doing things that would

obliterate your fast. Fasting is

an exercise in purification.

It's a demonstration of

obedience to god, and a way of heightening your piety by

following the ways of the prophets. Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam,

along with the profession of faith, praying,

giving to charity and making the pilgrimage to Mecca.

Certain aspects of the

celebration are found in most Muslim countries, for example, breaking the fast by eating

dates. But there are also cultures that come with the

event specific to each country.

So, what's Ramadan like in your place?

“As if the light has shown its way from eternal

darkness”

TAMAN MELATI: Firdaus is a tenant in Putravilla

.

Ramadan gave me a

thousand meanings. Ramadan is the month where you feel tempted and at the

same time, you can feel the surrounding of tarbiyah is lively, as if the light

has shown its way from eternal darkness.

“We will be having poem recitation this noon”

KLCC: Idzham is an intern from HRIS, PETRONAS.

In Malaysia, we would come to work an hour early and call it a day around 4pm.

Smokers would feel sleepy in the afternoon and an hour before going home,

we would talk about where and what we are having for

breaking fast. I also notice less gossiping going on and that's actually good for everyone.

“Stomach to be served

with famous dishes in town”

Special menu: Bubur Lambuk Kg. Baru

KG. BARU: Nu'man is a trainee from

Jurutera Perunding Zaaba, KL

We start our fast after fajr.

We break the fast during maghrib. Between that we serve ourselves to the One,

Allah. Here, we have tadarrus of Al-Quran, "tazkirah" or reminder, adn zikrullah.

But most important, people waiting his starved

stomach to be served with famous dishes in town, “Bubur Lambok Kg. Baru”

“I could see people going after their cravings and desires”

Waiting to be serve Bubur Lambuk Kg Baru.

KG. BARU: Amir is a trainee from Jurutera Perunding Zaaba, KL

This year’s Ramadan is different. I could see people going after their cravings and desires. In some events at Kampung Baru, I could see people already queuing up for a free Bubur Lambok (Porridge) before Asr prayer even if they meant to give it away afterwards. Some of them didn’t even follow the Asr prayer. That is a sign that we still need much to do my friends before Islam will conquer the world.

“Mosque is very much packed with people”

SUDAN: Bakri is a Mud Engineer from Scomi Oil Tools.

Ramadan this year falls during winter. The temperature would go down to 27 degree C with cold winds and stuff. It’s actually pretty cool as the day and night time is the same as Malaysia. And of course, the mosque is very much packed with people here.

Ramadan Kareem where ever we are.