AL GHAD DAILY NEWSPAPER
16 September 2009
Amman - Many Muslim countries share the same traditions and customs they follow in the month of Ramadan since they are united by the same religion. However, there are some traditions that are characteristic of some countries only.
In Malaysia, which has 12 million Muslims, or 60% of the overall population, Ramadan has special rituals where Muslims indulge in practicing religious duties to worship God and the markets and streets are flooded with people all day round.
The wife of the Malaysian Ambassador to Jordan Datin Jamilah Malek said that Ramadan in Malaysia has a special taste that highlights the spiritual attributes of the Holy Month especially through the different preparations, decorations and shopping.
Preparations include all cities and towns, where housewives clean and tidy their houses and campaigns are launched to keep the mosques clean.
Datin Jamilah stresses that Malaysians anticipate the announcement of the arrival of Ramadan patiently, then men, women and children go to pray the Taraweeh prayer in the mosques, while the housewives prepare the Sohoor meal.
Malaysians spend their time in Ramadan praying, the mosques stay open all days and nights and people read Qura'n and listen to religious teachings, Datin Jamilah says.
Although the working hours don't change in Ramadan, employees use the break time to listen to religious lessons from Sheikhs, Datin Jamilah adds.
She says that the family time in Ramadan is very important and housewives exchange different kinds of dishes.
The Malaysian cuisine for Ramadan includes a variety of dishes: cooked rice served with spices especially in the mosques, nasi lemak, which is rice cooked with coconut milk, satay, which is grilled meat or chicken, and all kinds of vegetables and salads.
On the sweet dishes, Datin Jamilah says that the Malaysian sweets are very delicious and include kuih lapis, ice cream sweetened with syrup with nuts and fruits, in addition to several other dishes from Indian, Malay and Chinese cuisines.
In Malaysia, they hold food bazaars through the whole month of Ramadan, for the housewives to buy from and add to the table.
Datin Jamilah stresses that Malaysian families get excited when their children start fasting, and they usually reward them with 'bahulu', a kind of sweets made from rice and sugar.
In Malaysia, Eid preparations start at the end of Ramadan. Different songs calling for peace, love and forgiveness are played everywhere, streets and mosques are cleaned and decorated, and housewives prepare Eid cookies made of wheat, rice and coconut milk.
In towns, Eid prayer start at eight in the morning, while in cities it start at nine in the morning. Prayer in Kuala Lumpur is led by the King of Malaysia at the national mosque which can host 15,000 people.
Family members wear a theme color during Eid, according to Datin Jamilah. The women dress is called 'Baju Kurung' and has two parts made from satin or silk, while men wear 'Baju Melayu' which is pants with long shirts made from satin.
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MALAYSIAN RECEIVE RAMADAN WITH ORGANISING RELIGIOUS GATHERING ' AL ARAB AL YAWM
PETRA NEWS AGENCY
3 September 2009
Malaysians receive the month of Ramadan with organising religious gatherings, even at governmental bodies and within office hours. They exchange greetings, clean and decorate the streets.
The wife of the Malaysian Ambassador to Jordan, Datin Jamilah Malek said, 'when Ramadan's arrival is announced by the Ministry of Religious Affair, the markets are flooded with shoppers.'
Food bazaars are organised in all the cities and towns of Malaysia of which Muslims make 65% of the total population, Datin Jamilah said, explaining that those bazaars sell different food items and dishes and until iftar time.
'Malaysians gather at mosques for Iftar, they pray Magreb and Isha'a prayers and listen to the religious speeches before Teraweeh prayer. After the prayer they have 'moreh' which is an after-prayer gathering to eat food'. Datin Jamilah said.
Malek said that one of the most popular Malaysian dishes is 'Nasi Lambor', consisting of rice and meat and served with soup.
She added that at the end of Ramadan, the Ministry of Religious Affairs appoints civil servants to collect Zakat from mosques and distribute it on the poor and needy just before Eid Al-Fitri.
On the Eid day, mosques are full with the Muslims for Eid prayer, and then men visit cemeteries and remember the dead, before visiting their relatives and friends. Malaysia families offer Eid sweets, also called as 'Bahulu' and made of flour, eggs and sugar mainly for their guests, the Ambassador's wife explained.