During Ramadan, in addition to fasting, Muslims are encouraged to read the entire Quran © Pixtal
Ramadan is considered to be the most sacred month of the Islamic calendar. It is a time of spiritual reflection, a month of blessing marked by prayer, fasting and charity. It is a time where Muslims are expected to put in more effort into following the teachings of Islam and to work on spiritual improvement, self-sacrifice and increased devotion & worship to Allah.
 Close-up of bowl of dates © Pixtal
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 A few dates & a glass of water are usually the first foods to break the fast. © Pixtal |
 Muslims buying fresh dates in a market © PhotoAsia RM |
 After the sun sets, the fast is broken with a meal known as iftar. © PhotoAsia RM
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 Breaking fast, a time of fellowship with families & friends © PhotoAsia RM
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 Muslim family breaking fast © age fotostock
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After the last day of Ramadan, the next day is the month of Syawal. The first of Syawal is the day all Muslims in Malaysia call Hari Raya Puasa or Aidilfitri. It is the day of celebration after a successful 30 days of fasting. The celebration starts the night before, as almost all household will be preparing food such as ketupat, beef rendang and other “raya cookies”.
 Ketupat © Discpicture |
 Beef rendang © age fotostock |
 Assorted Arabic sweets © Gulf Images |
Praying during Aidllfitri © age fotostock
The morning starts with the prayers at the mosque, as men, women and children will pray together to bid farewell to Ramadan and welcome Syawal, the month of celebration. After that, they will return home and all family members will gather to ask forgiveness, from the youngest to the eldest in the family – that is why you always hear them say “Maaf Zahir dan Batin” (meaning forgive me physically and spiritually). Some who have lost family members or parents will be going to the cemeteries to recite prayers on this day as an act of remembrance.
Reciting prayers at the cemetery to remember loved ones © age fotostock
Then comes the best part – the feast! Abundance of food can be found in every household celebrating, where the culture of “open house” is normally practiced throughout Malaysia in the Muslim homes. The open house is a concept whereby Muslim homes will welcome visitors like relatives and friends to celebrate for the entire month of Syawal. This is to promote togetherness and to rekindle the love for our fellow men.
 Asking parents for forgiveness © Discpicture |
 Open house, a Malaysian concept, of welcoming guests to their homes to celebrate a festival © age fotostock |
 Visiting Muslim friends to celebrate Hari Raya © PhotoAsia RF
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