Hari Raya Aidilfitri is a major festival celebrated by Muslims all over the world. Symbolising the end of the fasting month, the celebration falls on the first day of Syawal, which is the tenth month of the Islamic calendar.
It is celebrated with great merriment and enthusiasm every year, along with a wide array of delicious food shared with relatives, friends and neighbours, to inculcate the spirit of sharing, caring and forgiving.
This is the time of the year where Muslims will take the opportunity to seek forgiveness and blessings from family members and friends, to let bygones be bygones, and strengthen their relationships by creating peace and harmony.
During Hari Raya Aidilfitri, the younger family members will start the day by asking for forgiveness from their elders, who will give them their blessings in return. Children will be very excited as they will receive green packets of money from their elders. After that, the family will visit their ancestors’ graves, and go to the mosque for prayers.
Hari Raya Aidilfitri is the time to get together with family members, relatives, and friends. They will throw open houses where delicious food and cakes specially prepared for the festival are served to those who come to visit. Muslims will invite their relatives and friends, regardless of race, creed and social status, to their homes to join in the celebration and merriment.
The open house concept helps create harmony and forge a better understanding among the multicultural society in Malaysia. This is the time of the year that you can sample traditional Malay foods, such as ketupat, lemang, serunding, satay, lontong and rendang, as well as assorted kuih muih and dodol. With all these delicious food, it’s no surprise that many people will pack on extra pounds during the month-long celebration.
