The Fasting Month of Ramadan in Indonesia

www.yaminhi.com | Every year, all Muslims around the world practice fasting in the month of Ramadan. Muslims want to maintain the sacredness of Ramadan as a basis for building their personality. Ramadan is the month of forgiveness in which the Quran was revealed

Fasting during Ramadan is obligatory for all Muslims in the world and is the fourth pillar of Islam. Fasting or sawn is the act of abstaining from eating or drinking and anything that invalidates the fast, from sunrise to sunset during the ninth month of the Muslim calendar.

Indonesia, the largest Muslim country in the world there are habits and traditions that Muslims do only during Ramadan. First, Muslims who fast have a meal (sahur), usually mosques call people to get up through loudspeaker or groups of boys will walk through neighborhoods beating drums and other noise makers to wake up people. people and shout “Sahur, Sahur!” So, Indonesian Muslims start their fast in the morning after sunrise at approximately 04:30 (four thirty) until sunset at around 6 (six) in the afternoon. While they are fasting, they believe that they should not withdraw from their daily routine, continue their usual work and activities.

During Ramadan, street food vendors and some restaurants close during the day. Other restaurants remain open during the day, but the windows will be covered with curtains to respect those who are fasting. In the afternoon, there are usually many markets/vendors suddenly appearing and selling various types of Indonesian food and drinks, such as kolak, leumang, Cendol, and many others.

Before breaking the fast, there is a tradition called “ngabuburit” derived from the Sundanese (West Java) language which basically means “spending time doing activities while waiting to break the fast of Ramadan. People go for walks or go out in the park, look for sweet snacks, to break their fast. Another tradition is called “Bukber o Buka Bersama” (break fast together), which means breaking the fast, together, either with friends or colleagues in restaurants or cafes.

Also, in mosques you can see people reading Quran. People take advantage of this moment to read and memorize this scripture, because it was when the Quran was revealed to Mohammad, for that reason people take advantage and do the Tarwawih prayer at night

Near Lebaran date, There is a tradition in Indonesia where people go to buy new clothes to be worn in Lebaran. And discounts are everywhere.

About a week before Lebaran, people in Indonesia have mudik or pulang kampung tradition; When they go home to another city to celebrate Lebaran with their big family.

After the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, Muslims in Indonesia and around the world will celebrate Eid al-Fitr (Lebaran). (AY/www.yaminhhi.com)

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