The Muslim fasting month of Ramadan is now booming. For non-Muslim expatriates recently arrived in Indonesia, it can be something of a culture shock. Yet many expatriates are embracing the holy month to varying degrees. Some expatriates even eventually convert to Islam before marrying an Indonesian and observe Ramadan seriously
Ramadan this year began June 29 and ends July 28 The first two weeks have coincided with two major events :. The World Cup, which ended July 13, and the presidential election on July 9, the uncertain outcome of what is causing no small amount of tension. It may be a blessing that people will still be fasting when the official election result is announced on July 22, the real loser must accept defeat with grace and humility, rather than anger that could spark conflict.
The purpose of Ramadan is to purify the soul, mind and body. It is on the development of self-discipline, so that the body can resist bad habits and sinful desires. It is about acting with respect and compassion, get closer to God and help the needy
Every morning the holy month begins with sahur -. The meal before dawn. In many neighborhoods, there are multiple calls, either from the battery being wheeled on children, people who heard metal pipes on fences or loudspeaker of the mosque - and sometimes three
Some people have half a dozen mosques. their neighborhood, all with a different time for the announcement of sahur, which seems to go 2:20 to 03: 40, so if you sleep through the first, you can get to the second. loud cheers of the viewers of televised World Cup this month's matches also awaken sleeping.
Inner Peace
PR, a British civil engineer based in Jakarta, has been observing Ramadan for many years and says there is a sense of accomplishment and inner peace at the end of each day of fasting. However, he said the fast is not easy. "If I'm at home or in Jakarta, not on a long trip in a remote village, I go fast. The day before I prepare a meal with protein to keep me in the day. Setting my alarm for 3:30, I get up and eat before the fasting time, and then say the morning prayer. Then I try to get another couple of hours of sleep before heading to a normal day at the office. "
When the workload is not too heavy, he tries to leave his office for about 16 hours, so he could go home to break the fast after maghrib, the evening prayer . "Otherwise, I break the fast with my office in about 18 hours."
PR said it is difficult to fast if it is in London, especially during the summer when the sun is not before 22:30. He said one of the simplest pleasures of Ramadan in Indonesia is breaking the fast with his wife. "Just a simple cup of tea with an Indonesian sweet dish to give us back our d energy. the fasting month is a time of reflection, back to basics, and it makes you realize the important things you need in life. "
the fasting month is followed by holiday Idul Fitri period in which urban residents traditionally move to their hometowns to be with their extended families.
PR said he usually travels to East Java on Idul Fitri to visit the village of his wife's parents. He said the morning prayer of Eid in the village is kept in a field with a volcano in dramatic backdrop. "Here I can meet all the guys from the village, and there are religious but festive atmosphere."
The annual family meeting is a cherished tradition. "Everyone is in good spirits, but there is a serious time too, when everyone asks forgiveness from their parents and siblings, and vice versa, the mistakes made in the past year, "said PR.
"Then the second day of Eid, it's time for neighbors to visit, and all kinds of traditional snacks are prepared in every house to get people down in. The Indonesian traditions are really something very different that we do not live in the West these days. "
marketing
Just as some Christians in the West mourn marketing of Easter and Christmas , as do some Muslims feel that large companies drowns the meaning of Ramadhan. Rizqi, an office worker in Jakarta, is from the town of Pekalongan Central Java, known for its many Islamic boarding schools. He was raised to see Ramadan as a time for better prayer to approach God. "My first two years in Jakarta showed me a different face of Ramadhan; it is the month of discounts and sales ... During Ramadan, instead of tingling in mosques, people will swarm in malls. "
Rizqi said Ramadhan in Jakarta is also a time of" excessive socializing ", most revolving around breaking the fast, which is known as buber ( berbuka puasa ), or iftar in Arabic. He says it's not uncommon to receive an invitation to a fast breaking event almost every night.
"You may also be invited in activities Buber post. Unfortunately, the ones I attended were far from religious. They included karaoke, watching movies or chatting with old friends all night until the time of sahur. So we often forget to pray when the time comes. Or do we simply choose to forget? "
Office hours
Some offices in Indonesia can allow workers to leave early during Ramadan so they can return home in time to break the fast with family members. These first brands does not always mean that people will get home before 18 hours.
Take the case of Lina, a bank employee in Jakarta. She left happily his bank early on Monday to take a train to his home in Banten, west of Jakarta. by taking ojek (motorcycle taxi) of Tanah Abang station, she was confronted with a sea of people. a technical problem on the line had caused delays. When finally a train arrived at the platform, the patience of commuters had evaporated.
"Everybody pushed, pushed, stepped on, elbowed , kicked and shoved each other, either going down or, "says Lina. "Everyone wanted to go home early for iftar and taraweh prayer. It got worse at each station. Overpopulation, the snail pace speed and broken air conditioning exacerbated the nightmare."
She said a passenger finally fainted in the heat of the car. After over an hour of discomfort, the passengers heard the call to prayer, but there was no joy because they remained trapped inside the train. That said, one of the points of Ramadhan is to learn to endure hardship without complaint.
cutting Conversions
When men here expatriates decide to convert to Islam, it is usually because they married an Indonesian woman whose family insist her husband should be a Muslim. Some men think they should be circumcised to become true Muslims. The Koran does not cover circumcision, but it is mentioned in some hadith (reports on the words and activities of Muhammad and his followers) and the sunna (Islamic customs based on the teachings of Mohammed).
The time for circumcision is usually around the age of seven, sometimes earlier. John, a New Zealander living in South Jakarta, said he converted to Islam when in his mid-30s, in part to please his future wife and family. "He was everything to her, so I did."
He decided to be circumcised before conversion. "You do not really need; no one checks, but I thought it would be an interesting experience and something to tell That certainly proved to be the case." He recalls.
"Snipping top small appendage of a young boy without any problems. Men, on the other hand, have little control over the tumescence of their penis, especially during sleep. That first night after surgery, jumped on every point that was holding it together. It was like I was shot in the groin. It heals terribly. "
despite mixed feelings about his circumcision John is fond of Idul Fitri. "I like to return to the kampung for Idul Fitri with family. Aside from the problem of driving there, of course, given the traffic. Once home, however, it is a pleasant experience. "
For expats who decide to become long-term residents, embracing the faith or at least the spirit of Ramadan is not only about fasting, but to get closer to Indonesia.
0 Komentar