RAMADHAN IN ASIA AND PACIFIC – CENTRAL ZONE (PART 2)

1. Every day, as dawn approaches, Quran recitation will be heard from the mosques or prayer rooms breaking the silence of the morning air while Muslims are preparing or having their meals.  This is typical of Ramadan in some of the ASEAN countries namely Indonesia, Brunei and Malaysia where Muslims are majority.   
2. Each day, moments before breaking fast, there is a sense of quietness engulfing Muslims residences waiting for breaking time to quench their thirst and hunger after their day long fasting.
3. That is the privilege of Ramadan celebrations in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei. This same atmosphere can be felt in southern Thailand, the Muslim villages in Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos. ASEAN countries have the largest Muslim population under the umbrella of RISEAP. Many Religious events are organized during Ramadan.  Each mosque or musollah will organize the Tarawih prayers.  In addition, corporations, government offices or Islamic associations will be sponsoring the breaking fast programs for the less fortunate such as orphans and etc.  
4. During the last few days of Ramadan, houses would be beautifully decorated to celebrate the arrival of Syawal or Eid-ul Fitr. The villages would be decorated with “Pelita” (lights). Happy atmosphere can be seen in every corner of the village.  Small children with happy faces would be busy playing firework. Women are busy in the kitchen preparing Kueh Raya(cakes and biscuits) for the Eid.
5. In 2006, I have an opportunity to visit Cambodia and Vietnam in the month of Ramadhan. The greatest experience about Ramadan that year was I have to breakfast in the boat when cruising along the Mekong River from Phnom Penh to Chau Doc, Vietnam.  It was late in the afternoon and the sun has begun setting in the east.  At that time, I was only able to breakfast with a date and a bottle of mineral water.  Initially we were expected to reach Chau Docbefore Maghrib.  But due to some constraints during the trip, we failed to reach the destination on time.  Our journey was three hours behind time.  We were exhausted and hungry.
6. However, that moment was a valuable experience for me since the time I embraced Islam.  Another very interesting experience was that I have to wake up at 3 a.m.  in the morning and got freshen up before heading to the jetty which was located near the hotel.  I have to take a ferry across the river and ride bikes to a Muslim’s home for the dawn meal.  As well as for breaking fast.  This is due to the difficulty in getting halal food in a small township like Chau Doc as the town is majority occupied by non-Muslims.  The village is the only Muslim settlement nearest to the town.  I will cherish these moments for the rest of my life.

By Shafiq Abdullah

PUTRA MOSQUE – KUALA LUMPUR

• Putra Mosque was built in 1997 located beside Dataran Perdana overlooking Putrajaya Lake. It was completed and given to JAKIM officially on 1st September, 1999. It took two years to complete the whole building of the mosque. Putra Mosque was named in honour of Malaysian first Prime Minister Almarhum Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj. It becomes one of the landmark and an attractive point in Putrajaya. The cost of the construction is estimated RM250 million.
• Putra Mosque is one of the most beautiful and distinctive mosques in the world and becomes a famous tourist attraction and destination in Malaysia.   
• The structure of mosque is based on the model of Persian Islamic architecture of the Safavid period with elements derived from some other Islamic countries. It is in fact a mixture of artistic design of Malaysian, Persian and Arab architectures. In essence the mosque was built based on hybridconcept which blends “Middle East” and “Malay Tradition”. The main entrance to the mosque is patterned after gates to public buildings in  Persia. Its standing minaret of 116 meter high is influenced by the design of the Sheikh Omar Mosque in Bagdad, Iraq, while the basement is almost similar to that of King Hassan Mosque in Casablanca, Morocco. The building was constructed mainly with rose—tinted granite, juxtapose by brown-stained cengal (hardwood) woodwork to enhance the decorative features of the doors, windows and panels. As a result, the whole building is dusky pink and creates a serene and very wonderful ambiance. 
• There are 12 columns supporting the prayer hall and 36-metre diameter main dome stands above. The prayer hall, ringed by special craft of wooden doors, windows and panels works, can accommodate up to 15,000 prayers at any one time.     
• Besides, the Prayer Hall, the mosque also has other functional areas including library, lecture hall, auditorium, dining hall and corpse management.  Currently, the mosque is headed by Imam Hj Abdul Manaf  Bin Hj Mat.
• RISEAP feels proud and honored to bring participants of each Islamic Courses to visit this distinctive mosque. The participants especially foreigners were impressed by the beauty and elegance of the architecture. The mosque signifies that Islam embraces modern technology with its spiritual pillars remained vehemently pure over time and space. 

                                By Aree Mamat

ARMY LIFE IN THE JUNGLE – OPERATION DURING RAMADHAN

1. After the Second World War, Malaysian security was still being threaten by Communist Insurgency from 1948 to 1960 and was declared as Emergency Period.  The state of insecurity continued until December 1989 when the Communist Insurgence was subdued by the authority and laid down their weapon and ceased the aggression against the government.  Within those 40 years of struggles, Malaysian Security agencies comprised of the Military, Police and other departments made a joint cohesive effort in fighting insurgences from the fringes to the deep virgin jungle. 
2. The Malaysian army was deployed to track the communists in the vast Malaysian jungles.  Even during the month of Ramadhan!  Literally, every able army personnel were sent out to the Area of Operation (AO).  Area of operation means that the area has probable insurgents.  As soldiers, we have to survive with whatever food ration supplied to us for days, weeks or even months.  At most, one could dream of was his family or someone would dispatch some special extra food to be shared with others during ifthar or sahur.   
3. In the jungle, fasting time passes very slowly. In order to endure that one month, we need strong motivation and faith. Even during cool weather (under the jungle canopy), daily life was boring. If we set up our camp base adjacent to river bank we can have other activities, especially fishing. Normally we will carry along fishing kits.  So during the dull periods we went fishing. During meal time everyone will have their share of the catch.   That was the life of a soldier.     
4. It is a tradition in any military organization; the family club members will prepare all kind of goodies for those who were in the front lines. Greeting cards and Happy Aidil wishes helped to ease loneliness and being away from home and loved ones.  We could find a soft hearted soldier who would rather spent time alone. But those who are easy going will amused themselves with jungle activities.  A good commander will find ways to keep his soldiers busy and occupied with activities so the time passes quickly.
5. On the first of Syawal some soldiers will do the security patrol while others attended solat Aidil Fitri. After that they greeting one another as usual, then urgent for light refreshment before they geared for the duty of the day. At all time the senior fellow will remind the junior one on safety and security in conducting the task given while they are   in the   jungle. With a strong sense of belonging and the loved the comrades become an old tradition in our Military life. Living in the jungle in the small group and share every thing from food to a bunker every one fill like a brother, or a buddy. This will remain until the end of their service.
6. As an officer, fasting in the jungle was a very sad experience.  My buddy and I have our sahur in the dark as touch light was forbidden.  Any source of light may be spotted by our enemy miles away there could endanger our lives.  If it rained, our food would turn cold and everything would be wet. But as a good Muslim, we persevered and completed our fasting.   WASSALLAM.          By Major