FASTING IN MALAYSIA RELATIVE TO OTHER MINORITY MUSLIM COUNTRIES

FASTING DURING RAMADHAN in majority Muslim country and other minority Muslim countries differ.  Perhaps, not that much, but there are differences nonetheless.  For instance, in Malaysia the fasting month begins when the official announcement via  television or radio after sighting the moon.  The special announcement is made by the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal after the consent by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong with the consensus of the Rulers of other states. Perhaps, in minority Muslim countries there is no specific bodies to announce the date to start fasting. Sometimes, each state has its own bodies or their own institutions to fix the date of fasting.

Once the fasting confirmed, all mosques and ‘surau’ in the country began to hold the ‘Tarawih’ prayer for the whole month of Ramadhan. Usually, after the ‘Tarawih’ prayer they serve ‘Morreh’ (light refreshment) for jamaah prayer.

The day fasting month begins, colorful stalls begun to flourish throughout Malaysian towns, cities and the countryside as well.  This scenario maybe we not be available in other countries where Muslims are minority. Each Bazaars Ramadhan in Malaysia has its own Malay cuisine and other authentic delicious foods especially for breaking of fast. This is an interesting culture in Malaysia. Most of the hawkers are local Muslims who cater abundant of dishes for the Iftar.  This unique Bazaars have become a tradition and much awaited not only for Muslims for Iftar but by other races or tourists as well.

The important thing  in Majority Muslim country is when we hear the ‘Azan’(call to pray) from a nearby mosque, radio or television; we know that ‘Iftar’(Breaking of fast) has started and this ‘Azan’ also to determine that ‘Sahur’(Pre-dawn meal) is ended. But, in  minority Muslim countries no public broadcating to announce the time of Iftar and Sahur.

Malaysian Muslims  respect each other during Ramadhan month. For those who are not fasting cause of certain reason they are not allowed to eat in the public. Most of the  restaurants, stalls or food court are closed during day time.  Only a few fast food restaurants are openfor business  to allowed non-Muslims to buy their favorite food.  Some of the Muslim in minority country, they have more challenging since most of the restaurant and shop open as a normal. Not everyone around them fasting or understand what Ramadhan is.

We are very lucky because Malaysia weather is humid, warm and raining all year round.  Some countries have four seasons. During winter and summer, fasting is more challenging for its either too cold and too hot.  This is the  unique fashion of  celebrating the entire month of Ramadan in Malaysia.   Other Muslims in other regions may observe the holy month in a quiet and in subdued ways.  May ALLAH rewards  them with blessings and abundance, nonetheless, Amin.

By Nida

THE HIDDEN VIRTUES OF SAHOOR

PROPHET MUHAMMAD (S.A.W) encouraged Muslims to take sahoor to differentiate between our fasting as Muslims with the fasting of People of The Book (the Christians and the Jewish), he said: “The thing that differentiates between our fasting and the fasting of the People of the Book is eating sahoor.” (Related by Imam Muslim). Sahoor means to take or to eat something before the azan for Subuh, it is a sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.). But the order here according to the Muslims scholars is considered as a sunnah muakkadah (highly recommended act) only, not wajib (compulsory) but still it’s highly regarded by the Prophet and the companions so for us Muslims we are not to miss it if we can.

There are many advantanges of sahoor stated in various hadiths among them are:

1. The blessing during sahoor. The Prophet said in a hadith related by Imam Bukhari and Muslim: ‘”Eat sahoor for in sahoor there is blessing.”
2. Allah and His Angels pray for the Muslims who take sahoor. In a hadith related by Imam Ahmad and Ibnu Hibban, the prophet said: ‘Eating during sahoor is a blessing so do not leave it though it is just a sip of water, verily Allah and His Angels will pray (do’a) for those who take their sahoor.’

The best meal for sahoor is the dates as it was mentioned in a hadith related by Imam Abu Daud, the Prophet said: ‘The best meal for the believer during sahoor is the dates.’ But it is our custom to take other food as well such as rice, bread, sup and many others. And even if we are full or don’t have any appetite for food during sahoor, we are still urged by the Prophet to drink even a sip of water as mentioned before in the hadith. This is to get the blessing of sahoor and the pray from Allah and His Angels as mentioned earlier too. So we have to ask our self do we want to miss all this reward and the blessing from Allah just because we don’t want to miss a few extra hours of our sleep?

Another sunnah of sahoor is to delay it a bit until just before Subuh. In a hadith related by Imam Bukhari and Muslim, from Anas bin Malik from Zaid bin Thabit said: ‘We had our sahoor with the Prophet and then we stand for the prayer (Subuh). I (Anas) said: How long is the period between azan and sahoor? He (Zaid) said: ‘Enough time to read 50 verses from the Qur’an (it’s about 10 minutes).’ According to this hadith, the Muslim scholars are all in the opinion that it is sunnah muakkadah (highly recommended) to delay our sahoor until a few minutes before the azan for Subuh. In Arabic language, the word sahoor also sometimes can be used as suhoor which means a specific time (a period of time 1 or 2 hours before Subuh). Therefore, besides being translated as ‘pre-dawn meal’ the word sahoor or suhoor also means a certain period of time before Subuh where the Muslims wake up for the meal and in the mean time they wake up for Qiyamullail (stand up praying for the night) as well. Actually according to the scholars the main objective of sahoor is not just eating the dates or the meal but to wake for the Qiyamullail so that in doing 1 thing (wake for sahoor) we can get 2 rewards. It is to kill 2 birds with 1 stone. First, the reward and the blessing of waking up for sahoor and second, the reward for doing the Qiyamullail.

Among the ibadah that we can do during the sahoor are:

1. Praying the sunnah prayers such as Taubah, Hajat, Tasbih, Tahajjud, Witr and so on.
2. Recite a lot of zikir, istighfar and doa’.
3. Read the Qur’an.
4. Take the sahoor for it’s a blessing and sunnah.
5. And most importantly, pray Subuh in congregation (jama’ah) preferably in the mosque or surau or in our house with our family if we miss it. This is what many Muslims sadly neglect it.

In order to do the Ibadah mentioned above, we have to wake up 1 or 2 hours before the azan for Subuh. And this is the real meaning of sahoor or suhoor as previously mentioned, not earlier than that like in the midnight or 3-4 hours before Subuh. If we practice like that it’s considered as if we are just taking the supper not the sahoor as been encouraged by the Prophet.

So, there is still a time in this Ramadhan for a change to become a better Muslim and to follow the sunnah of the Prophet as many as we can. Grab this opportunity so that our Ramadhan will be better than the previous one and we will get the title of ‘Taqwa’ by the end of Ramadhan and before it’s too late to do ibadah anymore as Allah mention in surah Al-Munafiqun verses 10-11.

By Ustaz Nik

MY BITTER SWEET EXPERIENCE DURING RAMADAN IN BOSNIA

1. The tragic conflict in Bosnia Herzegovina begun on 6^th April 1992 in the capital city of SARAJEVO when the Republic was recognized as an independent state by the United Nation.    The causes of the conflict were said to be due to the collapse of a strong Communist Government of the former Republic of Yugoslavia under late President Tito, escalating unemployment, inflation, political ineptitude, ethnic differences which created tensions and followed by a strong nationalism which escalated conflict. Bosnia Herzegovina has a population of 4.44 million.  Forty percent are Muslims while the rest are ethnic Serb (East Orthodox) Croat (Roman Catholic).
2. The Republic of Bosnia Herzegovina is a gorgeous country with its mountainous backdrop, valleys, rivers and lakes and little portion of the country located in costal region overlooking the Adriatic Sea. Bosnia is very cold during the winter averaging zero degree in January, hottest in July. Summer was very hot and dry which caused discomfort to some Malaysians.
3. The Malaysian troops were serving under the banner of United Nation (UNPROFOR) and arrived in Bosnia on September 1993 via Split in Croatia. After one month of training and battle procedures all the troops were redeployed into the various Operational Areas particularly in Central Bosnia where the majority of Muslims live.
4. After a few months on operation under the extreme weather condition, RAMADHAN came in early of February 1994 by then weather still remained cool.  It was not a typical fasting month like back home in Malaysia.  Bosnia was war thorn country.  There was no Ramadan bazaar along roadside.  Foods were scare.  Only white snow blanketed the horizon and chill wind beating our body. Every soldier has got to do their own cooking for Sahur and Ifthar if they are in the field. For those who are in the operational camp, foods were prepared by our chefs.
5. It is standard operating procedure of United Nation for any movement outside Area of Operation (AO) must be equipped with Spare Ration minimum for one day consumption to meet any eventuality in the war zone.  In case of being stopped by warring factions while on patrolling duty or moving from one town to another they would not go hungry.  Muslim   troop like MALBAT are very concerned about food supply to our troop while on duty particularly during RAMADHAN where every body has to fast. Despite the war, the extreme weather, scarcity of food, the month of Ramadan is received with joy by the Bosnian Muslims.  They uphold their fasting and literally keep their countenances.   During the night we perform Solat Tarawih in our small Mussalla. In Bosnia, Malaysian soldiers shared the food with local Muslim during ifthar and distributed some extra food to brother Muslims who are in need.  Sometime our soldiers were very kind by sharing apples or other fruits with another Muslim and offer them to enjoy ifthar together. Ifthar in Bosnia was an occasion revered by our soldiers.  Break fastings are much earlier than in Malaysia, which is within 1530 Hr to 1600 Hr during winter.
6. We ended Ramadan by celebrating Aidil Fitri together with all Muslims in a small town called VISOKO where the vast Muslims are living in Central Bosnia during the conflict. All the effort made by the Malaysian troop in Bosnia has been greatly appreciated by all local Bosnians and their leaders.  We were very thankful   to ALLAH for giving us the strength and safety which allows us to returned to Malaysia safely after all the hardship solely for Islam in other part of the world.
7. The diets of Bosnian people are totally differing from Malaysian, they don’t have curry or “Sambal Belacan” which are favorite to some of our people and without that our soldiers doesn’t enjoy the meal.  So they would prefer to cook Malaysian’s menu and brewed their own coffee and “Pull-Tea” (Tea tarik).   Some Bosnians like to try our food such as Roti Canai and Tea Tarik which are alien to them.  After sometime it’s turned to their favorite meals. Most of their meal, especially   vegetables are eaten fresh with bread (Pekara) and salted meat. They never cook the vegetable.
8. Overall, as a Muslim from Malaysia, facing the RAMADHAN and fasting the whole day, couples with military duties in the temperate country like Bosnia, I found it was a very great challenge.   We were well accepted by everyone even we are the only representative from Southeastern Region and Islamic country.  WASSALLAM.          

By Mejor Yusuf who was stationed in Bosnia under the patronage of UNITED NATION