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FEATURES<br />
F ESTIVAL<br />
Tips to hold an<br />
open house<br />
on a modest budget<br />
OF BREAKING OF THE FAST • Don’t invite all your guests all at the same<br />
time. Stagger their arrivals by categories<br />
Aidil Fitri, also called Feast of<br />
Breaking the Fast, the Sugar<br />
Feast, the Sweet Festival<br />
and the Lesser Eid, is an<br />
important religious holiday celebrated<br />
by Muslims worldwide that marks<br />
the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy<br />
month of fasting.<br />
The religious Eid is a single day and<br />
Muslims are not permitted to fast<br />
that day. The holiday celebrates the<br />
conclusion of the 29 or 30 days of<br />
dawn-to-sunset fasting during the<br />
entire month of Ramadan. The day of<br />
Eid, therefore, falls on the first day of<br />
the month of Shawwal. This is a day<br />
where Muslims around the world try<br />
to show a common goal of unity.<br />
Eid al-Fitr was originated by Prophet<br />
Muhammad s.a.w. According to certain<br />
traditions, these festivals were initiated<br />
in Madinah after the migration of<br />
Muhammad from Mecca. When<br />
the Prophet arrived in Madinah, he<br />
found people celebrating two specific<br />
days in which they used to entertain<br />
themselves with recreation and<br />
merriment. He asked them about the<br />
nature of these festivities at which they<br />
replied that these days were occasions<br />
of fun and recreation. At this, the<br />
Prophet remarked that the Almighty<br />
has fixed two days [of festivity] which<br />
are better: Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.<br />
For Muslims, both the festivals of Eid<br />
al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha are occasions<br />
of showing gratitude to God and<br />
remembering Him, and are an occasion<br />
of entertainment. ‘Aishah narrates<br />
that when on an Eid day her father<br />
Abu Bakr stopped young girls from<br />
singing, Muhammad said: Abu Bakr! Let<br />
them sing; every nation has an ‘id and<br />
[this day] is our Eid.” Muslims are also<br />
encouraged on this day to forgive and<br />
forget any differences with others or<br />
animosities that may have occurred<br />
during the year.<br />
It is customary for workers in the<br />
city to return to their home town to<br />
celebrate with their families and to ask<br />
forgiveness from parents, in-laws, and<br />
other elders. This is known as balik<br />
kampung (homecoming).<br />
f.eg. family in the morning, friends and work<br />
colleagues in the afternoon and neighbors<br />
at night<br />
• Have one or two main heavy dish only so<br />
that you can easily prepare/reheat as the<br />
need arises and you do not over-stretch<br />
yourself and your budget<br />
• Offer several desserts (cookies, traditional<br />
cakes, fruits) and snacks (nuts, crackers) as<br />
most guests would have come from other<br />
open houses too and would not be too<br />
hungry<br />
Do’s and Don’t’s<br />
As a guest to a Malay Muslim home during Aidil Fitri, here are some useful tips to observe:<br />
1Attire is important. Avoid visiting in<br />
shorts, ripped jeans, sleeveless tops<br />
or skimpy dresses as anything that is<br />
revealing for both males and females is<br />
a taboo and your host will view this as a<br />
sign of disrespect<br />
Although the idea of an open house<br />
2 is to welcome guests, this does not<br />
necessarily mean that guests should enter<br />
the home as they please. It is polite to<br />
knock on the door at first upon arrival or<br />
if the door is open then at least call out<br />
to allow the host to receive you<br />
3Upon entering the house, the guest<br />
will usually take off their shoes as a<br />
sign of respect to the host and his home.<br />
You don’t have to worry about hygiene<br />
as the floor would be clean especially for<br />
open house occasions<br />
4Shake your host’s hand (Salam)<br />
but please also take not that Malay<br />
women do not shake hands with men<br />
in accordance with Islamic practices.<br />
However some are quite open enough<br />
and don’t mind. So if a women doesn’t<br />
response just take you hand back. A<br />
smile and a nod of acknowledgement<br />
with a polite conversation between men<br />
and women are sufficient.<br />
5By eating just a slice of cake or biscuit<br />
will fulfill a Malay host’s sense of duty<br />
to feed a guest, so you don’t have to stuff<br />
yourself in order not to offend your hosts,<br />
it is unnecessary. It is good to take the<br />
food nearest to you first<br />
6During an open house, it is common<br />
to serve the guest with soft drinks<br />
but if you are watching your sugar intake,<br />
do feel free to ask for a glass of water<br />
instead. It is not impolite and they will<br />
happily fulfill your needs as long as it is<br />
not excessive or alcoholic.<br />
7When receiving drinks or food, always<br />
receive it or take it with your right<br />
hand.<br />
8Bringing gifts or ‘Buah Tangan” is<br />
unnecessary during Hari Raya as a<br />
guest’s presence in the home is already<br />
very much appreciated.<br />
9Some houses will give green packets<br />
(money) to children, which should<br />
be received with the right hand or both<br />
hands.<br />
As throughout the day, a Malay<br />
10home will receive many guests, it<br />
is best not to loiter or overstay your<br />
welcome even though the host may insist<br />
that you stay longer.<br />
Try to avoid coming to your friend’s<br />
11open house during prayer times. This<br />
will allow the host to observe the five<br />
daily prayers.<br />
• Use disposable ware for cups and plates<br />
and cutlery so you do not have to spend<br />
time in the kitchen later to wash a<br />
mountain of dishes! Better to be out there<br />
entertaining your guests instead<br />
• Decorate your house with fairy lights for<br />
that festive ambiance<br />
• Prepare sufficient “duit raya” for the<br />
younger kids and if you run out, have candy<br />
in attractive bags to hand out so as not to<br />
disappoint them<br />
4 KEMBARA <strong>PLUS</strong> OGOS <strong>2013</strong>