JAKARTA (AP) – The holy month of Ramadhan, when Muslims fast from dawn to dusk, began at sunrise yesterday in much of Asia, a day after many those in the Middle East began their fasts.
In the Muslim lunar calendar, months begin only when the new moon is sighted, which can lead to variations of a day or two.
Middle Eastern nations including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates declared the month would begin on Monday, but in the Asia-Pacific countries including Australia, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore began Ramadhan yesterday after failing to see the crescent moon the previous night. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh also began Ramadhan yesterday, as did Iran and Jordan.
During Ramadhan, Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sexual intercourse from sunrise until sunset. Even a tiny sip of water or a puff of smoke is enough to invalidate the fast. At night, family and friends gather and feast in a festive atmosphere.
The fasting is aimed at bringing the faithful closer to Allah the Almighty and reminding them of the suffering of the poor. Muslims are expected to strictly observe daily prayers and engage in heightened religious contemplation. They are also urged to refrain from gossip, fighting or cursing during the holy month.
IN INDONESIA, RAMADHAN MEANS JOY – AND PROFIT
In Indonesia, where 90 per cent of the population of 277 million practice Islam, celebrations ranged from colourful torchlight parades, to cleaning family graves, to preparing food for pre-dawn breakfasts and elaborate post-sundown meals known as iftars. Each region in the archipelago nation has its own way to mark the start of Ramadhan.
The government set the start of the holiday for yesterday after teams from more than 100 regions failed to sight the new moon on Sunday. Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas announced the timing late on Sunday evening.
Mosques flooded with congregants for the evening prayers known as tarawih on Monday night.
In Jakarta’s Istiqlal Grand Mosque, the largest in Southeast Asia, tens of thousands crammed together shoulder-to-shoulder. It’s also an exciting time for business. Hotels, restaurants and cafes all prepare special Ramadhan promotions, shoppers to flock shopping centres for new clothes and home decorations for the holiday of Aidilfitri, which marks the end of Ramadhan.
In Malaysia, mosques began preparing bubur lambuk, a hearty traditional porridge dish made with meat and spices that is distributed for free to the public during Ramadhan. But at the same time, critics urged people to keep their iftars to a reasonable size.
IN MALAYSIA, RAMADHAN CALLS TO CURB FOOD WASTE
The Consumers’ Association of Penang said that food waste increases by up to 20 per cent during Ramadhan.
Some 90,000 tonnes of food were reportedly thrown out across the country during Ramadhan last year, it said.
“Ramadhan is supposed to be a month of intense devotion for Muslims but for some, it has become a month of feasting and wasteful spending,” the association’s president Mohideen Abdul Kader said in a statement yesterday. “Now, more than two million Palestinians are facing starvation so we should not be throwing away huge quantities of food in the holy month,” he added.
Rozman Abdul Rahman, a security guard, said his wife will cook just enough to break the fast each day so that no food will go to the landfills.
He said rising cost of living also means that essential food items have become more expensive.
Fifty-year-old Rozman said he enjoys the fasting season as it allows him to build his resilience. He’s removed all food and water containers from the security hut where he works to avoid temptation.
“I have been waiting for Ramadhan. This is a tough period, but I enjoy it as it tests my faith and helps me to control myself. We cannot even scold people during this period,” said Rozman.
