And we will eat dates ...

Ramadan, the fasting month for Muslims, is here once again.

Muslims in Malaysia began observing Ramadan on Saturday (Aug 22, 2009) and will do so for a month until the dawn of festivities known as Hari Raya here.

Ramadan is special for many reasons: savouring dates (as in the picture above) and traditional food, strengthening family ties and initiating gloomy and not-so-gloomy rounds of introspection.

The last activity is particularly important because examining my own thoughts, feelings and motives will motivate me to improve myself when I understand my obligations as a human being on Earth.

Prayers are important throughout the year but there is something about Ramadan that makes prayers even more meaningful.

Performing specific additional prayers that aim to bring the faithful closer to God is highly encouraged.

Selamat Berpuasa!

Comments

A. Nymous said…

I miss home badly.

24 August 2009 at 09:17

Faezah Ismail said…

our thoughts are with you. stay calm!

24 August 2009 at 11:44

June weddings

June is the month for weddings and invitations in my letter box prove this. The popularity of June weddings is a global phenomenon. According to Lesley-Ann Graham, author of WeddingTrix.com, June weddings trace their roots to ancient Rome "when couples would marry in June in observance of Juno, the goddess of marriage". It was thought that the goddess would give her blessing to each married pair. But there are also "practical reasons for getting married in June" such as nice weather and school breaks. June weddings are also fashionable in Malaysia where schools take a short break in June and the half-term holiday allows Malaysian parents to plan for their older children's weddings with a lot less hassle than holding them during non-vacation time. Wedding invitations inundated my mail box this month but I could only attend one. Most painfully, I could not be present at Koh Soo Ling's wedding reception. Soo Ling, if you recall, writes for New Sunda

Koh Soo Ling: Letter perfect love

I will not be able to attend my friend's wedding because I will be in Kuching, Sarawak on the day of the reception. When duty calls, ... That is so sad. I will make it up to you Koh Soo Ling, who is pictured here with husband Michael Howard. Soo Ling has found happiness with a wonderful Irish man who loves her with an intensity that makes her heart flutter. She will begin a new life in Ireland and the prospect of living in the countryside fills her with excitement. She will love her man, take care of him, cook and bake for him, take part in community life and write, write and write. Yes, Soo Ling will continue to write for New Sunday Times and she promises to share her activities with readers in Malaysia. Theirs is not a whirlwind romance. They started as pen pals, two teenagers who were eager to learn about foreign cultures. Pen pal relationships are so mysterious. Some write to their friends abroad for only a short time; others continue to swap letters and gifts in their

When a card came out of the blue ...

This post is prompted by a remark made by my good friend Wei Lin. She saw me reading a card I had received from a friend recently and said: "Traditional cards are so old-fashioned." I wondered if that was true and decided to probe into the issue. A Google search revealed numerous articles on the debate between traditional paper-based cards and e-cards. Tracey Grady's examination of the pros and cons of each type is informative. In my opinion, e-cards are not substitutes for the real (traditional) ones and they shouldn't be. I treat e-card e-mails with suspicion because spammers could be using them to download viruses and software onto my computer. I have never sent anyone an e-card and I don't plan to; I dislike the cold impersonality of conveying greetings electronically. I have always liked sending and receiving cards the traditional way. The ritual of going to a bookshop, browsing at the card section, picking a suitable one for the recipient and then walki

a fleeting stay ...

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