welcome;
See all you want but originality is the key.
us !;
Hasyimah(Leader)
Zakiah(Secretary)
Athira(Research IC)
Izza(Presentation IC)
Rosziati(Design IC)
Zakiah(Secretary)
Athira(Research IC)
Izza(Presentation IC)
Rosziati(Design IC)
talk;
leave;
Sorry,no links.
look back;
credits;
Friday, February 22, 2008
Part C !
Hari Raya Haji aka Aidil Adha
Hari Raya Haji aka Aidil Adha
Hari Raya Haji, or the "pilgrimage festival" marks the end of a Muslim's pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. It is also known as the Festival of Sacrifice which commemorates Prophet Ibrahim's test of obedience in sacrificing his son Ismail. In Singapore, Hari Raya Haji is a public holiday.
Hari Raya Haji (Aidil Adha) falls on 10 Zulhijjah, the 10th day of 12th month of the Muslim calendar. The Muslim calendar, unlike the 365-day Gregorian calendar is 11 days shorter, with the months alternating between 29 and 30 days.
On this day, also known as the Festival of Sacrifice, Muslims worldwide sacrifice sheep, cows or camels for the sake of religion and community. It is done in remembrance of the sacrifice undertaken by Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son, Ismail, where, at the last moment, a ram appeared in his place.
Hari Raya Haji also marks the end of the pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Muslims gather in Mecca to perform the pilgrimage, which is the fifth pillar of Islam.
How is it done?
Male volunteers at mosques or Muslim institutions usually perform the sacrificial slaughtering after the Hari Raya Haji congregational prayers. This sacrificial slaughtering, also known as korban, is a voluntary act. Sheep, goats and cows are ritually slaughtered as sacrifice. Later the meat is then distributed to the community, neighbours, and relatives with special attention to the needy and poor, as a reminder to share one's wealth with others. Muslim Singaporeans are increasingly doing korban with Muslim associations and mosques, local and abroad.
Hari Raya Haji (Aidil Adha) falls on 10 Zulhijjah, the 10th day of 12th month of the Muslim calendar. The Muslim calendar, unlike the 365-day Gregorian calendar is 11 days shorter, with the months alternating between 29 and 30 days.
On this day, also known as the Festival of Sacrifice, Muslims worldwide sacrifice sheep, cows or camels for the sake of religion and community. It is done in remembrance of the sacrifice undertaken by Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son, Ismail, where, at the last moment, a ram appeared in his place.
Hari Raya Haji also marks the end of the pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Muslims gather in Mecca to perform the pilgrimage, which is the fifth pillar of Islam.
How is it done?
Male volunteers at mosques or Muslim institutions usually perform the sacrificial slaughtering after the Hari Raya Haji congregational prayers. This sacrificial slaughtering, also known as korban, is a voluntary act. Sheep, goats and cows are ritually slaughtered as sacrifice. Later the meat is then distributed to the community, neighbours, and relatives with special attention to the needy and poor, as a reminder to share one's wealth with others. Muslim Singaporeans are increasingly doing korban with Muslim associations and mosques, local and abroad.
During the sacrifice, prayers are uttered and the sheep's throat is slit with razor sharp knives. This act must be done with confidence and quickly, so as to minimise hurt and mishandling to the animal. This is in accordance with the Islamic law where halal does not literally mean that the food neither contains pork nor lard, but it has to be slaughtered according to proper Islamic rights.
On this day, families also get together like during Hari Raya but to celebrate Hari Raya Haji. We also do visitings to relatives houses.
As a group, we think that this occasion is very important and should be taken seriously, as a respect to our prophet. We also think that this occasion has made many Muslims realize that we should all share among our community and to pity the poor not only on this special day but on every other days too. On this day, all Muslims are encouraged to lend a helping hand to the poor and do rightful deeds. Though animals are to be sacrificed, we think that it is the best way to be able to help the poor and to relate to what had happened to our prophet, Prophet Ibrahim whose known to have great obedience and patience.
On this day, families also get together like during Hari Raya but to celebrate Hari Raya Haji. We also do visitings to relatives houses.
As a group, we think that this occasion is very important and should be taken seriously, as a respect to our prophet. We also think that this occasion has made many Muslims realize that we should all share among our community and to pity the poor not only on this special day but on every other days too. On this day, all Muslims are encouraged to lend a helping hand to the poor and do rightful deeds. Though animals are to be sacrificed, we think that it is the best way to be able to help the poor and to relate to what had happened to our prophet, Prophet Ibrahim whose known to have great obedience and patience.
To be slaughtered.Ramadhan
Ramadhan(Arabic word for intense heat,scorched heat and shortness of rations) is considered the most venerated and blessed month of the Islamic year.Purity of both thought and action is important.During the month of Ramadhan,Muslims are required to fast from dawn to dusk. Fasting is to redirect the heart away from the worldy activities,its purpose being to clense the inner soul and free it from harm.
Muslims waiting to break their fast.
During Ramadhan,every part of our body must be restrained.The tongue must be restrained from backbiting and gossiping.The eyes must restrain themselves from looking at obscence and irreligious sights.The hands must not take anything that doesn't belong to it.The ears must refrain from listening to idle talk or obscene words.The feet must refrain from going to sinful places such as pubs.In such a way,every part of our body observes the fast.
Therefore,fasting is not merely physical,but is rather the total commitment of the person's body and soul to the spirit of the fast.Ramadhan is a time to practice self-restrain ;a time to clence the body and soul from impurities and re-focus one's self on the worship of God. In our opinion,fasting helps us to practice self-discipline and sacrifice.It also tests on our endurance and perseverance.
One thing that we like during the Ramadhan month is the Geylang bazaar.A bazaar is a street of shops where goods are sold.The Geylang bazaar is only open during the month of Ramadhan.The purpose is to sell goods for the upcoming hari Raya Puasa.The goods include traditional clothes,shoes,carpets and most importantly food.The Geylang bazaar is something like the night market but on a bigger scale and more to the Malay tradition.The streets of Geylang will be nicely decorated with decorations of Hari Raya Puasa.People will flock the area to buy goods.To see hundreds of people hundled together at the Geylang bazaar,well,that's normal.The main attraction of the bazaar is definately the mouth-watering food.Such food include the famous Ramly burger,otah-otah(a malay delicacy),traditional pancakes,dengdeng(a sort of beef) and more.There will be hundred of shops streaming Geylang and there will be hundreds of people who will go all the way to Geylang to get their goods.This is all in the spirit of Ramadhan.
People jamming Geylang bazaar.
Selling shoes.
The famous Ramly burger.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
My purple family with my grandparents on the first day!
Me and my siblings on the first day!
There are many festivals that my family and I celebrate every year. The most fun festival celebrated is of course, none other than Hari Raya Puasa. It is to celebrate after fasting for a whole month.
Nights before Hari Raya Puasa, my family would go to Geylang to do some shopping. It is a tradition for all Malays in Singapore to go there to shop. The whole place would be packed with people looking for nice Malay tradition clothes, known as baju kurung and kebaya. It was like sardines in a can. My family usually picks a theme color to wear on the first day of Hari Raya Puasa. The night before Hari Raya Puasa, my whole family will gather at my aunties house to prepare the cooking. The men usually buy the stuffs but the ladies always do the delicious cooking. We would do extra so that we can taste the food when breaking our fast at dusk.
The examples of food that we cook are, the traditional ketupat and rendang.
The night before Hari Raya Puasa is always very fun cause the whole family would sit in the living room and watch old Malay movies. We would watch till late night but not too late because we have to wake up early for the next special day. Men would go for the important prayers at mosques in Singapore while the ladies would be at home, preparing the house , getting the food ready and making themselves all made-up and pretty. My mom is a certified make-up artist, so she would make me and my sister up and she would make our hair look very nice and neat .
After getting ready, all of my relatives would meet up at my grandmother’s house. There will be a lot of food already prepared. My favorite food was the colorful kueh. We would all sit around and talk while enjoying the scrumptious meal. Then comes the most important part – seeking forgiveness from one another. It is a very emotional moment as some would cry as they were sincerely apologizing with one another. When young children seek for forgiveness, it is a tradition that they elder people such as adults, would give us decorative envelopes with an amount of money inside.
Nights before Hari Raya Puasa, my family would go to Geylang to do some shopping. It is a tradition for all Malays in Singapore to go there to shop. The whole place would be packed with people looking for nice Malay tradition clothes, known as baju kurung and kebaya. It was like sardines in a can. My family usually picks a theme color to wear on the first day of Hari Raya Puasa. The night before Hari Raya Puasa, my whole family will gather at my aunties house to prepare the cooking. The men usually buy the stuffs but the ladies always do the delicious cooking. We would do extra so that we can taste the food when breaking our fast at dusk.
The examples of food that we cook are, the traditional ketupat and rendang.
The night before Hari Raya Puasa is always very fun cause the whole family would sit in the living room and watch old Malay movies. We would watch till late night but not too late because we have to wake up early for the next special day. Men would go for the important prayers at mosques in Singapore while the ladies would be at home, preparing the house , getting the food ready and making themselves all made-up and pretty. My mom is a certified make-up artist, so she would make me and my sister up and she would make our hair look very nice and neat .
After getting ready, all of my relatives would meet up at my grandmother’s house. There will be a lot of food already prepared. My favorite food was the colorful kueh. We would all sit around and talk while enjoying the scrumptious meal. Then comes the most important part – seeking forgiveness from one another. It is a very emotional moment as some would cry as they were sincerely apologizing with one another. When young children seek for forgiveness, it is a tradition that they elder people such as adults, would give us decorative envelopes with an amount of money inside.
We would then visit our other relatives together. Each day of Hari Raya Puasa is celebrated with full excitement and enthusiasm. However, we don't go visiting everyday because some people also wants to visit us at our own home. So sometimes, we make an open house.
Hari Raya is about visiting our relatives, and seeking forgiveness. It is such a good festival, to strengthen family bonds and to just have fun with your own family!
Comparison and contrast.
Jess celebrates Christmas, but not with his family. He is not that close with his family. He is closer to his best friend, Leslie, instead. However, I am close to my family and friends. When we celebrate Hari Raya, I would go out with my family and friends.
He celebrates Christmas by giving Leslie a dog that he got for her. Jess did not do any family bonding during the festival but I did. He cannot seem to get along well with his family members. He is also not that close with his mother as much as I am. However, we all do know that he had fun during his Christmas festival with Leslie.
I feel that Jess ‘s way of celebrating an exciting festival is very unexciting maybe because he does not have close relationship with his family or he does not have enough money. Whatever the case, Jess makes the best out of it and enjoy. As for me, I celebrate my festival full with joy and enthusiasm, showing how much that festival meant to me. Spending each day meaningfully as I strongly feel each day of Heri Raya Puasa is valuable and special.
He celebrates Christmas by giving Leslie a dog that he got for her. Jess did not do any family bonding during the festival but I did. He cannot seem to get along well with his family members. He is also not that close with his mother as much as I am. However, we all do know that he had fun during his Christmas festival with Leslie.
I feel that Jess ‘s way of celebrating an exciting festival is very unexciting maybe because he does not have close relationship with his family or he does not have enough money. Whatever the case, Jess makes the best out of it and enjoy. As for me, I celebrate my festival full with joy and enthusiasm, showing how much that festival meant to me. Spending each day meaningfully as I strongly feel each day of Heri Raya Puasa is valuable and special.
IzzaHaziraBteHassan (8)
My aunties and uncles coming over to celebrate hari raya!
The big family photo at my house!
Okay, my lovely family and me! Say what? HARI RAYA!
Hari Raya is celebrated on different dates, in each year. Its celebrated as we had completed fasting for one month. Collecting money, new outfits, various food and most of all, BONDING is carried out!
On the eve of Hari Raya, for my family, it'll be really chaos around the house as all of us were too thrilled for hari raya to arrive. We will go down to Tanjong Katong Complex to buy our clothes, lights and new curtains. We will be busy hanging lights, cooking various dishes, making 'ketupat', baking cookies and admiring our newest outfits. I will always be on task to clean up my room and my sister's room so that it will look neat on the day! On the day itself, i will always be the one making lots of noise around the house as im too contented on that day. After changing into our clothes, we will be downstairs, waiting for our daddy to come back from prayers. After that, all of us will then proceed to their room to ask for forgiveness. Usually, my sister will ask forgiveness first and obviously, ill cry quietly. When its my turn, i asked for forgiveness with my mum and in the end, we will hug each other and cry loudly. Its really a great step to a good relationship with my mummy as we have poured out everything that we had to say. Thus, its really a good session of bonding during Hari Raya!
After all the forgiveness and crying, we will move on to our grandparents' house! My grandmother will always make an effort to cook my favourite dish. The dishes there looked really mouthwatering and without hesitation, my family and i will gobble down the food. Then, all of us will gather in the living room to take some pictures! Its really good to take pictures during hari raya as that will bring so much memories in that particular year. Next, we will ask forgiveness from them. My parents will be the first to ask for forgiveness and eventually, my dad cried. Its surprising, though. Then, it was my sister's and my turn. My grandmother will then give us money! Its fun collecting money but most of all, its fun bonding with our family members.
Then, we will visit our aunty's house and have fun with my cousins. At last, i will get to see my favourite cousins after a long time. We will be gossiping about the clothes that we buy and i made alot of new cousins too! Its really enjoyable getting to know other people. After all those great visits, its time to head back home. We will always end up going home at around 2am as we had too much fun. Although we are fatigued, i think its the best festival ever as it builds up our relationship with our family members and there will be no more burden youre holding on to, anymore. It also shows that family is always the first in our list and they are the ones who will be right behind us, supporting us in our own life. Hence, hari raya is really a festival that is really really awesome!
For me, i will be pressing on what Jess and his family did during Christmas!
Well, Jess has a great family but his family do not show much care to him as his the only son in the family and he holds more responsibility then the other siblings. He will have to milk the cow, spray the plants every morning. That is his daily routine. His daddy thinks his a brave kid who doesnt need a kid's love anymore. His daddy may also be thinking that his an independant guy and he can do everything by himself. But somehow, its the wrong way of how his daddy is thinking.
During Christmas, Jess did not give anything for his family members but instead, he bought a dog for Leslie, his bestfriend. The dog was not exactly bought but he got it for free as adoption. His daddy bought him a racing car set but however, the racing car set did not work. That shows that his daddy cared after all but his daddy was not satisfied that it did not work and cursed at it. Jess desperately wanted to show to his daddy that he loved the present but his daddy cursed and kicked the floor in return. His daddy do care but its definitely in the wrong way.
The differences that me and Jesse have is that Jesse loved Christmas as he had fun spending with his best friend, but for me, i had fun celebrating hari raya with my family. Jesse, however, did not strengthen his relationship with his family members, especially his daddy but for me, it worked. My relationship with my family members during hari raya really worked out and it was great. There were some misconceptions during the celebrating of Christmas with Jesse and his dad, about the racing car set. His dad thought that it was some cheap junk and Jesse was dishearten. He wanted to show to his daddy that he loved it and maybe, that will fortify their relationship but no, it went wrong. As for me, it was the opposite. Everything went well and yes, my relationship with especially my mummy, built up. I think, thats all the differences that i can compare with Jesse Oliver Aarons.
The similarities that i have with Jesse is that both of us enjoyed our own festival lots! Okay, done!
Accomplished by : Athirasari Diyana 2E7 (2)
getting a closer relationship on hari raya
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
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my brother and I (:can't upload more. my computer is going crazy.
1)HARI RAYA !
I have celebrated many celebrations and festivals. I love celebrating Hari Raya Haji, Hari Raya Puasa , Birthdays and many more. These celebrations has helped me to make my relationship with my parents much more closer. I get to know them much more deeper inside and also their likes and dislikes. One celebration which occurs every year is Hari Raya Puasa.
This day is really special because we could get to know each other much more better. Hari Raya is celebrated after the fasting month as a reward after having to fast for one month. Before this day, I would spent most of my time with my mother and we will go to geylang for the last minute shopping. On the night of Hari Raya Eve, we will clean up and put up all the new decorations we bought to beautify our house. I will help my mother to cook all the delicious malay food. While doing the work, my mother would tell me stories about my grandmother and how the old days looks like. She sometimes would share with me her love stories about her and my father. After all the tired work, we watched the hari raya special on television. After that we went to bed.
The actual day of Hari Raya, I will be the first to wake up and prepare all the dishes. I will also arrange the cakes and biscuits, my mom and I baked, into a decorated container. On this very joyful day, we will wear our new clothes. Every morning my dad and brothers would go to the mosque to perform their prayers and once they are home, each of us would seek forgiveness form each of my family members who is older than them. I will always shed a lot of tears because i regret everything i had done wrong to them and I will try to turn over a new leaf. In the afternoon, my aunties,uncles and cousins would come to my house to visit my grandmother who is staying with us. All of us will have fun together by telling lame jokes and eating our favourite snacks. We would then take pictures as a big family.
After spending almost of the day at my house, it is then our turn to go to my cousin's house. I had a lot of fun. And i get to know cousins which I never see before. And sometimes I will remember what my cousin's name is because i would forget their names since we didn't meet for a year.To me, Hari Raya is not about money but about bonding with our family members. Every Hari Raya, i would shed a lot of tears but my family would cheer me up . I hope this year's Hari Raya would be much more fun than last year.
2)Jess and my experiences !
As for Jess experience on christmas, Jess decided to buy Leslie a christmas gift. But he does not have enough money to buy each and everyone one christmas present. He knows Leslie does not care if Jess did not buy her anything, but to Jess it is important to buy her something. He then got a puppy, named Prince Terrien, for free since it is for adoption. This shows that money is not important in their friendship and money does not help to sustain their wonderful friendship. Jess spent much more time with Leslie instead of his family. On the next morning, Jess exchange gifts with his family and his parents bought him a electrical race-car set. However, it does not work properly. This shows that Jess' father does not care about him and want him to be happy by buying a expensive gift. He cares about Jess by buying him a present but Jess does not want a race car. It tells that Jess' father does not have a knowledge of Jess' interest and likes. They do not have a close relationship and understanding.
As for my experience on Hari Raya, I woke up early in the morning just to help my mother prepare the snacks. I spent most of my time with my mother by doing house work, baking, and decorating our house on the eve of Hari Raya so we could have much more understanding and know each other much more better. On Hari Raya i spent most of my days with my family members but Jess spent most of his time with friends. I will cry on hari raya and the first person to console me is my mom. This tells me that she really care for me and my feelings.
The similarities is that Jess did have fun on Christmas and i do have fun too on Hari Raya. Jess' father bought his a race-car to show care and my mom show care by consoling me.
The differences is that Jess spent much more time with Leslie instead of his family but i spent most of my time with my family instead of my friends. Jess' father does not know a lot of things about Jess but my mom knows a lot of things about me since every year we would spent time together and share about ourself. Jess spent much more time with friends to vanish his tension and unhappiness but i spent time with my family members to have fun and enjoy. They did not use this special day to bond with each other but my mother and i did.
-Rosziati Bte Roslan(17)
As for my experience on Hari Raya, I woke up early in the morning just to help my mother prepare the snacks. I spent most of my time with my mother by doing house work, baking, and decorating our house on the eve of Hari Raya so we could have much more understanding and know each other much more better. On Hari Raya i spent most of my days with my family members but Jess spent most of his time with friends. I will cry on hari raya and the first person to console me is my mom. This tells me that she really care for me and my feelings.
The similarities is that Jess did have fun on Christmas and i do have fun too on Hari Raya. Jess' father bought his a race-car to show care and my mom show care by consoling me.
The differences is that Jess spent much more time with Leslie instead of his family but i spent most of my time with my family instead of my friends. Jess' father does not know a lot of things about Jess but my mom knows a lot of things about me since every year we would spent time together and share about ourself. Jess spent much more time with friends to vanish his tension and unhappiness but i spent time with my family members to have fun and enjoy. They did not use this special day to bond with each other but my mother and i did.
-Rosziati Bte Roslan(17)
My family and I celebrate Hari Raya !
Want to know more? Then read on.
Want to know more? Then read on.
Hari Raya Aidilfitri is usually celebrated by Muslims all around the world. It it somehow a kind of reward after having to fast for one month. When we speak about Hari Raya, it usually means new clothings, various snacks and collecting money!
For my family, a few weeks or even a month before Hari Raya, we will each find the fabrics we need for our Baju Kurungs. We don't send them to the tailors because we have one ourself, my Mom! For the snacks my Mom will prepare the ingredients and will start baking them the day before Hari Raya. Now that me and my sister are old and independent enough, we will usually bake them ourselves while my Mom focus on the main foods such as the rendang, ketupat and many more. The night before the big day will always be the busiest night for my family. That's because my family always prepare at the very last minute. So the house will be so chaotic, with baking, cleaning up, my Dad repainting the walls and my Mom busy cooking. Though it's that busy, I find it a good way to bond with my family even more.
Though, most of the times, my family will be off to Johore, Malaysia to my Grandmother's house the night before Hari Raya. That's what we usually do every year since my family is much more closer to the relatives there. I always look forward to visiting my relatives there because I don't get to see them that often, maybe 3 every 3-4 months. Every part of the family will be there, at my Grandmother's kampong house for a reunion and to decorate the house or just to chit chat.
The most exciting part would obviously be the morning of Hari Raya. On this day, most of us will be up early especially the men as they would need to attend an important prayer at the mosque. While the men are at the mosque, the ladies will be at home busy preparing to look their best and will be preparing the foods for the family to eat after the men reaches home. When everyone has gathered at the house, my family members will be busy going round asking for forgiveness from each other. These moments are usually very emotional especially for the adults. After all that, it would be time to dig in to the delicious foods prepared !
During the early afternoon, more relatives from different places will start to crowd the house. Soon after, my family would have been heading to some of our other relatives houses all over Johore. The children and teenagers will usually gather round together to tell jokes or just do what kids do. For me, I think the most wonderful experience I always get to experience every year during Hari Raya is to go house visiting with my cousins. Which means, no adults. That will be around a dozen of us. What we basically do is go visiting all the houses in our kampong area till late night. Eventhough, we don't really know them, they would know who our parents were.
To me, Hari Raya is one of the ways where my family and my relatives can bond even more together. Especially when we don't get to meet each other that much every year. It also helps to straighten our relationship as a family better. I find it quite important as I have an enormous family. Hari Raya not only helps to strengthen our bonds but it teaches me that family is always the first priority in life. Families celebrating Hari Raya, Chinese New Year or any celebrations should take that opportunity to spend time with their families instead if friends. Hari Raya also helped me to discover the relatives i've never known or met before.
The differences between me & Jesse when we celebrate a special occasion !
For my family, a few weeks or even a month before Hari Raya, we will each find the fabrics we need for our Baju Kurungs. We don't send them to the tailors because we have one ourself, my Mom! For the snacks my Mom will prepare the ingredients and will start baking them the day before Hari Raya. Now that me and my sister are old and independent enough, we will usually bake them ourselves while my Mom focus on the main foods such as the rendang, ketupat and many more. The night before the big day will always be the busiest night for my family. That's because my family always prepare at the very last minute. So the house will be so chaotic, with baking, cleaning up, my Dad repainting the walls and my Mom busy cooking. Though it's that busy, I find it a good way to bond with my family even more.
Though, most of the times, my family will be off to Johore, Malaysia to my Grandmother's house the night before Hari Raya. That's what we usually do every year since my family is much more closer to the relatives there. I always look forward to visiting my relatives there because I don't get to see them that often, maybe 3 every 3-4 months. Every part of the family will be there, at my Grandmother's kampong house for a reunion and to decorate the house or just to chit chat.
The most exciting part would obviously be the morning of Hari Raya. On this day, most of us will be up early especially the men as they would need to attend an important prayer at the mosque. While the men are at the mosque, the ladies will be at home busy preparing to look their best and will be preparing the foods for the family to eat after the men reaches home. When everyone has gathered at the house, my family members will be busy going round asking for forgiveness from each other. These moments are usually very emotional especially for the adults. After all that, it would be time to dig in to the delicious foods prepared !
During the early afternoon, more relatives from different places will start to crowd the house. Soon after, my family would have been heading to some of our other relatives houses all over Johore. The children and teenagers will usually gather round together to tell jokes or just do what kids do. For me, I think the most wonderful experience I always get to experience every year during Hari Raya is to go house visiting with my cousins. Which means, no adults. That will be around a dozen of us. What we basically do is go visiting all the houses in our kampong area till late night. Eventhough, we don't really know them, they would know who our parents were.
To me, Hari Raya is one of the ways where my family and my relatives can bond even more together. Especially when we don't get to meet each other that much every year. It also helps to straighten our relationship as a family better. I find it quite important as I have an enormous family. Hari Raya not only helps to strengthen our bonds but it teaches me that family is always the first priority in life. Families celebrating Hari Raya, Chinese New Year or any celebrations should take that opportunity to spend time with their families instead if friends. Hari Raya also helped me to discover the relatives i've never known or met before.
The differences between me & Jesse when we celebrate a special occasion !
I regard Hari Raya as a very significant and joyous day but for Jesse, Christmas was just another ordinary or normal day for him. Jesse does not get new clothings for Christmas, but I do. Jesse does not seem to look forward to Christmas but I do. During the first few weeks of Hari Raya, I would want to spend time with my family but for Jesse, he prefers spending it with his best friend, Leslie. For me, Hari Raya is about spending as much time with your family members and to strengthen our bonds but not for Jesse.
I believe that Jesse would love to spend time with his family even more than Leslie but it could be that he doesn't know how to or he is afraid his family might not like the idea. I think, Jesse should somehow show his family that he is concern and would love to spend time with them. The father should also manage time for the whole family to have time to bond with each other especially when he knows that his children aren't that close. Christmas is about sharing and about celebrating love and not so much about the presents.
The other differences between how I celebrate my special occasion is that, I take an extra effort to gather my family members together but Jesse instead went off to spend his Christmas with Leslie. Jesse might find it more enjoyable to spend Christmas with Leslie as his family doesn't really show that Christmas is that important to them. I find joy and happiness during Hari Raya when i'm with my family but for Jesse, it was with Leslie. This is proven when he gave Leslie a dog (Prince Terrien) to Leslie for Christmas.
Though, me and Jesse certainly share some similarities when we are celebrating Hari Raya & Christmas. I got to strengthen my relationships between my family members and so does Jesse, with Leslie. We both got something from our parents, Jesse got a racing car and I got money from my parents. Most of all, we definitely enjoyed spending that special day with the ones we love !
I believe that Jesse would love to spend time with his family even more than Leslie but it could be that he doesn't know how to or he is afraid his family might not like the idea. I think, Jesse should somehow show his family that he is concern and would love to spend time with them. The father should also manage time for the whole family to have time to bond with each other especially when he knows that his children aren't that close. Christmas is about sharing and about celebrating love and not so much about the presents.
The other differences between how I celebrate my special occasion is that, I take an extra effort to gather my family members together but Jesse instead went off to spend his Christmas with Leslie. Jesse might find it more enjoyable to spend Christmas with Leslie as his family doesn't really show that Christmas is that important to them. I find joy and happiness during Hari Raya when i'm with my family but for Jesse, it was with Leslie. This is proven when he gave Leslie a dog (Prince Terrien) to Leslie for Christmas.
Though, me and Jesse certainly share some similarities when we are celebrating Hari Raya & Christmas. I got to strengthen my relationships between my family members and so does Jesse, with Leslie. We both got something from our parents, Jesse got a racing car and I got money from my parents. Most of all, we definitely enjoyed spending that special day with the ones we love !
By Nur Zakiah, 13 :D
Saturday, February 16, 2008
A) Muslims all around the world celebrate Hari Raya Puasa(Celebration day of fasting) yearly.It is to celebrate their triumph of successfully completing fasting from dusk to dawn everyday for a month.On Hari Raya Puasa,my family and I will wake up early in the morning and put on our new baju kurung or kebaya(Malay traditional clothes).My family usually picks a different theme colour each year.Then,we will attend the prayer at one of the mosques and consecrate together harmoniously while taking the chance to meet and greet each other.This is a chance for us to bond together as one religion.Afterwards,we will then head towards the elder's house.
All of my cousins,uncles,aunties will gather at my grandmother/grandfather's house.One of the things that i like about Hari Raya is that everyone is present.Its very rare for all of my cousins to meet up regularly because we all have busy lives and our schedules always clash.So,Hari Raya is one of the days that i get to meet up with all of my cousins.To be united with my relatives,i get to feel the sense of togetherness and that is part of the spirit of Hari Raya.
One thing that completes Hari Raya is the variety of mouth-watering delicacies that are made specially for Hari Raya.Delicacies such as ketupat(rice cake) and rendang(meat cuisine) are among the famous food that are served during the day.Traditional Malay delicacies which is called kueh are not forgotten too.Each house provides a variety of kueh.Usually,the women would prepare the food and the men would do most of the housework but since my mother is probably the busiest woman alive,she does not have time to prepare such food.Nevertheless,my aunties have prepared the dishes before-hand.Thank god.
The most important thing about Hari Raya is visiting the people whom we know to seek forgiveness.This strengthens my family bond because we get much closer after knowing that my family members no longer bear grudges to each other and that our mistakes are forgiven. Other than celebrating, Hari Raya is also a time to reconcile and renew relationships with others.Everyone is a human and humans do make mistakes.When we make mistakes,we ought to apologise.By seeking forgiveness,especially from our parents and elders,we have a much better relationship with each other.My relatives usually seek forgiveness with utmost sincerity till tears came streaming down their faces.To witness such a scene(and to be able to exprience it), it is indeed a touching moment.For every houses we visit,it is also a custom for the host to give the children and middle aged teenagers some money($$$$$!) in decorative envelopes.
To summarize it all,Hari Raya is a celebration that i look forward to every year because it fills my heart with joy,laughter and tears.To celebrate it with my family and relatives,that what makes it priceless.
B) What Jesse experienced with his family on Christmas was very different from what i experienced on Hari Raya Puasa.On Christmas Eve,Jesse had given Leslie a puppy as a Christmas gift which then became the Prince Terrien of Terabithia and Leslie had given Jesse a box of watercolours with 24 tubes of colours and three brushes and a pad of heavy art paper.Their gratitude towards each other proved that they both were special in each other lives.Eventhough their presents weren't something expensive,it's the thought that counts. According to the book,Jesse celebrated Christmas by having his whole family at home and together,they opened their very own presents.To me,Jesse celebrated Christmas like it was like any other day but the only difference was that he received a racing car from his father and that his father was at home with his family.Other than that,it was still the same routine.Milking Miss Bessie,hearing Ellie and Brenda arguing and entertaining May Belle.
The only similarity is that Jesse spend some quality time with his family and so did I.
The differences are that Jesse spend most of the day with Leslie,his best friend but I,on the other hand,spend the whole day with my family.Jesse did not make an attempt to strengthen the bond between him and his family on a very joyous day.Christmas to Jesse seemed worthless because in my opinion,he lacked communication with his family members so that was why he was bored and had no one to talk to.For me,Hari Raya is not worthless and never will be worthless.Jesse didn't need any new clothes for christmas or even spring-cleaning the house.Whereas,new traditional clothes and spring-cleaning is a must for Hari Raya.Last but not least,we muslims definately do not celebrate Hari Raya by giving,receiving and opening presents.
Siti Nurhasyimah(22)
celebrating Hari Raya with friends.
Hari Raya with cousins !
In our pretty ,pretty new clothes.
Open house.