Categories
Wonderful Malaysia

Eid al-Adha

Eid al-Adha, also known as Hari Raya Aidiladha or the Feast of the Sacrifice, is the day when worldwide Muslims celebrate the occasion when Allah appeared to Ibrahim to sacrifice his son as a sign of devotion. His son, Ishmael was not sacrificed at the end, instead he was stopped by Allah and a lamb was given as the sacrifice. This day celebrates the willingness of Ibrahim to put forward everything, even his son’s life on his devotion to Allah.

Eid al-Adha is a three-day celebration that starts on the 10th day of Zul-Hijja. However, Muslims will wait for the official announcement by the religious bodies in Mecca. On the first morning, Muslims all around the world attend morning prayers at their local mosques. After that, the slaughtering of sacrifices will follow.

offering-1

Today, Muslims commemorate the holiday by sacrificing a sheep, cow or goat. The meat from the sacrifice is then distributed to the poor and needy. Islam teaches its followers that Allah has given man the power over animals, therefore allowing Muslims to eat meat. However, His name has to be pronounced as to remind human that life is sacred.

At dawn, in order to commemorate Eid al-Adha, all men and women in good health will congregate at the mosques to offer Eid prayers. Menstruating women do not join the prayer but they will be present to witness the gathering. Mass prayers are conducted across the globe by all those celebrating. In Mecca, a record spectacular count of 2 million Muslims had been witnessed gathering at the Grand Mosque for the annual Haj pilgrimage in 2013. Moscow is another city where a great congregation of Muslims has gathered to pray together.

offering-2

Muslims are to acquire new clothing and wear them on this day, and they will visit their family and friends. Muslims may offer gifts to each other and give to the needy. They wish each other “Eid Mubarak” which means “have a blessed Eid” to each other.

Some traditional Eid food includes kebab, haleem and kurma. However, Eid cuisine varies with country. In South Asian countries, rice dishes such as briyani and pulao are prepared for celebration. The traditional food in Morocco is such as msemen, harcha, beghrir and krachel. Some Muslims enjoy feasting on organ meats and turkey.

Eid al-Adha is also celebrated with sweet dishes and cookies. Muslims can prepare them at home or buy them from sweet shops. Dates cooked in milk are one of the common sweets served in the morning before the prayer. In Egypt, Muslims feast on konafa which is made of pasta, syrup and cream. Pakistanis have zarda, which is yellow coloured rice with sugar, raisins, almonds and cardamom seeds. Other sweet dishes include baklava, gulab jamun, and ma’amoul.

In Malaysia, a public holiday is observed for Eid al-Adha but in some parts of the world, Eid al-Adha is celebrated on a grander scale for three days in remembrance of Ibrahim’s total submission to Allah, and also to mark the end of the Hajj.

Share
More related articles

Categories
All Malaysia Info

Festivals and celebrations in Malaysia

Malaysia has a number of festivals and celebrations,  most of which are either religious or cultural in origin, and are swathed in traditions and rituals.

Malaysia. A country where one can experience a multitude of cultural celebrations and festivals, as well as, and most importantly, good food(!) all year round.

Almost every month of the year, tourists and locals alike immerse themselves in one celebration or another, thanks to the diverse cultural practices we have.

To help our foreign friends have a better overview of the festivities to look forward to when visiting Malaysia, and also for the benefit of locals, here is a list of the monthly cultural celebrations and festivities Malaysia has to offer.

(Note: Some celebrations may vary from year to year as they are based on lunar calendars.)

Thousands flock to Batu Caves to participate in the Thaipusam Festival.

January

Thaipusam
Celebrated by the Tamil community, the manifestation of Thaipusam is best witnessed at Batu Caves in Selangor, or in Penang. The jaw-dropping sight of devotees carrying ornately decorated frames, better known as kavadis, would stay with you long after you’ve experienced it; this unique festival is a sight to behold.

February

Chinese New Year
Celebrated worldwide by the Chinese to mark the first day of the New Year in the Chinese lunar calendar, the celebrations last for 15 days. Expect fireworks, lion dances, the prominence of the colour red, and open houses with scrumptious Chinese meals!

Chap Goh Mei, or the 15th night of Chinese New Year, symbolises the end of the festival. To celebrate the Chinese version of Valentine’s Day, young women inscribe messages or well-wishes on oranges and throw them into lakes or ponds.

April

Good Friday
Held in churches to mark the “saddest day” in the Christian calendar, it is observed in remembrance of Christs’ Passion, crucifixation and death. On the Sunday that follows Good Friday, Easter Sunday is celebrated to commemorate the resurrection of Christ.

Malaysia Water Festival
A country with natural settings of lakes, beaches, seas, Malaysia hosts this event annually with a variety of water-based sports. Activities such as kayaking, fishing, and cross-channel swimming promises a whole load of adrenaline-pumping time!

May

Wesak Day
Celebrated by Buddhists to pay homage to Buddha and to mark the three significant events in Buddha’s life (his birthday, enlightenment, and achievement of Nirvana) the festival begins with meditation and prayers. Donations are made to the poor and needy.

Harvest Festival
Known to Sabahans as Pesta Ka’amatan, it is a thanksgiving festival to celebrate the rice harvest. The festivities include traditional sports such as the buffalo race, the best tapai (rice wine) competition, and the “Unduk Ngadau” or Ka’amatan Queen Competition.

June

Hari Gawai
The Gawai Dayak is celebrated in Sarawak to mark the end of the paddy harvesting season. It also marks the beginning of the new planting season, and activities such as dancing, singing, and a considerable amount of drinking tuak (rice wine) take place in the longhouses.

Dragon Boat Festival
Known also as the Chang Festival or Duanwu Festival, it commemorates a patriot and poet in China named Qu Yuan. The best place to witness the celebrations is in Penang, where the annual Penang International Dragon Boat Festival takes place on a grand scale.

Rowers going all out during the annual dragon boat race in Penang.

July

Rainforest World Music Festival
Held in the grounds of the Sarawak Cultural Village, the annual three-day music festival is fast becoming the largest musical event in Malaysia. It celebrates the diversity of world music, while at the same time highlighting the use of traditional acoustic world instruments.

August

Independence Day
Commemorating the independence of the Federation of Malaya from the British in 1957, August 31 holds a special place in the hearts of all Malaysians. The biggest celebration of the event takes place annually at Merdeka Square, or more commonly known as Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur.

Hari Raya Aidilfitri
Also known as Hari Raya Puasa, it marks the culmination of Ramadhan, during which Muslims the world over fast for a whole month. Traditional Malay food such as rendang, ketupat, and lemang is served. This is also a time to forgive and forget past quarrels, where family members ask for forgiveness from friends and family members.

Hungry Ghost Festival
Observed among the Chinese, the festival commemorates the opening of hell’s gates for the spirits from the lower realm to roam freely for a month. Things to note during the festival are the larger than life papier-mache figures and performances of Chinese opera and Ko-Tai (energetic singing and dancing with performers in glittering costumes).

September

Malaysia Day
September 16 commemorates the establishment of the Malaysian federation in 1963, with the joining of Malaya, North Borneo, Sarawak and Singapore to form Malaysia.

Mid-Autumn Festival
Fondly known as the Tanglung (Lantern) Festival or the Mooncake Festival, it is celebrated by the Chinese to mark the end of the harvesting season. Mooncakes are a must as it also commemorates Chang Er, the moon goddess.

Father and daughter inspecting the hanging Tanglungs (Lanterns).

October

Hari Raya Haji
To commemorate the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha, the occasion is marked most significantly by the conclusion of the annual Haj (pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca). Sacrificial-slaughtering, or korban, takes place in mosques, and the meat is distributed to the poor and needy.

November

Deepavali
Also commonly referred to as Diwali or Festival of Lights, the festival is significant to all Hindus as it symbolises the triumph of good over evil. Oil lamps are lit to ward off darkness and evil, and like every other major cultural festivals in Malaysia, open houses are held.

December

Christmas
A religious festival to mark the birth of Jesus Christ for Christians, Christmas in Malaysia is celebrated like everywhere else in the world. However, Christmas is also viewed as a universal celebration by many, one that that carries a secular rather than religious meaning. Even without the traditional “white Christmas”, the celebrations carry on with a kaleidoscope of lights, endless Christmas displays, and crazy shopping deals for all!

Kaamatan

Pesta Kaamatan

Oil Lamp or Vilakku

Deepavali – The Festival of Lights

Miss World Malaysia 2009 Thanuja Ananthan

Colours of Deepavali [PIC]

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,