The month of Ramadan – a glorious month for the Muslims of Indonesia
The month of Ramadan is a month in a year that is always awaited by Indonesian people, especially Muslim
After going through the ritual of fasting for a full month it is celebrated with the celebration of Eid al-Fitr ( Eid Mubarak )
Indonesian people have just finished celebrating the month of Ramadan which this year falls on April 20 and 21,2023
Why are there are 2x celebrations? because there are 2 large Islamic organizations in Indonesia namely Muhammadyah and Nahdlatul Ulama (NU)
The month of Ramadan lasts for 29-30 days which are determined based on the Hilal
Hilal is the crescent that can be seen after the occurrence of the new moon in the direction near sunset which is a reference to the beginning of the month in the Islamic calendar.
The meaning of Ramadan
Ramadan is taken from the Arabic word Ramada or Ar-Ramad which means “Burning”
It means that in that month, the people of the Prophet Muhammad SAW have a very big opportunity so that their sins are burned up
In Islam, the meaning of Ramadan is also very noble and has a very special meaning due to various important events.
Fasting for a whole month
During this month, Muslim communities in Indonesia carry out fasting for a whole month
they fast for 13-14 hours
There are two times for fasting, namely opening time (17.55 pm) and Sahur time (3-4 am).
During this fasting hour in certain areas of Indonesia, all restaurants must be closed
and only allowed to open when the time for breaking the fast arrives
Usually, areas that enforce these strict rules are areas where the majority of Muslims adhere to rigid beliefs such as the regions of West Java and West Sumatra
But in Central Java or Yogyakarta, this rule does not exist
This rule also does not apply in areas where there are larger non-Muslims such as Bali and East Nusa Tenggara or in the city of Manado, North Sulawesi.
So if you happen to visit Indonesia, make sure you are in the right city so you can eat and drink more freely
Return to hometown
In Indonesia, the month of Ramadan is not only a matter of undergoing religious rituals but has become a culture that is characteristic of Indonesia
There is a unique culture in Indonesia that is commonly called “Mudik”
or go back to the hometown
On this occasion, millions of Indonesians returned to their hometowns to meet their families and parents
This moment is eagerly awaited because it only happens once a year
During Eid al-Fitr, people buy new clothes and lots of foods
they party with family
Ramadan special menu
At the time of celebrating Eid al-Fitr ( Eid Mubarak ), there is one special food that is made, namely Ketupat Lebaran
Ketupat is compacted rice wrapped in coconut leaves or banana leaves and eaten with chicken broth or beef Rendang
By the way for your information, Rendang is a food that comes from West Sumatra
and is most famous in Indonesia and has been named the most delicious food in the world
(I will write this rendang in the next article)
National holiday
Eid al-Fitr is also a national holiday set by the government
Now Eid is over but Indonesian people are still in a holiday mood because usually lasts 4-7 days
The atmosphere will return to normal after the people who have returned to their hometowns back to the cities where they live and work
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