1.The title might sound like I am an anti-social dude or something. Well, I am not. I am just sick and tired of watching, observing, experiencing the celebrations around me, donned by too many as part of the religion where as it is more like absorbing pagan rituals into what should have be a clear and simple religion.
...too many idiots around for so many years, in the end some of these "activities" have become part of what was (and should always be) a meaningful but humble celebration.
2.
So, to keep me reminded on these "activities" I have decided to write it down and share it with whoever would want to read this blog. Your views are welcome, even if you disagree but please put some valid points - not merely trying to slash my statements with sarcastic or idiotic remarks! That would just state the obvious - you're born to be an idiot!!
Ok, here we go...in no particular order..
3.
"Malam Tujuh Likur"
Some smart-arses actually defined it as "malam malaikat landing". Pandai...pandai nak mampos.
There is no such requirement to put it as part of the celebration. Above all, it is just a culture that have been practiced by generations and generations of Melayu (not Muslims) and the focus of it would be to light up the village areas, the houses with "pelita" which some may profusely linked this to Hinduism but the famous argument is the "pelita" was used to light the path to the surau for the jemaah to perform maghrib & isya prayers and then continue with tarawikh prayers (and maybe late night/ early morning prayer or qiamul-lail).
BUT!!!! The focus of the majority was (and is) about firecrackers, loitering around, talking, spending long hours of preparing raya cakes and decors....
....and not really about properly spending more time to appreciate the final week of Ramadhan.
So, personally if anybody comes to me and talk about Tujuh Likur, I am sure it is about meriam buluh, mercun and the kids stuff that have been embedded by too many for too long already....and for an adult to do all these, it would be such a waste of time.
So, Malam Tujuh Likur is kinda not supposed to be in the actual Muslim way of celebrating the end of ramadhan...sibuk sangat nak jadi Melayu sejati ke nak jadi Muslim Melayu?
You decide....not me.
4.
On the final stretch of the Ramadhan, maybe we'd be busy baking cakes or decorating the house for the celebration. The main focus of appreciating the final week/ days of Ramadhan are still there of course...look around in the world of Facebook, may voiced out how they'd miss Ramadhan etc etc...hopefully the intentions are pure and true lah!
Pasar Ramadhan? The final week would be where the profits would surge to the max, perhaps? Everybody would be too busy to cook for ifthar - busy shopping etc etc - buying from PARAM/ BARAM (bodohnya bunyi, buruk siut korang panggil pasar Ramadhan nama mcm tu!) would be the best option.
...and good thing the people who are selling at the Pasar Ramadhan are ready to perform maghrib - isya - tarawih on location. They sell their kuehs and all but yet they never miss the prayers....(ada betul kaa?)
5.
...then on the morning on 1st Syawal...we'd be busy preparing for the solat sunat Eidulfitri....sulat Subuh camana pulak? Then kalau kena solat Jumaat pulak....camana? :o)
6.
Lepas solat...ziarah. Macam-macam la aktiviti kekeluargaan, kemasyarakatan dan sebagainya yg akan berlangsung. Ziarah rumah sanak saudara, rakan taulan dan sebagainya....
Behind all that, many would as forgiveness from each others....salam....yes salam, tanpa mengira batasan aurat to a certain extent. Bagi duit raya - tanpa memahami apa tuntutan dan tujuan sebenarnya, lantas bersandarkan kepada niat sedekah.....kids with parents driving Al-Fart get more than kids with the dire need to have decent school attire....sedekah yg bertepatan dgn tujuan atau semata atas tekanan masyarakat dan trend semasa?
Frankly, I only give my anak-anak saudara the sama-rata amount. Beyond that circle, I don't. Sorry, I am not kedekut....but I know there are more deserving kids out there that needs the money more than us easily flaunting the kad duit raya to every kids that come to our place...unless the kids' parents are poor...but are they poor if they do not even finish the drink you poured for them and wasted a couple of kuih raya & dishes for that mere 20-30minutes of being there?
Rezeki tu..macam itu ke kita didik anak2 kita...tak perlu habiskan hidangan yg orang beri?
...and frankly, I really dislike kids who just came for the duit raya. I openly scolded my kids if they start to go overboard asking for duit raya from others together with te bunch of kids around them....yes, your father is not a billionaire but you are my kids and I don't want you to become accustomed to the like the sickening attitudes of some kids of some parents in our overly-confused society....ok Alisya, Naufal, Aliya?
....and of course the ritual of comparing the achievements...what car you are driving, what condo you are living in, berapa juta dah harta kau....I went back to kampung driving the most berkarat of our car - the old rustic Wira. Tak polish hapah pun...but it took us everywhere.
7.
...and you know what's the most sickening thing I had to cope up during this festivities?
The rituals of mintak ampun & maaf from others....yg tak bertempat & tak berpatutan.
Especially those of ex-girfriends/ boyfriends/ old flames.
It is over so why sibuk2 nak htr mms/sms/call ke hapa punyer haramjadah to other people's wifes/husbands? Korang ni nama ajer Islam ke? Bodoh...tak belajar agama ke?
8.
Orang berlumba-lumba buat OPENHOUSE.....dah betul ke cara, niat & tujuan sebenar?
Tanya and jawab sendirilah....
I already have a steady list of friends whom I know would come and visit me & my family regardless I serve what food, how poor I am or how filthy rich I am.....and for that, I feel blessed. Alhamdulillah. There are those who has been always giving excuses but I never hated them, I have to accept that I am not in the priority list of others that are more important to them. I salute them for that, they know their priorities, as I also know well my priotities.
9.
Anyway, it is up to you all to think about it. I am not spreading hate over the religion's required way of celebration...I merely state the things we have conveniently overlooked while celebrating the arrival of Syawal.
10.
Let's continue being real Muslims....not merely Malays.....
