This epic Hari Raya ad (Eid al-Fitr) is brought to you by TNB Careline, a Malaysian power company. Remember to turn on the captions. The festival of Eid, also known as Aidilfitri or Hari Raya Puasa in Malaysia and Singapore, marks the end of Ramadan, the month of feasting. It’s a major holiday in several parts of the world, particularly in Southeast Asia. Some things to know about the festival if you’re in the area:
- Hari Raya Puasa marks the end of a month of fasting for Muslims. It is a day of joyous celebrations. Some think that Hari Raya Puasa is the Muslim New Year but that is not true!
- Muslims fast to appreciate what God has bestowed upon them. Through fasting, they believe that one learns self-control and develops empathy towards what the poor undergo on a daily basis. Fasting is an important religious duty in Islam.
- Ir was originated by the Islamic prophet Muhammad. It is observed on the first of the month of Shawwal at the end of the month of Ramadan, during which Muslims undergo a period of fasting.
- While Hari Raya Puasa is a day for celebrating the end of the fasting month, Hari Raya Haji, which occurs usually about three months later, marks the end of the pilgrimage (Haj) Muslims make to the holy city of Mecca.
- On the day of Hari Raya, Muslims wake up early, visit the mosque and thank God for the blessings they have in life. They also seek forgiveness from their elders and receive ‘green’ packets of money. While dressed in their best, people visit family and friends and dig into delicious food!