Malaysia - Symphony of the Tropical Rainforest

Author: Li Jinlan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-10-01
Features: In countries where Islam is the predominant religion, such as Malaysia and Indonesia, Islam is a religion of unity. According to Islamic teachings, Muslims must fast for one month during the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar each year. After this, the grand Islamic festival of Eid al-Fitr arrives, which is also the New Year for Muslims. On Eid al-Fitr greeting cards, it is common to see a pale yellow crescent hanging in the deep blue sky. This is because the fasting month (Ramadan) begins when the new moon is sighted and ends when it is sighted again the following month. During the days of waxing and waning moons, Muslims consciously abstain from food and drink from dawn until sunset, when they can break their fast and eat. Every morning, before sunrise, Muslims must complete their ablutions and eat to prepare for the day's fast. Ramadan is a month of testing faith. Muslims use this time to repent to the Most Merciful and Compassionate Lord and to pray—for Allah to guide them on the straight path and never lead them astray; for Allah to prevent their hearts from being deceived by the fleeting pleasures of this world and to not make them greedy for worldly gains at the expense of the hereafter; and for Allah to make them people of happiness and blessings in both worlds for a full month. Muslims willingly give up material pleasures and dedicate enough time to focus on their spiritual lives. With the faith and determination to repent and reform, people reflect deeply on their actions and words of the past year: if they have violated Allah's commands, they pray for Allah's forgiveness for all their sins during the blessed month of Ramadan; if they have wronged others, they take this opportunity to apologize. This is because, when one has wronged another, Allah's forgiveness for that sin is conditional upon the forgiveness of the person wronged. After Ramadan, a person's body and will are strengthened, they truly understand the value of food, and they experience the suffering of the hungry and the poor. In their hearts, they silently resolve to be more frugal from then on and to cultivate the habit of being generous and charitable. People firmly believe that during Ramadan, the gates of Paradise are open, while the gates of Hell are shut; angels roam the earth, and peace fills the heavens; and every devout heart is illuminated by the light of Allah. After Ramadan ends, people believe their minds have become wiser, and when they look up, they feel their hearts are as pure and untainted as the crescent rising in the sky, shining brightly for miles. Thus, they joyfully welcome Eid al-Fitr! At this time, those who are far away from their families, living away from them for a living, no matter how distant, eagerly try every means to return home before Eid al-Fitr to reunite with their loved ones. On this day, even as the planet Venus smiles in the sky, households wake up early and begin to bustling about—bathing, getting dressed. Finally, when the whole family is dressed, men wear their Islamic caps, women cover their heads with headscarves, and they dress in traditional Malay attire, supporting the elderly and holding the young as they head out. The bright sunlight shines on the earth and on the hidden smiles on people's faces. Those living in the same area all head toward the same mosque. When they meet, they greet each other and wish each other well. People in the