Hunt for 5 more 'rayas' after Aidilfitri...

**************** In the name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate; blessings and peace be upon Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. ***************** Reflection ***************** "Anyone who obeys the Messenger has obeyed God..." (Nisaa 4:80) ****************** As readers are reading this article, the majority of Muslims especially the Malays (my family and I inculded) are in top gear preparing for the big day (Aidilfitri or Eid Mubarak) which is schedulled to fall on Thursday, August 8th. ******************** But many do not only prepare for that spesific day, they are hoping and working hard to have celebration for the whole month of Syawal. *********************** Imagine, some would celebrate ‘Hari Raya’ (Aidilfitri) for 30 days; they have ‘Hari Raya Pertama’ (first day of Eid), ‘Hari Raya Kedua’ to ‘Hari Raya ke-30’ (the 30th day of Eid). The irony of it, they only fast for 29 days this Ramadan! **************************** TV stations were fond of advertising and popularing this so-called ‘Hari Raya Pertama, Kedua’ and so on with trays of entertaining programmes that might include 'drama' and ‘joget’ (dance) show. Commercial stores too had their fair share during this period of festive. ************************ And in homes and offices and even at national level, open houses and 'raya' celebration would be held until the end of Syawal. It is also not surprising that some even held it after Syawal; perhaps they were not aware of the coming month of Zulkaedah when thousands of pilgrims have to make their hajj journey to the Holy Land. *********************** In my opinion Hari Raya celebration in our country had been heavily commercialized; the religious aspects of it were over shadowed. It is obvious if we were to look and study the pattern of attendees at masjids beginning from early Ramadan to the days of Syawal. *********************** During the few days of the holy month, masjids were full of congregators but decline as the days past by and the attendees at masjids were back to square one after ‘Raya’. ************************* Ramadan that would coming to an end in a few days time, is ‘a university’ to cleanse one inner soul but sadly we do not ‘hijrah’ (change or transform) to be in line with the Islamic teaching but back to our old ways including satisfying our old enemies – ‘syaitan’ (devils) and their gangs and of course ‘our’ capitalist masters. Did we not realize that the capitalists and oppourtunits were the ones who benefited the most during festive seasons in our beloved country? ************************* Before Eid Mubarak, Muslims have to observe fasting for the whole month of Ramadan. By fasting, Muslims were taught to be trift and wise in their spending but allocate more money and time providing for the poor and needy. They too were taught to spend more time improving their inner being, seeking the pleasures of Allah the Almighty by doing good deeds such as doing ‘sunat’ (recommended) prayers such as ‘tarawih and witir’ (night prayers usually held in masjids). ***************************** ‘Aidilfitri’ is a religious celebration, but the capitalists and oppourtunists turned it into one that provided them worldly pleasures. The capitalists were heaped with money and power at their feet after their sucesss in ‘distorting’ ‘Hari Raya’ while the oppourtunists such as politicians ‘misuse’ ‘Hari Raya’ to fish for support and gaining popularity. ***************************** Someone told me it is easy to gain support or vote from an ordinary folk; you give him/her ‘makan’ (invite him/her to lunch or dinner) and pat his/her back and say good words; he/she would remember you and your goodwill fo the rest of his/her life! *************************** And a reader told me: "In actual fact, celebration for Aidilfitri is only for a day. We only do the 'takbir' (reciting religious verses) after the 'maghrib' (dusk) prayers on the last day of Ramadan till before the 'raya' prayers in the morning of 1st Syawal as compared to four days during Eid Adha (Aidiladha) that is on the 10th, 11, 12 and 13th of Zulhijah. **************************** "After the celebration on Ist Syawal, we are recommended to do the 'puasa enam' (fasting for six days in the month of Syawal); thus we must aware to adhere to all God's and His prophet's words regarding the taking of food. For example in the Qur'an (7:31), Allah SWT said: "...and eat and drink but waste not by extravagance,..." ************************ The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) said: "Man has not filled a container worse than his stomach; he should be satisfied with a few bites to survive. However, if his appetite beats him, let it be a third (of his stomach space) for his food and a third for his drink and a third for his breath." (Ahmad) **************************** "Open houses have nothing to do with Hari Raya, only lately it has become a custom or tradition especially among the rich and of course politicians! If we look back in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, if I am not mistaken there is no concept of open houses. In that era, all houses were opened to recieve all people especially our relatives and friends." *************************** Not long time ago, during a 'tazkirah' (Islamic lesson) at a masjid near my house, the 'ustaz' (religious teacher) told congregators actually there are five 'rayas' (special day) to be sought after and work hard for by every Muslim. "These are the actual 'hari rayas'," said the ustaz. ************************* "Number one, we can celebrate 'hari raya' if our day ended with we are free from doing any mistakes or sins - whether small or big sins," said the ustaz. ************************* "This is impossibe because everybody except the Prophet s.a.w. makes sin every now and then. Thus no day would we be able to celebrate 'hari raya', but we must keep on working hard for it, if it is not today, then tommorrow, the days after that until the day when we 'leave this world' (die)," he said. ********************** "Second, we could celebrate 'hari raya' if we die as a person with faith (beriman). In short die in 'husnul khatimah'. This is the 'biggest 'hari raya' for us at the moment we leave the world for good," said the ustaz. ************************ The third 'hari raya' said the ustaz is when we are able to make our way on the 'siratul mustakim' (narrow bridge in the Hereafter). 'Mukmin' (pious persons), 'insya-Allah' (God willing) would be able to drink from the 'Khausar Nabi' (Prophet's well) before making their way to the 'sirat bridge', said the ustaz. ******************** The fourth 'raya', is when we were able to enter the Almighty's paradise (syurga), and the last (fifth) 'raya' is the greatest of all is when The Lord (Allah SWT) acknowleges (reda) us as His servants and gave His blessing for us to witness and having the pleasure of looking at His Glorious Countenance that is (His Essence). ********************** "So hunt and work hard till 'yakin' (complete belief) comes to us (our last moment in this world) so that we could celebrate those 'five hari rayas'. Those days are the actual 'hari rayas'," said the ustaz. ************************ Lastly to all readers, 'Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Maaf Zahir dan Batin'