Thursday, October 2, 2008
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11:09 PM
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I am obliged to have at least one entry about Hari Raya... so here it goes.
This year the guys in the family, along with grandmother prayed the eid prayers at Masjid Ahmad Ibrahim. The mosque looks different now after the renovation. The last time I stepped foot there was during one of NYPMS/NI visiting.
Just wanna point out that sometimes, when we say a phrase too often, we lose its meaning. Let's take "Selamat Hari Raya" for instance. Isn't it a little queer to wish everyone "Safe Celebration Day". I suppose it is a reflection of our collective Malay mindset. The 'better be safe' and 'let's wait and see' attitude. The use "Selamat" is seen in other greetings like to newly-wed couples and for birthdays. (In a Singapore's Most Wanted Man poster as well.)
Eid Mubarak has a more god-conscious feel to it. There is that concept of barakah in that greeting. Therefore I challenge myself and others to make people think by greeting in a slightly different way. Try going for 'Happy Hari Raya' or 'Selamat menyambut kembalinya fitrah'. The latter would definitely make one reflect if they deserve to be celebrating in the first place.
I end this by saying, "Have a joyous Eid. Let's bask in victory of this joyous occation. I seek forgiveness to everyone for the bad deeds that I have done against you."
"Selamat Hari Raya. Maaf Zahir dan Batin." Dangs... it's hard to beat the classic. *hypocrite* I just demonstrated the nature of change... it's so bloody difficult. It takes a constant conscious effort.
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Firdaus
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Hari Raya
Sunday, October 28, 2007
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10:24 PM
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I should have blogged about this earlier as a pre-cursor to Hari Raya visiting.
This is regarding the salam (greetings by means of shaking hands). This act is a sunnah when meeting and leaving fellow muslims. However one must be reminded that such an act is prohibited between opposite genders unless that other person is your mahram.
The act of salam involves touching. This is clearly prohibited between non-mahrams. As Kuzco from The Emperor's New Groove/School would say, "No... Touchy."
A mahram can be defined as a person whom you cannot marry. We are talking about opposite genders here. No 377A hoo-hahs here. Islam is clearly against homosexuality.
So, who exactly constitute as a person's mahram?
Let's look at the following quran verses...
And marry not women whom your fathers married, except what has already passed; indeed it was shameful and most hateful, and an evil way. (22) Forbidden to you (for marriage) are: your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, your father's sisters, your mother's sisters, your brother's daughters, your sister's daughters, your foster mother who gave you suck, your foster milk suckling sisters, your wives' mothers, your step daughters under your guardianship, born of your wives to whom you have gone in - but there is no sin on you if you have not gone in them (to marry their daughters), - the wives of your sons who (spring) from your own loins, and two sisters in wedlock at the same time, except for what has already passed; verily, Allâh is Oft¬Forgiving, Most Merciful. (23)
Surah An-Nisa (22-23)
In summary, people who are considered mahrams are divided into 3 parts (this is from the perspective of a woman.... a similar manner can be derived for a man) :
- permanent or blood mahrams with whom you become mahram by a blood relationship:
- father, grandfather, great-grandfather and so on;
- brother;
- son, grandson, great-grandson;
- uncle, parents' uncle, grandparents' uncle and so on;
- nephew, grandnephew, great-grandnephew and so on;
- in-law mahrams with whom you become mahram by marrying someone:
- father-in-law;
- son-in-law;
- step-father (mother's husband) if their marriage is consummated;
- step-son (husband's son) if her marriage is consummated;
- radha' or milk-suckling mahrams with whom you become mahram because of being nursed by a woman. When a woman acts as a wetnurse (that is, she breast feeds an infant that is not her own child) for a certain amount of time under certain conditions, she becomes the child's radha mother and all said about blood mahrams applies here, like radha father/mother, radha sister/brother, radha aunt/uncle and so on. In English these can be referred to as milk brother, milk-mother, etc.
This means that if you are a guy, you can salam your mother's/father's sister. Your grandmother's/grandfather's sister. Your great-grandmother's/great-grandmother's sister and so on.
This also means that if you are a guy, you cannot salam your uncle's(either your mother's or father's brother) wife.
This also means that my Uncle Taufik Batisah, in theory, can salam my great-great-grandmother.
According to Mazhab Syafi'i's teachings, touching a non-mahram is permissable in darurat cases such as treating a sickness, dentistry, surgery and the likes if there is no other like genders around to perform the same job.
For me, sometimes it's very hard to say no when the non-mahram extends her hand and say,"tak salam?" Especially if she's within family but still not considered mahram. One still cannot regard this as darurat. Even if it becomes a norm in society, it does not make the wrong thing right.
We have to be strong to put the commands of Allah at its place. Should we slip, we should seek forgiveness and pray that we will be stronger in the future.
Monday, October 22, 2007
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8:59 AM
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Taking a break to finally blog on Raya this year. School just started last week and I have been busy with some other things...
The first day of Raya is different this year. Nenek(grandma) celebrated Eid fitri in the holy land of Mekah. Therefore, there wasn't the usual gathering of uncles and aunts of my mother's side at home. Nenek lives with us.
The guys went to En-Naeem mosque to perform the Eid Fitri prayers. There was a jenazah on that day. That, sort of sets a different mood to the whole Raya feeling. It serves us as a reminder that death can come at any time.
Reflecting on it, I thought that, to have that many people pray for you is really something. But it must be totally devastating for his family though.
The sequence of the prayers was, firstly the Eid Fitri prayers, followed by the jenazah prayers. Finally, the Eid Fitri khutbah(sermon). Learnt something new.
Later at home, I hugged my parents and sought for forgiveness. Sought forgiveness from my siblings as well.
Then the raya-ing begins. First stop was of course, my paternal grandmother's place. Then it was off to Pak Busu's(youngest uncle) house. He lives just a few blocks from grandma. Unfortunately, this year when we made our way to his place, he was making his way to grandma's place. So, we didn't manage to stop by his place. However, we made a traditional stop to take a photograph at the mini garden next to the void deck of Pak Busu's place.
 2005  2007  2007 with parents (dad is quite a poser) 2006's pic is lost in bro's stolen laptop. The so-called tradition might end this year, since big bro is getting married in December this year. Things will change and new traditions will emerge. :)
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Firdaus
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Hari Raya
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