Blessed Sunday

Assalamualaikum wbt
Bismillah.

It had been awhile since my last entry.
Yet, Alhamdulillah we stepped in Syawal few weeks ago.
Inshaallah, I wish you blessing throughout the year. amin.

We Malaysians love to picture Eid or Hari Raya in a narrow perspective that filled with tears and dismal mood. We recited the Takbir in night of Eid with sad melody that touches the heart. Television was flooded with dramas, showing children refused to be home for Eid and people wishing Raya to their relatives. The house would usually fill with clamorous relatives packed in every corner chatting happily as if they were away for decade. Like in movies, children running outside the house chasing each other with lit firecrackers in hand. It was a lovely night and joys filled every corner of our hearts.

However, that was just my delightful imagination on how it would be if I was there, in Malaysia. Hundreds miles here, the situation were lots different. No booming sound of hand-made canon to crack the silent night. No traffics to portray the excitement to be home quickly with families. Only "balik kampung" song by Sudirman repeatedly played on our way to a senior house for our last break-fasting.

Alhamdulillah, this year the Eid was celebrated on Sunday throughout Australia-it never happen before. We were so blessed to be able to celebrate it together and chiefly on a weekend rather than a day packed with lectures, labs, practicals and tutorials. "Unlike last year, it was on Thursday. Donning the baju melayu, we were very reluctantly went to lab after prayer" told by my senior on how grateful we ought to be.



Admittedly, Eid in my house was very dim. There was no single rendang or kuih raya to fire up the appetite on this early morning. Thankfully, at least there were some weird looking curry that I prepared last night to accompany the square looking rice bags that I bought last evening. There was kek batik in fridge to cheer us up as well. Alhamdulillah, this was more than enough I guess.

Donning my brown glittering baju melayu paired by my old koleq samping made the day simply looked special. I remembered trying to tell my Aussie friend on what Eid was all about, yet he didn't seem care much rather than the point that I could start eating normally by Monday. But, for me today was the first my Eid experience oversea and I had been waiting for this moment. The 8.30 am prayer would be at Bonython Park near to the city. It was the Sunnah that Malaysia rarely practiced, to perform the prayer on open space.

The field was huge and a bit wet honestly. The prayer mat slowly accumulated water that was stored deeply in the soil as we sat quietly listening to the khutbah-"The sunnah on Eid's morning". The takbir was rather monotonous-now we felt Malaysian’s takbir was more appealing. Well, it was all new experiences! We filled the next one hour with photos session.

Alhamdulillah. We spend the whole day travelling from one house to another. Dr Aji's house was the very early house ambushed by us. His open house was awesome with tantalizing laksa, cakes, cookies, rendang and chocolate dip were arranged neatly on the table, ready to serve the hungers.

Around 10pm we were home. I was paralyzed to my bed, too tired to move. My stomach was cramped with all kind of Malaysian foods mixed together from 4 different houses that we visited. Despite out Eid was likely a day, it was totally a gratifying and memorable moment to be reminded. It might not be much, but as long as we had each other, we were one family and for that reason I was happy to celebrate 2012 Eid with them. 

تَقَبَّلَ اللهُ مِنَّا وَمِنْكُمْ

May Allah accept (deeds) from us and from you all.
Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri.