Hari Raya Puasa

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Hari Raya Puasa falls on the first day of the 10th month of the Hijrah (Islamic) calendar. It is a month of fasting, known as Ramadan for the Malays.

Ramadan falls on the 9th month of the Islamic year. Fasting means restraining from eating, drinking. smoking, having sexual relations and other form of behaviour that invalidate the fast. All muslims are require to fast except for feeble elderly,  children who have not reached puberty, those who are sick, expectant mothers and woman nursing their children. Women who are having menstruation will stop for a minumim of 10 days. She has to make up for each day taken off at another time. Travellers are allowed to eat during their trip but must make up for the lost days when they are back.

During the nights of Ramadan, they have to perform their prayers in addition to their daily prayers. 

Muslims should avoid lying, breaking promises, being sinful, cheating during the Ramadan. The reason for having Ramadan is to remind them to have self control and be a good person.  They were trained to fast since young.

The breaking of fast is performed individually on in a group. Individuals will take turn to attempt the necessary preparations for the majlis berbuka puasa (gathering for the breaking of fast).

Celebrations of Hari Puasa starts at least a month ahead of Ramandan. Women starts to sew beautiful curtains and buy new clothes for their family. They will also renovate their houses with new furnitures so that it will look better when the guests visited them during the festival. At the end of the Puasa period which is call Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Muslims will dress themselves up with new clothes on the following morning and visit the mosque for praying. They will offer their thanks to the God and also seek forgiveness from the eldest.

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