idul fitri means different things to different muslims

7/29/2019 Idul Fitri Means Different Things to Different Muslims

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Idul Fitri means different things to different Muslims, religiously and socially.

Some see it as a marker of the end of the tiring fasting month, the end of

hardship, thirst and hunger. For others it means a long vacation.

Still others say it is a time of and for family -- being together with parents,

grandparents, neighbors, relatives near and far. Most still feel it is a time to

ask and give forgiveness. A few would identify it with money, especially

those working on public transportation services. And many feel it is just an

all-around cheerful occasion -- the end of Ramadhan, a long vacation,

forgiveness and family.

The tradition of mudik, or people traveling to their hometowns for theholiday, is uniquely Indonesian, but the essence of the tradition is quite

universal, in that everyone has a certain attachment to the place where he

or she was born and raised. Most Muslims in Indonesia are part of both a

community of place and a community of purpose.

In urban life, most activities are organized according to purposes and

interests, regardless of ethnicity, religion or even nationality.

The mudiktradition shows that despite the increased degree of modernity,

rationalism and individualism in urban life, there is still felt a sense of one'scoming from a place, as part of a community of a locality, a place

considered as ""home"". Nostalgic memories of the past will be retrieved;

family members will cheer each other, tell stories, express thanks, ask for

and give forgiveness, comfort the sad and unsuccessful, and/or praise

successes and share happiness.

Idul Fitri is a great occasion for people to reassert the importance of family

and brotherhood. Islam reserves a special place for family relationships.

Marriage remains a sacred ritual and social event. At a time when marriageas an institution has lost much of its credibility in many Western countries,

such as in parts of Europe and more recently in the United States, Muslims

still maintain that marriage is the only path for God's blessing in human

relationships. And Idul Fitri provides an opportunity for such Muslims to be

together with family before anybody else.

The religious meaning of Idul Fitri has also been changing according to

personalities and circumstances. Religiosity is a dimension that is most

difficult to observe and measure. Some scholars suggest that religiosity hasseveral dimensions: experiential, ideological, intellectual, ritualistic and


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consequential. And from my observations, Idul Fitri is more about the

experiential, ritualistic and the consequential rather than the other two

dimensions.

The experiential dimension refers to the degree and intensity of a person's

experience of God. Muslim believers who speak more have strong

experiential religiosity, as do those who have visions and ""close personal""

encounters with saints or other figures of faith. But the experiential

dimension also points to one's encounter with other Muslim believers, such

as on the morning of Idul Fitri when Muslims come together in mosques or

open fields to pray together, recite takbir(Allah is the

Greatest), tahmid(Praise to Allah), tahlil(God is the only One and

Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah) and tasbih (everyone and

everything on the universe recognizes Allah's independence of any kind of

shortcomings).

The ritualistic dimensions refer to institutional or organized practices of

religion, such as reading the Koran, carrying a religious charm or observing

religious holidays. How Idul Fitri is carried out is mostly ritualistic, since it

has become standardized and organized within certain rules and

guidelines.

From the fasting time to the time of Idul Fitri, ritualistic dimensions are

largely apparent. And most Muslims seem to try to obey as much as they

can such ritualistic dimensions: whether a certain behavior is right (sah) or

wrong (batal). These ritualistic dimensions have been largely standardized

through jurisprudential and legal scholarship.

The ritualistic part of fasting and Idul Fitri is a product of early but also

medieval Muslim scholars. And most of today's Muslims are conservative,

in the sense that they simply follow the rituals of fasting and Idul Fitri

without too much questioning. For Muslims in Indonesia and Southeast

Asia, the ritualistic and legalistic aspects of fasting and Idul Fitri follow the

Sunni theological and Shafiite school of thought.

World religions have stressed the importance of ritual. But there is a danger

of ritualism if religion simply means ritual and nothing more and nothing

implied in terms of personal and public good. Ritualism is a belief or a

situation in which a believer merely follows the how (or ritual) of the religion

without understanding why and for what purpose.

It is in this dimension that many Muslims have shown a lack of conformity

(between rituals and good social and public dimensions). In particular,


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there is a lack of conformity between rituals and the general condition of

Muslims in terms of education and prosperity. Blind ritualism could allow

corruption, underdevelopment, illiteracy, violence, social injustice and other

social problems to remain unresolved.

Thus, the consequential dimension lies in the consequences that Islam has

for the individual in a variety of areas. Muslims might properly perform most

rituals throughout the year, in the sense that they perform these correctly

according to legal aspects, but at the same time these rituals might have

little impact and consequence on their everyday lives in terms of good

human fellowship.

We have seen how religion reflects society, and how individuals draw on

religion in a variety of ways to give meaning to their lives. There are

hypocrites, sinners, sincerely faithful people, committed people and so

forth. But Muslims today are trying to seek meaning though religion. The

fasting month and Idul Fitri have become a special time for them in their

search for meaning, but I hope that it is the good meanings that they

actually find. Selamat Idul Fitri! May God bless you on this great holiday!

The writer is a lecturer at State Islamic University, a fellow at the East-West

Center and a PhD candidate at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Lebaran

At the end of the month of Ramadhan and its special religious observance is

the Eid holiday, called Idul Fitri or Lebaran in Indonesia. In Indonesia, this is

the time when Muslims visit their family and friends to ask for forgiveness for

any wrongs they have committed in the previous year. They express this wish

in the phrase Mohon Maaf Lahir Batin which means "forgive me from the

bottom of my heart/soul for my wrongdoings in the past year". A traditional

Arabic (Muslim) greeting for the Eid celebrations is also commonly used in

Indonesia "Minal Aidin Wal Fa Idzin", which is expressed upon meeting

friends and family during the festive days. Traditional foods are consumed,

family and friends gather to ask forgiveness and exchange greetings, new

clothing is worn, children receive gifts of money and visits are made to

recreational parks -- all to celebrate the successful completion of the fasting

month. On Java, prior to the start of the fasting month (but not during it),

visits are made to the graves of family ancestors (nyekar) to pay respects,

clean the grave and leave flowers, causing major traffic jams near all major

cemeteries.


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Idul Fitri begins with mass prayer gatherings early in the morning at

mosques, open fields, parks and on major streets. It is an amazing sight to see

rows of hundreds of Muslim women all dressed in their mukena (white, head-

to-toe prayer gowns) performing the synchronized prayer ritual. Muslim men

tend to wear sarong, traditional shirts and peci hats to Idul Fitri morningprayers. On the walk home from the mass prayers, quick visits are made to

friends in the neighborhood to ask for forgiveness.

Following the morning prayers and neighborhood visits, visits are made to

close family members around town. Family members go to their parents first

and then to the most senior relative's house (oldest person in the family) to

Mohon Maaf ... with family members. Then depending on your age/status in

the family, you visit aunts and uncles homes to do the same. At each house

drinks and cookies or snacks are served, and since it is very impolite to refuse

the food, by the end of the day you are so full you can hardly move. Thesecustoms may entail several days of visiting relatives and often there will be a

gathering of family members at the senior-most relative's house.

Employees may also visit the homes of their senior bosses in the company or

critical business colleagues and government officials to "Mohon Maaf ... "

after their family visits are completed. In Jakarta, these customs entail days

and days of visiting relatives and colleagues resulting in a great time of family

reunions and upset to normal working/living schedules. Many people also take

the opportunity of the Lebaran holiday to visit recreational parks.

While gathering with family, it is customary for the adults to give the young

children some money ... they may meet you at the door shaking their wallets!

It is also customary to distribute money to children in the poor neighborhoods

around your home, Rp 1,000 (or more) per child will bring huge smiles to

their faces!

In Jakarta neighborhoods there may also be organized fun and games

sponsored by local businesses ... including climbing a greased pole to try to get

to the prizes on the top called panjat pinang. A fun site to see!

Strongly held traditions to visit family at this time necessitate the exodus of

and estimated 7.13 million (2011 estimated figures) people from Jakarta

alone, as well as additional millions from other urban centers, to rural villages

and hometowns for the Lebaran holiday. The logistics of this exodus causes

enormous headaches for the government each year. During this period the

streets in Jakarta are nearly empty as the population decreases dramatically.

The hardships and inconveniences endured by the travelers in overcrowded

buses, trains and cars is unbelievable, yet they feel that this is a small price to

pay to spend the holidays with their family and friends. Traditionally these


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urban dwellers come bearing gifts or money earned during the previous year

for their family.

There are two peaks to this exodus which cause major logistical nightmares ...

the departure back to the home village/town ... and then the return to the

town of residence.

They often return from the exodus accompanied by relatives and friends

looking for work in the cities, furthering the pressures of urbanization. The

government attempts to prevent the socially undesirable such as beggars,

vagrants and others from migrating to the cites, but the task is overwhelming.

During the weeks after Lebaran many groups hold halal bilhalalgatherings

where employees from a company, friends, colleagues or members of an

organization gather to share a meal and ask each other's forgiveness. Non-Muslims are often invited to participate in these festive gatherings also.

Various Traditions Associated with Ramadhan and Lebaran

Bazaar/Pasar Amal- Organized by various civic, charitable and neighborhood

organizations, goods are sold at discounted prices to help the poor celebrate

the holidays with new clothing and special foods.

Bedug Lebaran- The traditional bedugdrums are beat at maghribto notify

the faithful that it is time to break the fast. Starting on the evening of the lastday of Ramadhan and continuing throughout the night and into the following

day, the bedugare also beaten in the Takbirancelebrations either in stationary

locations, or in parades through the streets. Takbiranis the prayer and

celebration heralding the Idul Fitri holiday. Loud and boisterous parades and

celebrations are held throughout the entire nation, which includes drum

beating accompanied by amplified prayer and lively Islamic music.

Bingkisan Lebaran -Elaborately wrapped parcels are given by business

colleagues or associates to Muslims in the week prior to Lebaran. They are

usually arranged in a rattan or wood basket and contain food, small

household appliances or dishes.

Buka Puasa- Breaking the fast, the meal at sunset.

Busana Muslim- Fashionable Muslim apparel worn for festive occasions such

as Lebaran.

Kartu Lebaran- Many people send greeting cards to their Muslim friends

(whether they themselves are Muslim or not). For sale in shops throughout thecity, Lebaran card designs should not depict people or animals. Geometric


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designs, mosques, traditional textiles or ketupatare common. Most cards have

the date of 1 Syawal 141_ H written on the card. You need to fill in the

appropriate year in the space. In 2013, the Hijrah year will be 1434, in 2014 it

will be 1435, etc. Calligraphy artists design specialized cards for customers on

sidewalks near post offices and major market areas.

Ketupat- Traditionally eaten at Lebaran, therhomboid-shaped ketupatcasing

is made of young coconut frond leaves that are still light green in color.

Intricately woven by nimble fingered experts who can complete the weaving in

10 seconds, they are sold to the public at pasar(traditional markets) in

bunches. The ketupatare filled with uncooked rice then steamed and left to

cool before serving. The coconut leaf casing gives a unique flavor to the rice,

one always associated with Lebaran. The ketupatis cut open, removed from

the casing and cut into small chunks, then served with various accompanying

vegetable and meat dishes (oporand sambal goreng), often cooked in spicycoconut milk.

Korma- Dates from Iraq, Tunisia, the US and Saudi Arabia make their

annual appearance in markets and supermarkets for the breaking of the fast.

Mudik- The term for the exodus of millions of people from the urban centers

to the villages in order to celebrate the Idul Fitri holiday with family and

friends in the village. This is a strongly held tradition and travelers happily

endure a lot of hardships and inconveniences in overcrowded cars, buses and

trains with seasonally inflated prices.

PuasaFasting

Sungkem- The Javanese custom of asking for forgiveness at Idul Fitri which

demonstrates the respect given by young people to the family elders. The

young person kneels and bows their head to the elders' knees and asks for

forgiveness.

Santunan Ramadhan- Donations to a charitable organization for distribution

to the poor and needy at Lebaran.

Sembayangor Shalat- Ritual prayers that must be made five times each day

by Muslims.

Takbiran- The prayer celebration on the evening of the last day of

Ramadhan, to herald in the Idul Fitri holiday. Chants are praised to Allah,

drums are beat endlessly, dances, songs, religious prayers and sermons are

given in public displays of excitement and praise.


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Zakat- The obligatory poor tax that is paid by Muslims during the Lebaran

period. Zakatshould total 2.5% of one's income, depending on the nature of

the gift. Zakatis paid to charitable organizations, neighborhood groups or

through direct distribution to the poor and needy in the neighborhood. Zakat

tax is deductible in Indonesia; the funds can be deducted from your grossincome before figuring taxes.

The spirit of Idul Fitri encourages Muslims to renew their relationships with

relatives. They are enthusiastic about visiting parents, siblings, friends and

neighbors. Idul Fitri is believed to be a day when God Allah will erase all sins, as

long as Muslims express repentance and ask for forgiveness from others.

On that day, most Muslims think positively about others. They imagine that all

Muslims are brothers, so that they have to love each other, regardless of

ethnicity, social class, political affiliation and madzhab (school of law).

They will bury hatchets and replace them with friendship. No wonder that most

Indonesian Muslims who work and live far away from home prefer to return to

their places of origin for Idul Fitri, no matter what the cost.

Such a spirit suggests that Muslims are establishing interpersonal trust, which

one author has defined as an appreciation of others, empathy, an intention to live

together and tolerance of diverse ethnicities, ideologies and religions.

Islam explains that all humans were born in fitrah, a condition in which people

tend to think positively and do the right thing. Idul Fitri means that people return

to fitrah.

Therefore, Muslims are supposed to make themselves good people and see

others as good people as well. Furthermore Muslims are supposed to apologize

and forgive others.

These values are regarded as religious virtues that Muslims must adhere to. It

can be said that the values of Idul Fitri teach Muslims how to establish

interpersonal trust.

Values of interpersonal trust are necessary for a plural society like Indonesia,

where ethnic and religious diversity may lead to conflict. It is not easy to

overcome different perspectives, interests and cultures within society. There must

be a foundation that supports them to deal with diversity.

Putnam states that interpersonal trust is social capital that a society must


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generate to establish harmony. Mutual understanding and tolerance can be

achieved if everybody thinks positively about each other.

Conversely, suspicion and feelings of being threatened by others are a sort of

negative thinking that will destroy social relationships.

It is regrettable that some Indonesian Muslims fail to implement the spirit of Idul

Fitri in their social lives. Violence against Shia and Ahmadiyah followers

indicates that some Muslims think negatively about others.

Instead of accepting diversity in interpreting the Koran, the Sunnah and Islamic

history, they regard those two groups as deviants who will undermine Islam.

On one hand they are eager to defend their Muslim brothers who arediscriminated against overseas, but on the other hand they turn a blind eye on

rampant discriminatory practices at home due to different interpretations of

certain Islamic teachings.

It is worth emphasizing that Idul Fitri offers an opportunity to live together with

non-Muslims and Muslims, too. Creating good relationships and harmonious lives

is an important part of Idul Fitri.

Idul Fitri requires Muslims to apologize not only to fellow Muslims, but also towhoever they deal with. It indicates that Idul Fitri supports Muslims in building

good relationships with non-Muslims.

Idul Fitri, albeit implicitly, regards Muslims and non-Muslims as equal. Through

Idul Fitri, Muslims are called to see that all humans are bound in brotherhood

regardless their religion.

The religious qualities of Muslims must be demonstrated by their willingness to

welcome others.

It is wise to perceive religious diversity as a condition in which humans attempting

to obtain the ultimate truth.

However peoples abilities are influenced by culture, social class, ethnicity and

primordial inheritances that may leave them trapped in their perceptions of the

ultimate truth.

Therefore people have to communicate their perception of the ultimate truth in agood way. Communication should be based on an appreciation and willingness to


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share the uniqueness of each other.

May the coming of Idul Fitri enable Indonesian Muslims to refine their attitudes

and relationship swith others as part of a diverse nation.

The writer is a doctoral student in religious studies at the University of Leeds in

the UK and a lecturer at Muhammadiyah University in Jakar

idul fitri means different things to different muslims

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