Explaining ourselves

We Muslims in Malaysia are a little weird at times; we often complain that our non-Muslim neighbours do not understand us and what we do but when it comes to explaining ourselves, we are quite atrocious.

My old friend Yong called, he has been organizing a buka puasa get together with his Muslim friends and clients but in the past it has not really worked out too well.  Among other things, people tend to disappear after the iftar (iftar is the proper word for buka puasa, by the way).  I don't understand why no one has explained it to him before. 

The reason is simple.  Iftar happens at Maghrib which is around 7.30pm and after the iftar they need to perform the Maghrib prayers, hence we need to a nearby musollah or masjid. By the way, masjid is the proper word because mosque is taken from mosquito because the colonials thought that the sound of people praying was like the drone of mosquitoes.  I think they weren't very religious people themselves too because they would know what other religion's prayers sound like when done en masse too.

Anyway, in Ramadhan we perform the tarawikh prayers after the Isyak prayers.  The tarawikh prayers is special because it can only be performed in Ramadhan.  At around 8.30pm we gather for Isyak.  first we perform the Isyak prayers with or without the sunat (extra) prayers before and after isya prayers.  We then move into the Tarawikh prayers.  some perform it twice and then they break for a sermon.  After the sermon they do it twice more and then close with a Witr prayer.  the whole thing lasts about two hours and then we break for moreh (some food and refreshment) before heading home.  Usually it finishes around 10 to 10.30 PM.   Some masjids and musollahs perform the Tarawikh prayers ten times and do not break for sermons in between.  It still takes about two hours.

In addition, people tend to be reluctant to go "buka puasas" in the second half of Ramadhan because in the second half of Ramadhan there is one night called the Lailatul Qadr: a special night when Allah sends his blessings down to earth.  Any good deeds, prayers or acts of faith and goodness done on that night will be rewarded equal to a thousand regular night: Imagine praying for a night and being rewarded as if you have stood in prayers for a thousand nights.  The truly blessed, it is said, will be able to "meet" Lailatul Qadr and when this happens, your life changes permanently.  For the better.

So, what happens then is people disappear at around 8pm at buka puasas.  So if you are organizing one, try starting earlier, say 6.30pm.  This way you have 1 hour to mingle before diving into the food.  it is also good public relation is you are a non-Muslim because you will seem to be sharing the fast as well as the breaking of it.

My next explanation: more Ramadhan related items.