Ramadhan is Coming!

Today, Friday 22 September 2006 or 29 Syaaban 1427, all the astrologers (ahli falak) will be busy at their respective points throughout Malaysia to try to catch a glimpse of the son of the moon ("anak bulan") and determine whether the millions of Muslims in Malaysia will start fasting.

And during tonight's news, the Penyimpan Mohor Besar Raja-Raja (a person who to this day has outlasted almost everyone in Malaysia in his unenviable position and whom I always look forward to see on TV when I was small!! still do too!!) will make an announcement as to when Puasa will start. Well, as far as I know it is an open secret that Puasa has been determined to start on 24th Sept using the rukyah method (whatever that is! sounds like rocket science to me!). They always give a one day grace period for people to start buying their kurma & prepare for buka puasa!

Friends have also started forwarding via email catalogues and brochures for kuih raya for the past couple of days. I even got a Concorde Hotel Ramadhan buffet flyer stuck to my wiper yesterday! Car companies have also started to promote their cars for Balik Raya campaign (so that people can balik kampung with their shiny new car)....And certain supermarkets have started airing Lagu Raya! Talk about advanced marketing...

I even had friends who had shopped for their baju raya 2 months ago!!! Well, can't blame them as even the tailors have stopped taking orders! For me, who has not bought anything for my baju raya, I suppose I will have to either buy a ready-made one or wear last year's baju raya...hahaha.

Everything is so commercialised now! Its now all about fufilment of material and worldly satisfaction.... buka puasa, baju raya, kuih raya, langsir raya, perabot raya, kereta raya, hari raya, konsert raya, jualan hari raya, kad raya, lebuh raya (nak balik kampung!) and all things raya...

Lets not get carried away folks! No doubt those things will be there. But lets not forget the true meaning of Ramadhan. It is a spiritual journey..... It is meant for serious self-reflections of our past deeds and for us to seek forgiveness from our Creator for our misdeeds & foolishness. Its a time for us to get closer to our Creator and speak to Him. It is a time to test our patience and emphatise for the less fortunate. Its about curbing our excesses, being moderate & humble human being. It's also a good time to rest our stomach as most illnesses originates from the stomach. At the end of this trial period, we are expected to have "cleansed" our soul and emerged refreshed and pure. Thats why we celebrate Eidul Fitri (Fitrah being root word, meaning pure).

So lets be moderate in our eating, spending, shopping and whatever we do so that we can reap the rewards of this blessed month. That also means I have to stop back-biting about my boss... Darn!.....

To my dear family & friends...Selamat Menyambut Ramadhan... Ramadhan Mubarak....Lets begin the journey of Ramadhan with the right intentions!