Eid al Fitr Mubarak, Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri 2008 to you and your families

" please enjoy this Malay classic evergreen 'Raya' song by Saloma 

"Selamat Hari Raya", also a favorite song of my late Mom... 

I miss her so very much, it's just different without Mom "

Today is the first Shawal, and I'm extremely sad that Ramadhan just left us. I would like to wish my reader Eid al Fitr Mubarak, Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri to you and your families. May the Blessings of Ramadhan be our guiding light for Shawal and the months ahead. May Allah reward you for the days you spent in fasting, recitation of the Quran and praying Taraweeh and Qiyam in the mosque. Inshallah we will be among those who gained Taqwa, and from those who promissed shelter from the hellfire. And Inshallah we will have the chance to meet again in the blessed month of Ramadan once agine next year.

All my "manja uncle's" and sisters 'balik kampong' for Hari Raya Aidilfitri 2008 at my Dad/Grandfather house (yap, Singapore still have kampong at District 10 Sixth Ave). I did installed about 15 pelita (oil lamps) around the garden (traditionally favored by my late Grandmother) for them to play there bunga api (sparkles) with lampu lap-lip (fairies light) strung on the front porch. Overall fun for the little lot.... and please enjoy this Malay classic evergreen 'Raya' song by Saloma "Selamat Hari Raya", also a favorite song of my late Mom... I miss her very much, she passed away during last year Ramadan (Please read surah Al-Fateha for my late Mom... Ameen)

In Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, Eid is also commonly known as Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Hari Raya Idul Fitri or Hari Raya Puasa. Hari Raya literally means 'Day of Celebration' i.e. 'The Day'. Muslims in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore celebrate Eid like other Muslims throughout the world.

The night before Eid is with the takbir which is held in the mosques or musallas. In many parts of Indonesia as well as Malaysia, especially in rural areas, pelita or panjut (oil lamps) are lit up in house compounds. Eid also witnesses a huge migratory pattern of Muslims, from big metropolitan cities to rural areas. This is known as balik kampung or pulang kampung in Indonesian — literally going back to home town to celebrate Eid with one's parents. Special dishes like ketupat, dodol, lemang (a type of glutinous rice cake cooked in bamboo) and other Indo-Malay delicacies are served during this day.

It is common to greet people with "Selamat Hari Raya Idul Fitri" or "Salam Aidilfitri" which means "Happy Eid". Muslims also greet one another with "maaf lahir dan batin" in Indonesian and "maaf zahir dan batin" in Malaysian, which means "Forgive my physical and emotional (wrongdoings)", because Eid ul-Fitr is not only for celebrations but also the time for Muslims to cleanse their sins and strengthen their ties with relatives and friends