JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) – The holiday of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, was celebrated by Muslims Wednesday with family reunions, new clothes and sweet treats.
In Indonesia, the world's most populous Islamic country, nearly three-quarters of the population travels for the annual homecoming, known locally as 'mudik', and the event is always greeted with excitement. Masu.
“Mudik is not just an annual ritual or tradition for us,” said Lido Alfian, a civil servant who lives in the Jakarta area and is traveling to Lampung province on the southern tip of Sumatra. “This is the perfect moment to reconnect, kind of recharge the energy that has been drained for almost a year away from home.”
Before the Eid al-Fitr holiday, the market was crowded with shoppers buying clothes, shoes, cookies and sweets. People flooded from major cities and returned to their villages to celebrate this holiday with their loved ones. Flights were overbooked and anxious relatives, clutching boxes of presents, formed long lines at bus stops and train stations along the way.
For Alini Dewi, Eid al-Fitr is a day of victory over the financial hardships of Ramadan. “I am happy to be able to celebrate the Eid holiday despite the rise in food prices,” said the mother of two.
Former Vice President Yusuf Kalla was among the Jakarta residents offering prayers in the courtyard of Al-Azhar Mosque. “Let us celebrate Eid al-Fitr as a day of victory from many hardships… Of course, there are many social problems in the fasting month of Ramadan, but we can overcome them with faith and piety. ,” Kara said.
On the eve of Eid al-Fitr, residents of Jakarta set off firecrackers in the largely empty streets after the city's residents had returned home.
On Wednesday morning, Muslims took part in communal prayers shoulder to shoulder on the streets and inside mosques. Jakarta's Istiklal Grand Mosque, the largest in Southeast Asia, was filled with believers offering morning prayers.
In their sermons, preachers called on people to pray for Muslims in the Gaza Strip, who have suffered through six months of war.
“The time has come for Muslims and non-Muslims to show humanitarian solidarity, because the Gaza conflict is a humanitarian issue, not a religious war,” said Jimri Asidikye, head of the Indonesian Council of Mosques' advisory board.
In Pakistan, authorities have deployed more than 100,000 police and paramilitary forces to maintain security in mosques and markets. People were shopping as usual on Tuesday, with women buying bangles, jewelry and clothes for themselves and their children.
In Malaysia, Malay Muslims held morning prayers at mosques across the country, weeks after socks emblazoned with the word “Allah” caused an uproar at a convenience store chain. Many people found it offensive that the word was associated with feet or used inappropriately.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim called for unity and reconciliation in a message on the eve of Eid, saying no group should be excluded on the basis of religion or any other reason.
“We must remain resolute and steadfast in our determination to foster values and build a dignified nation,” he said. “But let us not take this as permission or an opportunity to insult, undermine or undermine the cultural practices and way of life of others.”
The owner of the KK Mart chain and representatives of its suppliers were charged with hurting the religious sentiments of Muslims. KKMart Group said its suppliers had sent it items that the company had not agreed to stock. The founder of the supply company apologized for being careless in inspecting imported goods.
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Associated Press writers Andy Jatomiko and Dita Alankara in Jakarta and Irene Ng in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, contributed to this report.
