Saturday 22 August 2009

My Ramadhan

toto zurianto

Sabtu ini, seluruh umat Muslim di dunia mulai melaksanakan kewajibannya untuk berpuasa. Disamping suatu kewajiban ritual yang dilaksanakan setiap tahun, cerita mengenai Ramadhan selalu menarik untuk kembali diperdengarkan, diceritakan. Terutama cerita menjalankannya pada masa kecil, ketika kehidupan tidak terlalu hiruk pikuk seperti sekarang, atau ketika menjalankannya di kota lain yang jauh lebih sepi dibandingkan dengan Jakarta sekarang, atau ketika permainan anak-anak terlihat begitu sederhana dibandingkan dengan kemajuan teknologi saat ini.

Aku, kembali ke masa-masa di Sekolah Dasar, menjalankannya di Medan, sekitar tahun 70-an. Puasa, adalah bangun tengah malam menjelang pagi, makan sahur, sering duduk bersila di atas sebuah tikar. Hari pertama sahur selalu diawali dengan makanan-makanan yang lebih terasa nikmat dibandingkan dengan hari-hari biasa. Di masa itu, rendang (Padang) adalah makanan favourite makan sahur di awal Ramadhan, karena tidak setiap saat orang membuat makanan seperti itu. Disamping memang harganya yang relatif mahal, juga membuatnya biasanya berlangsung seharian (4-6 jam) karena harus ditanak (dimasak) menggunakan kayu (bakar) dengan api yang kecil. Rendang yang dibuat dengan menggunakan santan dari sekitar 10 kelapa (yang tua), kering (berdedak), rasanya Luar Biasa! Tidak ada Restaurant Padang di Jakarta saat ini yang bisa menyajikan makanan seperti itu.

Setelah makan Sahur, menjelang Subuh, para orang tua, dan tentu saja terutama kami anak-anak, berhamburan menuju Mesjid terdekat untuk ikut menunaikan Sholat Subuh berjamaah, tetapi pasti yang paling menarik adalah "bercanda" bersama teman-teman sebaya yang sering membuat para Nazir Mesjid (pengurus Mesjid) marah-marah! Ha ha ha, ini bagian menarik dari anak-anak Muslim ketika Sembahyang di Mesjid.

Habis Sholat Subuh adalah masa-masa yang paling menarik, ini yang disebut dengan istilah "Asmara Subuh". Jalan-jalan dan berlarian, atau sekedar bercanda, adalah peristiwa menarik yang "sangat dinikmati" anak-anak dan remaja, apalagi dulu, puasa adalah libur panjang yang sangat menyenangkan! Tidak ada sekolah, Libur terus selama 40 hari.

Banyak cerita Ramadhan menarik yang tidak mudah untuk dilupakan, berikut ini ada sebuah Cerita dari seorang sepupu di Amerika, Sendie Arief Vang, yang bercerita mengenai masa kecilnya menjalani ramadhan di Jakarta, di sekitar Jl. Percetakan Negara, Johar baru.


Ramadhan & My childhood....
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Yesterday at 4:41am

In a few days the blessed month of Ramadan will start, Muslim will start fasting from Dawn till Dusk... times seem to moves faster and faster. As I grow up the fact that I have to fast for the whole months doesn’t bother me anymore. I’m very looking forward to start the Holy Month of Ramadan. Ramadan is a very special month for us Muslim, this is the month where all of your good deed will be rewarded multiply times and the month you get your change to completely erase your sins and reborn as a new person. The Holy Quran also was born during this month makes it extra special time for us.

This holy month always brings a mixed feeling for me. I have many – many fun loving memories of my childhood especially during Ramadan. I remember my Grandma who never tired of telling us stories about all of the Prophets and the good meaning behind Ramadan. I remember waking up early (4 am) to eat breakfast together and went to the mosque to pray…

The breaking of fasting… hmm.. I seem can still smell and taste all the wonderful food my grandma and my Mom prepare for us. Because of the whole day fasting, dinner time during Ramadan always seems to be extra special. How I waited for Adzan Maghrib to start sipping that first taste of sweet tea…. After dinner my grandma always took me and my sister to the mosque to do Tarawih prayer. Of course being a child, my only intention is to meet friends and play! Also to buy snack from the street vendor that normally crowded the street in front of the Mosque. During weekend we also break fasting at family or relatives house.. we all take turn to host dinner and pray.

Friends, Family, food.. Gathering having a great time…. But it’s not all….

During this month, my Mom also teaches us about sharing and giving… she always prepares meals to send to the Mosque for other people. She starts preparing a food basket to be distributed to people’s we know that less fortunate. Rice, Cracker, Syrup, instant noodle and pray costume are amongst items in that basket. We normally start giving those away a week before Ramadan ended for it to be enjoyed during the EID celebration.

Fasting is very hard for us children.. so our parents used to “bribe” us to fast. If we can complete a whole day then they’ll give us $1.00 (just an example) so by the end of the months we calculate how many days we fast and we’ll get the reward after EID prayer! Yay!!

As a child, the last day of Ramadan is extra special! No more fasting tomorrow!!! YAY!!! But it’s not all… Mom normally already picks the new prettiest clotes for us to wear for the celebration tomorrow and I can’t wait to wear it! That night all of the kids at the neighborhood come out and play and we chant Takbir – glory and praise to Allah, we play fire works … it’s like a whole block party, even better, it’s the whole nationwide party cause majority of Indonesian is Muslim and we all celebrate EID!

End of Ramadan is one of the best night for me to have as a child… the whole atmosphere seems to filled with love, happiness, laughter, with Takbir always at the background. Can’t wait for tomorrow, the EID where after prayer we went and visit relatives asking for forgiveness and for us kids, we’ll get money!!! YAY!!

Right now.. living in US, I’m still very happy to welcome the month of Ramadan but somehow it’s clouded with sadness than I can’t be with my family and how Tyra will never experience the same childhood I get to experience.

My personal goal for this year Ramadan is to learned more about Islam, Obverse it with sincerity and will spread the real Islam with my attitude and with truth and kindness..

Quote from Article I read: "Amidst the competiting cacophonies of “Islam is a violent religon” and “Islam is a religion of peace” sometimes it is educative to step back and see Islam as just a religion, like many others, inspiring its followers to take time out of their mundane life and nourish their spiritual selves."


Ramadan Mubarak everybody…

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