As I made my way through the crowds of people wandering down the food stalls on Haldon Street in Lakemba, I was filled with immense warmth and happiness. Festive lights decorated the street lamps, and families gathered by the footpaths: some crouching down, others seated on benches indulging in delicious street food. As I looked around there was an air of peace, love, and, most of all, a sense of belonging. There was so much multiculturalism — from the different faces of people of diverse cultural backgrounds to the various cuisines labelled on the stalls, from Malay, to Indian, to Bangladeshi, to Lebanese! I enjoyed the night there, well spent with my family. We indulged in sugarcane juice, BBQ kebab rolls, chocolate crepes, and satay chicken with peanut sauce.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. The annual observance of Ramadan is regarded as one of the Five Pillars of Islam and lasts twenty-nine to thirty days, from one sighting of the crescent moon to the next. Muslims fast from dawn to sunset. The pre-dawn meal is referred to as suhur, and the nightly feast that breaks the fast is called iftar. There are many reasons why this month is considered holy and sacred by Muslims. Most importantly, it is believed that the holy book, the Quran, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) during this month. Muslims consider reading the Quran, praying, and giving charity in this month to be more virtuous than in the rest of the year, which is why they often perform these activities more frequently during Ramadan. Breaking fast during iftar time is usually where all the fun happens. Traditionally, Muslims break their fast with dates, water, fruits, and small snacks. After which, Muslims quickly commence their sunset prayers, Maghrib, before returning to enjoy more food. Many Muslims dress up and engage in larger gatherings with family, friends, and the wider community as they enjoy their meal.
Revisiting the night in Lakemba where my family and I went to break our fast, one important thing that resonated with me was when I asked my father “What is the purpose of Ramadan?” I am sure many people would also be asking this. Therefore, I would like to share the purpose of Ramadan with all the onlookers of this spectacular month. There are two main points to answering this question: firstly, it is a holy month for Muslims around the world in which we focus on building a better and stronger connection with our creator whilst accumulating blessings and rewards. Secondly, a deeper message for all who do fast in this month is to contemplate how people in poverty may feel. This is why it is important for Muslims to simulate not having the basic needs of food and water. It is a matter of fact that delicious food and clean water are only luxuries for some people in third world countries. The act of abstaining from indulging in food also creates the patience and self-discipline we may need to grow in ourselves and better handle our relationships with respect, integrity, and love.
Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan and the beginning of the next Islamic lunar month. It is a day of celebration. My family and I usually go to the Eid prayer, also known as Salat al-Eid, which is a special prayer that Muslims perform on the morning of Eid al-Fitr. The word ‘Eid’ means ‘feast’ or ‘festival’ — here, Muslims engage in a celebration of having completed Ramadan and many observe this holiday by visiting family and friends’ homes and exchanging gifts and sweets. I often look forward to receiving cash from my elder relatives, as it is custom for the elders to give money or Eidi to the younger generations in the family. During the Eid celebration, Muslims greet each other by saying ‘Eid Mubarak’, which is Arabic for ‘Blessed Eid’. A mandatory charity called Zakat al-Fitr is also collected before the prayer and distributed to people in poverty to ensure that everyone can participate in the festivities. Muslims often wear new clothes on Eid as a symbol of renewal and celebration. An interesting fact is that the Islamic lunar calendar is approximately 11 days shorter than the Gregorian calendar, which is the standard calendar used in most of the world. This means that the dates for Ramadan and Eid change every year. Many Muslims use the Islamic calendar and many others use moon-sighting to know when Ramadan and Eid will start.
I believe the Lakemba Nights festival is one of a kind; I would strongly recommend anyone looking to witness Australian multiculturalism to pay a visit! I am always intrigued by the many faces of Muslims in the world from diverse cultural backgrounds. Did you know that Islam is the second largest religion in the world? There are approximately 1.6 billion Muslims, which makes up about 23 per cent of the global population! I was also amazed while at Lakemba to see the many different faces representing Australian culture and heritage. The Lakemba Nights festival ran from Thursdays to Sundays every week during Ramadan. I frequently visited there during Ramadan and also invited many of my Australian friends to experience this special event with me.
Looking back on this blessed and holy month, I am deeply grateful for the love of my family and friends, a chance to get closer to my spiritual connection to God, and for feeling a greater sense of community and belonging. I find myself longing for those feelings till next Ramadan and Eid!
