Daily Archives: October 24, 2006

It is the second day of Hari Raya Aidilfitri and I have been attacked by homesickness big time. The Raya songs are so soft that they just almost break my heart. I didn’t mean literally but if you spent a quarter century of your time with or among your Muslim relatives and friends, you would not know of the difference in each individual belief or race anymore. You are like family to each other.

The prayers which you hear on television, the songs played the whole day and the happiness among the citizens. It is just an awesome feeling.

When I received an invitation by email to celebrate the Raya at the Embassy on Monday, I felt bad that I could not join them. There are 3 Muslim colleagues in my office so we celebrated together with sweets. As usual, when I wish them Happy Eid, they would look at me and ask if I was a Muslim. I am not but that does not mean I cannot celebrate any feest, does it?

In Holland, Hari Raya is called ‘Suikerfeest’ (Sugar feast) in Dutch. For the Muslims, it is Eid Mubarak. I’m not sure anymore which one is for which region because I have known Muslims people from Middle East, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Indonesia and Africa – they all call it Eid. Now that I think of it, I guess Eid is the short of Aidilfitri, is it not?

Anyway, Selamat Hari Raya to all my Muslim friends and relatives and Happy Deepavali to my Indian friends.