Let's graduate with flying colors

Among the most anticipated family activities during this holy month of Ramadhan is breaking the fast or having iftar with the whole family. With our busy schedule these days, it is not so often we can do that, having a full corum on the dinner table. Thus it is very timely this year as the schools' one-week break happen to be a day before the first day of Ramadhan, giving the opportunity for my family to perform one of our religious observances in this special month.

This holy month has also brought back many fond memories of my yesteryear. I remember during my earlier bujang time, staying with my family in my kampung, when it close to iftar, it was the busiest time for the whole family. Ladies will get busy with their chores in the kitchen preparing food and men....err... making themselves busy anticipating the tasteful foods.

Everybody sat on the floor, ladies one dulang and the men another dulang side by side. That was also a good time to all family members to exchange stories. We sat and waited for the signal in the form of a big bang from a cannon on top of Bukit Puteri (close to the town of Kuala Trengganu) for us to start the iftar. The sound could be heard for miles. I was told it reached even Kuala Brang, which is 30 miles away. The cannon will also fire seven round of shots just after the announcement by the Penyimpan Mohor Besar Raja-Raja for the Eid and kids will line the paddy fields (because we can see the smoke from each shot) to cheer for the each bangs.

During this month also, our kampung's masjid will have big iftar gatherings by inviting fellow citizen from the neighboring kampung. It was a tradition. This time we invite you, next time you invite us. The foods were contributed by my kampung's folks - potluck style. I remember once, when my mother asked me to deliver the foods in a dulang to the masjid, my inexperience of dulang-balancing on my head had caused me to be showered by sweet tasting gulai all over my body! Throughout the month, we will be invited to other neighboring masjids for the same deed, of which everybody will enthusiastically complied.

Apart from the small part of iftar, this month of Ramadhan more importantly teaches us about patience, modesty and spirituality. Allah S.W.T offers us this whole month to ask forgiveness for past sins, pray for guidance, purify ourselves by self-restraint and doing good deeds.

Let's pray that we enter and register ourselves in this Ramadhan semester with istiqomah. Let's also pray everybody will graduate at the end of this blissful month with flying colors.