How Many Rayas do Muslims Celebrate?

This is what you expect Raya in Malaysia to look like. Source thestar

This is what you really wanted from your friends and families. Source funnymalaysia

We Malaysians have been mixing our cultural practices through our mingling and intermarriages. Nowadays our folks play Chinese New Year fireworks during Hari Raya, serve ayam pansuh (Dayak cuisine of chicken meat stuffed in bamboo) during Chinese New Year and even give angpow (a packet of money concept of Chinese-origin) during Dayak festival of Gawai.

"Wow lemang manok pansuh!". Source wonderfulmalaysia

Sometimes you do have the nice intention to visit your friend's Raya open house and wish him "HAPPY NEW YEAR!" or shout "XI NIEN KUAI LE!" when he welcomes you to his house, as you see it as a major celebration for Muslims with a celebratory level akin to Chinese New Year.

You are right to be merry and wish happiness during this festival, except that Hari Raya Aidifitri is not a new year celebration.

Yeah, sometimes people just smiled and gave no comments to save you the embarassment. Source memegenerator

You see, Muslims in Malaysia observe 3 major celebrations in a year. So let's have a look at what the festival is about and when you can finally say "HAPPY NEW YEAR" to your Muslim Facebook friends.

Hari Raya Aidilfitri

Also known as Eid, or Eidulfitr, this is the first Muslim holiday to celebrate the victory or successful completion of the fasting month. Even those who didn't get to complete the fasting due to certain exemptions, they too along with friends and families, Muslims and non-Muslims alike come to celebrate. I believe it is only unique to this region, specifically in Malaysia, that Muslims have open house at such a grand scale lasting for days and welcome people of all walks of life.

So what can you wish?

• Selamat Hari Raya! (meaning: happy Eid!)
• Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri! (meaning: same a above)
• Maaf zahir batin! (meaning: I apologise if I have ever hurt you physically or spiritually)

Hari Raya Aidiladha

Also known as Raya Korban (sacrifice), or Eid al-Adha, this is the second Muslim holiday to honor the value of sacrifice as illustrated by Prophet Abraham who was willing to sacrifice his son as an act of submission to God. But fear not, upon seeing how far he and his son was willing to go, God intervened and stopped Abraham just before he was about to sacrifice his son by sending his angel Gabriel to tell them his sacrifice has already been accepted. Gabriel gave them a lamb as a sacrifice in place of Abraham's son, and thus the 'Feast of Sacrifice' was born. Today, able Muslims purchase and sacrifice goats, sheep, cows, buffaloes or camels and 1/3 portion of the meat is given to friends and families while another 1/3 or more is given to the poor and needy.

So what can you wish?

• Selamat Hari Raya! (meaning: happy Eid!)
• Selamat Hari Raya Aidiladha! (meaning: same as above)

Awal Muharram

Also known as Maal Hijrah, this is an event to celebrate the start of the Islamic New Year. The year started when Prophet Muhammad SAW fled from Mecca to escape persecution and migrated to Medina in the year 622 AD. 2016 AD is 1438 Hijriah. So if you do the math the year does not tally. This is because the calendar contains 12 months that are based on the motion of the moon, and because 12 synodic months is only 12 x 29.53=354.36 days, the Islamic calendar is consistently shorter than a tropical year, and therefore it shifts with respect to the Christian calendar.

So what can you wish? Finally

• Happy new year!