KUALA
LUMPUR, November 17 (IslamOnline.net) - Well exploiting the last ten
days of the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims in South East Asia (SEA)
held the Tarawih prayer, Qur'an recitation ceremonies and special
prayers in the wee hours of the morning, hoping to find Laylat
Al-Qadr.
In
the last ten days of Ramadan, there is Laylat Al-Qadr, a night
believed by Muslims to be better than one thousand months, according
to the Holy Islamic book.
Muslims
in SEA countries, from Brunei to Indonesia, Malaysia and the
Philippines and in Singapore or Thailand, have stepped up the good
deeds and the sacrifices in their hope to finally catch the
highly-esteemed night.
In Jakarta, Indonesia,, the Islamic department officials urge the public to be as
generous in offering ‘duit lebaran’ - Eid Al-Fitr (Eid of Breaking
the fast) pocket money, and the alms to the poor and needy.
"Ramadan
is the month when the Holy Qur'an descended on earth and this is a
landmark in Islamic history," said Ummi, an Islamic female leader in Malaysia..
"However,
for individual Muslims the Laylat Al-Qadr is a salient point as it
represents the moment all sins are forgiven and all prayers are
granted," she told IslamOnline.net.
She
said that she had spent the Saturday night reciting the holy Al-Qur'an
and doing special prayers, with lengthy ‘sujud' or prostration, in a
bid to seek solace and salvation.
In
Brunei, people do more prayers in various parts of the country and
have already begun giving alms with those in need enjoying the
generosity of the rich.
In
Kuala Belait district, mosques continue to hold various activities
with an encouraging participation of youth.
In
Muhammad Jamalul Alam mosque, youth gathered every day to take part in
religious and other useful activities since the first day of Ramadan,
in an effort to bring them closer.
The
activities enhance the role of mosque as a place of learning, a local
official commented.
In
Malaysia, efforts are being made by political parties and by
individuals to reach out to the needy people, including school
children of broken homes or of poor families.
The
effort is to make sure the children have new clothing for the coming
Eid and for the new school term next year.
In
Singapore, the busy Muslim citizens too set their sight on the special
night and spent longer hours in mosques around the tiny Island state
in a bid to seek forgiveness for their sins and be granted a better
future.
