The Borneo Post

Moderate Aidilfitri celebratio­ns for Malaysian students in Japan

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KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian students in Japan managed to mark the start of Syawal in the Land of the Rising Sun on Monday with a moderate celebratio­n even though they had classes to attend.

Muhammad Khair Nadil Khairudin, 23, who is pursuing Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineerin­g at Nagaoka University Of Technology, Nagaoka, said they performed Aidilfitri prayers at the campus surau along with about 40 other Muslims from around the university.

“After Aidilfitri prayers at the university surau with the Muslim community here, my friends and I had to rush off for morning lectures. The surau is not only used by Muslim students of the university but also by the nearby Muslim community,” he told Bernama.

According to him, the Muslim community that attended the Aidifitri prayers were of diverse background­s, coming from various countries such as Indonesia, Senegal, Bangladesh, Pakistan and also the local Japanese Muslim community.

On Aidilfitri preparatio­ns in Japan, Muhammad Khair Nadil said he and other Muslim friends could not find the time to cook because they did not expect Syawal to be celebrated Monday, on top of their other commitment­s as students.

He said Japan was supposed to celebrate Aidilfitri on Tuesday but as the country’s closest Islamic country, Malaysia, was celebratin­g it on Monday, the Japanese Muslim community followed suit.

“We were actually planning to have a Hari Raya banquet tomorrow (May 3), but who knew that it would be today instead. Such being the case, we were unable to prepare to host a feast today,” he said.

Muhammad Khair Nadil, who has twice celebrated Aidilfitri in

Japan, also said he missed the festive air back in Malaysia.

“The atmosphere in Japan and Malaysia is very different. I miss the Raya mood in Malaysia, especially delicacies like rendang, ketupat, lemang and all that. I also miss celebratin­g it with my family,” he said.

A fellow Malaysian student in Japan, Nuraiman Mustaqim Nurnasran, 22, said celebratin­g Raya in Japan was rather boring as he was so far away from his family.

“In Japan, celebratio­ns are rather subdued unlike Malaysia, with rendang, ketupat, lemang and the like. The holiday feast is what I miss most when I’m here in Japan. I miss celebratin­g Raya with my family,” admitted Nuraiman, who is celebratin­g his first Raya abroad. He noted that having to celebrate Aidilfitri abroad and being away from his family taught him to be stronger in facing challenges and being independen­t.

 ?? — ?? Malaysian students in Japan managed to have a moderate celebratio­n even though they had classes to attend. Bernama photo
— Malaysian students in Japan managed to have a moderate celebratio­n even though they had classes to attend. Bernama photo

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