Ramadan in Nanggroe With Sharia Law

One of thing that I would miss the most while I was abroad was the feeling of Ramadhan which you can feel in a whole month, also performing tarawih (sunnah prayer only in Ramadhan) in the Mesjid.  In the urban side, after ifthar (breaking fast) , man, women, children wearing kain sarung or mukena (white clothes cover all over the body except face for women) would walk together to the mosque for Tarawih.  The road would be filled with people,  children would walk together with friends, some put their smile of their faces. as if they are going to play something somewhere. Some other time they might feel it little bit “lazy”  if they ate too much during ifthar.  That actually was the feeling of  going for tarawih I had when I was a kid.  At the end, my mom would still tell me to go, since it is only 30 days in 365 days of year. Never loose the chance, who knows if the following years I will still be able to meet Ramaan.

This is one of the beauty of this holy month which does not exist n another 11 months in a islamic calendar.

I’ve been a way for too long, and that memories still lingered in my mind. That's also how I picture Ramadhan would be. But the fact is little bit different for this year. In Banda Aceh, the city where I live now, the government has done a great job ( for 3 years in a row) by inviting couple of imams from Saudi Arabia for the last 10 days of Ramadhan. The purpose of this activity is to encourage people to still fill the mesjid, not only at the beginning of Ramadhan, but also till the end of the month, which also in line with what the Prophet have showed that we should increase the amount of prays in the last 10 days of ramadhan.

The three imams will lead the isya, tarawih, qiyamul lail until Subh prayer in couple of Mesjid, such as Mesjid Al Makmur Lampriet,  Mesjid Baitul Musyahadah (Kupiah Meukeutop Seutui), while another one of the imam will have a schedule organized by the local government.  

Somehow I still could not believe what I’ve seen regarding the jamaat who filled the mesjids. I’ve seen some pictures shared in social media, even at 3 am in the morning, the mesjids are fillled.  As far as I used to know, people will fill the mesjid only in the first half of the month, and will decrease from tme to time, and increase again at the end. Allahu Akbar, it gives me goosebumps while looking at th pictures.

I myself never been to one, as it in the middle of the night, and have to go to work early morning too. But I already plan for this weekend inshaAllah. But few days a go I’ve seen something similar, and somehow I could picture how it looks like duing the night.

Beside the Imams, the local government also invited a Hafidz family, a parent and their three childrens who live with quran in their heart.  They gave a short seminar couple days a go in Mesjid Al Makmur, and it was filled with people, man, woman, children.  Being there itself with that many people already gave me goosebumps, and even more when one of the kid started to recite the quran. Allahu Akbar.

The Hafidz family will have a couple days training for hafidz program, where 150 people already registed to take a part at this program. I wish I knew earlier about this, so that I can register my nephew, as they are also learning to be a hafidz.

  

Pro and Con of Sharia Law

There are people who are  against this program. But it happen in any aspect of life anyway. Not everyone will support you, it’s either for a good cause or not.

Personally, as  i grew up in this province, I didn’t see anything strange regarding the implementation of Islam here. We live with it, and somehow it is our culture too. It becomes one with us. Of course there also exist people who practice differently in some other part of the province.

But it doesn’t mean that we, as Muslim here, do not open to another culture or religion. There are many non Muslims around here. There are many articles too written about them, who live peacefully surrounded by Muslim community.  I lived in non-Muslim countries for years and got almost no discrimination, why would I do such thing to other people here, right? I mean, even I experienced some, why would I want somebody feels the same anyway.

I can't blame people who think strange or against what so called as human rights (for practicing Islam). My own aunt had asked if I was belong to any (radical) Muslim group, because I wear my head scarf since I was 12. Seriously? why do I have to be in a radical group just to wear it.

There are people out there who has no idea regarding Islam, or know only small part of it which shows the scary side of people who claim themselves as Muslim. Well, media plays a big part, as they keep showing those terrorist attack around the world which usually refers to (radical) Islamic group.

Aceh as Tourist Destination

As one of the place in Indonesia with Sharia Law, Banda Aceh is trying its best to promote itself as an Islamic tourist destination. Personally I think Ramadan in Banda Aceh would be one of a good time to experience living in Islamic way. Especially the night program of Ramadan.  I am saying this as a person who lived in non-muslim countries for years and it really excites me to find the night program of Ramadan in the city. It just feels so different from what I’ve seen years ago. It feels so good.

Beside that, Banda Aceh has alot other places to visit. The grand mosque of Baiturrahman for example. The Mesjid located in the center of the city, it has beautiful architecture and hold a long history. Worth to visit