1. Selamat
Hari Raya!
Hari Raya Celebration
7th August 2013

2. Objectives of Presentation and Sharing
• To understand the significance of celebrating
Hari Raya
• To promote social and cultural cohesiveness
amongst students
• To learn to appreciate one another and
strengthen bonds between friends, teachers
and family members

3. Pop Quiz!
1)Hari Raya Puasa marks the
Muslim New Year.
TRUE or FALSE?

4. Pop Quiz!
ANSWER:
FALSE
• Hari Raya Puasa falls on the 1st day of Syawal,
the 10th month of the Islamic calendar.
• The Islamic new year is in the month of
Muharram which is in November this year.

5. Pop Quiz!
2) Hari Raya Puasa is also known as _________.
A. Hari Raya Haji
B. Hari Raya Aidilfitri
C. Hari Raya Aidiladha

6. Pop Quiz!
ANSWER:
B. Hari Raya Aidilfitri
• In Malay, ‘puasa’ means ‘Fasting’, therefore in
Malay-speaking countries, Hari Raya Aidilfitri is
also known as Hari Raya Puasa. In Arabic, Aidilfitri
means ‘Festival of Breaking Fast’
• Hari Raya Aidiladha, on the other hand, is also
known as Hari Raya Haji (Haji = Pilgrimage to
Mecca)

7. Pop Quiz!
3) Hari Raya Puasa is a celebration meant for the
Malay community only.
TRUE or FALSE?

8. Pop Quiz!
Answer:
FALSE
• Hari Raya is NOT a cultural celebration (e.g Chinese
New Year); it is a RELIGIOUS celebration, celebrated
by Muslims all over the world, regardless of their
race (e.g Chinese Muslims in China, Indian Muslims
in India etc.)
Chinese
Muslims in
China

9. So - the big question :
What happens on the morning
of Hari Raya Aidilfitri?

10. Hari Raya Celebration
• Congregational (Mass) Prayers at mosques or
wide, open spaces
• Seeking forgiveness from
one another
• Visiting relatives, neighbours
and friends

11. But one of the most significant
practices on the morning of Hari
Raya is…
ACT of SEEKING
FORGIVENESS

12. What is the purpose of this practice?
• To strengthen ties between family members
and friends
• To apologize for any wrongdoings that we may
have done to the person, whether we realize it
or not
• To renew and revive relationships and ties,
make sure that the relations continue

13. Significance
• The act of seeking forgiveness is very significant
during Hari Raya.
• The full Hari Raya greeting:
“Selamat Hari Raya, Maaf Zahir dan Batin”
means,
Wishing you a Joyous Hari Raya,
With Sincere Apologies

14. How is it done?
• Let’s watch a video of a Malay family
practicing the act of seeking forgiveness
http://youtu.be/aBEoJDMfrRM

15. Highlights from video
• First, the wife seeks forgiveness from the
father
• Children take turns to seek forgiveness from
their parents
• When you are seeking forgiveness from an
elder person, you should kneel down

16. • The salam shown in the video is not the normal
one; you are to hold the person’s hands with
both palms, seek forgiveness, and kiss his/ her
hands, like this (demo by presenters)
• If the person you are seeking forgiveness from is
of the same age/ status, you do not have to kiss
his/ her hands
• However, you can only salam a person of the
same gender (male -> male) UNLESS it is your
family member (e.g a brother can salam and kiss
the hands of his elder sister)

17. WHO do you seek forgiveness from?
• Family members, relatives
• Neighbours
• Friends
• Colleagues
You can also seek forgiveness from non-Muslims
e.g your Chinese neighbour or your Indian
teacher.

18. What is said when you seek
forgiveness?
• Example 1- child to mother:
“Mother, please forgive me for all my
wrongdoings; please bless all the food
that you have sustained me with all this
while and thank you for all the sacrifices
you have made for me”.
I forgive you, my
son. I pray that
you will be a
good person.

19. What is said when you seek
forgiveness?
• Example 2: Between friends
Ahmad, please
forgive me if I
have ever hurt
your feelings
with my words
or actions. I
hope we can
always be
friends.
The same goes
for me, Faizal.
Forgive me too if
I have said
something
hurtful or done
something bad
to you. I hope
our friendship
will last.

20. Accepting the apology (to forgive) and
RECIPROCATE
• As you can see, in both examples, the person
who is apologized to ACCEPTS the apology
graciously.
(to err is human, to forgive is divine)
• It is also good to return the gesture and seek
forgiveness from the person in return

21. Sincerity and Integrity
• What is MOST important is that you are
SINCERE about seeking forgiveness. There is
no point in seeking forgiveness if you do not
mean what you say
• If, in your utterance, you promised to change
or not repeat you mistake, you have to uphold
what you say; have integrity and do the right
thing.

22. Now, we will show you how it is
done!
• Presenters -> teachers
• Malay students -> friends

23. Next, let’s try this out!

24. Step-by-step instructions
• Do not worry- this is NOT a religious practice.
Doing this does not make you a Muslim or lose
faith in your religion!
• Turn to the person sitting next to you; if he/ she is
of the same gender, hold his/ her hands with
both palms. After you say your apology, place
your palm on your chest/ near the heart
• If both of you are of different genders, just say
your apology.
• Take turns - Declare your apology!

25. What you can say…
• Dear ________________, please forgive me if
I have done something wrong to you all this
while, especially if what I’ve said or done
before has hurt your feelings. I am truly sorry.
I hope you will continue to be my friend.
• Dear ______________, forgive me for all the
bad things I have done to you (e.g shouting at
you, laughing at your mistakes, making fun of
you etc.) …. I will not do it again.

26. Accept your friend’s apology!
• After you have been forgiven, it is your friend’s
turn to apologize to you.
• Say it if you mean it,
and say it like you mean it!

27. Thank you!
• Thank you for listening to our presentation
and participating in this activity
• We hope that you have learnt the significance
of Hari Raya and understand the importance
of seeking forgiveness

28. Selamat Hari
Raya Aidilfitri,
Maaf Zahir dan
Batin!