Hari Raya Aidilfitri 2023: Traditions and customs of the festival

The festival is a time of joy, forgiveness, and celebration, where families and friends come together to enjoy traditional dishes, exchange gifts, and offer prayers.

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Recognized as a public holiday in Singapore, the celebration of Hari Raya Aidilfitri starts with the sighting of the new moon, which also marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Muslims in Singapore usually attend the special prayers in the mosques early in the morning on the day of Hari Raya Aidilfitri. In general, they wear traditional clothes, such as baju kurung or baju Melayu, and exchange greetings of "Selamat Hari Raya" with one another.

After the prayers, families and friends gather to enjoy a festive feast called "Raya Puasa." Traditional Malay dishes such as rendang (spicy meat dish), ketupat (a diamond-shaped rice dumpling wrapped in a woven coconut leaf), lemang (glutinous rice cooked in bamboo), and lontong (an Indonesian dish made of compressed rice cake in the form of a cylinder wrapped inside a banana leaf) are commonly served during this feast. The feast is a time for sharing and giving, and it is customary to invite guests and offer them food and refreshments. It is also also customary to give out "duit raya," which is a small amount of money given to children by elders as a token of blessings.

In Singapore, many Malay households will decorate their homes with colorful lights and traditional ornaments like kampung houses or ketupat. Visitors are often welcomed into their homes to share in the festivities.

In addition to the traditional celebrations, there are also various events and activities held throughout Singapore during the Hari Raya Aidilfitri period. These include bazaars selling traditional Malay clothing and food, cultural performances, and fireworks displays.

In recent years, Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with restrictions on travel and gatherings in place to prevent the spread of the virus. This year, it is essential to continue the celebrations following the health guidelines to ensure everyone's safety.

(Masjid Al-bukhary in Malaysia)

The highly anticipated 2023 Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar is back in Geyland in full swing now. The market boasts 700 stalls, ten times bigger than that of last year. Of all the stalls, 150 stalls serve food. All stalls are Muslim-owned, halal-certified, or only work with Muslim-friendly ingredients.

Looking for the best Halal cafes and restaurants in Singapore? There are loads of awesome halal cafes and restaurants in Singapore to accommodate our Muslim friends. Here are some popular ones:

1. Zam Zam: This restaurant serves delicious Indian and Middle Eastern food, including their famous murtabak.

2. Hajah Maimunah: This restaurant serves traditional Malay dishes and is known for their nasi padang.

3. Islamic Restaurant: Islamic Restaurant has been in the food business for 96 years now. This restaurant serves Chinese-Muslim cuisines, including their famous beef noodles.

4. The Malayan Council: Located in one of the oldest heritage areas, the Malayan Council is a café-style restaurant that offers fusion dishes with a mix of Malay and Western flavours.

5. Bismillah Biryani: This restaurant serves authentic dum biryani and other Indian dishes.

6. Victory Restaurant: Founded in 1910, Victory Restaurant was one of the first few Indian-Muslim restaurants in Singapore to popularise this unique style of murtabak. This restaurant also serves halal Chinese cuisine, including dim sum and seafood dishes.

7. Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak: This hawker stall is famous for the nasi lemak, a traditional Malay dish.