First Day of Fasting

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Lesson Transcript

Culture Class: Holidays in Indonesia, Lesson 5 - First Day of Fasting

Hello, and welcome to the Culture Class- Holidays in Indonesia Series at IndonesianPod101.com. In this series, we’re exploring the traditions behind Indonesian holidays and observances. I’m Eric, and you're listening to Season 1, Lesson 5, First Day of Fasting. In Indonesian, it’s called Hari Pertama Puasa.

Ramadan is eagerly awaited by the Muslim population of Indonesia. Muslims will fast for the whole duration of this full month, resisting hunger and thirst, lust and temptation for thirty days before reaching victory on the day of Eid.

In this lesson, we’ll discuss how Indonesian people observe Ramadan.

Now, before we go into more detail, do you know the answer to this question-

Do you know what time of day people start and stop fasting?

If you don't already know, you’ll find out a bit later. So, keep listening.

Ramadan is well known for customs requiring people to wake up at dawn to eat before fasting for the rest of the day. People will walk busily around their houses with slit drums to wake residents and chant “Dawn, dawn!” In big cities, this custom is replaced by announcements made through loudspeakers set up at mosques, or in Indonesian masjid.

Following the advice of the Prophet Muhammad, breaking the fast, in Indonesian called berbuka puasa, with sweet and traditional snacks has become a popular tradition during Ramadan. Traditional markets and supermarkets are always busy selling these confections. Made from rice flour, brown sugar, and coconut milk combined with bananas, sweet potatoes, or beans, these traditional snacks have a taste that is both sweet, or manis, and savory, or gurih. They vary in shape and color, the most popular dyed either pink or black and have a sweet aroma brought on from pandan leaves. These traditional snacks, or jajanan, made during Ramadan are close to the hearts of all Indonesian people, both Muslims and non-Muslims.

Bukber (buka bersama) is an important tradition in which Muslims will gather with friends to break the fast together. Breaking the fast together is not usually done with family, but instead with co-workers, classmates, friends from college, or playmates. Much like a reunion, or in Indonesian reuni, this event becomes a gathering of friends who have not seen each other for a long time. Bukber can be done in a restaurant or at someone’s home. If held at a home, it can continue into tarawih, which is the prayer worship performed on the night of Ramadan.

Now it's time to answer our quiz question-

Do you know what time of day people start and stop fasting?

People start fasting before sunrise and stop at the time the sun sets in the location they live. This means that for those who are fasting in subtropical areas during summer the fasting time can last an extra long time!