To begin with, we may see many malay / Muslim houses lit up with lights outside at night time, and for bungalows or kampung houses, there may even be lights or old-style oil lamps perched all around the compund. this is a Malay tradition (i.e.not Islamic requirement) but came about as a perfectly practival thing, meaning it was not to consciously to signify the "triumph of light over darkness" and such.
During Ramadhan nights, Muslims go to mosques and suraus (small mosques) for the Terawikh prayers. In the olden days when there were no stree lights, the roads were dar at night. and so a tradition came about the folk would place lamps or "pelita" around their compund as a guide for people passing by on the way to the mosque- lest they should lose their way or fall into a drain and so on. People didi this for sincere merit and also to "menghidupkan" or bring alive the spirit of Ramadhan and terawikh prayers. This is still largerly valid today to share the joy of the festive season, despite the modern convenience to of street lights.
The " Rumah Terbuka" or Open House concept has long been a mainstay of traditional culture. But like many traditional practises, in olden days it wasn't to official - more often it was simply understood that during the Rayas season, when it commeendable to meet relatives and friends to seek forgiveness and maintain relationships, one should be able to go and do that any time. Thus households would always have at least dry kuih-muih (cookies & cakes) on the table ready to welcome anyone who comes knocking and really anyone - even your "enemy", because this is the best time for reconciliations.
If anything, the modern Open House is 'less' true than before because now it practically is when a houst announces that he or she has an Open House at such date and times. Whereas before, it really meant that as long as you are at home, your house is open, no invitation needed and visitors can come literally at any time. Nonetheless, the spritit is still there and one should feel free to pay a sincere visit to anyone anytime that's convenient.
The tradition of "duit Raya" or giving small sums of money to children you meet is similar to the Chinese New Year "Ang Pow", althoung each came about independently. For Malay culture, it is simply a way of also 'menghiudpkan' Raya by letting children savor a test of pocket money and an enticement to meet people on the way to teach children the value and management of money. The ang Pow literal packet envelope has seeped into a green colured "sampul raya" equivalent practise. But in order not to waste paper, one can revert to the old tradition of just handing over plain cash, which youngsters should learn to take care of without papers covers that would in the end be thrown away anyway.
One questionable 'tradition' is that of the bamboo cannon or 'meriam buluh'. and by extension firecrackers. Playing with fire and explosive stuff is never a good thing, even by adults and what more for children. for Malay-Muslim there is no tradition or philosophy requieng fire, sark and noisey creacks. Instead \many a house had been burnt, or worse, fingers blown off and people rudely surpised by loud noises. This is one practive that can be dane away with .
By A Najib Ariffin
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