The Takbir Raya makes me miss Malaysia the most.
It reminds me of raya morning, getting up early and having (the most delicious) breakfast of nasi impit and kuah kacang at kampung before going to the mosque for prayer.
It reminds me of Atuk Rainbow and Wan, and Atuk Dollah and Opah, whose faces shine - even early in the morning - as they are in the company of the whole family.
It reminds me of duit raya and visiting relatives, even though most of the time I can't remember their names.
It reminds me of wooden floorboards, wonky electric fans, cool breezes through the windows, and cigarette smoke in the kitchen.
My kampung in Kuala Pilah :)
And, most importantly, it reminds of how proud I am to be Muslim, and Malaysian.
The combination is beautiful. In Islam you have the beauty of religion and Allah, who you know is watching you, and taking care of you. You have the beauty of jemaah and korban which brings people together to pray and do good deeds. There's also the beauty of the fasting month of Ramadhan, that makes Eid'ul Fitr even more special.
In being Malaysian you have the culture of kampung and staying close to your relatives, as well as caring for strangers too. You get duit raya and delicious Malaysian food, such as Rendang and Ketupat. You get the company of people of other races and religions, who respect your faith and celebrates with you, making the occasion even more colorful and joyful. And you also get the most beautiful Takbir Raya in the world.
The Takbir Raya here is simpler, with more emphasis on meaning (which is the most important part). But Allah loves beauty and the Malaysian Takbir Raya certainly is gorgeous to the ears.
Most of my memories and nostalgia are from Aidil Fitr, but Aidil Adha is just as special. I miss Malaysia so much now.
Happy Eid'ul Adha everyone.
May Allah bless all of you.
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