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No Idul Fitri bonuses or exodus in Morocco: Envoy
Indonesia and Morocco both have predominately moderate Musllm populations
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ndonesia and Morocco both have predominately moderate Musllm populations. In a couple of days, people in both countries will celebrate Islam's most important festival, Idul Fitri.
But is there any major difference in the way the people in the two countries celebrate Idul Fitri?
'Yes, the major difference is that not many people in Morocco will travel to their hometowns to celebrate Idul Fitri. Here in Indonesia, you see a massive exodus from towns and cities to villages,' Moroccan Ambassador to Indonesia told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.
Commemorating Idul Fitri, by praying and giving alms after fasting during Ramadhan, is similar in every Islamic country, but each country has its own traditions to mark the occassion.
It is an Indonesian tradition to travel to visit family in the home village at Idul Fitri.
There is no such tradition in Morocco.
"We have a similar tradition. But we will certainly go to our hometowns or villages not to celebrate Idul Fitri but for Idul Adha (Islamic Day of Sacrifice) festival. We also don't have the tradition of hosting an open house. Normally we will visit the houses of relatives on the day of Idul Fitri,' Ambassador Majdi said.
Unlike in Indonesia, Majdi said, private companies and government offices in Morocco do not pay Idul Fitri bonuses to their employees.
'For sure, they will pay festival bonuses for Idul Adha but not Idul Fitri. People have to buy new clothes for children and buy a cow or a goat for sacrifice. So they need a lot of money for Idul Adha ,' Majdi said.
