Contributor
The fasting month of Ramadan is a month full of blessings for Muslims, who eagerly anticipate
its arrival.
Muslims believe that Ramadan is a month full of God’s mercy, gifts and forgiveness when all of one’s good deeds and prayers will be rewarded by God and all one’s sins will be forgiven.
In Indonesia, where the majority of the population is Muslim, there are various traditions in a number of areas in which people welcome the holy month of Ramadan. Although traditions may differ, the spirit remains the same, which is joyful and gratefulness in welcoming the holy month.
Andre Moller, in his dissertation Ramadan in Java, the Joy and Jihad of Ritual Fasting, wrote about the varied traditions of Indonesian Muslims. While believing in one and the same God, Muslims across the world have different traditions, so it is not surprising to find the differences acco...