13th May happens to be a Hari Raya Puasa, or also commonly known as Hari Raya Aidilfitri, or Eid al-Fitr, as a key holiday and celebration of the Muslim faith. In Singapore, where people from various races and religion come together, we have come to be very tolerant of one another's faith and beliefs. Even though I do not personally celebrate Hari Raya Puasa, I know that it marks the end of the month-long holy month Ramadan, where the Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. Ramadan is also the time for them to offer apologies for any wrongdoings which they might have started over the past year, while giving thanks for acts of kindness.
On this day, the Muslims will also visit the mosques for special prayers before visiting friends and relatives for great food and catching up. Due to the rise in COVID-19 community cases, the government of Singapore has limited gatherings to be 5 persons or less. This might have dampened the mood of Hari Raya Puasa, but safety always comes first, especially the cases has risen up to over twenty community counts, which has not been the case for a long, long time.
So, as my Muslim friends don the baju kurung and visit friends and relatives, I wish them a great Eid, and hope for better days ahead, especially with the pandemic for Singapore as well as for the rest of the world.
