Ramadan under the MCO is full of wisdom

Ramadan is a very beautiful and special month in the hearts of Muslims.

This is a month of education and a month of faith-building, a month of self-empowerment with the best training modules to give birth to a generation of high self-esteem to meet the challenges of life.

But the month of Ramadan celebrated this year is quite different from last year, which is celebrated with acts of worship, congregational worship with religious ceremonies.

It changed immediately due to the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak worldwide.

For Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) student, Muhammad Nazhif Mohd Azan, Ramadan this time had a positive impact on him and his family when he had the opportunity to fast with his family at Wakaf Bharu, Kelantan.

"The situation is different because it is customary for his family to celebrate the first day of Ramadan in the village with their close relatives, but at this time we are only able to celebrate with our small family at home as we have to obey the instructions of the Movement Control Order (MCO) issued by the government for the sake of national security,” he said.

According to Muhammad Nazhif, for the first time in Kelantan, the mosques became silent during Ramadan but the normal practice in the mosque was still ongoing, provided that they were held respectively at home with family doing tarawih with their father, mother, and siblings.

“There is also no Ramadan Bazaar, as usual, serving various delicacies and special menus.

"Although the response is a bit less lively, however, it brings a thousand meanings as it allows spending more time with family," he said.

According to him, this peculiarity is wisdom that Allah the Almighty revealed, among allowing focusing more on the practice of good deeds and self-improvement.

Muhammad Nazhif is grateful to fast with his family at home as there are more students still stranded at the university.

Same goes for Yasmin Izureen Ibrahim, she shared fond memories of fasting with friends on campus and had the opportunity to buy meals for breaking fast at the UMP Ramadan Bazaar held in front of Residential College 3.

She was grateful to be allowed to celebrate the coming month of Ramadan this time with her beloved family in her hometown.

Looking back on the memories while on campus, breaking the fast with friends was greatly missed.

What's more, when buying foods at the UMP Ramadan bazaar located in front of Residential College 3.

She added that although Ramadan this year was celebrated as the country was still 'at war' with the COVID-19 outbreak, we should look at it positively and adapt to the new norm during Ramadan this year.

“For example, if previous tarawih prayers were held in mosques and suraus, this year we could still perform tarawih prayers at home.

“Besides, due to the absence of Ramadan bazaars this year, we can cook at home with family which will certainly strengthen family ties.

"Knowledge sharing sessions can also be held using social media platforms as examples of live broadcasts in social media applications such as Facebook and Instagram," she said.

Meanwhile, students of the Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering Technology, Haziq Mohamad Nazri who resided in the UMP campus, the condition during the MCO provided him with a new experience than ever before.

Every year students do not miss the tradition of Ramadan by doing communal work preparing food and breaking the fast together in a talam  at the UMP mosques in Gambang and Pekan.

However, he was grateful for the good health and was happy to hear from his family members also in good health.

Ramadan this time is also very special as he learns new knowledge, becoming the imam for tarawih prayers, and seeking new hobbies.

In compliance with health and safety regulations especially in maintaining social distance as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, no activity was conducted at the mosque.

Islamic Center for Human Development (PIMPIN) organized an online program through the Ramadan Festival featuring Ramadan Challenge programs, Da'I Interactive Challenge, Qiam On9 Challenge, Ask Experts, Dhuha Lectures, Khatam al-Quran, Nuzul Quran, and Students Circle is in line with the implementation of the MCO in our country.

Translation by: Aminatul Nor Mohamed Said, Faculty Of Computing