The past month has been a holy one for Muslims, as well as for many Christians who are fasting and praying for their ‘Year of Hope’. The Muslim fast is from sun up to sun down, and a fast with no liquids or food during this period for the entire 30 days.

This particular Christian one (apart from being voluntary) started on Aug 7 and continues until Sept 15, a 40-day fast in anticipation of what the Bible teaches as the concept of the ‘Year of Jubilee’.

From the book of Leviticus, Chapter 25, the Year of Jubilee is the 50th year of a nation’s existence, related to God’s historical covenant with His people (of Israel): for the release of debts, return of those in slavery, and the restoration of land to its original owners.

The Jubilee was historically introduced as a system within the Israeli society for restoration, renewal and blessings that will bring forth hope and rest to the nation; once every 50 years. However, to my knowledge, modern Israel has never practised this ‘Year of Hope’ celebration.

The Malaysian Church under the initiative of the National Evangelical Christian Fellowship (NECF), which has a membership of almost all Evangelical churches, annually organises a 40-day fast and prayer for the community to uphold the well being of the country in anticipation of Malaysia Day on Sept 16. It is our 1BangsaMalaysians prayer!

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The NECF also puts out a 40-day prayer guideline ever year which gives biblical reasons for both fasting and prayer.  There is even a guide on how to fast, and what to pray for.  The booklet recommends a few kinds of fasts:

  • A vegetarian fast – eat only vegetarian food for 40 days
  • A liquid fast – eat no solid food but consume liquids for 40 days from sun up to sun down
  • A full fast – abstain from all food and drink for a maximum of three days
  • Any other specific from of abstinence which will constantly remind one to pray throughout the 40 days

While the Muslim fast is particular, specific and happens annually, it is compulsory for any Muslim who is ‘of age’.  There are medical grounds and other grounds to skip the fast for a period and there is also a built-in system for the making up for lost days. I once tried and observed the Muslim fast for an entire month, to learn to appreciate and experience it.

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It is also my personal experience that most Malaysians of non-Muslim faiths may not understand or truly appreciate the Muslim fast, and therefore may not fully appreciate the full meaning of the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations.

This year, for the first time, we were invited for lunch and dinner on the first two days of the celebrations. It was a genuine appreciation and enjoyment of the true meaning and celebration of Raya for me, with some very close and dear friends.

Lunch on the first day has been a yearly must-be-there occasion for my family, for the last 15-20 years. Our hosts became friends from the time my wife and I were in college for graduate degrees. Every time, it has been a truly meaningful “family happening” which most of us miss if we are not in the country. Their mutton briyani is also the reason we never fail to make it there every year!

The three other celebrations this year were equally special as all of these were with dear friends. The words I would use to describe all four is the “sharing the real joy of celebration”. In other words, we can truly ‘put in joy to celebrate, or en-joy’. And the word ‘joy’ has of a different quality than the other equivalent word ‘happiness’.

Sign of mutual respect

Idris Jala of Pemandu fame has a three-step model on how to move from mere toleration of the other towards the celebration of the other, which he always ‘preaches’ when he talks about truth, or his True North ideal and the need for national reconciliation or national unity. He argues that ‘toleration’ is always only that; almost a reluctant acceptance that the other exists and we have no choice over that matter. The result is a compulsion to tolerate that reality.

The next and necessary step is always to accept and respect the other, because God created and accepted the other as his own. To each we must give their dignity divinely assigned by God. The third and final step is a true and genuine celebration of the other; and all theirs.

Therefore, when there is a Malaysian open house, it is more than a simple or simplistic celebration about our toleration of the other, and often the rush to eat free food.

I also note that the prime minister’s open house this year had about 100,000 guests. I hope it was not only for toleration and free food.  

The real joy and celebration is always when you can really and truly appreciate the human freedom of mutual respect for each other; if only because the Almighty Other created all of us to be equal. Only then can there be the true spirit of celebration. Otherwise, it is much like young boys who go to church only to watch the girls! Even with open house occasions in Malaysia, it may have become the false attraction of the red or green ang pow that comes with each visit or the free food served.

For me the most beautiful reflection of this past spirit of celebration was when my host’s two-year-old granddaughter kissed my hand in salam when her dad told her, “Say hi to uncle!”. There is nothing more gracious than a hug of greeting or a kiss of salam on the hand; it defines not only the respect but also the graciousness of welcome, even when the ‘uncle’ is not even a Muslim.

This was much unlike my wife’s experience when a lady refused to greet her with a handshake at a buka puasa we attended, when she gladly greeted the Muslim ladies. I know the possible reasons, but my point is that, even for prayer; a spirit of celebration must transcend the law of compulsive obedience.

When fasting becomes an involuntary compulsion, then the spirit of celebration is lost and the law of compliance takes over and we can even sometimes feel sorry for ourselves, and therefore miss the real and true reason for fasting. May God bless Malaysia in the entire Year of Jubilee; that is my singular prayer focus.