Hari Raya Haji is also called as Hari Raya Aidiladha which means the “festival of sacrifice”. It is a celebration commemorated by the Muslims community all around the world and is considered as the largest celebration apart from Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
| Year | Date | Day | Holiday | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 11 August | Sunday | Hari Raya Haji | National |
| 12 August | Monday | Hari Raya Haji Holiday | National |
Hari Raya Haji is commemorated by the Muslim community to recount the event of when Allah (God) appeared to Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) in a dream and commanded him to sacrifice his dearest son Ismail (Ishmael) to demonstrate his complete devotion to the Almighty. However, when Prophet Ibrahim was about to strike his son, Allah reveals to him that it was a test hence a goat is sacrificed instead. Therefore, as a symbolic gesture in recognising and treasuring Prophet Ibrahim’s unwavering devotion and trust in Allah, Muslims across the globe would offer a four-legged animal such as a goat or a sheep as a sacrifice to Allah on the event of Hari Raya Haji. The animals are slain in accordance with the proper religious rites before distributing the meat to the Muslim community.
Hari Raya Haji Malaysia is more commonly known as Hari Raya Korban. Hari Raya Haji 2019 is commemorated about two months after Hari Raya Aidilfitri, during the 10th day of Zulhijjah which is the 12th month of the Muslim calendar and it marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage period; hence the name Hari Raya Haji or the “festival of the pilgrimage” was given. Every year, millions of Muslims visit the Holy Land of Mecca in Saudi Arabia to perform the Hajj known to be part of the Five Pillars of Islam, but it is only applicable to those who can afford the trip and whose healthy enough to do so. Upon completion of the Hajj, the men earn the title of “Haji” while women earn the title of “Hajjah”.
During this festive season, ignite the taste buds with a variety of local cuisine specially cooked to honour the holiday celebration. Introduced by former foreign and local settlers’ recipes many years ago, the country’s Malay heritage food is a delectable symbol of the colourful Malaysian Muslim lifestyle and has rightfully claimed its place of cultural significance especially during the festive season.
Throughout Hari Raya Haji Malaysia celebration, most of the meals set on the table are cooked from the meat distribution earlier that day. Commemorate the festive season of Hari Raya Haji Malaysia with these popular meat-based delicacies such as Beef Rendang, Daging Hitam, Oxtail Soup or locally known as Sup Ekor, Beef Satay as well as Beef Asam Pedas! These dishes are almost inexcusable to not to have it for Hari Raya Haji public holiday.
In Islamic communities across the world, different culture influences the tradition for Hari Raya Haji public holiday. However, the Muslims community generally celebrate the festive season by rising early to pray, going to the mosque to hear a sermon, and wear their brand-new clothes. Following the prayers, family and friends will have their Hari Raya Haji greeting and then feast in a large meat-heavy meal. Part of distributed meat or an equivalent amount of money will be given to the needy, so that they can celebrate Hari Raya Haji as well.
Besides that, local mosques will also be decorated with lights, gifts may be exchanged amongst the community. Non-Muslims are as well frequently invited to meals to introduce them to the Islamic culture.
Malaysia is known to be a diverse country offering travellers a taste of what Asian culture is like. Here are some examples of exciting places to visit during Hari Raya Haji Malaysia:
To experience a more festive vibe for this holiday celebration, travellers can spend their long weekend at Kelantan whereby Hari Raya Haji is celebrated more gleeful there compared to Hari Raya Aidilfitri. Make sure to try out some of the locals’ scrumptious traditional “kuih” as Kelantanese are an expert in making them.
Another famous place packed with tourists during this long weekend leave is the city of Melaka. Have a tour throughout the historic city which was once a centre of power during the old Malacca Sultanate years. Travellers can also pay a visit to the Malacca Sultanate Palace, Chinatown, Little India, Portuguese Settlement, the Dataran Pahlawan Malacca Megamall, the Maritime Museum, the “carnival-ride-like” 361-foot-tall Taming Sari Tower and plenty more attractions to see.
Since Hari Raya Haji 2019 falls on Sunday, hence the next Monday will officially be a public holiday for the Malaysians. Typically, the locals will take an extended weekend leave starting from Friday until the next week of Tuesday. Therefore, traffic congestion can’t be avoided. Expect a large crowd at major transportation hub as well such as airports, railway stations, bus and ferry terminals. Make sure to be aware of travellers’ belongings at these crowded places to prevent unnecessary drawbacks.
For travellers planning to have a long-distance journey, it is best that they plan their trip well before-hand to ensure a smooth ride ahead. For instance, make sure to top up the Touch ‘n Go card earlier before road trip commences, as the queue will be long at the toll plazas. Don’t forget to buy some snacks and drinks as well because the Rest and Recreation (RnR) stops tend to be crowded with visitors from day to night. As Malaysia is known to have hot and humid weather all year round, dress comfortably to ensure a less stressful journey.
The festive season in Malaysia is expected to have heavy traffic congestion just about anywhere within the country. Why not invest some of the travellers’ budget to have a stress-free getaway via transportation service to get to wherever you desire? Here on Easybook, we provide multiple convenient transportation services covering plenty of destinations within Malaysia which comes with a reasonable price as well!
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