Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Indonesia Celebrates Month long Fasting Month of Ramadan

From all 135 of us at PT. Bali Luxury Villas and PT. Bali Affordable Lifestyles International, DBA Best Asia Real Estate


Selamat Ramadan to all Muslims in Indonesia and throughout the world.

Editor's Note: May you and your families take this month-long period of fasting to reflect on truly what it means to be a Muslim.


It is a time to pray that extremist come to their senses and realize that their terrorist actions against Indonesian Christians and Police in Surabaya the last few days do no not benefit the followers of the Prophet Muhammad.

It is also a time for non-Muslims to understand that these extremists do not represent the vast majority of Indonesian Muslims who just want to live and prosper in peace and harmony.

Bali is a perfect example of religions living together in Harmony

My favorite example of this Harmony is Puja Mandala where five of the worlds major religions have places of worship right next to each other and never have a  conflict.

In a single compound, the site has a Hindu temple, a grand mosque, a Buddhist temple and both a Catholic and Protestant church. 

The rest of the world can learn from Bali's example of religious harmony. 

Puja Mandala is a unique landmark in Nusa Dua, serving as a perfect example of how five of Indonesia’s major religions can live harmoniously side-by-side, despite their differences in beliefs and ways of worshiping.



The 2-hectare Puja Mandala religious complex has a spacious parking lot in front, shared by pilgrims and visitors of all the sites.

From the left, first in view is the grand mosque, the Masjid Agung Ibnu Batutah, with its bright green tiled prism-shaped roof and multiple flights of stairs that lead up to its prayer rooms, with ornate grey ceramic laden walls and mihrabs. 

Among the mosque’s antique treasures is an old prayer drum and a handwritten Quran.

Right next to the mosque is the Catholic Maria Bunda Segala Bangsa church, with sets of crosses and angelic statues atop its roofs and Balinese style ‘kul-kul’ bell tower.


To its right is the Buddhist temple, Vihara Buddha Guna, which also serves as the central spot among the row of five places of worships within the complex. This ‘vihara’, or Buddhist temple, is ornate with large white elephant statues in white and gold at its foyer, bodhisattvas guarding its main doors, striking golden wall motifs and a giant dome rooftop on its main building.


To the right of the Buddhist Temple is the Protestant GKPB Jemaat Bukit Doa church which, like its Catholic counterpart, also features a tall bell tower in Balinese architectural styling. The church is one of Bali’s churches with an international service, featuring congregations held in English and Bahasa.


Finally, at the far right of the Puja Mandala complex is the Pura Jagatnatha temple, built with the same majesty as any Balinese Hindu temple on the island, with dragon staircases and ornately sculpted gates, walls and shrines. The Puja Mandala complex was inaugurated in 1997 by the then Minister of Religion, with funds from the state-owned Bali Tourism Development Corporation (BTDC).


The complex is open for visitors, but access into each place of worship depends on each of their particular scheduled events, ceremonies, prayer and congregation times.

Read more at: http://www.bali-indonesia.com/magazine/puja-mandala-bali.htm?cid=ch:OTH:001


Ramadan

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
رمضان
Ramadan
Welcome Ramadhan.jpg
A crescent moon can be seen over palm trees at Manama, marking the beginning of the Islamic month of Ramadan in Bahrain
Observed byMuslims
TypeReligious
CelebrationsCommunity iftars and Community prayers
Observances
BeginsRamadan
Ends29, or 30 Ramadan
DateVariable (follows the Islamic lunar calendar)
2017 date27 May – 24 June (Umm al-Qura)[1][2]
2018 date16 May – 14 June[1]
2019 date6 May – 3 June[1]
Frequencyevery year (lunar calendar)
Related toEid al-FitrLaylat al-Qadr
Ramadan (/ˌræməˈdɑːn/Arabicرمضان‎ RamaḍānIPA: [ramaˈdˤaːn];[note 1] also romanized as RamzanRamadhan, or Ramathan) is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar,[3] and is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting(Sawm) to commemorate the first revelation of the Quran to Muhammadaccording to Islamic belief.[4][5] This annual observance is regarded as one of the Five Pillars of Islam.[6] The month lasts 29–30 days based on the visual sightings of the crescent moon, according to numerous biographical accounts compiled in the hadiths.[7][8]
The word Ramadan comes from the Arabic root ramiḍa or ar-ramaḍ, which means scorching heat or dryness.[9] Fasting is fard (obligatory) for adult Muslims, except those who are suffering from an illness, travelling, are elderly, pregnant, breastfeedingdiabeticchronically ill or menstruating.[10] Fasting the month of Ramadan was made obligatory (wājib) during the month of Sha'ban, in the second year after the Muslims migrated from Mecca to MedinaFatwas have been issued declaring that Muslims who live in regions with a natural phenomenon such as the midnight sun or polar night should follow the timetable of Mecca,[11] but the more commonly accepted opinion is that Muslims in those areas should follow the timetable of the closest country to them in which night can be distinguished from day.[12][13][14]
While fasting from dawn until sunset, Muslims refrain from consuming food, drinking liquids, smoking, and engaging in sexual relations. Muslims are also instructed to refrain from sinful behavior that may negate the reward of fasting, such as false speech (insulting, backbiting, cursing, lying, etc.) and fighting except in self-defense.[15][16] Pre-fast meals before dawn are referred to as Suhoor, while post-fast breaking feasts after sunset are called Iftar.[17][18] Spiritual rewards (thawab) for fasting are also believed to be multiplied within the month of Ramadan.[19] Fasting for Muslims during Ramadan typically includes the increased offering of salat (prayers), recitation of the Quran[20][21] and an increase of doing good deeds and charity.


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