First Day of Hari Raya
SELAMAT HARI RAYA to all readers. I am not sure why you all are here this Pagi Raya browsing through blogs when you should be out visiting your parents, your elders, your relatives and your friends. So to discourage people from spending too much time reading blogs, I am just doing a very short entry today.
When I posted this, it is still a couple of hours before I have to go to the mosque for the Raya prayer. My body clock after one month of training waking up at 3.30 in the morning still woke me up at 3.30 this morning. For the last 30 days, sleeping at 9.30 and waking up at 3.30 has been the routine. So, no more late night shows for me. And not sleeping after sahur has also been a feature. Though yesterday's morning took its toll, I nodded off for a couple of minutes during the budget negotiation with one of the ministries. There was a couple of millions that I have to check with the secretariat as to what transpired! Seriously, it wasn't that large an amount but a couple of items where I was not fully concentrating on the discussions, luckily the other members are more wide awake than me.
I received a Hari Raya card from HRH Princess Rashidah yesterday. That was the first one from members of the Royal Family for this Hari Raya. As usual the address on the envelope was handwritten. Normally HRH The Crown Prince and HRH Princess Sarah also handwrite the addresses on the envelopes. Very personal. The one from HRH Princess Rashidah has the potrait of her family which I have put up as the photo for today's blog. Later today, insya'Allah, we will be meeting up with the Royal Family as is tradition we will be greeting His Majesty and the Royal Family at the Palace on this first day of Raya. So it is normally a rush for us as we have to go home and then rush to the Palace as soon as the Raya prayer is over. After that only do we go to visit our parents etc. The Raya reception has always been enjoyable and I will see if I can take photos of the banquet. Though this time it's going to be awkward as it is a standing up reception and taking photos discreetly will be kinda difficult.
Oh yes, for those who have been anticipating the ummah blogsite, it is now up and running at http://bruneiummah.blogspot.com. If you want to submit any article or whatever to be included, please email to ummah.admin@bruneiresources.com.
In the meantime, go, go, go. Do your Hari Raya things. Visit your friends if you are in UK, Australia, New Zealand, Egypt or wherever it is you happen to be. If you are here in Brunei, do visit your elders and relatives especially those you don't often visit. This is the only time of the year for us to go and visit them. And also this is the best time to say sorry, maaf, ampun to everyone. Best time of the year to make up whatever glitches that have happened in the past. Okay? Once again, SELAMAT HARI RAYA!
When I posted this, it is still a couple of hours before I have to go to the mosque for the Raya prayer. My body clock after one month of training waking up at 3.30 in the morning still woke me up at 3.30 this morning. For the last 30 days, sleeping at 9.30 and waking up at 3.30 has been the routine. So, no more late night shows for me. And not sleeping after sahur has also been a feature. Though yesterday's morning took its toll, I nodded off for a couple of minutes during the budget negotiation with one of the ministries. There was a couple of millions that I have to check with the secretariat as to what transpired! Seriously, it wasn't that large an amount but a couple of items where I was not fully concentrating on the discussions, luckily the other members are more wide awake than me.
I received a Hari Raya card from HRH Princess Rashidah yesterday. That was the first one from members of the Royal Family for this Hari Raya. As usual the address on the envelope was handwritten. Normally HRH The Crown Prince and HRH Princess Sarah also handwrite the addresses on the envelopes. Very personal. The one from HRH Princess Rashidah has the potrait of her family which I have put up as the photo for today's blog. Later today, insya'Allah, we will be meeting up with the Royal Family as is tradition we will be greeting His Majesty and the Royal Family at the Palace on this first day of Raya. So it is normally a rush for us as we have to go home and then rush to the Palace as soon as the Raya prayer is over. After that only do we go to visit our parents etc. The Raya reception has always been enjoyable and I will see if I can take photos of the banquet. Though this time it's going to be awkward as it is a standing up reception and taking photos discreetly will be kinda difficult.Oh yes, for those who have been anticipating the ummah blogsite, it is now up and running at http://bruneiummah.blogspot.com. If you want to submit any article or whatever to be included, please email to ummah.admin@bruneiresources.com.
In the meantime, go, go, go. Do your Hari Raya things. Visit your friends if you are in UK, Australia, New Zealand, Egypt or wherever it is you happen to be. If you are here in Brunei, do visit your elders and relatives especially those you don't often visit. This is the only time of the year for us to go and visit them. And also this is the best time to say sorry, maaf, ampun to everyone. Best time of the year to make up whatever glitches that have happened in the past. Okay? Once again, SELAMAT HARI RAYA!
Comments
yep im reading your post this morning. and yes you're right im not home.again.2nd raya away.huhu.
raya here in new zealand is just like other days.main reason is that there are less than 30 bruneians here and second, we're having our final exams at the moment. (Im having mine later this evening.ceh.)So yeah ppl like dont bother to visit each other('yet' i hope).oh well, we'll see nex week once exam's over.
oh oh but we're having BSANZ(Bn Student Association in NZ) raya dinner tommorow night.Yep, like you said we have friends here.Altho im really down this morning *sob*, im sure there are others who are even worse (not even celebrating, no food etc etc).. and yes im sure we'll have fun tmr.
oklah, u have fun celebrating your raya up there. take care.
salam
-Nurul
(kalau makan kueh raya atu,jangan lupa kami di sini.hehe.)
Anyway, though it's the 2nd day of raya already, i'm jst starting to enjoy it cos baru ada the raya spirit..had an exam bah iatah sedihkn..so here i am now listening away to raya songs..baru tah kn start mendgr..hehe
First day raya yesterday was saddening for us here because frm what i heard byknya the ppl here bertakbir sendiri =( And for me..i could only cry whilst listening to the takbir *sniff sniff*
Anyway, wishing everyone a meaningful raya this year and enjoy the food while u can! =)