Breaking the fast in Singapore
Breaking the fast in Singapore
Nauval Yazid, Contributor, Singapore
Whereas most Indonesians favor being at home with their families for buka puasa (the breaking of the fast) Singaporeans prefer to gather at mosques with fellow Muslims to quench their thirst and enjoy a light meal.
The crowd is very much dependent on a mosque's location. Thus, when it is time to break the fast, at a few minutes prior to 7 p.m., men in business suits can be seen heading for Moulana Mohammed Ali Mosque, which is located in the heart of Singapore's Central Business District (CBD).
At Al Falah Mosque, men and women arrive clutching shopping bags from Orchard Road department stores such as Takashimaya or Isetan. Moreover, if the holy month happens to fall during final exams period, chances are Tentera Diraja Mosque will be teeming with students and lecturers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) as the mosque is located opposite the college's school of environmental design.
Upon removing their footwear to enter the mosque, most people join the queue for teh tarik (milky tea) or bandung (rose syrup) -- two of the most popular beverages for breaking the fast in the city. This is usually followed by a bowl of rice porridge, dates, fruits and some Malay cakes (locally known as kuih-muih) such as kue lapis (layer cake), ketan hitam (black tapioca) and many others, which are not dissimilar from those found in Pasar Senen, Jakarta.
The food is laid out on carpet, which can be folded up once plates and glasses are empty. In a country like Singapore, where cleanliness and order are promoted, cleaning up after meals is done in a very short time.
Some mosques like Sultan Mosque in Bugis set up tents with tables and chairs so people can enjoy their food in comfort. While the snacks are very tasty, most Muslims here look forward to the main course.
Whereas not all mosques offer a main meal, the mosques that do usually serve nasi briyani (briyani rice) with chicken, beef or mutton curry in a large tray, which is enough for four.
These four people gather around the food and, after downing some tea, they eat it together with their hands. Any concerns over hygiene are soon forgotten as the meal is consumed.
I indulged in such a meal at the Wak Tanjong Mosque, which is less than a three-minute walk from Paya Lebar MRT station. Sharing spicy chicken with briyani rice sprinkled with raisins with a construction worker from Sri Lanka, a Singapore postal officer and a student was the perfect way to end the day.
These communal meals are an efficient way to strengthen ties among Muslims in Singapore, who are still a minority albeit an important part of the community.
The meal ends when the iqomat (call to prayer) is heard. The carpets are washed, dried and folded for the next day. The 15-minute affair is worth revisiting, over and over again.