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| Bayu Dharmala, a staff member of the University of Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM) is currently seeking a master's degree education at The University of Arizona, United States. (Photo: Special) |
Living the month of Ramadan in another country is a challenge in itself. Especially if the country you live in has Muslim minorities. This is what Bayu Dharmala, one of the staff of the University of Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM) is feeling, who is currently seeking a postgraduate education at The University of Arizona, United States.
Bayu, as he is usually known, said that the atmosphere of Ramadan and weekdays in America, especially in Arizona, feels the same. This happens because Muslims are a minority in the area. Not feeling the atmosphere of Ramadan in America makes the only child must be independent in preparing for sahur and breaking the fast. The implementation of the fasting month which coincides with the summer in America is also a challenge in itself.
“Ramadan in Indonesia is synonymous with Ramadan studies, patrols to wake up sahur, takjil, and so on. But the atmosphere I can not feel in Arizona. Therefore, I cannot rely on the sound of the call to prayer or the voices of the patrolling people to determine the time for sahur and iftar. I only rely on the alarm on my smartphone as a timepiece,” said the UMM alumnus from Pasuruan.
Furthermore, Bayu said that the time to fast in America lasts longer than in Indonesia. The total fasting time in America is 14 hours and 30 minutes. Sahur starts from 04.30 to 04.45 then the time to break the fast is at 19.00. Meanwhile, the tarawih prayer time starts at 20.00 pm.
“In Arizona, there is a mosque close to where I live, called the Susan Islamic Center. At the mosque, I usually perform the tarawih prayer in congregation with other Muslim communities in Arizona. There are some unique things that I experienced during the tarawih prayers here. One of them is the unusual number of rak'ahs of prayer. Here, the tarawih prayer is 10 rakaat and followed by the witr prayer totaling three rakaat. So the total tarawih prayer in Arizona is 13 rakaat,” said Bayu.
Bayu also experienced other unique things. Many of his college friends do not understand fasting. Because of this, at lunchtime, some friends often give Bayu food in the form of bread or chocolate. “Sometimes I wonder how to refuse their gifts without hurting my heart. Usually, I receive the food that is given and then I save it for iftar," said Bayu.
Even though he couldn't experience Ramadan like in Indonesia, Bayu said that he could get the Ramadan atmosphere from the Muslim community in Arizona, namely the Muslim Student Association (MSA). This community often holds iftar together once a week.
"Thanks to being together with other Muslim brothers and sisters in Arizona, I can feel the atmosphere of Ramadan. Even though I can't fast like in previous years, the differences made me give a deeper meaning to the meaning of the month of Ramadan," he said. (Syi/Will)
Author: Syifa Dzahabiyyah | Editor: Hassanalwildan Ahmad Zain
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