The Ramadan Trails at Sultan Mosque

A two weeks ago, I was visiting the area near Sultan Mosque. While I was in the area, I saw a banner that caught my eyes. It reads: "Come experience Ramadan Trails!"

The finer prints on the banner informed that each of the Ramadan Trails will cover three components. These were:

- Presentation: What is Ramadan all about?
- Guided Mosque Tour (with demonstration of the prayer)
- Buka Puasa (Breaking of the fast with Muslims)

This year, the dates of the Ramadan trail were on 23, 25, 27, 30 July and 1, 3, 6, 8 Aug 2012. It was necessary to make bookings in advance. Email: info@sultan.mosque.org.sg

I have had a positive experience when I attended a similar tour during Ramadan at the Sultan Mosque last year. As such, when I learnt that the Sultan Mosque will be organizing similar tours this year, I asked if a few of my friends would be keen to join me for one of the Ramadan Trails. We signed ourselves up for the Ramadan Trail on 8 Aug 2012, which happened to be the last of such tour for this year. Special mention to Belinda Tan and Brother Jason Wilson for putting together a Facebook events page to provide another means to sign up for this Ramadan Trail at Sultan Mosque.

Finally, the much anticipated day came. At about 5.30 p.m., I headed to the registration counter near the auditorium of the Sultan Mosque to register myself and my friends for the tour. Since the tour started at 6 p.m. and we were a little early, I suggested that my friends could browse through the nearby Ramadhan food bazaar. This food bazaar will take place from 21 Jul - 17 Aug 2012, from 3 p.m. - 8 p.m. at Bussorah Mall and Muscat Street. There are many interesting stalls at the food bazaar.

Ramadan Bazaar. Taken on 21 Jul 2012.

Brother Jason was the presenter for the presentation. During this enlightening presentation, I learnt more about the significance of the month of Ramadan which begins with the sighting of the new moon in the ninth month of the lunar calendar.

The presentation also gave the guests on the Ramadan Trail an introduction to the following:

1) The history of the mosque. This can be dated back to the time when Sultan Hussein Shah, the appointed ruler of Singapore, proposed to build a mosque within his Sultanate Compound.
2) The architectural style of the current Sultan Mosque building which was designed and built by the architectural firm, Swan and Mclaren.
3) The use of the arabesque to decorate the mosque.
4) What is Islam?
5) Who are the Muslims?
6) The importance of Ramadan.
7) Why do Muslim fast?

I looked around and saw that the participants of the Ramadan Trail are from different faiths and races. There was a group of Muslim female youths who attended the Ramadan Trail too.

After the presentation, the participants grouped ourselves into smaller groups. Guides led each group on a guided tour of the mosque.

Our very kind guides explained to us about the many interesting features of the mosque. For example, the dark-green-colour base of the mosque's dome is decorated with glass bottles that were donated by the poor. The significance is possibly that the Sultan Mosque has been made possible with the contributions from everyone in the community: young and old, rich and poor.

A device in the Sultan Mosque that informs the times for prayers.

Our guide was mindful to ensure that everyone in the group would be ushered to the auditorium of the mosque before the call to the evening (Maghrib) prayer. We were to break fast together with the Muslims at the auditorium. While waiting for the call to the evening prayer, learning points from the presentation earlier the evening flashed through my mind. It would have required a considerable amount of self-discipline and faith to fast.

When the call to the evening prayer was heard, I observed the Muslim friends breaking their fast. I understand that it was recommended that one break his fast with dates or water, so I started the meal with eating a date. I tried to imagine that if I had abstain from food and drink for 12 hours or more, I would feel the sense of gratitude when it was time to break fast. Each bite of food and each drop of water would have been precious because I would have learnt not to take them for granted.

The organizers were very accommodating. I observed that at the mosque, the males and the females were usually seated separately when it was time to break fast. My friends and I were allowed to be seated together during the "Buka Puasa" (breaking of the fast with the Muslim) experience. Special thanks to the organizers for their thoughtfulness.

At the end of the tour, our hospitable and kind hosts gave everyone who took part in the tour a goodie-bag. I appreciated that in the goodie-bag, there was a brochure that explains about fasting in Ramadan, a note-book with a brief history of Sultan Mosque printed in the inner cover, and a pocket guide on the Prophet of Islam.

Here, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the generosity and kindness of the community at Sultan Mosque for making the Ramadan Trail possible. It was an insightful cultural appreciation experience. I was very pleased to know that my friends enjoyed the experience too.

Sultan Mosque, Singapore
3 Muscat Street
Singapore 198833
Tel: 6293 4405/ 6293 4043
Fax: 6293 2463
Email: info@sultan.mosque.org.sg
Website: http://www.sultanmosque.org.sg
Nearest MRT train station: Bugis.

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Also read: Ramadan Trails at Sultan Mosque by Sengkang Babies.

Experience ancient Roman music in Singapore

This afternoon, I nudged myself to the National Museum of Singapore despite a weather and a health that would welcome improvement. It is the first official day that the exhibition, Pompeii: Life in a Roman Town 79 CE, was opened for public viewing.

Pompeii is a partly buried ancient Roman Town located near what we now know as Naples, Italy. Visitors cannot know Pompeii until they get introduced to Mount Vesuvius and its eruption in 79 CE. That very year, a plinian eruption, which was very explosive and destructive in nature, took place at Mount Vesuvius. Ironically, the effects of the volcano eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE that had destroyed the town of Pompeii, were the same elements that had preserved much of Pompeii for modern eyes to see. Enough about this exhibition, it will be held from 16 Oct - 23 Jan 2010 at the Exhibition Galleries, Basement of the National Museum of Singapore. Admission fee is $12 per adult.

In conjunction with the above-mentioned exhibition, a performance titled "E Tempore Emergo" by Ludi Scaenici (Italy) will be held on 16 and 17 Oct 2010, at 2 p.m. and at 4 p.m. at the exhibition galleries. Ludi Scaenici, meaning "scenic shows" is based in Rome. This group dedicates itself to the research and performance of music and dance of the Ancient Rome.

Thank goodness. I visited the exhibition at the right time and that meant I could catch a free performance of music and dance of Ancient Rome in addition to catching the exhibition. I was pretty intrigued by some of the instruments. Two of the instruments were the predecessors of modern trumpet and horn respectively. The soundscapes of music of Ancient Rome also felt refreshing to my ears. The dancer also danced beautifully and with her heart and soul. I love it when I could enjoy a music and dance performance live! Many thanks to the National Museum of Singapore for inviting Ludi Scaenici to Singapore.

If you would like to catch Ludi Scaenici perform music and dance of Ancient Rome right here in Singapore, visit the exhibition, Pompeii: Life in a Roman Town 79 CE, tomorrow (i.e. 17 Oct 2010). The group will perform in the exhibition galleries at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. The performance is free for ticket holders to the exhibition.

For now, here's a link the website of the group: http://www.ludi-scaenici.it/ludeng.html


Enjoy!

A window to Europe's rich culture: The European Union Film Festival

Photo courtesy of Eastcoastlife.

I had the honour to watch a preview of a Swedish film, Wolf, directed by Daniel Alfredson on 29 Apr 2009 (Wed) at the Swedish Embassy Residence. Wolf is one of the films that will be featured during the 19th European Union Film Festival. The festival will be held from 7 May to 17 May 2009 at Golden Village VivoCity.

Wolf is a film that is scripted by Swedish author Kerstin Ekman. In this film, other than getting a brief view of the vast landscapes of Northern Sweden, audience could be offered a glimpse to the language, culture and way of life of the Sami, who are the indigenous people of Northern Europe. I learnt that a large part of the Sami's culture involves the herding of reindeer. Two days after watching the film, I found a website that gives an introduction to the Sami people and found myself reading about the Sami people's way of life. That is possibly an example of how films can be a platform to encourage the learning of another culture.

Other than having to awe at the vast and beautiful landscapes of snowy Northern Sweden, I have learnt a little more about Sweden through the film. Thanks to this film did I get to know that the killing of the wolf is illegal in Sweden. Wolf poaching in Sweden is a crime that is punishable by up to four years in prison. This is because the wolf is considered one of the endangered species in Sweden.

Photo taken from http://www.euff.sg

While subtle, tension and conflicts can be fairly easily identified in Wolf. Essentially, as the synopsis to the film has suggested, Wolf shows the conflict between tradition and modern-day society. I would see that these tensions and conflicts are rather universal. They do not simply confine themselves to the Swedish society.

When it would have been more expected for the 18-years-old male character in the film to be interested in computer games and modern-day entertainment, he was instead interested in the reindeers, the traditional way of life for the Sami. Modern needs suggest that the 18-years-old male character should go to school to receive formal education yet his interest is in taking care of the reindeer. It makes me wonder, should we as individuals put the needs of the modern society before our own, or should we follow what our hearts lead us to?

At a more macro level, I would see that there is an inherent conflict between the legislation and the Sami's herding of reindeer. Like any herdsman, the natural instincts would be to protect one's herd from predators. Yet again, to kill the wolf, which is the predator in this film, is an offence in Sweden. Reconciliation seems to be an act requiring delicate balancing. At times, it seems that something has to be sacrificed as a result of the conflict.

If you would like to find out what had been sacrificed in this story, it may help to watch this film at the upcoming European Union Film Festival. It was touching for me to witness how one can make sacrifices for another human being.

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In the meantime, for anyone in Singapore who would like to have a glimpse of Europe's rich culture, the European Union Film Festival will be an event that should not be missed. The film festival showcases critically acclaimed films from European countries such as Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and more. For more information, please visit the following websites:

European Union Film Festival
ENCORE! The European Season in Singapore

Tickets are available at S$10 at GV VivoCity box office, online at www.gv.com.sg and at AXN stations islandwide.

All movies are subtitled in English.

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Last but not the least, my words of appreciation to the Embassy of Sweden for organising the private movie preview of Wolf and to Eastcoastlife for making it possible for me to attend the event. Eastcoastlife has blogged about the 19th European Film Festival right on her blog. Do take a read of it.

It happens to be Eastcoastlife's birthday today, and I would like to wish her Happy Birthday here. Cheers.