First Chinese New Year Celebration Since Reverted

March 03, 2015

First Chinese New Year Celebration Since Reverted

Assalamualaikum,

Happy Chu 13 (13th day of CNY)! Another 2 more days CNY will be over, I will be leaving home very soon *sobs*. Before CNY end, I would like to share my very first experience of celebrating CNY in a more moderate way without making other people feel uneasy for my presence and not violating the syariah at the same time.

I have a lot of dilemmas and questions on how a Chinese Mualaf practice Islamic teachings. Religion and race should not be contradicting but I did not have much Chinese Mualaf (Reverted Muslim) friends to show me how they go through all the Chinese festivals or practices according to the syariah law. Anyhow, I did ask ustaz and some of my Muslims friends and family regarding the dos and don'ts before going home. It always come to the same conclusion that AKHLAK is the most important of all.

During CNY eve, it is a tradition that Chinese will go to the cemetery/temple to pay respects to the ancestors. They will prepare food, drink, joss sticks and "paper money" for the ancestors during the visit. Of course, since I have reverted, I recite surah al-Fatihah (The Opening chapter in the Quran) for my ancestors instead.

By the way these are all halal chicken and duck..

I remember seeing a Muslim family here last year but haven't seen them around that day, maybe their family came earlier this year.

Disclaimer: Just helping, not praying and those are the "paper money". Nowadays they even sell paper Iphone, Ipad, Ferrari and etc.

After paying respect to the ancestors, we will head back home for lunch. My grandma will always cook white rice, "loh bak" (meet roll), braised duck, braised chicken, "popiah" (Spring Roll), pork belly soup and white fungus sweet dessert for CNY eve lunch. But this year, everyone is eating HALAL because of me! Grandma bought and cooked halal duck and chicken for me, even the pork belly soup was substitute with halal chicken.

I was shocked to see chicken soup instead of pork belly and I asked grandma, "Why no pork belly soup (cause that was like the signature dish during CNY eve)?" I seriously wouldn't mind to eat separate but she just replied me "Because you can't eat ma". I was so touched and definitely feel loved at that very moment. She told my mom that I had asked her a stupid question LOL.

Chicken Roll and White Fungus Sweet Dessert YUMS!

Another thing is that, I haven't seen any wine or meat jerky at my grandma's house. They hided the meat jerky and meat floss cause they do not want to tempt me as those were my favorite snacks before I reverted. I though I have strong determination for not being tempted with any haram food. It proves me wrong when I see people buying the meat jerky in shopping mall. I was attracted but of course I do not want to eat pork. I REGRETTED FOR NOT BUYING THE HALAL ONE BEFORE I LEFT KL! TT.TT Feeling even more thankful to all my family members for being so understanding.

I can't remember what happened next but before dinner, my sister, cousins and I helped the grandma and mums in the kitchen to prepare the ingredients for reunion steamboat.

Halal Reunion Dinner, syukur Alhamdulilah.

Tuna Sashimi, I seldom eat raw food now but these are really good.

No place is better than home <3

Uncles and Cousies

The SIMs family.

I never expected that my family had accepted my choices and respected me for who I have become so easily. This is definitely the most memorable Chinese New Year eve I had so far. It may not seem very special but it meant a lot for me. No pork, no wine in the menu but Halal one instead. They are willing to change just so we could eat together as one family. My family had shown me their akhlak and that encourages me for wanting to become a better Muslim.

I can't express my how thankful I am to Allah s.w.t for granting me such a loving and supportive family. It wasn't easy to be a Mualaf. I have heard cases of some Mualaf were not accepted by families or being misunderstood. I am blessed and I pray to Allah S.W.T that one day, my family will get the hidayah and really understand why I have chosen this path. Amin.