Compiled by TAN SIN CHOW, DIVYA THERESA RAVI and R. ARAVINTHAN
FAR from home, a Malaysian student leads terawih prayers in a modest Osaka, Japan mosque, where Muslims are few but faith runs deep, Sinar Ahad reported.
Student Muhammad Hanif Zakaria, 25, shared that it has been a valuable experience.
He is among 11 Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia students participating in the terawih imam programme in Osaka through industrial training and international mobility programmes.
“Despite our different races and languages, we are all united by one faith. This is one of the most moving experiences I’ve had here,” he said.
According to him, the main challenge is not only the cultural differences but also the extremely cold weather.
“In temperatures ranging from 5°C to 10°C, getting up in the morning and walking to the mosque is really challenging. That’s one of the biggest tests during Ramadan here,” he said.
> Singer Nabila Razali is focused on ensuring that her new Hari Raya Aidilfitri song still carries a festive and heartfelt message despite the commercial elements and products advertised in its music video, Berita Harian reported.
Although the commercial elements in the music video were part of production requirements, Nabila said she stayed grounded by emphasising the strength and quality of the song, Tak Sabar Nak Raya.
The above articles are compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with a >, it denotes a separate news item.
