DOA SELAMAT (C&C)

DOA SELAMAT

CONTENT

• WHAT EXACTLY IS A DOA SELAMAT? • WHAT ARE THE CULTURAL/RELIGIOUS SIGNIFICANCE OF DOA SELAMAT?

• WHAT DO PEOPLE USUALLY WEAR FOR DOA SELAMAT?

• WHY DO PEOPLE HOST DOA SELAMAT? • WHAT FOOD DO THEY USUALLY SERVE? • WHAT IS THE FLOW OF THE DOA SELAMAT? • WHAT MAKES DOA SELAMAT SPECIAL TO MY FAMILY AND I? (CONCLUSION)

WHAT EXACTLY IS A DOA SELAMAT? Doa selamat means to ‘pray for safety’, this has many meanings. Whether it is for the living or the dead, it means to pray for their safety and happiness with hopes god protects them and bless them and their families.

In a simpler way, doa selamat can be described as a thanksgiving ceremony. Doa selamat is basically a gathering that involves inviting your family and friends over to your house for prayers and usually the host would provide food and drinks for the guest.

WHAT ARE THE CULTURAL/RELIGIOUS SIGNIFICANCE OF DOA SELAMAT/ TAHLIL?

Although doa selamat is not an actual religious ritual or practice, it is an event that practices religious acts.

Therefore it is considered religious, traditional and cultural. As doa selamat is considered a traditional and cultural gathering, Although doa selamat originated from Indonesia, it is mainly being practiced only by Malaysian Muslims.

The tradition of the doa selamat originated from Indonesia and slowly made it’s way to Malaysia.

WHAT DO PEOPLE USUALLY WEAR FOR DOA SELAMAT?

FEMALE In Malaysian Islamic culture, women are encouraged and should wear lose and modest clothing such as the traditional baju kurung and paired with a head scarf called ‘tudung’ for respect.

MALE The male dress code is the traditional baju melayu, usually paired with the baju melayu pants or the ‘kain pelikat’. On top of that, most older males would use the ‘kopiah’ or ‘songkok’ as sign of respect and following the religious dress code, it’s optional.

EXAMPLES OF MALE CLOTHING FOR DOA SELAMAT

EXAMPLES OF FEMALE CLOTHING FOR DOA SELAMAT

WHY DO PEOPLE HOST A DOA SELAMAT? Unlike other traditional practices, Doa selamat are very flexible as there are no precise or exact rules for the occasion. Doa selamat are usually being held for housewarming, praying for someone going through a disease, thanksgiving and even after someone’s death.

CELEBRATION OF A NEWBORN

‘KENDURI AQIQAH’

Even when there’s a newborn child, the tradition is to have a doa selamat for the new member of the family.

It is believed that the doa selamat is to be held for the baby with hopes that the baby will grow healthily and have a blessed life ahead.

THANKSGIVING “MAJLIS KESYUKURAN�

Doa selamat can also be held to strengthen bonds between families and friends. Moreover, it is a sign of gratefulness and as a kind gesture, you invite relatives and friends over for food and prayers together while catching up with each other.

FOR ANY MAJOR, LIFE CHANGING EVENTS This is what makes doa selamat one of the most flexible traditions, it can be held for almost every reason. For example, before going for a surgery, before performing Hajj, or even before taking an important exam.

This is because Doa Selamat is to ask help from god to ease our path, give us strength or simply just to bless us and moreover, it is seen as a good deed.

DEATH/ FUNERAL ‘TAHLIL’ Doa selamats are not only for the living, but also for the dead and passed. Based on the Malay tradition, families are encouraged.

In traditional Malay belief, based from hinduism, they believe that the spirits of the dead live wander around their house for 40 days after their passing. Doa selamats are usually held on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 40th and 100th day after the death.

Examples of doa selamat for the someone who just passed away

Prayer for the dead

HOUSE WARMING

Doa selamat means ‘prayer for safety’, so when a person moves into a new house or a new place, they would invite people over to pray and make their new home feel more lively. On top of that, based on Islamic belief, when people pray in their house out loud, the evil spirits/demons are less likely to disturb them especially when moving to a new place.

WHAT IS THE FLOW OF THE DOA SELAMAT? After everyone has gathered together, the males and females are separated and the Imam (leader) starts reading the Yaasin (part of the quran) while everyone else follows him.

In Islamic belief, males and females that are not of the same mother and father should not be close to each other. The males are supposed to lead the doa selamat by reading the prayers out loud while the females read the prayers slowly without raising their voice to stay modest.

WHAT KINDS OF PRAYERS PEOPLE PRAY DURING DOA SELAMAT? One of the most important and necessary prayers to read is the Surah Yaasin, every doa selamat is likely to read the Surah Yaasin and it is because based on the islamic teaching, this specific Surah is highly encouraged to be read at anytime and is given more good deeds for reading this speicifc surah.

(Part of the Surah Yaasin)

The prayers in the Yassiin is basically asking for guidance, asking for good things to happen and to ask god to lead us to the right path and away from astray.

WHAT FOOD DO PEOPLE SERVE AT DOA SELAMAT? Normally, people would serve traditional Malaysian food such as Nasi Minyak, Chicken curry, Ayam masak merah and other varieties of Malay delicacies.

As Malaysia is famous for it’s food, Delicious food for doa selamat is highly encouraged.

Most families cook for their guests but nowadays, people just use the caterer.

To conclude, Doa selamat has a significant meaning to my family because ever since I was little, my family would host a doa selamat at least once a month to strengthen bonds between our families and friends. Moreover, my family is a relatively religious family so they’d be able to do good for others while performing a good deed. My parents have always encouraged my siblings and I to host doa selamats when we get older and have our families.