DUBAI – Wrapping up the fasting month of Ramadan, Malaysians embark on another festive occasion for a whole month, Eidul Fitr, or Hari Raya Pausa, as they call it.

“We (also) call it ‘Open House,’” Madame Tengku, the wife of the Malaysian Consul General in Dubai Yubazlan Yusof, told The Gulf Today.

“Aidilfitri is very important to us,” she said, adding that it is the much-awaited occasion of the year by any young child in Malaysia because of the big feast and the new clothes!

All over the world, the three-day festival is one of the two main religious celebrations in Islam, together with `Eid Al-Adha.

After special prayers to mark the day, festivities and merriment start with visits to the homes of friends and relatives.

And while traditionally, many bask in a joyous mood, wearing new clothes for `Eid, children look forward to gifts and traditional `ediya (cash).

Guest Rahima, a Malaysian from Sharjah in the past 20 years, said that Malaysians usually host open houses all through the month, seeing it as a time for connections and re-connections.

Malaysia has a population of nearly 31 million, with Malays, mostly Muslims, making up nearly 61%, according to CIA Factbook.

Islam is the religion of morals. It keeps woman’s honor and dignity raises her status and preserves her chastity.