Tarawwih and Moreh

Everytime Ramadhan comes, it always remind me of the times when I was a kid and also when I was still a student. Years before n even just 4-5 years ago, in my hometown we didn’t practice ‘moreh’. But our breaking a fast at a mosque (at least the mosque in where I grew up) was quite grand.
Boys love to break their fast at the mosque. There, they can get ‘nasi bungkus’ during breaking their fast. Girls prefer to break their fast at home. They kinda shy to go there and join the women to break a fast, like me. Some of the boys who come from well-off family also like to join their friends breaking a fast at the mosque. It gives them kinda enjoyable memory, I guess. Nowdays, of course most boys didn’t go to the mosque for breaking a fast anymore. They now can afford to buy ‘nasi bungkus’ at anytime :) .


Because the mosque has already spend money on breaking a fast for “jemaah”, that’s why we didn’t have moreh, imo la. When I went to uni, it was the 1st time I’ve experienced moreh. But since it was organized by student council, the moreh was quite simple and light and just only to replenish our energy after performed Tarawwih. Still it was for me quite an experience.

When I entered another uni, Tarawwih and moreh gave me another valuable experience. Instead of performed my Tarawwih at my uni’s mosque, I chose to do it at the mosque of the nearby village. There are of course lotsa women performed Tarrawih, but many of them chose do it only 8 rakaat, instead of 23 rakaat. Since moreh took place after 23 rakaat of Tarawwih, there were not many people join the moreh especially from woman side. Always, there were foods and drinks left. The ‘pakcik’ in-charge always tells me and some girls to ‘tapau’ or bring back those foods n drinks to the student residential hostel. I guess it was my roommates luck!! Sometimes, when I can carry more food, I would also give it to ‘pak’ guard (security guard) at the uni main gate.


During my final year, when it was Ramadhan, the mosque started to serve moreh even for ‘jemaah’ who do 8 rakaats of Tarawwih. During that Ramadhan, the moreh was served by restaurant or foodstall across the street of my uni. Student called it (dunno if students still refer them by this name) Kedai Pakcik Pinggan Besar. It means The foodstall of Big Plate’s Uncle. It was the famous foodstall among the students at that time. I guess it still is. Not only is the food served in big plate, but also tasty and cheap. Affordable for students who are fully depending on study loan like me. Sometimes the owner, Pakcik Harun gave us discounts.
I’m still remembered, during my last Tarawwih there, before I went home to celebrate Eid-ul Fitri, one of the dishes that were served was Murtabak. It was not normal Murtabak that you can find it anywhere, but the special ones, with lotsa egg and beef and quite thick and juicy. The stall only makes them special for the moreh only. Unfortunately, I was so full that night and able to taste it just a bit. I took two pieces of Murtabak to hostel, but since my roommate and most of the girls in the hostel are already left home for Raya (Eid-ul Fitri) celebration, I gave it to the Pak Guards in the front of the main gate.


Now, when I went to the mosque at my hometown to perform Tarawwih, they start to serve moreh. Dunno when it started, but it was nice to know that my fellow folks start to practice that event. Guess it was the idea of someone or some people who experienced moreh like me, who went far away from home to study or work and found out that practicing moreh isn’t such a bad idea. In fact it tightens our bonds. Although the moreh after 8 rakaats of Tarawwih wasn’t as grand as after 23 rakaats, it was kinda nice feeling just to drink cup of teas or coffees and eat kuihs (Malaysian dessert) and conversing with makciks about some random topics.


Nasi bungkus : Rice together with vege and fish or chicken, wrapped up in paper or put in polystyrene box. Kinda like bento (Nasi = rice, bungkus = wrap,wrapping)
Tarawwih : Prayer that was performed preferably together and during fasting month only, after breaking a fast .
8 rakaat : like 8 cycles of prayer. 8 rakaat are enough to perform Tarawwih
Jemaah : People who perform prayer together.
Moreh : An event after tarawwih for those who performed tarawwih. Meals which were sponsored by individuals or organization through mosque or surau.
Surau : small mosque
‘Pak or pakcik’: uncle ; a polite way to address older men even though they are not blood-related. The same meaning of Oji-san (Japanese)
Makcik : auntie; a polite way to address older women even though they are not blood-related. The same meaning of Oba-san (Japanese)
Tapau : bring food/drinks home. Take-away
Murtabak: a stuffed pancake or pan-fried bread which is commonly found in Saudi Arabia (especially the Hejaz region), Yemen, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and Brunei. Depending on the location, the name and ingredients can significantly vary. The name mutabbaq (or sometimes mutabbag) in Arabic means "folded". In Malaysia, where it is called "Murtabak", usually includes minced mutton, along with garlic, egg and onion, and is eaten with curry sauce (taken from wikipedia).