VOA标准英语10月-Muslims Around the World Celebrate Eid al-Fitr

Muslims, around the world, are marking the end of the holy fasting month, Ramadan, by celebrating Eid al-Fitr. In Indonesia - which has the world's largest population of Muslims - the holiday's deeper meaning centers around family, food, gifts and time-honored traditions. VOA's Nancy-Amelia Collins has more from Jakarta.
　

Indonesian Muslims take part in a special morning prayer near Bajrah Sandhi Hindu's temple in Denpasar on Bali island, 01 Oct 2008

During the past week, around 26 million Indonesians have flooded airports, seaports¹, bus and railway stations in an annual exodus² to return to their birthplaces to celebrate the end of the fasting month, known as Idul Fitri here.

To the beat of drums and the sounds of firecrackers, Indonesians joyfully³ celebrated⁴ Idul Fitri, Wednesday, after religious leaders sited the new moon the previous night, marking the end of Ramadan.

Many other Muslims, including across much of the Arab world, began the three-day celebration Tuesday, after Muslim scholars there sited the crescent moon on Monday.

Rizal, like millions of Indonesians, was rushing from Jakarta to return to his home province, Batam.

"Idul Fitri means for me - it's a gathering⁵ together with my family - all my family, brother, sister - we eat together, we pray together, we have family time together," he said. "That's very, very important."

Going home for Eid al-Fitr is seen as an obligation⁶ for Muslims. In Indonesia, the sheer⁷ number of people moving about the vast archipelago required the police to mobilize⁸ an extra 100,000 people to support the already existing 150,000 police posts set up along the main traveling routes.

Despite the traffic jams, the long queues and the crowded transportation systems, Rizal will put up with any inconvenience, to get home.

"I have to go back to my other province - Batam. My flight, it's this afternoon," he said. "I'm so excited! I have to go because, for me, my Mom, it's very important - my family."

Idul Fitri is also a time for forgiveness. As Rizal explains, it is tradition to ask family and friends for forgiveness for wrongs committed during the past year.

"In the year, somehow we have very bad words to our family, to friends, and Idul Fitri means like a holy thing. So, with friends, family and other relatives, you have like forgiveness," he said. "Forgive to your family, friends, and all of the colleagues and everyone. So, after Idul Fitri, you're back to zero again. Back to zero meaning you don't have any sins⁹."

Families and friends gather for lavish¹⁰ meals, cook traditional food and exchange gifts, mostly in the form of money and new clothes.

1 seaports   

n.海港( seaport的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Airports have joined seaports as ports of entry for the visiting foreigner. 机场和海港一样成为来访的外国人的入境关口。 来自互联网
• Sanya has 16 seaports, 10 islands and 180km of coastline. 三亚有16个港口、10个海岛和180公里的海岸线。 来自互联网

2 exodus   

v.大批离去，成群外出

参考例句：

• The medical system is facing collapse because of an exodus of doctors.由于医生大批离去，医疗系统面临崩溃。
• Man's great challenge at this moment is to prevent his exodus from this planet.人在当前所遇到的最大挑战，就是要防止人从这个星球上消失。

3 joyfully   

adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地

参考例句：

• She tripped along joyfully as if treading on air. 她高兴地走着，脚底下轻飘飘的。
• During these first weeks she slaved joyfully. 在最初的几周里，她干得很高兴。

4 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

5 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

6 obligation   

n.（法律、道德上的）义务，责任

参考例句：

• Every player is under an obligation to keep the rules.每个选手都必须遵守这些规则。
• It is the obligation of citizens to perform military service.服兵役是每个公民的义务。

7 sheer   

adj.绝对的，全然的，峻峭的；v.躲开，躲避，使...避开； adv.完全，全然，峻峭

参考例句：

• He achieved his aim by sheer strength of will.他纯粹靠意志力达到了目的。
• I guess It'sheer waste of time arguing about it.看来争论这件事纯粹是浪费时间。

8 mobilize   

vt.动员，调动，鼓动起；vi.动员起来

参考例句：

• The troops received orders to mobilize.部队接到动员令。
• He is trying to mobilize all the supporters.他正在竭力把所有的支持者动员起来。

9 sins   

n.违背宗教[道德原则]的恶行( sin的名词复数 )；罪恶，罪孽；过错，罪过；愚蠢的事，可耻的事v.犯罪，犯过错( sin的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Greed is one of the seven deadly sins . 贪婪是七罪宗之一。
• They had confessed their sins and done their penance. 他们已经告罪并做了补赎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 lavish   

adj.无节制的；浪费的；vt.慷慨地给予，挥霍

参考例句：

• He despised people who were lavish with their praises.他看不起那些阿谀奉承的人。
• The sets and costumes are lavish.布景和服装极尽奢华。