Praying at Sacred Graves

Makam Keramat

(sacred graves)

Sacred graves are common in Indonesia, as many people are known to travel to them (bezirarah) and pray for every imaginable desire or need.

Grave of Datuk Paduka Berhala

Here are a few of the things people will pray for at these graves:

• To pass a test in school.
• To cause someone to fall in love with them (love spell).
  • This will make them appear more beautiful to others.
  • This is also done to help them find a marriage partner.
• To receive healing.
• To bless a business.
• To bless land prior to it being cleared and planted.
  • This special prayer is for obtaining permission from spirits that reside in and around this piece of land. The prayer could also be for the purpose of clearing the area of any spirits that would hinder the prosperity of that land.
• Prior to entering into battles with enemies.
• Protection from evil spirits.
• Protection from any type of danger.
• Winning gambling numbers.
  • Some say that when your prayers have evil motives, like to gamble or to hurt others, the evil will come back to haunt you.
  • People at the grave called “Makam Syech Keramat Tinggi,” say that people who’ve prayed for winning gambling numbers, or for other evil purposes, have reported that fierce tigers have rushed out of the brush and attacked them. Others reported that they were attacked by giant centipedes.

 

Magic Arabic Text

Arabic Amulet

Amulet of Arabic Text
Laminated card containing Arabic poetry, phrases, as well as a small leaf.

While walking through the traditional market we noticed a table full of various types of amulets (jimat) for sale. One was a laminated card, which had both sides printed in Arabic text. People will place these cards in their wallets, purses, cars, motorcycles, etc., to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck.

Since the Quran was written in Arabic, Muslims consider the Arabic language a sacred and holy language. For that reason there is tremendous respect and honor given to it, above all other languages.

 

Islamic Fasting Month

Ramadan

The Islamic Fasting Month

A Restaurant with a Curtain Across its Opening
Restaurants that serve food during daylight hours put up curtains so that fasting Muslims won’t see people eating.
Outside the City of Jambi people are forbidden to eat in these restaurants, though they can buy the food as “take-away.”

In 2013 the Islamic fasting month (Ramadan) occurred from 8 July till 8 August (some denominations of Islam say the 9th). When Westerners hear of the fasting month, they think Muslims fast for the entire month. That is not the case. They only fast during daylight hours, and there are often celebratory meals conducted in the mornings and evenings. The food prices tend to rise during this time of the year because more food is consumed during this month than the other months of the year.

There are also other significant changes that take place during Ramadan, and for guests in Indonesia, we’ve listed below some of the changes we observed in the Indonesian City of Jambi.

 

Magic Coins

Jimat Keberuntungan

(Good Luck Amulet)

Amulet
This replica of an old Dutch coin is carried by Indonesians, or placed above doorways, to protect them from evil spirits and give good luck.

While visiting a traditional market, we stopped at a stall that was selling a variety of amulets, one of which was an assortment of replicas of old Dutch coins. There are many Indonesians which believe that old coins and old paper currency possess magical powers. People will carry this money in their wallet for protection. We’ve also known people to place them above the doors to their homes, on a ledge in that area. This is somewhat similar to the horseshoe that people in US used in days gone by. These horseshoes are still commonly seen hanging above barn doors, though the people only have them there as a decoration, they don’t really place any value in them.