A season of love and forgiveness in the Royal Haji festival of the Cham people.

The Royal Haji festival, also considered by the Cham people who follow Islam as a festival of love and forgiveness, is one of the most important holidays of the year.

From early morning on the first day of the Roya Haji festival, Cham Muslim men in Khanh Binh commune, An Giang province, gathered at the Al-Mukarramah Mosque to participate in religious ceremonies. Dressed in their finest traditional attire, they respectfully entered the sacred festival with joy and excitement.

This year, Roya Haji takes place from May 27th to 29th. In the solemn atmosphere of the Al-Mukarramah Mosque, prayers resonate, creating a sacred ambiance. People pray for peaceful lives, happy families, bountiful harvests, and a growing, united community.

The hand gestures during the ritual demonstrate the absolute reverence of the worshipper before the Almighty, Allah.

According to Cham tradition, usually only men go to the mosque to pray; meanwhile, women perform this ritual at home, and also spend time preparing traditional dishes to welcome relatives, friends, and guests who come to celebrate.

Mr. ANa, Deputy Head of the Al-Mukarramah Mosque Management Board, a member of the Muslim Community Representative Board, and a respected figure among the Cham people in Khanh Binh commune, said: “For the Cham people, Roya Haji is not only an occasion to perform religious rituals but also a season of sharing, love, and unity. These humanistic values ​​are preserved and passed down through many generations and have become a beautiful aspect of community life.”

Mr. Y Xa, a Cham ethnic resident of Binh Di hamlet, Khanh Binh commune, shared: “After the ceremony, people will visit relatives and neighbors and perform the ritual of asking for forgiveness and resolving conflicts in life. This is a beautiful and humane cultural tradition of the Cham people in An Giang that has been preserved to this day.” In the photo: At the prayer ceremony in the mosque, the Cham people perform the ritual of asking for forgiveness and resolving conflicts in life.

After the prayer service at the mosque, the Cham people will visit the graves of their grandparents, parents, and deceased relatives to pray. This activity demonstrates filial piety and gratitude towards their ancestors, while also educating the younger generation about the tradition of "drinking water and remembering the source."

An Giang currently covers an area of ​​nearly 10,000 km² and has a population of nearly 5 million people. Of these, the Cham people number 21,594, accounting for 0.43% of the province's total population, and are concentrated in the communes of Chau Phong, Vinh Hau, Vinh Hanh, My Duc, Nhon Hoi, and Khanh Binh. (In the photo: Cham boys being led by their father to the mosque to pray.)

In areas with large Cham populations, the atmosphere of the Roya Haji New Year celebration has been bustling for many days. Families are busy cleaning their houses, preparing offerings, buying food, and sewing new clothes for their children and grandchildren.

Beyond its religious significance, Roya Haji is also an occasion for families to educate their children about morality, compassion, altruism, and responsibility to the community. Stories about national traditions and lessons about sharing and love are passed down from elders to the younger generation during these days of family reunion.

Despite the ever-changing times, the Cham people in An Giang province still cherish and preserve the traditional values ​​of the Roya Haji festival. From religious rituals and traditional costumes to family life, everything is preserved and passed down through generations, contributing to the preservation of their ethnic cultural identity.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/mua-yeu-thuong-and-tha-thu-trong-tet-roya-haji-cua-dan-toc-cham-2519854.html