PUASA Meaning and
Definition
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Puasa is an Indonesian word that is commonly used in Indonesia and several other Southeast Asian countries, such as Malaysia and Brunei. It is derived from the Arabic term "sawm," which means fasting.
Puasa is typically associated with the Islamic tradition, as it refers to the religious observance of fasting from dawn until sunset during the holy month of Ramadan. During puasa, Muslims abstain from eating, drinking, smoking, and engaging in other physical needs or desires from the break of dawn until the evening call to prayer. The objective behind puasa is to cultivate self-discipline, strengthen spiritual connection with Allah (God), and empathize with those who may suffer from hunger and thirst.
Apart from Ramadan, puasa can also sometimes refer to fasting on other occasions, such as for expiation or for voluntary acts of worship. In these cases, fasting may be performed for a specific period of time, either by abstaining from certain foods or by refraining from all forms of sustenance.
In a broader cultural context, puasa may also generally refer to any act of fasting outside the religious context. It can represent the act of abstaining from any food or drink for a certain period of time, either for health reasons or as a form of discipline. However, it is important to note that the term puasa is most commonly used in its religious connotation.
Etymology of PUASA
The word "puasa" originates from the Malay language, which is the national language of Malaysia and Indonesia. The etymology can be traced back to the Sanskrit word "upavasah", which means "fasting" or "abstinence". This term was adopted into the Malay language through cultural and linguistic influences from Indian traders and scholars in ancient times. Over time, "upavasah" evolved into "puasa" in Malay, retaining its meaning of fasting or abstaining from food and drink during specific religious observances, such as Ramadan.
