Selamat Hari Raya
The phrase for happy eid in Malay is Selamat Hari Raya.
Selamat Hari Raya is the standard, culturally-embedded way to express the greeting for the Eid festivals in Malay. While the word 'Eid' is the Arabic term used in many languages, Malay speakers use this phrase to wish someone a joyful celebration.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of Selamat (safe/blessed/happy), Hari (day) and Raya (great/celebration).
Which one should you use?
If you wish to be more specific to the end of Ramadan, you can use the more precise form Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri to mean Happy Eid al-Fitr.
When do people say it?
During the Eid season, it is common practice to follow the greeting with Maaf Zahir dan Batin to ask for forgiveness for any physical and spiritual transgressions you may have committed. If someone greets you with Selamat Hari Raya, a common way to respond is to say Selamat Hari Raya juga, which means Happy Eid to you too.
Did you know?
- When saying Selamat Hari Raya, it is a common cultural gesture to perform the 'salam', where a younger person touches the hand of an elder to their forehead as a sign of respect.
- The greeting is often paired with the tradition of 'open houses', where hosts invite friends, neighbors and strangers of all backgrounds to eat and celebrate together.
- The word hari is recorded in the Laguna Copperplate Inscription from 900 AD. This makes it one of the oldest written words in the region's history.
Examples in context
- Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri, maaf zahir dan batin.Happy Eid, forgiveness sought and given (verbally and spiritually).
- Selamat Hari Raya, semoga bahagia dan diberkati.Happy Eid, may you be joyful and blessed.
- Berbahagia bersama keluarga di Hari Raya Aidilfitri.May you be happy with your family on Eid.
- Selamat Raya!Happy Eid.
- Selamat Hari Raya kepada semua.Happy Eid to everyone.
- Saya ingin mengucapkan Selamat Hari Raya.I want to wish you a happy Eid.
- Selamat Hari Raya, maaf zahir dan batin.Happy Eid, please forgive my physical and mental wrongs.
Example conversation
Farah and Amir meet at a festive open house.
- FarahSelamat Hari Raya, Amir!Happy Eid, Amir!
- AmirSelamat Hari Raya juga, Farah.Happy Eid to you too, Farah.
- FarahAdakah awak sudah makan?Have you eaten yet?
- AmirYa, makanan di sini sangat sedap.Yes, the food here is very delicious.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Raya, hari, raya, selamat, CC BY-SA 4.0.
