BESUT: For many years now, the residents of Jerteh have grow to be accustomed to their city going completely quiet from the break of daybreak each Friday till weekly prayers conclude.
In these hours, virtually each store is shuttered and hardly any enterprise exercise takes place.
Only a small variety of supermarkets and moist markets keep open, however when the Muslim prayer time arrives, even these will shut for 2 hours.
Vegetable dealer Syarifah Abdul Rahim mentioned the residents of the city located roughly 100km north of Kuala Terengganu settle for it as a mark of respect for what Muslims name the holiest day of their week.
“Every Friday we shut for 2 hours and don’t conduct any enterprise. It has been like this for so long as I bear in mind,” she informed eNM.
Saiful Bahri Hussain, a civil servant, mentioned the locals are pleased with this distinctive characteristic of their city.
“This has been the ambiance for a number of generations.
“For us Friday is a day of relaxation after per week’s work. It is a day to be spent with the household,” he mentioned.
But the quiet solely lasts for half the day. The sleepy hole bustles once more within the late afternoon, and by night it turns into a hive of exercise.
That is when Jerteh turns right into a meals paradise, with guests coming in droves till late at night time.
Even the city’s non-Muslim residents settle for the weekly Friday phenomenon.
Ah Seng (not his actual identify) mentioned the native Chinese neighborhood is blissful to simply accept it for what it’s.
“I don’t thoughts closing my enterprise in the course of the quiet hours. After all, not many guests come to our city.
“Some companies keep open on Fridays. There are not any restrictions, besides throughout Friday prayers, when it’s necessary to shut.
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“As quickly as prayers are over, we’re allowed to renew doing enterprise,” he mentioned with a smile.