Hari Raya can be considered a cultural celebration, as it invites everyone to join in the festivities. However, it is primarily a religious occasion for Muslims. Hari Raya, or Eid al-Fitr, is celebrated by Muslims worldwide to mark the end of the month-long dawn-to-dusk fasting during Ramadan.
Over the years, there have been numerous debates regarding Raya songs that fail to accurately depict the celebration. Recently, a customer was flabbergasted upon discovering an envelope with a questionable design for the upcoming holiday.
Earlier this week, Threads user @/neeckyeyn posted a photo of a Raya envelope she had received from a popular juice brand. Although she didn’t specify the store, the design clearly indicates it is from Juice Works. Upon receiving the envelope, the customer expressed her disappointment with both the design and the wording.
“Can we not normalise this kind of Hari Raya wish? It says ‘Selamat Hari Raya Aidil-Juicy’. Seriously? Can’t you phrase it properly? Now is Hari Raya Aidilfitri. It’s a significant occasion for Muslims, marking the celebration after a month of fasting/worship during Ramadan,” she wrote.
The user urged the brand to be more mindful when designing artwork for their products or campaigns, particularly when it involves a religious occasion. The post sparked discussion among netizens, with some criticising the illustrator for failing to create a more appropriate depiction of Raya, while others blamed the brand for approving the design for their Raya campaign.
Netizens also argued that the design itself was not inherently problematic, as it reflected the brand’s theme. However, they suggested it could have been used for a different campaign rather than one tied to Raya.
At the time of writing, it’s unclear if Juice Works or the designer are aware of the issue, but seeing that the holidays are just around the corner, it’s probably too late to do anything about it now. What do you think of the design? Is it offensive, or does it all come down to interpretation?
