MUSLIM communities in Davao City peacefully celebrated on Friday, September 1, their feast of sacrifice or "Eid'l Adha'.
Mini-forest village chief Alimodin Wating Usman said that some of the estimated 1,800 attendees of the "Sambayang" or Muslim prayer came from Lanao del Sur.
Maranao tribe deputy mayor Randy Usman said the Maranaos of Barangay 23-C Mini-forest started their prayer around 6:30 a.m. and ended at around 7 a.m.
He said that Eid'l Adha marks the culmination of the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca or Hajj and it also celebrates Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son, Ismail.
The celebration also entails the slaughter of goats and cows in commemoration of Ismael's deliverance from death through Allah's power and instead a goat or sheep was slaughtered as sacrifice.
"Doon nagsimula, ang camel, or baka, or kambing ang kinakatay," he said.
Usman said that their family slaughtered five goats for the celebration. He said that this practice though is usually done by Muslims who can afford to do so.
Usman added that in time with the celebration, he wished for peaceful life in the city, and continued happiness for every Muslim along with the support of the local government.
Aside from Mini-forest, which is primarily occupied by the Maranao tribe, many Muslims in Tigatto and Waan, where Kagan tribe communities are found, also conducted similar prayer activities.
Meanwhile, Davao City Mayor Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio extended her warmest wishes and sincerest hope to the Muslim community in celebration of Eid'l Adha.
"I personally express my warmest wishes and sincerest hope that the feast of sacrifice becomes an opportunity for all of us to show love, compassion, kindness to everyone -- especially to the needy, the sick, and the children -- and to work for lasting peace," she said.
She added that no religion, color or race should shatter the community, shared values and aspirations to live peacefully.
"Let us also not allow hate, discrimination, or conflict to come between us and break our unity. Eid Mubarak!" she said.
President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, August 28, signed Proclamation 297, declaring September 1 as a regular holiday, upon the recommendation of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos.
Republic Act 9849 states that Eid’l Adha, one of the Islam's two major feasts along with Eid’l Fitr, shall be celebrated as a regular holiday. (KVC/With reports from Ruth Abbey Gita)