HUNDREDS of Muslims are expected to join the Eid’l Fitr prayer celebration in Cebu City, marking the conclusion of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
This according to Cebu City head of Muslim Affairs Ijodin Saripada Mamacol in an interview with SunStar Cebu.
Mamacol said Muslims in Cebu, as well as foreign students, will pray for the cessation of the Israel-Gaza war for the safety of Filipinos, Palestinians, and innocent civilians living there.
Mamacol said the actual date of the Eid’l Fitr observance remains tentative despite the proclamation of Malacañang declaring Wednesday, April 10, 2024, a regular holiday to commemorate the event.
The date of the holiday is calculated after the sighting of the new moon by a moon sighting committee of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos.
Mamacol said they have yet to conduct a moonsighting activity with other Muslim leaders.
If the crescent moon is not sighted, it could postpone the start and end of Ramadan, Mamacol said.
Mamacol, who is also executive director of the Office of Muslim Affairs and Indigenous Cultural Communities in Cebu City, explained that sightings of the crescent moon signify the start of each lunar month.
Since Muslims use the lunar calendar, which follows the phases of the moon, Ramadan starts and ends at different times each year.
Mamacol said for 2024, if not on Wednesday, they are looking at Thursday, April 11, to celebrate the end of Ramadan.
Ramadan in Cebu began last March 12.
Ramadan
During the period of Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn until sunset, as they pray, recite the Quran, and perform acts of charity for 30 days.
Fasting, one of Islam’s five pillars, symbolizes a spiritual struggle against desires while strengthening bonds. The other pillars are faith declaration, daily prayers, almsgiving, and pilgrimage.
During Ramadan, Muslims must abstain from eating, drinking, smoking, and engaging in sexual activities from sunrise to dusk for a month. Fasting is obligatory for all post-puberty Muslims, with gradual introduction advised for children.
After sunset, Muslims break their fast marked by the Maghrib prayer. They then partake in a meal before the next day’s fasting begins at dawn.
Eid’l Fitr
Mamacol said for this year’s Eid’l Fitr, at least 2,500 Muslims in Cebu City are expected to join the celebration that will start at 6:30 a.m. at Plaza Independencia along M.J. Cuenco Ave. and Legaspi Extension, Barangay San Roque.
The celebration will be led by a guest Imam or religious leader Muhammad Khalil, a social media personality from Manila.
Khalil is expected to deliver a special khutbah or sermon for the Eid prayer.
Aside from local Muslims, Cebu-based foreign Islam followers are also expected to join the event, said Mamacol.
He said most of these foreigners are students from medical schools, universities and colleges in Cebu.
After the prayer, the attendees will share a communal meal which will be given for free. / KJF