President Duterte declares July 6 a holiday

for Hariraya Puasa celebrations

Masjid (Mosque) Dimaukom in Maguindanao, Central Mindanao

In observance of the end of the month Ramadan or Eid'l Fitr, newly-installed President Rodrigo Duterte declared Wednesday, July 6, a special non-working holiday for government employees.

"The entire Filipino nation should have the full opportunity to join their Muslim brothers and sisters in peace and harmony in the observance and celebration of Eid’l Fitr,” read Proclamation No. 6 issued on Monday by President Duterte.

Based on Duterte's proclamation, Eid al-Fitr is celebrated by the Muslim world for three days after the end of the month of fasting. It is the first day marking the end of the 30-day fasting period of Ramadhan.

“In order to bring the religious and cultural significance of the Eid’l Fitr to the fore of national consciousness, it is necessary to declare Wednesday, 6 July 2016, as a regular holiday throughout the country,” it states.

In accordance to Republic Act 9177, only the Office of the President can announce the final date for this religious holiday, upon the recommendation of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos.

Meanwhile, the Muslim communities in the majority Christian city of Zamboanga City and its environs are now preparing for the end of the fasting season of the Holy Month of Ramadan 2016/1437 A.H.

In a statement, Professor Ali Yacub, president of the Golden Crescent Consortium of Peace Builders and Affiliates, said that a committee of the Ulama in the city had gone Moon-Sighting on Monday afternoon.

"This is to scan the Western horizon for the appearance of the tip of the crescent moon, in compliance with the command of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) to sight the moon when to begin fasting for the Holy Month of Ramadan, and sight again, when to conclude the fasting season," he said.

Yacub said if the crescent can be seen on the evening of Tuesday (Monday evening for western counting), the celebration of the Eidil-Fitr (Hariraya Puasa) will be on Tuesday, July 5, however, due to cloudy skies, rain or other natural phenomena the moon will be covered, the Muslims will continue fasting for one day (July 5) and the celebration of Eid (Fitr) will be on July 6, 2016.

"As to the government advanced declaration of Eidil Fitr by the President of the Philippines upon the recommendation of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos, it will not affect the religious celebration, neither the religious celebration will affect the advanced declaration of a nationwide holiday of the Eidil-Fitr on July 6, 2016," Yacub explained.

Muslims in the barangays of Taluksangay, Rio Hondo, Campo Islam, Recodo, Sta. Barbara, Kasanyangan, Vitali, Manicahan and the island barangays will be trooping to their community Mosques for the Eidil Fitr prayers followed by the Khutbah (sermon) of the Imams or other learned Muslims who will emphasize in the sermons the significance of the holiday, particularly, on the value of charity, forgiveness and communal brotherhood of Muslims in the community.

Yacub emphasized that the Eid celebration binds their brother and sister Muslims in the other parts of the globe with the Muslims of the Philippines.

He said Eid Day is a Day of Victory, of Remembrance and of peace and brotherhood. The Muslims who have more in life are commanded by Islam to reach out to their less fortunate brothers and sisters in Islam even just for a day-the Day of Eid.

"The greeting of Eid Mubarak (Blessed Eid) must reverberate in the air, so that heaven’s blessings will continue to shower upon the people of this “City of varied culture,” Yacub concluded. MGP News