FEAST OF SACRIFICE. Cebuano Muslims gather at the Plaza Independencia grounds to offer an early morning prayer in celebration of the Eid'l Adha or the Feast of Sacrifice on Monday (June 17, 2024). Ustadz Najeeb Razul, an Imam, said the Muslims in Cebu celebrated the occasion by sharing food with people in all walks of life, regardless of belief or religion. (Photo courtesy of Cebu City PIO)
CEBU CITY – The Muslim community in Cebu celebrated the Eid’l Adha by sharing meals with people from all walks of life, even with non-believers of Islam, a Cebu-based Islamic scholar on Monday said.
Ustadz Najeeb Razul, an Imam (prayer leader) and chair of the Majilis al Azhar Council of Elders, said Muslims worldwide celebrated the Feast of Sacrifice, also known as Yawm an-Nahr, to mark the triumph of faith in God when Ibrahim (Abraham) was about to sacrifice his only son, Ishmael, thus giving and sharing became a norm in the celebration.
“In my community in Minglanilla, we slaughtered four cows and 40 goats. Everybody is welcome,” he said.
Razul said all masjids (mosques) and prayer centers in Cebu will have feats, slaughtering cows, goats, and chickens not only for the Muslims who would pray at the mosques but also to non-Muslim people in the neighborhood.
“We are all brothers and sisters, so there’s no need to fight. We should feel for sobriety, for calmness, for unity, for peace and enjoy as everybody will have food to eat and water to drink,” Razul said in his message during the celebration.
Cebu City acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia said the Muslim holiday on Monday is “a time of reflection, devotion and unity.”
“We remember Prophet Ibrahim and his willingness as an act of obedience to God to make the ultimate sacrifice. His is a profound story of faith that resonates. With us deeply as one community of faith, it also shows us the importance of compassion, charity, and community,” the acting mayor said in a video message.
Garcia cited the contributions of the Muslim community in enriching Cebu City’s culture which, he said, makes the historical city a vibrant community.
Following the 145 Hijrah Islamic calendar, the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos recommended that Monday (June 17), be declared a national holiday in observance of Eid’l Adha, with the approval from President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
Malacañang issued Proclamation No. 579 declaring a regular holiday in the country on June 17 in observance of Eid’l Adha, one of the two greatest feasts of Islam. (PNA)
