COTABATO CITY, Maguindanao, Philippines — Muslims in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) will gather in holy places, open fields and mosques for the traditional congregational prayer today to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
The Eid al-Fitr, one of the most important feasts in Islam, is celebrated from the early evening of June 4 through the entire day of June 5, when Muslims feed and help the needy, forgive those who have offended them, do more charity works and, for those who can, extend financial assistance to the poor.
During the month of Ramadan, devout Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset.
“We will be congratulating our sisters and brothers for having successfully hurdled the 29 to 30 days of fasting,” Bangsamoro Grand Mufti Abu Huraryra Udasan said on Monday night.
As in previous years, the Muslim world was split on the exact start of Eid al-Fitr as it is based on the sighting of the new moon. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates started Eid on Tuesday, while Egypt, Syria, Jordan and other countries did not start the celebration until Wednesday.
The congregational prayers in BARMM will take place today at Cotabato City Central Pilot School’s open field, the Sultan Bolkiah Grand Mosque, the country’s biggest mosque, and the Cotabato City Hall grounds.
Udasan said the celebration in BARMM would run for two days, though it could last up to three days in some Muslim countries.
“We congratulate each other and we come and see our relatives and neighbors, friends; we share food with our neighbors, friends and even people we do not know. This is really a huge celebration,” Udtadz Kamarudin Ali, an Islamic preacher, told the Inquirer.