COTABATO CITY –– To ensure that health protocols are properly observed during religious activities, the local government here issued guidelines on the celebration of Eid al-Adha, the Feast of Sacrifice, on Friday, July 31.
Eid al-Adha, the second of two Islamic holidays celebrated throughout the world each year, honors the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ismael as an act of obedience to God’s command.
Through Executive Order No. 358, Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi decreed that all prayers would be performed inside mosques, buildings, and other closed establishments.
“No Eid prayers will be performed outdoors or in open spaces,” she said.
“Penalties will be imposed upon those who will not wear face masks, not observe physical distancing, and not follow other minimum health standards,” she added.
The mayor also reminded organizers of Eid gatherings to ensure that the entrance of buildings must have foot baths, wash area with soap, and sanitizers or alcohol must be readily available at the venue.
Churches and mosques have been opened after quarantine restrictions were eased in the city.
The celebration of Eid al-Adha actually starts on Thursday night, July 30, and ends on Friday night, July 31. It signals the end of the annual Hajj in Mecca which, this year, was closed to foreigners and only limited to a few hundred from within Saudi Arabia due to the COVID-19 pandemic.