Bangsamoro Mufti Sheikh Abdulrauf Guialani (Official Facebook page of Bangsamoro Darul-Ifta’ BARMM)
COTABATO CITY — The Bangsamoro Darul Ifta confirmed on Tuesday night that Eid al-Fitr, which marks the conclusion of the sacred month of Ramadan, will fall on Wednesday, April 10.
Bangsamoro Mufti Sheikh Abdulrauf Guialani announced the sighting of the moon on Tuesday evening, April 9, indicating that Eid al-Fitr, also known as the feast of breaking the fast, would commence on April 10.
“By virtue of the authority vested in me as Bangsamoro Mufti, I hereby announce that the crescent moon has been sighted and the Eid al-Fitr prayer will be on Wednesday, April 10,” Guialani announced through social media on Tuesday evening.
The Bangsamoro Darul-Ifta’ (BDI) Moon Sighting Committee convened to observe the crescent moon from multiple locations, including Timako Hills, Kalanganan II in Cotabato City, Barangay Moro Point of Parang, Barangay Linek (Lasedan), and Barangay Tapian in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte.
Sheikh Abdulkhar Musa of the Bangsamoro Darul Ifta said that the Malacanang Palace, the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos, and Muslim embassies in the Philippines based their Eid al-Fitr announcement on the Darul Ifta’s declaration.
Before the start of Ramadan, the Bangsamoro Darul Ifta held an intra-faith dialogue with various religious groups, including those from the NCMF, the Committee on Da’wah and Masajid Affairs, and ulama from BARMM provinces, the Zamboanga Peninsula, and Sultan Kudarat.
The dialogue seeks to establish a unified Ramadan calendar and moonsighting methodology.
Eid al-Fitr, also known as the “Festival of Breaking the Fast,” is one of the most significant Islamic celebrations, symbolizing the end of the fasting period and the beginning of festivities and thanksgiving.
The sighting of the new moon marks the end of Ramadan, a month of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community.
The Bangsamoro Darul Ifta, responsible for issuing Islamic religious rulings in the region, has an important role in determining the start and end of Ramadan through the traditional method of moon sighting.
The process of moon sighting is a traditional practice in Islam, where the new month begins upon the sighting of the crescent moon.
This method is used to determine the start and end of Islamic months, including Ramadan and the subsequent celebration of Eid al-Fitr.
Muslim communities will gather for the Eid prayer on April 10 after the fajr (dawn) prayer during the Eid al-Fitr celebrations.
Muslims are encouraged to pray in Jama’ah (congregation) with their local Muslim community on occasions such as these.
Bangsamoro Parliament Speaker Pangalian Balindong urged the community to remember and support those facing hardships within the Muslim community, and to extend a helping hand wherever possible.