Mamasapano mosque restored in time for Ramadan

COTABATO CITY, Philippines—Residents of Tukanalipao village in Mamasapano, Maguindanao province, have more reason to be joyful Thursday as they begin to observe the holy month of Ramadan: The rehabilitation of their mosque has been completed—thanks to the commander of the Philippine Army’s 6th Infantry Division (ID).

Mamasapano Mayor Benzar Ampatuan on Wednesday said the rehabilitation of the dilapidated mosque was launched in April by Maj. Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan, chief of the 6th ID, as the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) try to mend fences after a clash between police commandos and Moro rebels on Jan. 25.

Forty-four Philippine National Police Special Action Force (SAF) commandos, 17 MILF rebels and three civilians died in the botched counterterrorism operation.

Soldiers from the 6th ID and civilians worked together to restore the dilapidated mosque, Ampatuan said.

“As peacekeepers, we too, are peace-builders, ready to conduct rescue and restoration activities to affected inhabitants and their damaged properties. And this humanitarian gesture is carried out with the coordination of local government units and other interested partner agencies,” Pangilinan said.

Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu lauded the military initiative, saying “what the division commander and his men did was very touching.”

Gov. Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao said the military-civilian collaboration was a demonstration of the cherished “bayanihan (civic) spirit” for the common good.

“This is what we need to mend fences and differences—unity that would promote peace, harmony and coexistence, regardless of tribe, religion, culture and political affiliation,” Hataman said.

He said love and respect for one another was “the key to peace and prosperity, and let’s keep it up.”

The Tukanalipao mosque is ready for prayers as Muslim Filipinos begin to observe Ramadan Thursday.

The crescent moon

Philippine Grand Mufti Abu Hurairah Udasan on Wednesday decreed the start of sawm (fasting) Thursday, following the failure of the country’s teams of lunar observers to see the crescent moon on Tuesday.

Udasan’s decree was supported by various muftis (Islamic scholars) in various parts of the country—including the mufti of the Darul Ifta (House of Opinion)—in Western Mindanao, which synchronized the observance of Ramadan in the Philippines this year with the observance in Saudi Arabia—the birthplace of Islam—and the Gulf states.

In Saudi Arabia, the Royal Court announced that because the crescent moon was not sighted on Tuesday, Ramadan would start on Thursday.

Authorities had asked the faithful to look for the moon with their naked eyes or telescopes and to notify officials if they saw it.

Elsewhere in the Gulf, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar also announced the start of Ramadan on Thursday.

Ramadan is especially sacred to Muslims because tradition says the Koran was revealed to the Prophet Mohammad during that month.

More than 1.5 billion Muslims around the world mark the month, during which they abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and having sex from dawn until sunset.

They also try to avoid evil thoughts and deeds.–With a report from AFP

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