SINCE they failed to see the crescent moon last night, Muslims in Cebu will formally start the month-long observance of Ramadan tomorrow (May 27).
Malo Manonggiring, director of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos in Central Visayas (NCMF-7), said thick clouds covered the moon yesterday, and so the holy month of daytime fasting will start the day after as practiced by their religion.
“This is the time when we practice self-discipline and to get rid of all forms of temptations. This is between ourselves and God,” Manonggiring told CDN over the phone.
Based on Prophet Muhammad’s teaching, Muslims begin to fast “when the moon is sighted at the end of Sa’ban (the eighth Hijri month) and end fasting as the moon rises in Sawwal (the tenth month).”
Fasting during the months of Ramadan is one of the so-called five pillars of the Islamic faith.
The four others are belief in Allah, the giving of the zakat or alms to the poor, praying five times a day facing the direction of Mecca in Saudi Arabia, and for the financially capable, going at least once to Mecca for a pilgrimage.
Manonggiring said the Ramadan is also the time for Muslim bandits to reflect on their actuations.
“What they are doing is sin. They placed the lives of innocent civilians and children in danger,” he said.
“Sowing terror is extremely prohibited in all religions, especially in Islam. All we want to do in Islam is to do good for other people,” he added.
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