WITH Ramadan about to end, Muslims in Cebu are encouraged to pray for peace even as they are also encouraged to support and help the Cebu City and Cebu province governments to maintain peace here.
Malo Manonggiring, National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) – Visayas, made this call on Saturday to at least 60,000 fellow Muslims in Cebu City and Cebu province.
Manonggiring said that his fellow Muslims should offer prayers for peace not just for Mindanao but for the entire Philippines and the world.
“This (prayer for peace) is not just for all the Muslims but for all the humankind,” Manonggiring told Cebu Daily News.
Yesterday, Muslims around the world tried to spot the new moon or the crescent moon that would mark the end of the Ramadan.
If the new moon would be seen yesterday (Saturday), then the Eid’l Fitr would be celebrated today (Sunday).
If no new moon will be seen, Muslims will continue to pray today and will commemorate the Eid al-Fitr on Monday.
Muslim communities in Cebu City would hold the commemoration of the end of Ramadan in two venues – the Cebu Business Hotel and the Plaza Independencia.
The Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan and considered as a great festival for Muslims.
It is also their time to visit their families and relatives.
Fasting during the month of Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam. The other pillars are faith, prayer, charity and the pilgrimage to Mecca.
Aside from praying for peace, Manonggiring also encourage her fellow Muslims to help the local governments here maintain peace.
“If you see suspicious looking people then inform our government and authorities,” he said.
The Cebu City Police Office also deploy more police officers to secure those celebrating the Eid al-Fitr starting on Sunday.
Chief Insp. Ramoncelio Sawan, information officer of CCPO, said that there would be a regular deployment, but unlike previous years, there would be more police visibility.
Sawan also said that they also took into consideration the request of Muslim communities in Cebu for more security in the
two venues where the Eid al-Fitr would be held.