Imam to Cebu Muslims: Practice patience, unity, and generosity

Hundreds of Muslim people with some Muslim soldiers including Master Sergeant Dave Daan (5th from left) start their 7 a.m. prayer as they celebrate Eid al-Fitr at the Plaza Independencia.

EID AL-FITR

Clad in his green camouflage uniform, Master Sergeant Dave Daan, a member of the Armed Forces of Philippine Central Command (Centcom) arrived at Plaza Independencia in downtown Cebu City with three other soldiers in the early morning of Friday, June 15.

They joined nearly 1,500 Muslims in Cebu City who converged at the park for a congregation prayer to celebrate Eid al- Fitr, the Muslim holiday which marks the end of Ramadan.

“Kapag may holiday sa amin na Muslim, kaparehas nito a Eid al-Fitr, kaming mga sundalong Muslim ay hindi pwedeng i-deploy. In an ordinary situation, kaming mga Muslim, talagang binibigyan kami ng time na yung aming relihiyon ay irespeto (If there are Muslim holidays such as Eid al-Fitr, Muslim soldiers like us cannot be deployed. In an ordinary situation, we, Muslims, are given time to respect our religion),” said Daan.

Daan and fellow members of Cebu’s Muslim community started to gather at the grounds of the plaza at around 6 A.M.

Turning towards Qiblah or the direction of the city of Mecca that Muslims face while praying, Daan and his companions arranged their prayer mats as they prepared to pray in an all too familiar scene that resonated in mosques across the country.

In Cebu City, there are eight registered mosques.

The Cebu City Office on Muslim Affairs and Indigenous Cultural Communities (OMAICC) estimates that there are about 1,000 Muslim families or some 8,000 Muslim individuals residing in Cebu City.

Hassanor Amboloto, a staff member of the OMAICC, said that a number of Muslims who are staying in Cebu were evacuees from Marawi City, Lanao del Sur, who fled the Mindanaoan city at the height of the government battle against the terrorist Maute Group last year.

Others, Amboloto said, were foreigners from the Middle East who came here to study.

A few minutes past seven in the morning, Ustadz Salih Sarigan, an Imam, led the congregation prayer at Plaza Independencia which ended at around 8 A.M.

During the assembly, Sarigan reminded Muslims to live by the values instilled by Ramadan.

“Ramadan teaches us the values of patience, unity, and generosity,” Sarigan told the crowd in Filipino.

Sarigan explained that during the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims do not only fast from food and water from sunrise to sunset, but they are also supposed to avoid conflict with others and bad behavior.

“Sa panahon ng Ramadan, ang mga Muslim kahit hindi magkatribu, nagkakaisa sila sa simbahan (During the time of Ramadan, Muslims even if they belong to different tribes unite under one church),” said Sarigan.

“Tapos na ang Ramadan, dapat magsaya sila (Ramadan is over, they should be happy),” added Sarigan.

The religious gathering was graced by Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña and Rep. Raul del Mar of Cebu City’s north district.

Osmeña, who was given the title of honorary Sultan by Cebu City’s Muslim community assured attendees of the religious event that they are welcome and safe in Cebu.

Osmeña assured that Muslims and Christians alike will be treated fairly and will enjoy the same privilege as citizens of the city.

The Muslim Community will gather once again at the same venue after 70 days for the celebration of Eid al-Adha, also known as the “Sacrifice Feast”, the second of two Islamic holidays celebrated worldwide each year.