Muslims in Cebu gathered at the Cebu Green Mosque in Barangay Zapatera earlier today, May 6, to pray and celebrate the official start of the Ramadan. /Tonee Despojo
CEBU CITY, Philippines -A muslim leader in Cebu expressed hope that this year’s celebration of the Ramdan will bring about change in the lives of the people.
Ustadz Najeeb Razul, a mufti and expert of islam in Central Visayas, said that people should recognize and show respect for each other irregardless of their faith.
“We pray for peace, unity among mankind. (The) spirit of tolerance and moderation should always be there because we all believe that humanity descends from one male and one female, therefore, whether we like it or not, all humanity are brothers,” said Razul, who is also president of the Voice of Islam Foundation in Cebu and chairman of the Council of Elders in the Visayas.
“Everyone should emancipate beyond our tendencies, either you’re a regionalist or nationalist,” he added.
Razul also appealed for the public to unite in pushing away problems affecting their respective communities like extrajudicial killings and the culture of impunity.
He said that peace can only be achieved if everyone will start to take care of their communities and the environment and show respect for co-existence.
“We are all created by one and the same Almighty God. We share the same one planet. We live in one and the same earth so we cannot be discriminatory,” Razul said in an interview after the interfaith service that was held at the Filipiniana Hall of the Archbishop’s Residence in Cebu City this morning
“Respect and Love should be there so that the world would be a better place to live,” he added.
He urged the people in the communities to help in monitoring thee young ones in this era of digitalization and technology.
Razul said that technology is being used by others to infuse immorality on the youth and make this as a tool for vices such as drug addiction, intoxication, prostitution, pornography and sexual perversion.
Muslims in Cebu and the rest of the country officially started today, May 6, their celebration of the Ramadan. This means that they will have to fast from dawn to sunset and practice spiritual discipline.
Razul, described the Ramadan as a blessed month wherein the spirit of repentance and forgiveness are observed to make one’s own self spiritually closer to the Almighty.
“Muslims are being seen to struggle within their own selves. That’s the real Jihad. It’s a struggle against our own ego and whims. Kay kining tawo, dunay tendency nga naay pagkalimbungan, pagkabutbuton, libakira, hilas ug dunay law-ay nga mga buhat,” Razul said.
He said that fasting is the centerpiece of Ramadan.
During its observance, Razul said that Muslims are taught to practice discipline to withstand the fangs of hunger and thirst in order to achieve victory in ones physical nature or needs since life in this world is only temporary./dcb