DILG to Filipino Muslims: Do Eid’l Fitr prayer and feast at home

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu — With the celebration of Eid’l Fitr (Feast of Breaking the Fast), the culmination of the Islamic month of Ramadhan, this Sunday, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is asking Filipino Muslims to do their Eid prayer and feast in their respective homes to avoid the threat of the pandemic.

“To ensure the safety of your families and communities, the government enjoins that Eid prayers and festivity be observed in your homes to prevent mass gatherings as our fight against COVID-19 continues,” DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año said in an advisory to local government units (LGUs) including the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

“Eid mubarak (blessed feast) to our Filipino Muslim brothers and sisters! May you have a meaningful celebration of this awaited festivity that marks the end of your month-long, dawn-to-sunset fasting that surely strengthened your faith in God and compassion towards the less privileged,” Año added.

Read more: Eid’l Fitr is on May 24, says Bangsamoro grand mufti

The DILG said in a Facebook post late night on Saturday, May 23, 2020, that Año’s directive was consistent with protocols now being adopted by Local Government Units (LGUs) in the country that remain under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), modified ECQ, or general community quarantine (GCQ).

“Prevention is always better than cure but yet there is no proven cure and vaccine of COVID-19 as of now. Kaya sa ngayon, konting sakripisyo’t disiplina pa po para sa kaligtasan ng nakararami. Sa ating kanya-kanyang tahanan po muna tayo magsagawa ng ating simpleng pagdiriwang,” Año said according to the DILG post.

“May you continue to practice discipline which is an important virtue in observing quarantine protocols and safety health measures for common good,” Año added.

Read more: DOLE allows deferment of Eid’l Fitr holiday pay release

DILG Spokesperson and Undersecretary Jonathan E. Malaya said that Filipino Muslims who would want to listen to the Eid prayer and khutba (sermon) that would be officiated by Dr. Julkipli Wadi of the University of the Philippines – Institute of Islamic Studies in Quezon City could tune in to IBC (Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation) TV 13 or 15 from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. on Sunday.

“Batid po ng pamahalaan na sa matagal ng panahon ay ngayon lang nakaranas ng Ramadhan sa ilalim ng quarantine. And so may this Eid telecast initiative help foster the spirit of unity and togetherness amid the quarantine time,” Malaya said.

Malaya also assured that the DILG had been working closely with the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF), one of its attached agencies, in ensuring the welfare of Muslim Filipinos amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The Eid’l Fitr is observed on Sunday, May 24, in line with the advice of local and global Islamic scholars based on moon sighting activity. However, May 25 is the Eid’l Fitr regular holiday throughout the country under Proclamation No. 944./dbs