Friday Mar, 29 2024 10:38:32 PM

A rainy Eid in many parts of Southern Mindanao

Local News • 20:08 PM Thu Sep 24, 2015
1,216
By: 
John Unson
A cleric delivers a sermon to members of the military in Maguindanao where a light downpour marred supposed outdoor Eid’l Adha congregational prayers.(JMU)

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao-- Scattered moderate rains forced thousands of Muslims in many parts of Central Mindanao to perform Thursday's supposedly open-field Eid’l Adha prayers inside mosques and covered courts.Muslim soldiers from different units of the Army’s 6thInfantry Division had to pray at a mosque in the periphery of Camp Siongco in Datu Odin Sinsuat town in the first district of Maguindanao due to rains.Most clerics that led prayers in different worship sites focused their khutab (sermon) on the tenets of sacrifice to achieve spiritual perfection, based on the biblical and Qur’anic narratives on how Abraham (Ibrahim) had nearly killed his son, Ismail, as an offering to prove subservience to God.Both the bible and the Qur’an narrated that the ritual was forestalled when a ram appeared from the wilderness, which Abraham slaughtered and burned instead of his son, after having pleased God with his exemplified loyalty and devotion.Eid'l Adha, also known as feast of sacrifice, is one of two most important events in Islam, next to Eid'l Fitr, which is the culmination of the Ramadhan fasting season, where Muslims fast from dawn to dusk for one lunar cycle, about 28-29 days, as a religious obligation.In separate Eid'l Adha messages, local officials called on Muslim folks to continue supporting President Benigno Aquino III’s southern peace process.Gov. Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao told the Oblate Media via text message that only through religious solidarity among ARMM’s Muslim, Christian and indigenous lumad folks and a deep understanding of the true political undercurrents in the country’s south can peace take off in the region. Let the essence of Eid’l Adha remind us of how important is sacrifice, in many forms, to achieve unity and lasting peace among all people in Southern Mindanao,” Hataman said.The ARMM has more than five million Muslim residents scattered in Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur, which are both in Central Mindanao, and the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi and in the cities of Lamitan and Marawi.The commander of 6thID, Major Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan, had told his Muslim subordinates, during a simple program after their Eid'l Adha worship rites, that religions should neither set Muslims, Christians and lumad people apart, nor put permanent barriers among them. All religions teach fear of God, respect for life and humanity. We can stand united in that aspect of our respective faiths,” Pangilinan said.The 6thID covers the ARMM provinces of Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur and parts of Sultan Kudarat and North Cotabato provinces, which are both under Administrative Region 12.A non-Muslim ethnic Teduray chieftain, Mayor Ramon Piang of North Upi town in Maguindanao, on Thursday also assured his Muslim constituents of his administration’s continuing support to local activities meant to propagate religious solidarity between them and their Christian neighbors.North Upi is home to mix Muslim, Christian and ethnic Teduray communities co-existing since the municipality was created more than five decades ago.

Winds destroy houses in Magsur, NoCot

COTABATO CITY --- Some 40 houses were destroyed by strong winds that pummeled lowlands in the adjoining towns of Montawal, Maguindanao del Sur and...

UK: Bangsamoro one of world’s few successful peace processes

MANILA – The United Kingdom has hailed the creation of the Bangsamoro region as one of the world’s few successful peace processes as it joined...

Antipas LGU releases official list of victims of highway mishap

OFFICIAL list of victims of March 25, 2024 vehicular accident involving passenger van and cargo truck. The list is from the local government of...

Cotabato Light announces April 6 power service interruption

Cotabato Light announcement:  To all our valued customers, please be informed of the scheduled power interruption affecting a portion of...

BARMM has new police regional director

CAMP SK PENDATUN, Maguindanao Norte - Police Brig. Gen. Prexy Dugas Tanggawohn was installed as new police regional director for the Bangsamoro...