1.5B Muslims celebrate‘Eid al-Adha’

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur: On Tuesday, July 20, the world’s 1.5 billion Muslims will mark Eid al-Adha, the “Festival of Sacrifice,” the most important holiday in the Islamic calendar, according to a famous ulama (Muslim scholar) leader, Aleem Basher “Mostagbal” Manalao.

President Rodrigo Duterte had the holiest city in Islam, in western declared the “Festival of SacriSaudi Arabia. fice” as a regular holiday through All Muslims able to do so are asked Proclamation 1189. to make the five-day hajj journey at

Manalao, also a former Lanao least once in their lifetime, and at least del Sur governor, said Eid al-Adha two million do so each year. is celebrated on the final day of the At Mecca, worshippers visit the annual hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, Kaabah shrine, Islam’s most important monument, in the Grand Mosque.

Also known as the Black Stone, the Kaabah is believed to have been constructed by Ibrahim and Ismail.

Pilgrims also visit the Jamarat Bridge where Ibrahim was believed to have thrown stones at the devil, Manalao said.

The ulama said two major eid (festivals) are celebrated by Muslims worldwide.

The first, Eid al-Fitr, Arabic for “Festival of the Breaking of the Fast,” happens at the end of Ramadan, a month-long period when Muslims fast daily from sunrise to sunset.

Also known as Sawm, it is also one of the five pillars of the Islamic faith.

Ramadan marks the month Allah revealed the first verses of the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad.

The second, Eid al-Adha, generally considered the holier of the two eid festivals, takes place about two months after Eid al-Fitr at the end of the annual hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.

The dates of both holidays change every year, as they are based on the Islamic lunar calendar, which is about 11 days shorter than the Western 365day Gregorian calendar.

Imam Mohammad Yasser of Iligan City, Lanao del Norte, said, “Because Ibrahim was allowed to sacrifice a ram instead of his son, Eid al-Adha is traditionally celebrated on its first day, by those with means to do so, with the symbolic sacrifice of a lamb, goat, cow, camel or other animal that is then divided and shared equally among family, friends and the needy.”

Meanwhile, Sheik Malo Manonggiring, acting director of the Bureau of Pilgrimage and Endowment of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos, said the hajj is an annual religious pilgrimage to Mecca undertaken each year by 2 million to 3 million people.

This year, the hajj happens from approximately July 17 to 22, 2021.

Umrah, on the other hand, is a pilgrimage that can be completed at any time of the year.

Because of continuing Covid-19 concerns, the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced on June 12 that only 60,000 residents and citizens of Saudi Arabia will be permitted to perform the hajj.

The Saudi Arabian government has also announced a series of entry restrictions, including for religious travel.

The process for performing the umrah has changed significantly as a result of the pandemic, and all travelers have been advised to make sure to read through all requirements before booking travel, Manonggiring said.

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah requires certain mobile applications to be downloaded and used to request issuance of permits for scheduled times to enter holy sites.

Requests from a total of 7,054 registered Muslim Filipinos intending to do the hajj were disapproved because of surges in coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases in the Philippines and other countries, Manonggiring said.