Upi Muslims mark Eid’l Fitr Prayer at Open Ground

  Alih S. Anso-

Nuro, Upi (Sept 10)….Almost thousand Muslims (Believers in Islam)  flocked in Masjid Shariffudin ground, along national highway, Nuro, Upi to marked the Eid’l Fit’r prayer, after  the   one month observation of fasting for the month of Ramadan.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking and sexual relations from dawn until sunset.

Fasting, one of the five pillars of Islam, is intended to teach Muslims about patience, humility, and spirituality. It is a time for Muslims to fast for the sake of Allah and to offer more prayer than usual. During Ramadan, Muslims ask forgiveness for past sins, pray for guidance and help in refraining from everyday evils, and try to purify themselves through self-restraint and good deeds.

As compared to the solar calendar, the dates of Ramadan vary, moving backwards about eleven days each year depending on the moon. Muslims believe Ramadan to be an auspicious month for the revelations of God to humankind, being the month in which the first verses of the Qur’an were revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)

Ustadz Muhammad Taha Yusuf-chairman of Da’awah for  Upi delivered the Kutbah (sermon) to a Jamaah (congregation ).  His subject concentrated in Aqida Islamiyah, (strengthening of Faith). Ramadan begins with the moon sighting on the ninth lunar month of the Arabic Hijra Calendar and ends when the crescent moon of the 10th month appears.

Sermons in congregational prayers have two most basic tenets; that is, to testify that Allah is God and Muhammad is prophet: In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger. This will be followed by citing a verse or verses in the Holy Qur’an and traditions of the Holy Prophet pertinent to the subject of the sermon; and after this, the sermon can delve with any subject relevant to the Muslims and mankind.

Last night after the official pronouncement of the Darul Ifta of the Philippines  headed by Sheikh Omar Pasigan that the  new moon for the month of Shawwal was sighted by a pious Muslims, a Takbeer Mursal was aired simultaneously in different Masjid and radio stations.

Upi population composed of 60 % T’duray tribe, in which about 10-15 % embraces Islam, 20 % Maguindanaon, Iranon & Meranaw  and 100 % Islam by religion and 20 % New Settlers from Luzon and Visayas  in which majority Christianity by faith.

The congragation in masjid Shariffuddin  were from the five  masjid in Barangay    Nuro: Masjid Noor, Ar Rahmani, Falahie, Sahriffuddin and Darul Sallam, other barangay formed other congragation in the open area.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) secured the area for the security of the congregation.