MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte will announce soon a proclamation for Eid’l Fitr (Feast of Ramadan) regular holiday, which is expected to fall on Tuesday, May 3, 2022.
“The National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) shall inform the Office of the President of the actual dates on which these holidays shall respectively fall,” Proclamation No. 1236 stated.
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On Facebook, NCMF announced: “The NCMF and the Bangsamoro Darul Ifta have jointly agreed to recommend May 3, 2022 as the date of Eid’l Fitr to be announced as a National Holiday, with the 30th of Ramadan falling on May 2, Monday.”
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar and the holy month of fasting. It begins and ends with the appearance of the crescent moon.
The holy fasting period for Ramadan started on April 2 after an NCR-based cleric claimed to have seen the first crescent moon using a telescope during the moonsighting at Manila Bay last April 1. The Manila Bay moonsighting was said to have been organized in cooperation with the Imam Council of the Philippines and the NCMF – NCR.
Devout Muslims fast every day for about 30 days from dawn to sunset during the entire Ramadan, which they consider a period of introspection, communal prayer in the mosque, and reading of the Quran, Islam’s holy book.
In November 2002, former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed Republic Act No. 9177 into law declaring the first day of Shawwal, the 10th month of the Islamic calendar, a national holiday for the observance of Eidul Fitr.
According to RA 9177, “the approximate date of these Islamic holidays may be determined in accordance with the Islamic calendar (Hijra) or the lunar calendar, or upon Islamic astronomical calculations, whichever is possible or convenient.”
Eid al-Fitr is traditionally celebrated by families gathering in large congregation for an Eid prayer to express gratitude to Allah for having been able to perform their personal sacrifices.
Eid’l Fitr is one of the two most important Islamic celebrations. The other one is Eid al-Adha or The Feast of the Sacrifice, celebrated on the 10th day of the last month of the Islamic calendar and commemorates the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son to God. Eid al-Adha also marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, the 5th Pillar of Islam.
Muslim Filipinos comprise about six percent of the population.
— The Summit Express