By Edwin Fernandez | Philippine News Agency
COTABATO CITY – Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi here lauded all Islam faithful for making the Eid’l Fitr celebration in the city and its environs solemn, peaceful and full of hope.
Sayadi said the city has been very quiet and solemn as thousands of Muslim residents here ended their fasting month at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
“No motorcade, known among Muslims as “Takbir”, was conducted unlike in previous Eid’l Fitr celebration. No gunfire, not firecracker and everything was solemn as Muslims pray, give alms, and shared their blessings,” the mayor noted.
At dawn of Wednesday, the sound of the obligatory morning Eid’l Fitr prayers reverberated from various mosques around the city.
Sayadi appealed to Cotabateños to refrain from conducting “Takbir” accompanied by noisy motorcade where people are yelling to welcome Eid’l Fitr.
“Nowhere in the Quran that says noisy motorcade is allowed,” Sayadi said in a statement.
She called on the Muslim faithful instead to be charitable and help the needy, share blessings and continue praying. Eid’l Fitr is one of the solemn festivals for Muslims that marks the end of the month-long fasting period of Ramadan.
Eid’l Fitr congregational prayers were held at the Cotabato City People’s Palace, the compound of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Sultan Bolkiah Grand Mosque, and the compound of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division headquarters in nearby Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao, among others.
