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Muslims around the world celebrate starting today the Eid ul Adha or four-day 'Festival of Sacrifice' to commemorate the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ismael as an act of obedience to God.
“This celebration is a confirmation of our commitment to peace,” said Ustadz Haron Magadapa, Arabic teacher of Cebu Normal University.
Cebu City has a Muslim population of about 75,000.
With public outrage stirred by Monday’s election-related massacre of almost 60 civilians in Maguindanao, where a political clan war has broken out, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña assured that no trouble would spill over to the city.”
“I feel very confident that our number one protection against all these things are the Muslims themselves because they feel appreciated here in Cebu,” said Osmeña about this week’s carnage.
The mayor, who was previously honored by the local Muslim community with the formal title “Sultan of Cebu” goes out of his way to keep the goodwill of this minority group.
“I don’t believe the Muslims here in Cebu are engaged in any political conflict,” said Osmeña, who added that he was sure no perpetrator in the Maguindanao killlings can hide here because local Muslims wouldn’t allow it.
For today’s celebration, Muslims will recite a congregational prayer in all mosques in Metro Cebu and slaughter animals to offer as sacrifice or Qurban at the Cebu City slaughterhouse, according to Magadapa.
The act of sacrifice shows “(our) readiness to forsake material interest in the service of God.”
Magadapa, who is associated with moderate Muslims, refused to make a direct comment on the Maguindanao massacre but said the violence had a negative effect in the local Muslim community.
“This has an effect in the life of the people. In Islam, even during war, Muslims and other groups do not hurt women, children and the aged,” he said.
In traditional Qurban, Magadapa said that according to prophet David, the person who offers Qurban will receive ten times more “goodness” and that God would erase ten times more in his sins or misfortune.
“Eid is not the meal or blood that pleases God. It is the expression of thankfulness to him, the affirmation of faith in him. This is also a way to strengthen socio-political relationships within the community,” he said.
The goats, cows, and rams that are sacrificed will be cut up and distributed to the poor in the community,” he said.
Teaching the Qurban is his way of spreading awareness of the practice, he said.
Allah told the Prophet Ibrahim to build a shrine dedicated to him next to Hajar's well. Ibrahim and Ismael built a small stone structure, the Kaaba, which became the gathering place for those who wished to strengthen their faith in Allah.
“This is a reminder of the grand assembly on the day of judgment,” said Magadapa.
“We are waiting for the final destiny, the final judgment wherein everyone is treated equally. There is no royalty, no superiority just loyalty to God,” he said.
The last verse of Koran was given by the angel Gabriel on Mount Arafat on Eid ul Adha. 'This day I have completed your religion, Magadapa said.
