Happy Eid Fit'r!

Bismillahi rahmaneer-rahim!

Happy Eid Fit'r to every one! This is one of two most important dates in the Islamic calendar. Ramadhan is the holiest month of Islam because it is the period where the Pious does the edict of Allah Subhana Wa Ta'Alah---purify yourself. 


From sunrise to sundown, the Pious Muslim does his purification---neither eating nor supping any liquid, to cleanse his body from all free radicals and fill his soul with the Noble sayings and learnings of the Holy Qu'ran. This is a period of intense reflection, of the things the Pious did for Allah's sake and of thinking only of the Noblest and Purest Intentions. The Muslim prays unceasingly and honestly to Allah, Who Is the Lord of the Worlds. 


Allahu Akbar!


Let me replicate the speech of my good friend, Amina Rasul for this Holy day of breaking the fast.


Let us give worship to the One True God---the MOst Holy, the Lord of the Lords, The God of all gods.


Salam! Greetings of Peace!

Today, billions around the world celebrated the end of the Holy month of Ramadhan. Our Muslim brothers and sisters in the Philippines celebrated the Eid’l Fit’r, the Feast of the Breaking. And so it is my pleasure to greet you all “ Eid Mubarak”, “ Hariraya Puasa!”

During the Ramadhan, our Muslim brothers and sisters spent a month of fasting from sun up to sundown, studied the Holy book or Quran, occupied themselves with inner reflection, prayers and participated in pious activities such as charitable giving and peace-making. It was a time of intense renewal for those who observed it.  The month of fasting ended with the celebration of Eidl Fitr, also known as Hariraya Puasa in Muslim Southeast Asian countries.

Eidl Fitr is one of only 2 major religious celebrations in the Islamic World.  It is also the grandest and most joyously celebrated event.  During the Eid, after the early morning congregational prayer, Muslims visit each other and share their best foods, give gifts, and have fun.  The mood is much like New Year or Christmas. 

I have wondered why this important Muslim Holiday is not more widely celebrated in the Philippines, which is a home to over eight million Filipino Muslims.

Although the Eidl Fitr has been declared a national holiday, there is not much activity devoted to it apart from the “Salaat” or the congregational prayer performed by our Muslim brothers and sisters.  I had thought that if our retail, hotel and restaurant industries could celebrate Chinese New Year enthusiastically, then why haven’t we done the same with the Eid’l Fitr.   

Eidl Fitr holiday is considered a spectacular tourist event in neigbouring countries. In Singapore tourism websites, for instance, Eidl Fitr or Hariraya Puasa is listed as a holiday.  There are suggestions on what tourists can do and malls have sales.  Thus, this important Muslim religious holiday has been a driver for economic activity for the tourism and retail industries.

We have been developing our tourism master plan, not just for the international visitors but more so for local visitors.  Festivals are an important component.  Considering there are some 8 million Filipino Muslims, the Eid is a potential blockbuster for our tourism and retail industries.

This, when former Senator Nina Rasul proposed that the Department of Tourism support the 2011 Eidl Fitr Festival, I endorsed the idea wholeheartedly.  Not only do we strengthen the relationship between our Muslim and Non-Muslim communities, but we also develop a festival that has the potential to contribute to the national economy.   

Given the negative image that the Philippines has had due to the war on terror and the armed conflicts in the South, the celebration of the Eidl Fitr shows the world that the Philippines does celebrate its Muslim heritage. The 2011 Eidl Fitr Festival here in the SM Mall of Asia, one of the largest malls of Asia, is the perfect venue to present the rich, diverse and beautiful cultures of our Muslim tribes.

The Muslims of the Philippines are a significant part of our history and our nation. Despite this, many Filipinos are still unaware of the Muslim peoples’ innate artistic skills and rich culture.  We lose a part of ourselves if we do not embrace the totality of our diverse cultures and history.

Unfortunately, at the national level, there is lack of positive coverage of the contributions by Muslims in the social, cultural, and economic areas.  We do need to change that.  The celebration of a festival is a wonderful way to address this failure.  The Eidl Fitr Festival  is a cultural bridge for our nation.

In 1993, former Senator Santanina T. Rasul spearheaded the first of the series of celebrating the International Eid’l Fitr Festival. The festival was a venue to create awareness on the art, culture and history of the Filipino Muslims as part of the Filipino heritage.  Activities during the festival included cultural exhibits, showcase of Muslim artifacts and cultural presentations brought in by the different embassies that have annually supported the event, as well as music, dance, and food. 

May I congratulate the Magbassa Kita Foundation Inc, the Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy and the Festival Steering Committee for successfully organizing this festival.  Now that I am a private citizen, I look forward to viewing the exhibits, watching the dances – maybe even learn a few dance steps and how a man can use the malong – and buy halal coffee. 

Fasting and Ramadhan

Muslims around the world are observing Ramadhan. Ramadhan is a most sacred month. It is when the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) observed the holiest practice which is fasting and trying to discern the Voice of God. It was in this period that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was given the task of writing down the laws of the One True God.

Fasting distills the noise around you and enables one to sharpen one's senses. When one's senses are sharpened, one can actually hear God's voice, soothing one's soul and enriching one's Spirit.

Muslims fast before the break of dawn and after the last rays of the run has set in the West. Fasting starts and ends with a prayer. Prayer, for a Muslim, is everything. It sets in motion his day. It energizes him. It enables him to do all the tasks for him that day. Fact is, even work is considered a form of worship.

Muslims pray five times a day. Before he starts his day, he prays. When he reaches midday, he prays. Before he sips his coffee at the afternoon coffee break, he prays. When he sees the sun setting in the West, he prays. And when he retires for the day, he prays and asks God for mercy and for forgiveness.

That's why it is important for government to give Muslims a place where he can pray. During the time of Arroyo, there was a representative, a Muslim Youth, who asked Arroyo to pass an Executive Order, requesting schools and work places (factories, etc.) to provide prayer rooms for Muslim employees. If schools have their chapels, then, why not provide for prayer rooms? If factories have a place where Catholics are able to pray, then, why not assign a room where a Muslim can pray?

Some Muslims I know would want to ask President Noynoy Aquino to do what Arroyo failed in her term. Filipino Muslims are not second class Pinoys. They enjoy the same equal rights as other Pnoys. Their religious rights should be respected.

Global Tensions Rising

The United States military has deployed a regular army unit inside the US mainland to deal with local insurgencies and possible civil unrest. This is the first time that the US government did this. The US State Department has considered contingency measures in the event of a possible outbreak of violence due to the worsening economic crisis.

Over at the US Congress, US Treasury Chief Paulson reportedly pleaded with Democratic congressmen not to reveal the close door theatrics displayed by politicians and financial experts discussing the $700 billion bailout proposal. Republicans are up in arms over the proposal, saying that it's still a raw deal, which could not possibly end the increasing financial tensions. US President George Bush has said that the US is in for a long and painful recession, should Congress fail to pass the proposal. At this time though, things over at Washington seem to have turned from bad to worst, with politicians and officials fighting against each other. 

While the US tries to put out its financial fires, the Russian military has sent its fleet to South America, obviously as part of its global strategic military plan. In Iran, the tiny nuclear Islamic Republic is reportedly preparing for war, possibly against the United States and its allies. Analysts say, conflicts could possibly escalate after Ramadhan. Meanwhile, North Korea has banished nuclear inspectors and indicated a possible revival of its atomic energy programme.

Obviously, the enemies of the US are starting to flex their muscles. This financial crisis is more than a sneeze--its a serious illness which the world's superpower could find hard to cure. While the strong man remains bedridden with financial woes, enemies are now in the midst of preparing themselves for possible confrontations since historically, the US resorts to its war machines when faced with extreme economic difficulties. War provides the needed push for its industries and the US could do the same thing given the seriousness of the crisis.

The Legacy of Arroyo in the Peace Process

Press secretary Jesus Dureza said it matter-of-factly--Arroyo daw has laid the building blocks for peace. Yeah. Good soundbite of a lie.

For eight years, Arroyo and her peace panel dilly-dallied in their negotiations with the MILF. Under Arroyo, the peace process went nowhere and eventually had gone haywire. Malaysia entered into the picture to protect its territory Sabah and nearly convinced Arroyo to abandon all talk about reclaiming it as Philippine territory (in fact I remember a conversation Arroyo had with one of her department secretaries saying that he should not pursue the Sabah claim) if they continue brokering the talks.

At the twilight of her term, Arroyo's peace panel worked for the ultimate failure of the talks by acceding to an impossible thing. Members of the panel should have known that it is next to impossible to create the BJE. US pressure had lead to this debacle and now sectors are demanding Arroyo to step down or they would file an impeachment complaint for culpable violation of the charter.

Right now, we are back to square one. Foreign donors, including JICA, have decided to abandon peace initiatives and projects in Mindanao. I dont know about the Institute for Peace, but indications point to that direction also. And yes, we have not heard any gunfire nor mortar rounds nor seen shelling or bombing since an informal ceasefire has been established. Yet, many say that after the Ramadhan, fighting would definitely commence albeit with more intensity than before.

So, what is this legacy that Dureza is talking about? Is this the legacy of causing more war? Is this the legacy of turning the peace process back to square one? Yeah, it seems like it.