Irony, defiance: Sprinkling of Moros break solidarity, follow Saudi fasting on March 11. But Saudi and other Arab nationals in Philippines in unity for Ramadan with Filipinos tomorrow, Tuesday, March 12.

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MANILA, March 11, 2024 (SDN) — For the vast majority of Muslims in the Philippines they will begin fasting on Tuesday, March 12.

This development follows what could be a unanimous declaration of the country’s ulama (Islamic religious leaders) on the first of Ramadan 1445 after the holy month’s crescent moon that ushers in fasting was not seen on the evening of Monday, March 10.

For the traditional annual sighting of the moon, the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) under Officer-in-Charge (OIC) Commissioner Michael Mangampo Mamukid, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s (BARMM) Bangsamoro Darul Iftah (BDI) headed by Mufti Abdulrauf A. Guialani, and the Ulama Council of Zamboanga Peninsula (UCZP) led by President Sheikh Jamal S. Munib deployed on Monday, March 10, religious leaders, professionals, and government workers who are members of moon sighting committees, and other individuals in strategic areas in their jurisdictions to look for the Ramadan crescent moon.

The crescent was not seen is the unanimous declaration of the ulama after receiving moon sighters’ report.

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Over in Metro Manila, the NCMF Central Office in Quezon City through NCMF-National Capital Region’s Regional Director Dr. Dimapuno Alonto Datu-Ramos, Jr., said the agency’s moon sighting groups in all 17 regions of the country reported “no moon sighted tonight; Ramadan to start March 12, Tuesday.”

In the Bangsamoro region, Guialani “announce(d) that the crescent moon was not sighted today (March 10); therefore, Ramadhan fasting 2024 will officially commence on Tuesday, March 12, 2024, insha Allah.”

For Zamboanga Peninsula and Palawan, Abubakar said that “After thorough communication with Ulama around the Philippines, unanimously reported that the moon was not sighted. Therefore, Ramadan 1445-2024 will start on March 12, 2024 (Tuesday) upon the declaration of Grand Mufti Abdulbaki Abubakar,” the UCZP said in a statement.

Non-conformists defy Moro ulama on Ramadan’s first day

Thus, except for a sprinkling of very few defiant Moro religious leaders and some individuals in the country’s Muslim communities, majority of Islam believers in the country will take their “suhoor” (Ramadan’s early breakfast before dawn) for the official first day of fasting in the country.

The non-conformists, who might be committing sin for not complying with their fellow Filipino ulama’s declaration according to a social media post, chose to follow the lead of Saudi Arabia which begun fasting today, Monday.

One post on Facebook says: “The best is to follow, and His prophet says, the consensus of the eminent ulama. All eminent ulama in Southeast Asian countries agreed and declared that fasting of the Month of Ramadhan will begin on 12 March 2024. Going against the jamaah is a sin.”

Still another post by Maranao leader and lawyer Datu Pangnal Datu-Ramos offers his comment on the same topic, part it follows:

“Back to square one: shall we follow the ‘international Moon’ sighted in Saudi Arabia or the ‘REGIONAL MOON’ not sighted in the BARMM Region, Philippines? This is an insignificant minor issue that should not concern us at all, as far as I am concerned. This was already settled by the official authorities concerned. The BARMM and NCMF had issued official statements that ‘…Tuesday is the first day to start Ramadan 2024… We to respect and honor our officials concerned tasked by our National and Regional Govts. assigned for that specific purpose.”

Saudi, other Arab diplomats, their nationals in the country to fast March 12

But the irony is that Saudi and other Arab diplomats stationed in the Philippines as well their nationals are expected to fast with local Muslims on March 12.

Meanwhile, in one of his first official acts as OIC, Mamukid directed all of the Commission’s regional directors to put up a tarpaulin in their offices containing Ramadan greetings.

The tarpaulin should also include “Bagong Pilipinas”, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” A. Abalos, Jr.

Ramadan is obligatory on adult Muslims, a period that demands abstention from food, drinks, cigarettes (& vapes), sex, backbiting or engaging in “marites”, even evil thoughts, words, and actions.

“Sawm” or Fasting during the Muslim holy month is the third pillar of Islam.

The four others are Shahddah (Profession of Faith), Salat (Five Daily Prayers), Zakat (Obligatory Charity), and Hajj, the Pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Excused from fasting are the sick, travelers; among women are the pregnant, those breastfeeding, those with their monthly period, elder men and women who could be at risk, and the mentally disturbed.

However, missed fast days must be replaced after Ramadan. Or by feeding a fasting person. — (EDD K. USMAN) — (✓)