By John Rey Saavedra
CEBU CITY – On Monday, a Cebu-based Islamic scholar urged Cebuano Muslims to engage in special prayers and fasting for peace in Gaza during the Holy Month of Ramadan.
Ustadz Muhammad Najeeb Razul, also serving as an Imam, announced that 57 congregations would hold congregational prayers every Friday in various Masjids across Cebu province until the celebration of Eid’l Fitr on April 9 or 10.
Ramadan is anticipated to conclude around April 9, with the festive days of Eid’l Fitr expected to commence around April 10.
The Islamic calendar adheres to a lunar cycle, which may lead to variations in dates for Ramadan based on moon sightings or the lack thereof, despite calculated estimates.
“It’s a prayer for peace and, simultaneously, a call for believers to unite in response to societal challenges worldwide,” Razul shared with the Philippine News Agency.
Razul urged the Cebuanos, Muslims and non-Muslims, “to remember in our prayers the women and children affected by the ongoing fighting in Gaza.”
He also encouraged the public to pray for sobriety as tension continued to grip the West Philippine Sea and “so that justice and peace will reign.”
The mosques in Mambaling, Islamic Center near the University of the Philippines-Cebu, Sanciangko, Tagonol would also offer communal prayers, apart from the three masjids in Bogo City.
The Islamic teacher said he would also deliver special sermons in his house of prayer in Minglanilla, which could be accessed through Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and other social media platforms. (PNA)
