About 2 billion Muslims in Eid al Adha prayer worldwide

COTABATO CITY -MALACANANG has issued Proclamation 1128, declaring September 25, 2015 as official non-working holiday nationwide to mark Eid al Adha or the Feast of Sacrifice for Muslims, officials said Wednesday.But Thursday (September 24) is actually the day of the congregational prayer (usually held in public places) to mark the second leg of the Muslim Hajj Pilgrimage to Mecca and Madina, which is spent on a tent journey and prayers in Mount Arafa and Mina.In the proclamation he signed, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa said declaring Eid al Adha an official holiday was based on Republic Act 9849, which provides that Eid' Adha shall be celebrated as a regular holiday. Ochoa said the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) recommended September 24 or 25 as the date of the declaration of the Muslim holiday, based on proclamation made by Saudi Arabia's highest religious body. Close to two billion Muslims are estimated to take part in the Eid al Adha prayer worldwide. Some 8,000 Filipino Muslim pilgrims have been off to journey to Islam's holiest cities of Mecca and Madina, as well as in the tent city of Arafa.For his part, Governor Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) has also declared Thursday as official holiday for local offices and schools in the provinces of Basilan, Lanao Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, as well as in Marawi and Lamitan City.The tradition of celebrating Eid al Adha with a sacrificial lamb offered by each pilgrim is based on Abraham's holy abidance to sacrifice his own son. To Muslims, Ishmael was his first son while the Christians have held it was Isaac.The story of Abraham's family is common to both the Bible and the Qur'an. Indeed, some of the rituals are told in the Book of Genesis, including one reenacting Hagar’s frantic search for water in between the Hills of Kadesh and Bered.Both Hills as hallowed grounds are a major part of the Hajj Journey, and which are called Safa al Marwa. In between the slightly elevated lands, flows forth to this day water from the Spring of Zamzam, which in the Hebrew Scriptures is called Beerlahairoi.” (Genesis 16:14)To Muslims, the significance of Hajj is the convergence of all tribes, nations and races for peace and prosperity in their social and economic life. Nash B. Maulana