Day One of Ramadhan in Baguio

The Ramadhan is an occasion to reflect and find peace and unity, not only among Muslims but also those who respect Muslim tradition. A Muslim leader clarified, however, that before peace and unity can be achieved, there should be equality first.

BY LYN V. RAMO
Northern Dispatch (Nordis)
Posted by Bulatlat

BAGUIO CITY — Inuray and four of her children did not sell VCDs along Magsaysay Avenue here (246 kms north of Manila) in the afternoon of Oct. 5. It was the first day of Ramadhan.

Together with her husband and other Muslims in the city, Benguet and Mountain Province, Inuray, 35, and her children took some time to observe religious rites at the People's Park.

Her family hails from Marawi City but they now live in Baguio. According to her, they are in Baguio "to earn a living. Mahirap ang buhay doon sa Mindanao" (Life there in Mindanao is hard).

For those who came from Mindanao, they later realized that life in this city is just as hard.  Inuray had to leave two of her children to a relative who had since adopted them.

Authorities here often round up illegally-produced DVDs and VCDs. "Siyempre, nahuhuli 'yung mga paninda namin at nalulugi kami palagi dahil doon pero tuloy pa rin and pagtitinda" (Of course, our wares get confiscated and we incur losses because of that but we still continue selling), Inuray said. She did not say where she gets her wares.

Muslims are not the only ones who sell VCDs here, it was learned. This year's Ramadhan in Baguio City aims to clarify issues like that about Muslims and Islam.

Ending with iftar

Last Oct. 5 at exactly 5:45 p.m., the day-long fasting ended with iftar (breaking the fast with water and other light food preparations). The end of the religious leader's chanting of the adhan (a regular prayer) signaled the breaking of the fast. Inuray and her children, each with a cup of drinking water and another cup of chilled mixed fruits in milk, then started eating.

Soon after the breaking of the fast, the religious leader led the magribh (the sunset prayer) and all of those who participated faced west to see the sunset.

The men, who made up the bulk of those fasting at the People's Park, placed a tent on the open pavement, while women and children occupied the shaded portion of the park.

The Islam faithful then silently prayed in unison, as they alternately stood, bended and fell on all fours, head bowed down on the carpeted pavement. There were just a few chants heard, but in their silence, they performed the sunset worship as if they were just one body, one force.

Dinner was served afterwards and the crowd partook of the meals laid on two long tables at the park. A long queue of women and their children in tow, their husbands and even the participating non-Muslims shared the food that would strengthen the Muslims' faith in Islam and the Christian's belief in one true God.

Foreign students from Sudan, Bangladesh, Somalia, India, Kuwait and Pakistan also participated. Government officials, among them Mayor Braulio Yaranon and Councilor Leandro Yangot, were also invited to witness the iftar.

Need for equality

Indeed, the Ramadhan provided a time for people to find peace and unity. Central and Northern Luzon Sultan Mohammed Amin "Bob" Torres said, however, that before peace and unity can be achieved, there should be equality first.

"Equality ang nakakalimutan yata ng ating gobyerno" (The government seems to forget equality), he said, as he decried government claims that Muslims are terrorists. "Hindi Muslim ang nanggugulo sa Senado, at kahit sa Kongreso" (The trouble-makers in Senate and Congress are not Muslims), he says.  Northern Dispatch / Posted by Bulatlat

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