‘Everyone is welcome’: Filipino Muslims mark Eid with prayer, tradition and community feasts
MANILA: As they observed Eid Al-Adha, Muslim Filipinos reconnected with their families and relatives, as well as with memories and special traditions unique to the minority community they form in the predominantly Catholic country.
Like Muslims around the world, those in the Philippines also begin the day before sunrise, with families waking up early for the morning prayers and to observe the holiday, which emphasizes sacrifice, gratitude, charity and compassion.
After prayers, families offer goats or cows and distribute the meat to the community. After that, feasts and celebrations are shared with relatives, friends, neighbors and guests.
For Tahir Malikol, a chef and educator from Cotabato City, known for promoting the heritage of Bangsamoro, the main Muslim-majority region of the Philippines, the communal spirit of Eid is its main hallmark.
