
MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / Oct. 27, 2012) – Governor Mujiv Hataman of the Muslim autonomous region in Mindanao led Muslims in the celebration of the Eid’l Adha, one of the most important Islamic event in the Philippines.
The Eid’l Adha, also known as “Feast of the Sacrifice,” is celebrated by Muslims across the world to honor the willingness of the prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his young first-born son Ismail as an act of submission to God’s command and his son’s acceptance to being sacrificed, before God intervened to provide Abraham with a ram to sacrifice instead.
Hataman also visited Muslims in Manila and told them the prospects of achieving peace in the troubled region following the signing of a peace pact between the Aquino government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
In his Eid’l Adha message, Hataman said: “The Eid’l Adha is an important three-day religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide to honor the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son Ishmael as an act of obedience to God. This story forever inspires Muslims to make necessary sacrifices to uphold the common good and advance a noble goal.”
“We in the regional government value this sacrifice and we know that good governance as one of our key pillars also entails great sacrifice. Almost a year ago, we have embarked on a journey aimed at reforming the regional government. Today, with barely months left on our administration, we are proud to say that the impact of the reform agenda we have unveiled is now being felt by our people.”
He added: “The recently signed Framework Agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front is also a testament that our people can now turn dreaming into realizing a peaceful and progressive Mindanao.” (Mark Navales)