I JOIN the Bangsamoro, the people of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), and the rest of the Filipino nation in celebrating Eid’l Fitr. We extend our greetings to all peoples of goodwill as the blessed month of Ramadan comes to a close.
Ramadan is a time of both reflection and struggle. Our fast embodies the many choices we are faced with in this world: We are taught, at every moment, to submit to the will of Allah; to side with what is kind, just, and good; to cleanse ourselves of negativity; and ultimately, to emerge from every challenge with peace in our hearts and greater clarity of purpose.
We rise today in jubilation and gratitude to Allah, who gave us the strength to overcome our struggles, and to remain righteous as we did. By his boundless benevolence, too, did we find solidarity with each other. In this togetherness, we found even greater purpose and resolve.
Indeed, in breaking our fast every sunset during iftar, we were reminded that unity is integral to overcoming any struggle. Just as wickedness might be contagious, the righteousness of those around us brightens and amplifies our own.
Banded together—as peers and friends, as families, as communities, as one people sharing the same aspirations—we become even more mindful of the greatness we can achieve through Allah.
May we move forward, truly united, as the Bangsamoro narrative unfolds.
Eid Mubarak!
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