Muslims flock to mosques to pray on Eid'l Adha

Members of the Filipino Muslim community flocked to mosques on Friday to pray to mark Eid'l Adha, an important date on the Islamic calendar. In southern Metro Manila, Muslims flocked to the Blue Mosque in Taguig City for traditional prayers, radio dzBB's Glen Juego reported. Eid'l Adha is a holiday in the Philippines, as declared by President Benigno Aquino III. Also known as the feast of sacrifice, it marks the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son Ishmael as an act of obedience to God. As in a similar story in the Old Testament, God intervened and provided Abraham with a sheep to sacrifice instead. Eid'l Adha is one of the only two most important festivals in Islam.  It comes at the end of hajj, pilgrimage to Mecca in SAudi Arabia. Earlier, President Aquino urged Filipino Muslims to let the occasion affirm Filipinos' solidarity for peace and development. In his message for the occasion, he also sought a "deeper engagement" from the Muslim community in efforts for a united and progressive Philippines. "Let this be an affirmation of our solidarity in pursuing the causes of peace and development for the greater good. May your reflections lead you to an even deeper engagement in our efforts towards creating a united and equitably progressive Philippines," he said in his message posted Thursday night on the Official Gazette website. He said Abraham's readiness to carry out God’s command despite the specter of personal loss and his fortitude against temptation "make him an exemplar of obedience for us all." "May his example inspire us to be righteous and courageous in our undertakings, that we may follow God’s will for the betterment of ourselves and our world," he said. — LBG, GMA News