BCPCH Lanao del Sur Commissioner’s message on Eid’l Fitr 2024

READ: BCPCH Lanao del Sur Commissioner Robert Maulana Marohombsar Alonto’s Message on the occasion of Eid’l Fitr:

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Bismillah ar Rahman ar Rahiim

Assalamo ‘alaykom wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuho.

Alhamdulillah, the celebration of Eid’l Fitr by the Muslim Ummah marks the end of the month-long fasting in the Blessed Month of Ramadhan.

As we bid farewell to this Blessed Month, we ought to know by now that Ramadhan is not merely about abstention from natural human urges and necessities as well as taking a break from capricious mundane propensities. Ramadhan is the ‘school’ which  Muslims, save for those who are exempt as enunciated by the Holy Qur’an, are required to enroll in by Allah swt to fortify and hone their Resistance – first against human cravings for what is normally halaal to test their will and train them for sabr (patience) for one month (abstention from food and drink from dawn to dusk); and second and most importantly, against what is haraam (prohibited vices and wicked ways) with the end in view of permanently purging from the human  system this predilection for destructiveness resulting from disobedience to Allah swt.

That being so, Resistance is the overarching message of Ramadhan for it nurtures in the Muslim the awareness, moral duty and resolve to command what is good and right, and Resist what is evil and wrong in all realms of human activity as manifestation of obedience and ibadah (worship, service) to Allah swt.

Recall that the first victory of the Muslims was in the Battle of Badr in Ramadhan. The liberation of Makkah by the Islamic forces led by the Holy Prophet Muhammed (saw) from kufr (unbelief), shirk (idolatry) and the oppressive grip of the iniquitous social order of jahiliyyah (Age of Ignorance)  was also in Ramadhan.

It goes without saying, therefore, that the Resistance to the dictates of nafsul amara (the lowest and most disobedient state of the lower self) that Ramadhan inculcates in us is also Resistance to external forms of injustice and zulm (tyranny) whenever and wherever these forms of taghoot (evil) rear their nefarious heads such as the Zionist genocide taking place in Palestine today.

This explains why the International Day of Al Quds (Jerusalem), or Yawmul Quds, which openly proclaims Islamic aspiration to free Al Quds, the third holiest city of Islam, from Zionist occupation, as well as Muslim solidarity with the oppressed around the globe,  is held on the last Friday of Ramadhan that falls within the 10-day observance of Lailatul Qadr, or the Night of Power when the Holy Qur’an was revealed, preceding the end of Ramadhan.

Putting it in a larger perspective, Ramadhan is the school of Resistance where Faith is upgraded or recharged annually and forged into an iron will of rejection of all forms of evil and injustice  to equip the Muslim with the armor of imaan (faith) and the shield of taqwa (fear of displeasing Allah swt) in order to exemplify what man’s role should be as the khalifa (vicegerent) of Allah swt on earth.

After having ‘graduated’ successfully from this school of Resistance in Ramadhan, comes ‘graduation day’ capped by the celebration that Allah swt has enjoined upon His Servants  – the ‘Feast of Breaking the Fast’ or  Eid’l Fitr.

In this Eid’l Fitr, all Muslims participate as Guests of Allah swt but the red carpet is rolled out only for those Mu’minin (Believers) who passed the school of Resistance in flying colors.

Let me, therefore, heartily congratulate and fraternally  embrace our Muslim brethren from all corners of the Ummah, notably the Philippines and Bangsamoro, who have successfully hurdled the sacrifices and passed the  test of Faith and Resistance concomitant with the observance of the Blessed Month of Ramadhan.

Eid’l Fitr Al Mubarak.

Free Palestine!

Robert M. Alonto, Commissioner.