A Statement of AMIN (Anak Mindanao) Party List on Eid al-Fitr 2007

With the sighting of the new moon, Muslims all over the world bid farewell to the Holy month of Ramadhan and celebrate the Festival of Ending the Fast or in Arabic, Eid al-Fitr.

Anak Mindanao joins the entire world in this Celebration, with the sincerest prayer for Mercy, Blessings, Forgiveness and Peace from the Almighty Creator.

The month-long sacrifice of fasting, not just from food and water, but also from anger, misdeeds and worldly desires… is now over. The hunger, thirst, discipline and patience that we observed and imposed upon ourselves in observance of Ramadhan now appear to be choices again - choices, that in our ordinary everyday lives we seem to often not choose.

The virtues that are imposed upon us during the Holy Month of Ramadhan are virtues that are supposed to be upheld every single day, fasting or not. Ramadhan is supposed to be a practice, a class where we learn the theories, do some exercises, live with examples. The real test comes after the Eid, when we are to apply what we should have learned, when the lessons taught by Ramadhan should have been imbedded into the very core of our being, the virtues part of our existence, acted out with the greatest ease as simply breathing.

It is with this aspiration, that we pray, may this celebration of Eid’l Fitr be not the end of a Holy Month but the beginning of a Holy Year. A year that we start with the following prayers:

For the atrocities committed by people who call themselves Muslims, we ask for forgiveness. Terrorism is never preached in Islam. The taking of innocent lives, even of mere properties, and even in times of war, is strictly prohibited in Islam.

For the injustices, discrimination and the wrongs done against the Muslims, we extend our forgiveness. Even as we call for justice, we open our hands for forgiveness and reconciliation. Islam emphasizes conciliation. In fact, there is a common Islamic belief that when two parties are in conflict, and is not settled in three days, both parties become liable, including the one aggrieved.

For the differences in ethnicity, culture, beliefs and even faiths, we offer unity. Let there be no ideology, power or wealth greater than the unity of mankind, whose beginning is from a Supreme Creator, and to Whom we shall all return.

For the wars and conflicts, discords and unrest afflicting the world and our nation, we pray for Peace. Islam is Peace. Islam is a Way of Life. As Muslims, Peace must not be an option, it must be our way of life. All the sacrifices that we endured throughout the month of Ramadhan will be futile unless we fulfill the very essence of our being Muslims, to live in the way of Peace.

With these prayers, we extend our greetings of a Blessed Eid’l Fitr to all Muslims. May we remain steadfast to the ideals of the Holy Month of Ramadhan the whole year through.