MANILA, Philippines – “Ilan ang mga Muslim ngayon na makikita mo sa mga bar, sa mga kanto, na ipinagmamayabang pa na Muslim siya habang hawak ang alak?” (How many Muslims nowadays can we see in bars, on the streets, even bragging that they’re Muslims while holding alcohol?)

The imam at the Quezon Memorial Circle on Tuesday, August 21, criticized practices by Muslims that go against Islamic teachings, as the Muslim world celebrated the Eid’l Adha.

The Eid’l Adha, or the Feast of the Sacrifice, remembers Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael in obedience to God, even as God spared Ishmael in the end. It is one of Islam’s two biggest feasts.

Marking Eid’l Adha this year, Ustadh Fahad Tambara urged a change of heart among many Muslims who have gone astray.

Tambara called them out not only for drinking, which is banned in Islam, but also for other malpractices, such as not wearing the hijab (veil) for women.

“Pinaka-basic, hijab. Kung hindi mo kayang mag-niqab (face veil), hijab. Mga babae, hindi magawang mag-hijab. Kapag meron lang pupuntahan na okasyon, saka lang maghi-hijab. Paglabas, pagpunta ng Baclaran, Quiapo, wala nang hijab, nakasuot pa ng fitting,” Tambara said.

(The most basic is the hijab. If you can’t wear a niqab, wear a hijab. There are women who can’t even wear a hijab. They only wear the hijab when they have to attend a special occasion. Afterwards, when they go to Baclaran, Quiapo, they remove their hijab, they even wear fitting clothes.)

Kindness to non-Muslims

Tambara, an Islamic propagator at the Amanah Islam Dawah Center, also said Muslims should be kind to non-Muslims.

“Alisin natin sa ating isipan na kapag hindi Muslim ay kalaban,” he said. “Sino ang aanyayahan mo sa Islam kung ang turing mo sa hindi Muslim ay kalaban?“

(Let’s remove the mindset that non-Muslims are enemies…Whom will you invite to Islam if you view non-Muslims as enemies?)

He said Allah is not stopping them from being truly just toward non-Muslims. He said Muslims in Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon, after all, can freely worship Allah.

“Hindi tayo pinapaalis sa ating mga bahay. Kapag hindi ka pinipigilan sa pagsamba mo, hindi ka pinapaalis sa iyong bahay, walang dahilan para makipaglaban ka sa mga hindi Muslim. Bagkus maging mabuti ka sa kanila, maging makatarungan ka sa kanila,” he said.

(We’re not being forced out of our homes. If we’re not stopped from worshipping, if we’re not forced out of our homes, we have no reason for fighting non-Muslims. Instead we should be kind to them, we should be just toward them.)

Tambara also said Allah prohibits the killing of the innocent. 

“Sinuman ika ang pumatay ng isang inosenteng tao, ang kanyang kasalanan ay para nang napatay ang lahat ng tao sa malaking kapinsalaan na kanyang ginawa. Allahu akbar. Bawal pala ang pagpatay ng mga inosente, bigla ka na lang mamamaril diyan, magbobomba diyan – ipinagbabawal ng Allah, Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala,” he said.

(Whoever kills an innocent person, his sin is like he has killed all the people because of the big damage he has wrought. God is great. Killing the innocent is prohibited, but then you would suddenly shoot or bomb people – that is prohibited by Allah, Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala.) 

The preacher, too, reminded Muslims of the power of prayer.

“May problema ka pero hindi ka naman nagpupunta sa masjid,” he said. “May problema ka pero reklamo ka nang reklamo. Paano maso-solve?” (You have a problem but you don’t go to the mosque…You have a problem but you just keep on complaining. How will it be solved?)

Thousands of Filipino Muslims flocked to other venues, such as Rizal Park in Manila, to celebrate the Eid’l Adha. President Rodrigo Duterte earlier declared Tuesday as a regular holiday for this Muslim feast.

“This sacred feast serves as a reminder of the fulfillment that is found in sacrifice. Ibrahim’s faithfulness taught us the way towards a strong spiritual foundation that is guided by our shared values of compassion, selflessness and hope,” Duterte said in his message for Tuesday’s feast. – Rappler.com