Mindanao Festival

Islamic festivals have deep spiritual meaning.

In their moments of joy Muslims gather
together in prayer as a congregation; they fall
prostrate before the Great Maker to thank Him
for enabling them to perform their duty. The
two most significant festivals (both called
'id which means "recurring
happiness") are: 'Id-al-Fitr (Hari-Raya
Puasa) and 'Id-al-Adzha (Hari-Raya Hadji).

HARI-RAYA
The Hari-Raya Puasa is observed on the day that follows the end of Ramadan. During this festival
Muslims start the day with an ablution (ritual cleansing), attend the Id-al-Fitr Congregational Prayer,
and listen to the khut-bak (sermon). The men wear white headpieces; the women, white flowing
dresses that cover them from head to foot. The entire community congregates in the mosque,
constructed facing Mecca. It is not just a day of prayer, but also of festivity. As soon as the prayers
are over, the whole town becomes a joyous mass of people going around in the streets absolving and
getting absolved. Food and drinks are served lavishly. It is a day of generosity and charity.

The Hari-Raya Hadji is celebrated on the tenth day of the month of Jul-Hadji. It is the Feast of
Sacrifice, during which the wealthy among the Muslims are enjoined to sacrifice a sheep, a goat, or a
bull in the name of Allah, and to distribute the meat among relatives, neighbors, and the poor. The
Hari-Raya Hadji is also a day of prayer, of forgiveness, of charity, of family reunion, of rejoicing, and
of general festivity.

Other festivals observed among Muslim Filipinos include the sacred festival of Mauliden Nabi,
birthday of the prophet Mohammed observed on the twelfth day of the month of Maulud; Mispu, a
festival equivalent to the Christian All Saints' Day and celebrated on the fifteenth day of the month
of Shaaban or Taitih; Panulak Balah, a festival which falls on the last Wednesday of the month
of Sappal and during which all Muslims from all walks of life go to the beach and take a bath to rid
themselves of various "evils"; Miraj, a feast held on the twenty-seventh of the month of Rajab during
which an account of the Holy Prophet's majestic ascension to heaven is recited in Arabic and
translated into the dialect at the town plaza; and Lailat Al-Qadr, the anniversary of the revelation of
the Holy Quran held on one of the last two nights of the month of Ramadan.

(Source: Pobre, C.P., et al, 1978. Tuladan, The Philippine South. Metro Manila, Philippines: The Executive Committee;
160pp.)