Eidil Fitri 2015 Proclamation as a holiday

Just want to share with you the official proclamation for the observance of Eidil Fitr (Feast of Ramadhan) as a regular holiday in the Philippines this July 17, 2015.

What is Ramadan?
Ramadan (/ˌræməˈdɑːn/; Arabic: رمضان‎ Ramaḍān, IPA: [rɑmɑˈdˤɑːn];^{[note 1]} also transliterated Ramazan, Ramzan, Ramadhan, or Ramathan) is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar,^[3] and is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting to commemorate the first revelation of the Quran to Muhammad according to Islamic belief.^[4][5] This annual observance is regarded as one of the Five Pillars of Islam.^[6] The month lasts 29–30 days based on the visual sightings of the crescent moon, according to numerous biographical accounts compiled in the hadiths.^[7][8]

What is Eidil Fitr?

From Wikipedia:  Eid al-Fitr (Arabic: عيد الفطر‎ ʻĪd al-Fiṭr, IPA: [ʕiːd al fitˤr], "festival of breaking of the fast"), also called Feast of Breaking the Fast, the Sugar Feast, Bayram (Bajram), the Sweet Festival or Hari Raya Puasa^[1] and the Lesser Eid, is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting(sawm). The religious Eid is a single day during which Muslims are not permitted to fast. The holiday celebrates the conclusion of the 29 or 30 days of dawn-to-sunset fasting during the entire month of Ramadan. The day of Eid, therefore, falls on the first day of the month of Shawwal. The date for the start of any lunar Hijri month varies based on the observation of new moon by local religious authorities, so the exact day of celebration varies by locality. However, in most countries, it is generally celebrated on the same day as Saudi Arabia.

In the Philippines, Eid al-Fitr, known to the Christian majority and other non-Muslims as "Wakás ng Ramadán" ("End of Ramadan") or incorrectly as "Ramadan", has been recognised by the Philippine Government as a regular holiday by virtue of Republic Act No. 9177 and it is also according to Presidential Proclamation No. 1083, signed into law on 13 November 2002 – the only majority Christian country worldwide to have done so.

The law was enacted in deference to the Filipino Muslim community and to promote peace and harmony among major religions in the country. The first national commemoration of Eid al-Fitr was on 6 December 2002, marked by prayers and feasting.

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9177 

 

GREETINGS TO ALL OUR MUSLIM FRIENDS!!!

HARIRAYA PUASA GIFT: MUSLIM DELICACIES @ AUGUST 2012

We received a gift from a colleague for Hariraya Puasa which I would like to share with you.

And here is the gift. It is a set of Muslim delicacies - the lokot-lokot, the baulu and the black sweet, which I have not been introduced to.

Lokot-lokot. Lokot usually means rolled in my Visayan dialect. And the unique look of this Lokot- lokot has the appearance of fried vermicelli or bihon.

From this site: Taluksangay Muslim Delicacies in Facebook, I read more about the lokot-lokot.

Making locot-locot requires a lot of time and hard work. First the grains of rice have to be pounded into flour. Then the correct proportions of water and sugar are added to create a gooey mixture which is poured into a container made of coconut shell with regular small holes at the bottom, all the while it is poised above a frying pan filled with hot oil. As it turns golden brown it is deftly and expertly folded and shaped in the pan with a couple of wooden spoons to create the desired look. Watching a cook do the locot-locot is like watching an artist in motion.

Baulu. They say the baulu is a Malay traditional mini sponge cake usually baked during the Hariraya season. 

I don't know the name of this black delicacy. someone told me this is "black gulaman" but I am not sure if she was right. Can anybody help me?

I enjoyed these delicacies.

It is good the Lokot-lokot has found its place as one of Zamboanga City's pasalubong.

I see Baulu only during the Hariraya season. It would be good to see this more.

Thanks for this gift!