Palace on Ramadan: ‘We are all parts of one whole’

FILE: Men praying during Ramadan at the Shrine of Ali or “Blue Mosque” in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan (Photo By vetman, CC BY-SA 3.0)

MANILA — Malacañang on Monday joined Muslim Filipinos in observing the fasting month of Ramadan, which began on the evening of May 5, reminding them that “we are all parts of a whole.”

“The Palace joins President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and our Muslim-Filipino brethren and sisters here and abroad in this time of spiritual cleansing, growth and thanksgiving to Allah,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a statement.

Panelo said aside from being a time for reflection, Ramadan should also raise consciousness that “a movement of one part affects the other parts.

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“As we observe the blessed month of Ramadan, we must look at this solemn occasion not only as a manifestation of the great Islamic faith but a time for reflection not only of our unity in our cultural diversity as a society but to a realization that we are all parts of one whole,” Panelo said.

The Presidential Spokesperson noted the importance of Ramadan being a time to “make sacrifices” towards spiritual purification through prayer, fasting, and contemplation.

He, meanwhile, urged Muslim Filipinos to work together in nation-building.

“Together, let us join hands in building a nation grounded on love, respect, inclusivity and mutual understanding,” Panelo said.

“We are all our brothers’ keeper,” he added.

Ramadan, the most important month of the year in the Muslim calendar, involves believers abstaining from eating and drinking during daylight hours.

The end of the Ramadan fast is celebrated as Eid al-Fitr, the Feast of Breaking the Feast.