MILF chair Al Haj Murad Ebrahim. MindaNews file photo by MANMAN DEJETO
With feelings of gratitude and good intentions, we are about to commence the Hoy Month of Ramadhan 1439 AH, corresponding to May 17, 2018 in the Gregorian Calendar, accompanied by the hope that we can excellently fulfill the rituals and truly imbibe the spirit of the sawm or fasting.
Ramadhan has always been a month of victory. On the personal level, we battle our base instincts and win over them by extraordinary restraint. Collectively, we physically feel the hunger of our less-endowed people thereby teaching us the virtues of charity and empathy. It is a month of liberation of man from his selfish desires and man’s domination over others.
As Muslims, especially the Mujahideen among us, we continue to draw inspiration from the lessons that all past Ramadhan have taught, including the present one and InShaa Allah the future Ramadhan that Allah (SWT) would bless us. That is, the more we sacrifice for Jihad fii Sabilillah, the nearer we see the unfolding of the fruits of those sacrifices.
Obviously, if we had not continued in our struggle, we would not have reached this far. The draft Bangsamoro Basic Law, which embodies our aspirations, appears to be on the verge of being enacted by the Congress of the Philippines. We are very optimistic since President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is fulfilling his commitments to the Bangsamoro
But above all, we thank and rely only upon Allah (SWT) who is the real witness to all our sacrifices and the only one that can justly reward us, not necessarily with what we can humanly aspire and wish for, but surely with what He, in his Omnipotence, can will for us
Let us include in our prayers the early passage of the draft BBL so that the peace that we truly wish for our homeland would start to dawn upon us. Let us pray for the Bangsamoros who have not yet returned to their homes, especially our Maranaw brothers and sisters. Let us pray to Allah that He would ease their burden, just as He would ease the burden and sufferings of the Rohingyas in Myanmar (Burma), the Palestinians, Syrians, Iraqis, Libyans, Tunisians and all those in difficult situations in the entire Ummah.
May Allah (SWT) shower with us guidance and good health as we prepare for the observance of sawm in this Holy Month of Ramadhan.
Your brother in Islam and humanity,
Al Haj Murad Ebrahim
Chairman, Moro Islamic Liberation Front
