Marcos joins Muslim community in Isra Wal Mi’raj observance

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. on Thursday  joined the Muslim community in the observance of the Isra Wal Mi’raj, The Night Journey and Ascension of the Prophet Muhammad.

“As one of the most celebrated events in Islam, The Night journey and Ascension of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) gives a perfect picture of the rewards that our Muslim brothers and sisters may reap by having faith in the All-Hearing and All-Seeing Allah,” Marcos said in his message.

“More than that, the narrative also magnifies the glory and might of Allah who revealed, during this difficult and perilous journey, the virtue of pursuing righteousness and the incomparable prize that await us when we remain true and devoted to our faith and our convictions,'' he added. 

He noted that such event is a source of strength that they can hold on to in difficult circumstances.

“Through these, we are forged to become not only living witnesses of our faith but also Allah's agents of transformation and renewal here on Earth,” Marcos said.

Marcos expressed hope that the occasion would ''imbue us with increased courage and optimism as we collectively face and transform the future of our nation to be more peaceful, inclusive, and progressive for all Filipinos to enjoy.''

Malacañang has declared February 8 as a holiday in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and other Muslim-majority areas in commemoration of the Al-Isra’ Wal Mi’raj.

According to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), the holiday applies in the following provinces and cities:

• Basilan
• Lanao del Norte
• Lanao del Sur
• Maguindanao
• North Cotabato
• Sultan Kudarat
• Sulu
• Tawi-Tawi
• Zamboanga del Sur
• Zamboanga del Norte
• Cotabato
• Iligan
• Marawi
• Pagadian
• Zamboanga

In Islam, Isra Wal Mi’raj is the night that Prophet Muhammad ascended to the seven stages of heaven and began a miraculous trip from Mecca to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. —Anna Felicia Bajo/ VAL, GMA Integrated News