EID AL-FITR

Eid Mubarak! The National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) joins the Filipino nation in celebrating Eid al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan. This festival commemorates all the virtues that unify the Islamic faith. Muslims believe that the Prophet Muhammad got the first revelation of the Holy Quran during Ramadan. Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr focus on three of the five pillars found in the Quran that are central to Islam – Sawn (fasting), Salat (praying), and Zakat (charity).

While the NMP is closed for today’s celebrations, we present two of the most important items in this religious practice of the Maranao Muslims – The Quran of Bayang and the Dabu-dabu. 

The Quran of Bayang is considered both a National Cultural Treasure and one of the earliest manuscripts in Lanao. This manuscript was named “Maradika” (similar to “Merdeka” in the Malay language meaning “freedom”) following the practice of bestowing a specific name on each existing copy of the Quran, because of the limited copies available to Muslims in Lanao Del Sur during the early years of Islam in the area. The Maradika was believed to have been passed on to Saidna’s descendants and thus regarded as a family heirloom. It is one of the few copies of the Quran translated into a non-Arabic, Malay-related language and handwritten in Arabic calligraphy. 

Moreover, the Dabu-dabu is a signaling instrument horizontally suspended in front of the mosque and is used to call people for prayers. It symbolizes the gathering of Muslims to observe their religious obligation, and is typically made out of wood with a floral motif carved all over its body.

Come and visit the National Museum of Anthropology and see the Quran of Bayang and Dabu-dabu, part of the National Ethnographic Collection and displayed in the Bangsamoro Art: Faith, Tradition, and Place exhibition. The National Museum of the Philippines will resume operations tomorrow, April 22, 2023. The NMP’s flagship museums are open from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Tuesday to Sunday. Admission is FREE.

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