Selfie break Special Assistant to the President “Bong” Go obliges photo-seekers in Sultan Kudarat. MALACAÑANG PHOTO “I trust that in the midst of religious traditions, we will find the strength and inspiration to live a life that transcends social, political and cultural barriers.”

Thus said President Rodrigo Duterte yesterday in calling for greater unity among various religions during the Eid’l Adha or the Feast of the Sacrifice.

“Ibrahim’s faithfulness taught us the way towards a strong spiritual foundation that is guided by our shared values of compassion, selflessness and hope,” the President added.

Eid’l Adha is an Islamic feast honoring the readiness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God. The sacrifice was stopped by God, according to accounts, at the last moment.

“Together, let us foster greater unity and harmony across people of various faiths,” Duterte said.

The feast marks the end of the annual Hajj pilgrimage of all able-bodied Muslims to Mecca, Islam’s holiest city.

Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go said “the mere thought of losing one’s son is enough to crush a father’s heart.”

“So we can only imagine the pain that Ibrahim felt when he had to take his son’s life with his own hands. Indeed, such love for Allah and courage are worth remembering,” Go said.

“May Allah flood your life with happiness on this occasion, your heart with love, your soul with spiritual nourishment and your mind with wisdom,” he added as a greeting to Muslims all over the country.

Amina Rasul-Bernardo, president of the Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy (PCID), sought prayers “for our brothers and sisters in Marawi who are displaced by conflict and living in oppressive conditions.”

“Let us also pray that with the Bangsamoro Organic Law, the Muslim communities of Mindanao will finally find the peace and self-rule they have sought for decades,” Rasul-Bernardo said.

She also sought prayers for the residents of Busbus, Sulu who lost all material possessions in the fire that razed their community to the ground.

“May the spirit of this holy day be shared not just among Muslims but to all peoples and faiths. From all of us here at PCID. Eid Mubarak,” she added.