By PNA and U.S. News Agency / Asian

Muslim Filipinos, with other Muslims overseas, are celebrating Thursday the feast of Eid’l Adha or Hariraya Hajji.

This is the culmination of the annual Hajj or pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia.

Some 5,000 Muslim Filipinos are expected to gather Friday in the plain of Arafat near Mecca for the Uquf as a culmination of the Hajj being one of the five pillars of Islam, Muslim sources said Thursday.

Secretary and Chief Executive Officer Mehol Sadain of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos is this year’s Amirul Hajj or head of the delegation and as a special envoy representing the Philippines for this annual pilgrimage.

President Benigno Aquino III has sent his greetings through the NCMF where he is joining the Muslims in the celebration of Eid’l Adha, as the entire Islamic world starts Friday with an early morning Eid congregational prayer.

“I join our Muslim brothers and sisters in observing this important celebration. Let this be an affirmation of our solidarity in pursuing the causes of peace and development for the greater good,” Aquino said.

The President wished that as Muslims mark the occasion, their reflections may usher in a more profound involvement in achieving for the country a united and equitable peace and progress.

President Aquino also said the government is one with the whole Muslim community in marking and celebrating the occasion.

Aquino, who issued Proclamation No. 488 setting Oct. 26 as a national regular holiday to observe the Islamic festival, noted in his message to Muslims the event’s significance.