The masjid's role in Ramadhan and beyond

«Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest) / Ashhadu anna ilaha ill Allah (I testify that there is no God but Allah) / Ashhadu anna Muhammadan rasul Allah (I testify that Mohammad is God's Prophet) / Hayya alas salah (Come to prayer) / Hayya alal falah (Come to success) / Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest) / La illaha ill Allah (There is no God but Allah).»

THIS call of prayer or adhan after sunset from the masjid signals that Muslims can already break their fast. Whenever the blessed month of Ramadhan arrives, the architecture and spaces change, reinvigorating Muslim neighborhoods here in the Philippines, most especially in the Bangsamoro region.

Temporary stalls made of coco lumber or bamboos are built along the road to sell different kinds of fruit, like watermelon, cantaloupes and mangoes. They also sell a combination of loaf bread, peanut butter and sindol, a Maguindanaoan delicacy made from fruits, root crops, special glutinous powder, coconut milk and sugar. Nowadays, many local government units put up their Ramadhan tent bazaars located in their public plazas that showcase food and non-food products as well.

Houses are decorated with Ramadhan lights shaped like crescent moons and stars. Commercial and government buildings install colorful LED lights that say «Ramadhan Mubarak» in English transliteration or in the original Arabic language.

But the most vibrant place during this period is the masjid which transforms from a house of worship into a community center.

The term «masjid» comes from the Arabic root word «sajadah,» which means «to prostrate.» In Islamic tradition, the first masjid is the Al Masjid Al Haram (The Sacred Masjid), where the cube structure called Kaabah is located. Its foundation was believed to have been laid by Prophet Adam and later completed by Prophet Ibrahim/Abraham together with his first-born son, Prophet Ismail/Ishmael.

After the obligatory night prayer, the believers perform additional prayers called taraweeh. When the last ten nights of the month start, tahajjud is offered during the wee hours. This time, the corridors and open spaces surrounding the masjid are crowded to seek the laylatul qadr (night of decree) that is «better