The estimated 1.6 billion Muslims around the world, including some three million pilgrims with 3,500 Filipinos in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, will celebrate Islam's Eid'l Adha (Feast of Sacrifice) on Nov. 27 amid the annual pilgrimage on Nov. 25-27.

Eid'l Adha, one of Islam's only two major festivals, commemorates the Prophet Abraham's (peace be upon him) willingness to sacrifice his first born, which in Islam is, Ismael.

President Arroyo had earlier declared Nov. 27 and 28 as national holidays to celebrate the Feast of Sacrifice. The President later withdrew her declaration, citing pressures from the business community in the country.

Mrs. Arroyo said Eid'l Adha will only be a regional holiday in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

With Eid'l Adha coming on Nov. 27, this means the climax of hajj called "Uqof" or Standing in Arafat, will be on Nov. 26, when pilgrims climb Mount Arafat where Islam's messenger, Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Allaihi Wassalam, delivered his Farewell Sermon 14 centuries ago.

The hajj called pilgrimage is the fifth pillar of Islam and every able-bodied Muslim who can financially afford the journey is obliged to perform it once in their lifetime.

Office on Muslim Affairs (OMA) Executive Director Datu Ali B.Sangki said Sunday all Filipino pilgrims whose registrations the OMA processed have left the country by Nov. 20.

Sangki said the Muslim Filipino pilgrims numbering about 3,500 will join their fellow religious travelers estimated by Saudi Arabia's hajj authorities to reach some three million.

He reiterated that the "mutawiff" fees being collected from pilgrims are set by the Saudi government, not OMA, which has no authority to do it. (Mutawiff fees are collected by Saudi hajj authorities as payment for housing, transportation and food during the hajj.)

"OMA has absolutely no authority to increase or decrease the cost of mutawiff fees. The amount is determined by the Saudi government," said Sangki.

The OMA undersecretary said Muslim Filipinos should know by now that many problems that pilgrims encounter in the country and in Saudi Arabia are due to the illegal activities of many "sheikhs" (guides of pilgrims), citing a "sheikh" from Region 9 who collected money from his pilgrims and is now hiding from them.