CAIRO — Eyeing a more robust role in peacemaking in the largely Catholic country, hundreds of Filipino Muslim scholars have joined hands to launch a national body to unite Muslim groups in the Philippines, reported the Manila Bulletin newspaper on Friday, January 29.
“Through the historic summit, the National Ulema Conference of the Philippines (NUCP) nears the goal of organizing a truly national network of ulema and aleemat (women) organizations,” NUCP interim chairman Dr. Aboulkhair Tarason said.
Scholars from nearly 200 Muslim groups met at the weekend to discuss the creation of a national network of Ulema in the country.
Tarason said the new body would help energize Muslims to work together to achieve peace in the country.
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the country's biggest Muslim group, has been struggling for an independent state in the mineral-rich southern region of Mindanao for some three decades now.
More than 120,000 people have been killed since the conflict erupted in the late 1960s.
Mindanao, the birthplace of Islam in the Philippines, is home to more than 5 million Muslims.
Muslims make up nearly 8 percent of the total populace in Catholic Philippines, which Islam reached in the 13th century about 200 years before Christianity.
Uniting Model
Filipino Muslim scholars are seen making progress towards uniting their ranks.
“The first year of the Ulema summit formalized the formation of the organization as hundreds of Ulema organizations gathered together,” said Professor Moner Bajunaid, NUCP secretary general.
The following year saw the drafting of the Muslim body’s constitution and by-laws and the election of a board of trustees.
“This year, we will formalize the composition of our board which will lead for two years,” he said.
Scholars hope that launching a national Ulema network would united Muslims in the country.
“They are important in the Muslim community because they are being looked at as models being the learned and religious Islamic scholars.”
“They can mobilize people and influence the lives of the Muslim community as they lead prayers in mosques and people come to them for advice.”
“Through the historic summit, the National Ulema Conference of the Philippines (NUCP) nears the goal of organizing a truly national network of ulema and aleemat (women) organizations,” NUCP interim chairman Dr. Aboulkhair Tarason said.
Scholars from nearly 200 Muslim groups met at the weekend to discuss the creation of a national network of Ulema in the country.
Tarason said the new body would help energize Muslims to work together to achieve peace in the country.
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the country's biggest Muslim group, has been struggling for an independent state in the mineral-rich southern region of Mindanao for some three decades now.
More than 120,000 people have been killed since the conflict erupted in the late 1960s.
Mindanao, the birthplace of Islam in the Philippines, is home to more than 5 million Muslims.
Muslims make up nearly 8 percent of the total populace in Catholic Philippines, which Islam reached in the 13th century about 200 years before Christianity.
Uniting Model
Filipino Muslim scholars are seen making progress towards uniting their ranks.
“The first year of the Ulema summit formalized the formation of the organization as hundreds of Ulema organizations gathered together,” said Professor Moner Bajunaid, NUCP secretary general.
The following year saw the drafting of the Muslim body’s constitution and by-laws and the election of a board of trustees.
“This year, we will formalize the composition of our board which will lead for two years,” he said.
Scholars hope that launching a national Ulema network would united Muslims in the country.
“They are important in the Muslim community because they are being looked at as models being the learned and religious Islamic scholars.”
“They can mobilize people and influence the lives of the Muslim community as they lead prayers in mosques and people come to them for advice.”
