Joel B. Escovilla of Mindanao Times / Patricio P. Diaz Fellow DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 26 August) – While Davao City is not a stranger to violence, the sheer damage of the 2003 bombs that tore through 39 bodies at
LAKE MARAYAG, Matanog, Maguindanao del Norte (MindaNews / 31 March) – With the still waters of Lake Marayag backdropped by lush mountains, the last Iftar (breaking of fast) for the month-long Ramadan culminated Sunday in this remote community in rites
MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews / 28 February) – The Holy Month of Ramadan in the Philippines will start on Sunday, March 2, Sheikh Abdulrauf Guialani, Bangsamoro Grand Mufti and Executive Director of the Bangsamoro Darul-Ifta’ announced Friday, after the crescent moon
An erstwhile bustling street in Barangay 23C, Davao City is now almost empty on the first day of Ramadhan on Tuesday, 12 March 2024. In observance of Ramadhan, Muslims are now devoting most of their to time to reflect, pray, and fast. MindaNews photo
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews / 11 March) — Ramadhan in the Philippines will start Tuesday, March 12, after the crescent moon marking the beginning of the month-long fasting was not sighted Sunday night, Islamic scholars announced. Bangsamoro Mufti Abdulrauf Guliani, executive
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 25 Aug)—Over these recent days, individuals known to us have been transitioning to the next world. As Moros, we possess our own perspectives and approaches when it comes to addressing the matters of mawt (death) and
GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 17 April ) — Malacañang Palace has declared April 21, Friday, a non-working holiday in the entire country, in observance of Eid’l Fitr or the feast ending Ramadan. Proclamation No. 201, issued by President Ferdinand
MATALAM, North Cotabato (MindaNews / 15 Nov) – Almighty Allah created us in a way that we are related and connected to one another as we are born from the reproductive association between our male and female parents. This relation
The claim of the Grand Imam of the biggest mosque in Marawi City that same-sex marriage is considered “immoral by all religions” is false. Alim Abdumajeed Djamla, Grand Imam of the Jameo Mindanao Al Islamie or the Marawi Grand Mosque,
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 4 October) — Thirty-four years ago, the Catholic Church in the Philippines began celebrating the Indigenous Peoples (IP) Sunday. In 1978 – when IPs were referred to as Tribal Filipinos – the Bishops, upon the recommendation
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 8 July) – We thought after transitioning from one quarantine status to another since the middle of March this year, we have passed through the worse situation. It seems we are just entering the worse-case scenario
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews/07 May) – May 6 was declared the commencement of fasting (Arabic ‘sawm’, plural ‘siyam’) in the month of Ramadhan of the Hijri or Islamic calendar. The declaration in this part of the Muslim World was done by
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 03 March) — March 6 of the year 2019 is Ash Wednesday. As most Catholics know, this day marks the beginning of the Lenten Period, the liturgical year of the Christian Churches lasting 40 days.
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 13 Dec) – The City Hall is spending millions to spruce up the holiday ambiance. True enough, as with previous years, it is a huge attraction to city residents and visitors alike. Interestingly, Mary holds a
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews/9 November) – Whether followers of Islam should adhere to one interpretation or be given freedom to interpret the faith as they please became a point of discussion during the Bangsamoro visioning exercise held here on
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/ 15 Oct) – Reading Stephen Covey’s Principle-Centered Leadership (PCL) amazes me at how his ideas are so close to my Islamic roots. Using the eight principles as a takeoff, I decided to find its roots in the
(Yusuf Roque Morales is a Commissioner at the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos) The Philippines is a multicultural country, primarily bound by ties of language, tribe and culture. As a young nation beset by conflict and internecine violence, these are
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 18 October) — At the press conference announcing the death of the Marawi Siege leaders Isnilon Hapilon of the Abu Sayyaf and Omar Maute in Marawi City last Monday, Defense Secretary said they “got the support
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews / 16 October) — In response to a dear friend’s query – So how do we feel about the reported deaths of Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Maute? Let’s put it this way: In 2003 when
(A modified version of a reaction to the presentation “Intra-Religious Dialogue: How a Faith Tradition Can Rediscover Its Unity” by Felix Körner, SJ, PhD, Pakighinabi Conversation Series, Ateneo de Davao University, Davao City, Philippines, August 30, 2017. Fr. Körner, a
(Author’s note: The aim of this article is to give a birds eye view on the different types of Muslim religious leaders in the Philippines and to avoid confusion on their typology. ) Understanding Muslim religious leaders requires that one
(Samira Ali Gutoc delivered this brief speech at the Joint Session of Congress to deliberate on the extension of martial law on Saturday, 22 July 2017 when Senator Grace Poe called on her to give a situationer on the Marawi
Al-Qur’an 4:58: “Surely Allah commands you to make over your trusts to whom they are due and when you judge (or govern) between people, you judge (or govern) with justice; surely Allah admonishes you with what is excellent; surely Allah
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews / 16 July) — Islam is among the major victims of the Marawi siege. This was the view of leaders of various sectors in Mindanao convened by the Bishops-Ulama Conference (BUC) from July 12 to 14 to “seek
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 15 July) — In a news clip coming out of the Marawi Siege, a group of people was able to touch base with the Maute group. In an ongoing siege, one way to end it is
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 7 July) – In a world where mainsteam narrratives about Islam are very skewed towards violence, it is hard for a reader to accept nor imagine that it can be a theology of love. Nonetheless, let
(Disclaimer: The author wishes to highlight the fact that there are many manifestations of how Islam is understood and practiced as a way of life. However, unlike the Christians who cannot pray together under one prayer leader or minister except
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 12 June) — I have come across something written by Patricio Abinales, a commentary on “Why Cosmopolitan Islam will Defeat Islamic Fundamentalism.” I am much troubled by his seemingly distorted definition of cosmopolitan Islam and using
Is Bai Tan real or fiction? But maybe when I meet a real one, she shall be a Sama, specifically, a Sama min-dilaut. No, not going by the royal-sounding Bai, who lives a land-away min-danaw. She is “rayang-rayang-rayOnnng!”, but not
In this very important and timely book – REVISITING DOCUMENTARY SOURCES IN MINDANAO MUSLIM HISTORY: From the Advent of Islam to the 1800s – a group of historians/social scientists of the Ateneo de Davao University (John Henry D. Gamas, Anderson
3rd of 10 parts 22 May 2017 In the second article in this series we raised the question as to whether feelings of enmity still exist among significant portions of Muslim and Christian Filipinos vis-à-vis each other. Whatever the situation
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 10 May) — Eleven nursing students from Mahardika Institute of Technology (MIT) of Bongao, Tawi-Tawi opted to assert proactively their right to wear hijab in the premises of the Lung Center of the Philippines (LCP) in
QUEZON CITY (MindaNews / 19 Jan) – This year – 2017 or 1438 in Hijriyyah Calendar – may not be the birthing of a new era; in fact, it would simply be a continuation of the past depending on how we divide
MAKATI CITY (MindaNews /19 January) – At the sideline of a peace-building symposium-workshop at the height of the national electoral campaign period last year, the casual conversation between two long-time friends, a Muslim NGO worker and a Mindanao-based non-Muslim journalist,
Mansoor L. Limba on November 17, 2016 (A modified transcript of 20-minute presentation of the paper “Debt Management in Behavioral Economics and Personal Finance as Reflected in Sahifah al-Sajjadiyyah” at the 3rd International Conference on Human Sciences in Islam, Jakarta,
(A modified transcript of 20-minute presentation of the paper “Jawi Documents in Mindanao: Their Significance in Shaping National Muslim Narrative” at the 2016 Philippine National Historical Society’s National Conference, Almont Resort Hotel, Butuan City, October 20, 2016.) Salamun ‘alaykum and
Moro women board a passenger jeep after attending a symposium on Islam at the Mahad in Pikit, North Cotabato on Thursday, 06 October 2016. (Mindanews Photo)
(Speech delivered at the “Thirst For Peace: Religions and Cultures in Dialogue” in Assisi, Italy on September 18-20, 2016, on the Panel Discussion “Terrorism Denies God.” Pope Francis addressed some 400 participating leaders from various religions worldwide, on September 20,
(Message of Governor Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, for Eid’l Adha, 12 Septembers 2016) As Muslims who live true to the values of Islam, we make many sacrifices based on faith — faith in ourselves, faith
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 06 Sept) — President Rodrigo Duterte has declared Monday, September 12 a regular holiday nationwide in observance of Eid’l Adha (Islamic Feast of Sacrifice). The declaration was made under Proclamation No. 56, signed by Executive Secretary
QUEZON CITY (MindaNews/18 June) — Barely a week into the fasting month of Ramadan, our peaceful introspection and prayerful reveries were shattered by newsfeeds on the gruesome mayhem wreaked by a 29 -ear old Omar Mateen, turned by online violent
Muslims pray inside a mosque at Quimpo Boulevard, Davao City to mark the start of the Holy month of Ramadan in this photo taken on June 6, 2016. [] MindaNews photo by Toto Lozano
COTABATO CITY (ARMM BPI / 03 June) — The Regional Darul Ifta’ in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (RDI-ARMM) has set a moon sighting across the region on Sunday, June 5, to confirm the start of Ramadan this year.
QUEZON CITY (MindaNews / 27 Sept) – Today (Sept. 24). we join the Muslim world in celebrating the eidu l-adha (Day of Sacrifice) in the year 1436 AH or 2015. More than two million people are now in journey performing their haj or pilgrimage
QUEZON CITY (MindaNews/18 August) – When we say we could suffer from frustration when we talk about Sunni-Shi’a schism, it is because what continuously transpires in the most penetrated and volatile region – the Middle East – is a continuing
QUEZON CITY (MindaNews/25 April) – When in our previous khutbah (discourse) we tried to emphasize the unitive and cooperative character of so-called Sunni and Shi’a, our purpose is to highlight their rich and harmonious interaction in many phases of Islamic
QUEZON CITY (MindaNews/28 February)– In a recent National Prayer Breakfast at the White House, President Barack Obama tried to rationalize the innate tendency in man to engage on acts beyond the pattern or natural order of life. He created an
QUEZON CITY (MindaNews / 25 Feb) – The challenge faced by the ummah (community) comes in many forms requiring understanding that should sink in into our consciousness so we heighten our faith or iman. Every challenge, in fact, presents as ayah or sign, which every
QUEZON CITY (MindaNews/15 December) – Three or four days ago, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) held its 35th Summit Meeting at Doha, Qatar raising the need to intensify regional security among its six-member countries. For those like us who live
