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| Muslim Religious Leaders Hold National Ulama Conference |
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| Thursday, 04 February 2010 07:04 |
  DAVAO CITY – BRITISH Ambassador Stephen Lillie said it was a “pleasure to see what started as an ambitious vision being turned into reality” while Dr. Abu Hapsin, chair of the Forum for Religious Harmony in Central Java, Indonesia, said he “would like to learn from the Ulama here in dealing with their problems.” Both were talking about the National Ulama Confernce of the Philippines (NUCP), an organization of male and female Muslim religious leaders, who have gathered here for the 3rd National Ulama Summit on January 25 to 28. Lillie said this would bring a “positive difference to the lives of Muslim society here” as the Ulama “can play a very positive role in fostering debate about what kind of peace people want and to work for it.” He said the country has a strong Catholic voice and it is “just right for Muslims to have a strong unified voice.” He noted the challenges and opportunities where NUCP “can play a very active role in articulating Muslim hopes.” The United Kingdom, he said, is supporting the peace process between government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), citing its membership in the International Contact Group (ICG). At least 300 male and female Muslim religious leaders have gathered here for the National Ulama Summit and the Regional Conference of Aleemat (women Islamic scholars or leaders), signaling what Amina Rasul, convenor of the Philippine Council for Islam and Democracy (PCID), described as the “driving force to help us the ummah (community) overcome problems in attaining peace and development.” The Summit’s theme is “A Common Word Towards a Common Peace.” Rasul said they hope to finally launch the NUCP as an autonomous organization. In the last two years, PCID and Magbassa Kita Foundation have been assisting the ulama in organizing what is now the NUCP, a network of ulama organizations nationwide. The British and Dutch embassies helped the two organizations in what they then referred to as “Empowering the Ulama of the Philippines Project.” Rasul told a press conference Monday that 178 applications for membership in the NUCP have been received, from the municipal, provincial, and national levels. “Our basis for interfaith dialogue and collaboration thorugh a common word towards a common peace; we of Mindanao's different faiths and cultures, we havre much in common. We love God, we love each other as neighbors,” she said. Dr. Aboulkhair Tarason, NUCP chair, clarified that the NUCP accepts as members only organizations of ulama, not individuals. Former Senator Santanina Rasul, executive director of Magbassa Kita Foundation, said the NUCP has made some inroads in that the Senate last year “for the first time” consulted the NUCP on appointments for the Shariah courts. “Before, wala” (none), she said. Another example, she said, is the NUCP’s signing a memorandum of agreement with former Ambassador Tita de Villa, now chair of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) , to help ensure clean and honest elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). She said Muslims are tired of being told the ARMM is the “cheating capital of the Philippines.” She also said the NUCP was among the first groups that denounced the Ampatuan Massacre of November 23, 2009. Anisa Taha Arab, program officer of the Campus Ministry office at the Notre Dame University and co-chair of the Noor-us-Salaam (Keepers of Faith) Cotabato City chapter said they plan to help educate voters and members of the Board of Election Inspectors “on how to be a responsible and honest voter, candidate , or BEI.” Arab said that in the Notre Dame University, “we are using the peace module in the formation of our Muslim and Christian students.” She said they use the module in “every program we have” and that it “contributes much in explaining to the students that we have to be united - not to be divided by faith and cultures. We have to rebuild our society.” Former Senator Rasul said the Ulama elected 15 members of the board and that two women sit as board members. “This is the only board of ulama in the Muslim world that has women sitting in the board,” she said, adding that while the women religious leaders do not want to be out of the NUCP, the women have organized a women’s wing -- the Noor-us Salam. (MindaNews) |