Today, as in the past decades, efforts have been made in finding solutions to end the conflicts in Mindanao. Individuals and organizations continue to work, recognizing the need and urgency to understand the complex political, social, economic and cultural milieu of the Mindanao conflict, in order to create and promote a realistic and lasting framework for peace.

One do-able project undertaken by the Communication Committee of the UNESCO National Commission, is a research and publication project focusing on finding commonalities in the values, beliefs and practices of Muslim and Christian Filipinos. The Project attempts to look at commonalities as a springboard for peace efforts, while recognizing the significance of cultural divergence to the creation of culture of tolerance and understanding.

Eight leading experts were invited as resource writers on the following areas:

• Focus on Religion
• Political Life
• Family Life
• Role of Women
• Focus on Community Life
• Values in Education
• Harnessing Religious Beliefs and Values
• Focus on Legal Matters

The area papers written by resource writers were validated in a series of round table discussions in September and October 2001. The outputs of these activities will be used as basis for conceptualizing, creating and packaging print and broadcast messages emphasizing the message of cooperation and co-existence built on the commonalities that bind Christians and Muslims in the country. Direct beneficiaries of the Project include schools, and media institutions.

Communicating for Peace:Commonalities between Christian & Muslim

Belief in one God

Christianity and Islam are both monotheistic religions. They believe in One God. The first and greatest teaching of Islam is: "There is one God but Allah and Muhammad is the prophet of Allah."

Moreover, when they talk about God, they are speaking about the same God. When they refer to God, Allah, Yahweh, or Elohim, they mean the God who is the Only One, the Creator, the Loving, the Just, the Holy, the Merciful, the Living and Eternal, the Wise and the Knowing.

A prophet of Scripture

Both Christians and Muslims have an exceedingly high regard for Scripture as the Word of God, revealing the will of God. For both believers, the Scripture is used in worships, is regarded as the criteria for living moral and religious life, and serves as inspiration in day-to-day living. Muslims regularly recite the opening sura and other short pieces as part of their daily ritual prayer

Belief in prophets

In both traditions, the life and mission of the prophet follows the same pattern. God elects a prophet from among his own people. He speaks their language and delivers the message of God. The prophet has the two-fold task of denunciation and annunciation. He criticizes whatever is sinful in the world and whatever is contrary to God's will. The other is to announce an alternative way of living in righteousness, in accordance with God's will and proposes or dreams better ways of serving people.

Prayer as relationship with God

Prayer as relationship with God, is very important in the life of both Muslims and Christians. The meaning and purpose of prayer are the same for both believers. Prayer is the acknowledgement of the dependence of humans to God, an act of submission to God. For the Muslims, prayer (salat) is the second pillar of Islam.

Muslims and Christians believe that they have a witness to proclaim to the world. Mission is at the heart of their faith. For the Muslims, there are three important aspects of mission. The first is to propagate Islam, which is total submission to one true God. The way of spreading Islam is through jihad. Second is to restore peace. The third pillar of Islamic duty, almsgiving (zakat), is imposed on Muslims to help the needy.

Excerpts from Oscar Ante, Focus on Religion, pp.1-18, UNESCO-AIJC 2001.

Political Life

Pluralism and Tolerance

There is also an Islamic perspective on pluralism. The Islamic system itself evolved partly through democratic pluralism with its themes of tolerance, dissent and social justice.

Pluralism connotes tolerance for, if not understanding of, other political, cultural and religious persuasions, including "opinions that we loathe." Toleration (tolerance), together with justice and non-discrimination, are the particular principles on which Islam civilization is founded, according to the Preamble of the Charter of the Islamic Conference, in which the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) has observer status

Religious Freedom

At this point, it should be acknowledge that there is a big difference between Muslim and Christian Filipino paradigms on religious freedom and religion itself in relation to politics and governance. In Islam, there is integration of din wa dwala (religion and state), with the Islamic state ideal of having Islam as the state religion. In the Philippine constitutional system, there is the inviolable principle of separation of Church and State (Art. II, Sec. 6) and the non-passage of laws establishing a religion (Art. III, Sec. 5).

Republicanism and Vox Populi

But while in the Philippine constitutional system the people are the ultimate principal, in the Islamic political system the people are themselves only the agent, representative or vicegerent of Allah as the ultimate principal, pursuant to the concept of khilafat (vicegerency of man). This vicegerency is bestowed by the Qur'an on the whole community of believers, and "this is the point where democracy begins in Islam. What distinguishes Islamic democracy from Western democracy, therefore, is that the latter is based on the concept of popular sovereignty, while the former rests on the principle of popular (vicegerency).

Human Rights

There has likewise been a disclosure, abroad as well as increasingly in the Philippines led by Muslim Filipino intellectuals, on Islam and human rights, including on human rights in Islam. In addition to the Qur'an which contains general statements on the rights of human beings, there are now modern Islamic human rights instruments like the Universal Islamic Declaration of Human Rights (1981) and the Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam (1990). CHR Commissioner Nasser A. Marohomsalic says that the latter is generally in accord with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, with several exceptions. Citing authorities, he says, "In Islam, human rights are granted and sanctioned by God and are an integral part of faith. They are binding divine commandments and their observance is an act of worship and their neglect or violation an abominable sin."

Minority Rights

In Islam, there is a tradition regarding the status of the dhimmis (protected non-Muslim minorities) which "went beyond mere tolerance to positive acceptance of others as a matter of religious devotion. The protection of non-Muslims and the guaranteeing of their various rights under the shari'ah was not only a matter of legal provisions or constitutional guarantees; it was an act of worship. Failing to uphold it was a sin as well as a crime punishable by law. Upholding it, on the other hand, was an act of piety and religious devotion through which Muslims, individually and collectively, hoped to merit divine approval and heavenly reward.

International Law

The human rights and minority rights already indicates a role for international law as possible common ground, a sufficient core of agreement, or at least a legal lingua franca in the context of peace negotiations, particularly between the Philippine government and the MILF.

Islamic law experts conclude that such principles are not contradictory with siyar (Islamic international law and relations) and that "acceptance of general principles of law by Islamic States does not provide any evidence of their Europeanization, Westernization or secularization as similar general principles of law common to Islam and other legal systems, religions and philosophies

Rule of Law

The rule of law is also "one of the main contentions of the Shari'ah. In fact, "an Islamic scholar, Dr. Hamidullah has described the Charter of Medina (formulated by the Prophet Muhammad) as the first written Constitution in the history of humankind which established, in the real sense of the word, the modern concept of the rule of law. By which it is meant that the ruler and the ruled both had to submit themselves to law. Now, this very important principle - which I regard as one of the major contributions of Islam to civilization - the rule of law in its contemporary form, was manifested in the government of the early caliphs

Equality and Equal Protection

In the Islamic doctrine of equality, the latter is not subordinate to any condition because "men are born and created equal and become unequal by virtue of social and political, that is, man-made institutions." The doctrine "negates all racial, ethnic and hereditary criteria of distinction among human beings because mankind is believed to form one community. The only valid distinction that would make an individual superior to others is fear of God, or piety (taqwa). Equality is very closely linked to justice, as shown by this Qur'anic verse: "O believers! Faithfully apply the law as divinely ordained, even though it may go against yourselves, or your parents and relatives, to both the rich and the poor both of whom God maintains; do not be guided by personal considerations, so as to act against justice, if you distort or withhold equal justice, God knows well that you are doing." (Surah 4:135)

Justice: Social and Political

Justice exists in the Qur'an and the Sunnah (the way of the Prophet Muhammad) as an even more clearly defined concept than equality. "The Qur'an uses two terms for justice, 'adl which means a just balance in human conduct between the two extremes of immoderate indulgence and callous neglect - and gist which means the just exercise of power.

General Welfare/Common Good/Public Interest

Relevant to general welfare and common good is the Islamic notion of maslahah (public interest). Senior Islamic scholar Mohamed Fathi Osman says that this notion is not specifically indicated in the divine sources of shari'ah but is subsumed in its general goals and principles. More importantly, it "provides important grounds for new laws that meet the ever-changing circumstances since responding to new requirements that arise fulfills the justice and good-doing which are both commanded by God (Surah 16:90).

Doctrine of Necessity

There is similarly a Darurah (Doctrine of Necessity) in shari'ah. A Qur'anic verse provides: "God intends every facility for you. He does not want to put you to difficulties." (Surah 2:185) There is also a legal maxim that "hardship begets facility" in the Majallah (Ottoman Civil Code). These "justify aside some shari'ah judgements or values to achieve a greater and more urgent legitimate need or necessity�(it) justifies an act which would otherwise have dubious legal basis or no such basis at all in Islam. It is darurah which often gives rise to ijtihad (creative reasoning effort) and qiyas (analogical reasoning and deduction) interpreting the primary sources of shari'ah to solve a novel problem. Mutual application by both sides of this doctrine of necessity common to them should result not only in finding more commonalities but also in achieving peace

Peace

"Islam means peace, whether as a way of life, an ideology, a code of law, a politico-economic system, or a moral and ethical value�Islam is derived from the Arabic root word Salama which connotes peace. Pax Christi (the Peace of Christ) "is the peace of the new Covenant and new creation�salvation and reconciliation, healing of hostility and division." The Bible enjoins Christians to "seek peace and pursue it" (Peter 3:11). Pope John Paul II has noted "the intrinsic link between an authentic religious attitude and the great good of peace." This is certainly a commonality between Muslim and Christian Filipinos, besides being the common objective of the peace process

Divine Providence

Both Muslim and Christian Filipinos implore the aid of Divine Providence even in matters of politics and governance. For Muslims, this is but natural, considering the Islamic paradigms of the sovereignty of Allah and the integration of religion and politics. For Christian Filipinos, this seems less natural because of the inviolable principle of the separation of Church and State. Still, it happens, and this is reflected in no less than the 1987 Philippine Constitution

Morality in Government

Morality in government is one common ideal of Muslim and Christian Filipinos, notwithstanding their different perspectives on the relationship of religion and politics.

A Muslim Filipino law dean once wrote, "The political concepts of Islam are anchored on the bedrock of a strong moral foundation. The infusion of strong religious moral responsibility into the conduct of government affairs is perhaps the solution to the problems of government today." The Islamic perspective on public office is "to look upon duty as a sacred obligation and to fulfill it scrupulously; and to regard power as a trust from God to be used in the belief that one has to render an account of one's actions to Him in the life Hereafter."

Leaders and Elections

In an Islamic system, the head of the state, who is the religio-political leader, is called the imam or amir. "His is the major responsibility for the conduct of the state, and he is the real locus of power since he acts as the khalifah or representative of God on earth on the one hand and as representative of the Muslim people on the other." "Whatever form the executive may take, a leader is always subject both to the shari'ah and to the ijma formulated under it. He enjoys no special immunities and can, therefore, be prosecuted or sued for anything he does in his private or public life. This is a fundamental principle of Islamic constitutional law, ensuing from the supremacy of the shari'ah. No rigid theory of separation of government functions can develop in a comprehensive, coherent system like the Islamic political order, except to provide some necessary checks and balances to safeguard liberty or justice." Islam does not prescribe any particular form of government, "the Muslim community is free to determine any mode of constitutional structure which suits its requirements."

Filipino Citizenship and Community

Muslim and Christian Filipinos share a common Filipino citizenship, i.e. membership in a political community that is the Filipino nation-state called the Republic of the Philippines. But for many Muslim Filipinos, this is nominal or passport citizenship. A recent study of perceptions of citizenship in Muslim Mindanao indicated: "Citizenship is an alien term among members of the Muslim grassroots community�they are Muslims with their respective ethnic groups and at the same time Moros before being Filipinos�Just as Moro is identical to Muslim, the term Filipino as well is often viewed by Muslims as synonymous to Christianity. In the perception of the early MNLF (and the current MILF), they were/are Moros, not Filipinos.

Nationalism

Still, the nation is what often catches colective imagination. Muslim and Christian Filipinos share a common strong sense of nationalism, but for different nations: Filipino and Moro. The 1987 Philippine Constitution, not just once but several times, exhorts "patriotism and nationalism" (Art. II, Secs. 13 &17; Art. XI, Sec. 1; Art. XIV, Sec. 3 (2)). As for the Muslim Filipinos, it was the imagination of the Bangsamoro (Moro nation), as a unifying identity for 13 disparate ethno-linguistic tribes, which has been the signal lasting contribution of the MNLF, particularly its Chair Nur Misuari. He once explained, "nationalism takes as much precedence as the inspired verses of the Holy Qur'an as ideological root of the Bangsa Moro people's Revolution." Moro nationhood in turn becomes the basis for claiming Moro statehood, separate from the Filipino nation-state

Freedom from Colonial Rule

There is actually one other unity or commonality between Muslim and Christian Filipinos related to nationalism, and this is anti-colonial nationalism, developed by the historical fight for freedom from colonial rule, first against Spain then against the US. Kalayaan (Freedom) was the name of the official publication of the Katipunan, which led the Philippine revolution of 1986 against Spain. Maharlika (Freedom) and Maradika (Freedom) are the names of the official publications of the MNLF and MILF, respectively. The Filipino fight for freedom led to independence, first from Spain in 1898 and then from the US in 1946

Shared Territory of Mindanao

A way out might be the notion of shared territory, akin to shared sovereignty. In particular, Mindanao is an island region, which has to be shared by the three main peoples there: the Christian Filipinos, the Moros and the Lumads (indigenous highlander tribes). This geographic reality has become the basis of a tri-people approach, which emphasizes not only the existence but also, the desired equality and unity of these three peoples there. By their shared territory of Mindanao, this itself becomes the basis of a new or additional identity as Mindanaoan or Mindanawon. But this should not negate Moro and Lumad identities, which are still strugling for better recognition. After all, we seek not just harmony but harmony in diversity. From diversity to diversity, we have come full circle.

Excerpts from Soliman M. Santos, Jr., Political Values, Beliefs and Practices, pp. 1-38, UNESCO-AIJC 2001.

Family Life

Muslims and Christian families are more alike than different with regards to the fundamental and core values considered imperative for the maintenance and continuity of society. It is this very fundamental aspect of social life that Muslims and Christians in the Philippines are really one in the very true sense of the word.

If there is any area in Philippine Christian and Muslim life where we can really be called one, it is this value we call familism and the centrality of the family in practically all aspects of our social life. The centrality of the family among Muslims and Christians in this country is one of the most distinctive features of our social life that observers of the local scene cannot help but immediately notice (Rivera and McMillan, 1952; Hunt, et al, 1974). The focal role of the family in the Philippines is clearly manifested in its willingness and ability to continue to care for its aged, the sick, and to assist family members, immediate and not-so-immediate, in times of financial difficulty and need.

Excerpts from Luis Q. Lacar, Philippine Muslim and Christian Families: More Alike Than Different, pp.14-15, UNESCO-AIJC 2001.

Role of Women

Role of Women in the Family

Ideally, marriage is a partnership between the husband and the wife. Realistically, however, the role of the man as husband and the woman as wife are pretty delineated. The wife is the manager while the husband is the provider and the head of the family. Traditionally, this is true in both Muslim and Christian households. As manager, the woman generally takes care of housekeeping and sees to the welfare of the children and of the husband.

Role in Economic Life

There is no rule against women working outside the home except in those areas proscribed by custom or adat. In the past, the norm was for women to stay home and take care of the children. Even today, there are still men who prefer their wives to stay home while they go out to work, even among Christian families but more particularly among Muslims. It is deemed important for wives as mothers to stay home in order to take care of the children, especially during the early years of the latter. This is because the stability of the family and the rearing of children are important and highly held values in both communities. However, with the financial pressure of raising a family, Muslim and Christian women are going out to work, perhaps more of the latter than the former

Role in Education

In the past, there were fewer women who were sent to school. Given the patriarchal environment of the family, the male children were the ones usually sent to school because they were expected to provide support for their families. On the other hand, women were to be supported by their fathers and later by their husbands. The need to acquire modern skills as a result of schooling was therefore more urgent on males than on females.

Muslim women are also asserting their right to education and while not yet on par with their Christian counterparts, they are on the road to doing so. In Islam, the search for knowledge was urged on all Muslims regardless of sex. There is no reason therefore why Muslim women should be left behind in this endeavor.

Role in Religion

In the field of religion, women to a large extent are marginalized in the decision-making processes. In the Catholic religious hierarchy, the highest personality is the Pope. There is a significant number of women in the church as religious persons with their own orders which are autonomous in their internal affairs but which ultimately must adhere to the Pope on religious matters. Women cannot say mass or perform other religious functions that are reserved for the priests. Although some Christian sects have ordained women as pastors, this is not accepted by all denominations. There are a number of women religious saints who have gained quite a following such as St. Theresa of Avila.

There is no religious hierarchy in Islam; nevertheless, men perform all religious functions. Women cannot lead congregational prayers due to the nature of the prayer rituals. Howvere, women can lead prayers among themselves.

Role in Political Life

Obviously, the cultural barrier to women being leaders has been bridged with the presence of women in many political positions. Nevertheless, the number of women occupying top positions remains small compared to men. This goes to show that women in the Philippines are way ahead in terms of political participation, already having two women presidents.

However, some local Muslim women leaders are developing their own networks and are no longer completely relying on family positions or connections to promote their political careers. This is taking place in the barangay level in some areas of Sulu and Tawi-Tawi (Abubakar, 1997). The same can be said for some women leaders in Christian communities particularly with the success of women's movement in their localities.

Excerpt from Carmen A. Abubakar, Role of Women, pp.4-17, UNESCO-AIJC 2001.

Focus on Community Life

Religion and Forms of Society

Today we are a bit more sophisticated about the nature of the connections between social and political order. Such mode of political correctness (or religious attitude) has prevailed making it possible to point out how politics as a dynamic way of thinking, feeling or of being related to others is simply the right form of organization for the state. If politics is a self-conscious activity; religion is not so; it conceives unself-conscious coherence.

Foundations of the Common Heritage

It does not seem enough to follow changes in the form of community life to trace our common heritage. It calls for untried explanations and offers new outlook on history. No thanks to the 5th century BC men of Greece, for they had come to realize that societies which could not easily be dismissed as primitive cherished different and even variant customs. Once this discovery - experience of cultural diversity - was made, one is unwise to ignore types of consciousness in the search for meaning of life and the ways of organizing community. Social theorists resist paradox that society can stand (as the state cannot) for a single system of life.

Units of Identity Construction

It is necessary to situate correctly the episodes that linked the Philippines to European expansion (Portuguese and Spanish on one hand and the Dutch, British and American on the other) and Christianity. Up to this point, modern Filipino culture and other aspects of social life have been viewed within the national context: nation and state. For any system can change, as new elements are added or old ones discarded, without entailing parallel changes in the corresponding system. The reason is that each system enjoys a measure of autonomy apparent in many Muslim countries.

Excerpts from Michael O. Mastura, Focus on Community Life, pp.1-16, UNESCO-AIJC 2001.

Values in Education

It must be noted that being educated for meaningful participation in society means being educated for the marketplace as much as for good citizenship. Indeed, productivity and responsibility are interdependent. Thus, accepting that the education sector has a role to play in the generation of values, and therefore the exercise of moral judgement means accepting that we educate young people not only for the market but for good citizenship, too. Let's examine here some basic strategies and values, which are very relevant to education.

Equality

One of the greatest challenges in making law realistically fair is ensuring that it is fairly applied. This means that no person may be denied access to education because of an inability to pay school fees, or because of his cultural identity or ethnicity

Respect

Respect in addition to intelligence or wit is one of the most essential qualities. Respect is an essential pre-condition for communication, for there is no mutual respect between educators and parents, and learning cannot happen if there is no mutual respect between the educators and the students.

Reconciliation

Reconciliation means establishing a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights, giving birth to the concept of "unity in diversity." This means that we accept each other through learning about interaction with each other - and through the understanding of how we have interacted with each other in the past Communication and Participation

Nurturing the culture of communication and participation in schools means the opening up of channels of dialogue between parents and educators, in such a way that mutual respect develops between them, that each side treats the other with respect.

Role-Modeling

An educator is expected to play a "community and citizenship role," to practice and promote a "critical, committed and ethical attitude towards developing a sense of respect and responsibility towards others," "to uphold the Constitution and promote democratic values and practice in schools and society." To "act in accordance with the ideals of their profession and to act as role-models for their students."

Excerpts from Dr. Hadja Roqaiya VR. Maglangit, Focus on Education, pp. 11-14, UNESCO-AIJC, 20001

Harnessing Religious Beliefs and Values

Religious beliefs and values can be a strong motivating force among Muslims and Christians in this country in the campaign to protect the environment and to promote sustainable development.

Conceptualizing messages of cooperation shall focus on the belief that God is the Creator of man and his environment. The role of the human being is that of a trustee to manage the other creation, and therefore he is accountable to God as to how he makes use of and exploits the resources provided by God on earth.

In the exercise of this function as steward, man must observe justice and moderation. While taking care of the needs of the present generation, the future generations have an equal right to live and benefit from the bounty of God on earth.

Excerpts from Abhoud Syed M. Lingga, Religion and Sustainable Development, p. 12, UNESCO-AIJC 2001.

Focus on Legal Matters

Asian Heritage

Common colonial experience: Spanish laws were effectively enforced in Luzon and the Visayas while the Muslim south was governed by Muslim codes and customary laws; only during the latter part of the American regime were the US and Philippine laws extended to Muslim areas.

Philippine Cultural Values

Muslim and Christian Filipinos are racially brothers. They both belong to the Malay race. While they differ in religion and culture, they are considered one people and share many cultural traits. They are "Asian in geography and traditions and Malayan in blood and race."

Legal Culture

Early Sulu rulers were addressed Batara or Batara Shah or Batarassa, meaning lord and master, based on the early belief that kings or rulers were divinely ordained

The Islamic Element

A more classic example is the Batangueno (Tagalog) expression under excitement of "Ala-I". This is in fact a derivative of the Arabic exclamation "Ho Allah," meaning "O My God!" The Hispanized version presumably of Moorish influence is the phrase "O jala!" In the Cebuano-Bisayan, the parallel expression is "Hala ka!" It means "careful or beware," implying "Beware! God is watching you!"

Another trait is the respect for authority and obedience to parents or elders. In the Moro tongue, the Sultan is addressed as Ampon (Tausug, meaning your Highness). A learned man is addressed as Tuan (Master), Shiek (religious leader), Ustaj (professor) and Pakil (Fakir, Arabic for jurist). These titles are common in the Moro tongue.

The Sixth Article of Faith or Belief in Islam

According to Imam Iljas Ismail, the sixth article of faith in Islam consists of "the belief that the power of doing good or bad actions proceeds from Allah alone." Allah does not like human beings to do bad acts, and helps them to do good acts by sending prophets to guide them from time to time all along the right path and to teach them God's (Allah) ways through His Commandments and Codes of Religion.

Predestination and the Islamic Social Order

Belief in predestination is common to both Islam and Christianity. The disparity lies in the manner of interpretation. Imam Ismail asserts the view of the freedom of choice by man between what is good or evil and man is therefore master of his own destiny. If he follows the guided path (Shari'a), he will attain God's pleasure. But if he follows the wrong path, he will receive God's wrath both in this world (dunya) and in the hereafter (akirat).

Administration of Justice and Court Structure

Spain did not effectively colonize the Muslim south. It was only during the administration of the Moro province (1903-1913) and later by the Department of Mindanao and Sulu (1914-1920) that general laws then enforced in the Philippine Islands were gradually extended to the administration of the Department of Mindanao and Sulu "under certain limitations."

Family Law under the Muslim Code and Family Code

Muslim Personal Law from the point of view of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) is broader in scope and application in comparison with civil law. It covers not only matters relating to family law (i.e., marriage, dower, divorce, parentage, guardianship, muamalat or transactions or contracts, trade practices, and civil delicts). It therefore covers the whole field of civil law as understood in modern law as well as religious rituals (ibadat) in the field of fiqh (jurisprudence).

Access to Justice and Conflict Resolution

The transformation of generalized Muslim ethos into organized adherence to Shari'a is a unique Philippine contribution to the legal culture of Southeast Asia where the institutionalization of Shari'a into the national legal system is still by piece legislation rather than in codex form. The success of its implementation and enforcement is another matter. From the time the Muslim Code was promulgated in 1977 it took another eight years or in 1985 for the initial appointment of the first batch of Shari'a court judges. Until now, the Shari'a Court is still undergoing organization due partly to the paucity of qualified Muslim judges and the conservative attitude of the Supreme Court in filling up vacant Shari'a court positions.

Excerpts from Mohd. Musib M. Buat, Focus on Legal Matters, pp.1-61, UNESCO-AIJC 2001.