RDI-ARMM Update Last July 31, 2013 was another breakthrough in the history of ARMM. The first ever Provincial Consultation on the Institutionalization of the Regional Darul Ifta’ (RDI-ARMM) was successfully conducted at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) Hall, Capitol Building, Isabela City, Basilan Province. The said consultation was attended by more than hundreds of ulama coming from 11 municipalities and two cities of the island province of Basilan. It was spearheaded by the Bureau of Madaris Education (BME), DepEd, ARMM in partnership with the Basilan Ulama Supreme Council (BUSC). Alim Abdulmuhmin Mujahid, TWG member-representing Lamitan City, gave the rationale of the consultation, while Alim Rajad Basri, another TWG member-representing Basilan, reported the output of the last meeting of TWG members in Zamboanga City on April 2013. Hon. Juni Ilimin, former Assemblyman, lone district of Basilan, presented the legal and social bases for the institution of RDI. Before the end of his term, Hon. Ilimin successfully passed a resolution at the RLA institutionalizing the RDI. Ust. Yusop T. Alano, board member, 1st District of Basilan, presented also the Conceptual Framework of the Unified Curriculum for the traditional week-end Madrasah. As chairman of the TWG, I was given the tasked of presenting the consolidated output of the consultation. Below is the over-all workshop output based on the three major questions, to wit: 1) Who will compose the Regional Darul Ifta (RDI-ARMM)?; 2) What do you think are the functions, duties, and responsibilities of the RDI-ARMM?; 3), and; How to sustain the RDI-ARMM? “Considering that ulama are being praised by Allah, the Almighty, in the Holy Qur’an as the one who fear God most when He says in surah al-Fatir: “Verily! It is only those who have knowledge among His servants that fear Allah most. “(Al-Qur’an 35: 28) Pursuant to R.A. 9054 known as Organic Act for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Article VIII, Sec. 20, which says, “the Regional Assembly shall give priority consideration to the organization of the office of the Jurisconsult in Islamic law as established under existing law and provision for its facilities to enable the proper functioning of the office.” Henceforth, Hon. Mujiv S. Hataman, Regional Governor, ARMM, issued E.O. 04, S. 2013 Creating the Technical Working Group (TWG), tasked to facilitate the institutionalization of the RDI – ARMM, Furthermore, recognizing that ulama play a vital role in the community as partner of the ARMM government in its “Reform Agenda” on Good Governance, Peace and Order and Socio-economic Development, above all, on Moral Transformation, We, the Ulama of Basilan from 11 municipalities and 2 cities bind ourselves together and agreed to strongly support the move to institutionalize the RDI-ARMM of the present ARMM administration headed by Hon. RG MUJIV S. HATAMAN with the following expectations, suggestions and recommendations: As to the Composition of RDI: Most qualified mufti should be selected from every provinces and cities who will become the governing body of RDI and then choose among themselves a Grand Mufti as chairman; Mufti should be learned both in Arabic and English at the same time adil or trustworthy, and age limit should be from 40-63 years old. RDI should also perform the following functions, duties, and responsibilities: Serves as advisory council to the Regional Governor and to the members of the Regional Legislative Assembly on matters of Muslim/Islamic affairs; uniformity of laws to be implemented regarding religious practice; RDI should help eliminate corruption; transparency of RDI budget should be upheld at all cost; RDI is authorize to give sanction against violators of Shari’ah after due process of law; only Darul Ifta is authorized to answer queries pertaining to religion; RDI should not practice fanaticism to any madzhab (school of thought); Fatwa formulation should be in accordance with Shari’ah; RDI should formulate shariah relative to the issues that didn’t happen during the time of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.); Darul Ifta to advocate social issues like campaign against drug addictions, usury, etc.; Muslim business must be regulated by the RDI and Ban what is haram, for instance, cigarette smoking and the like; and helps solve peace and order issues, among others. To sustain the RDI, the following are hereby and strongly suggested: Subsidy from the ARMM and LGUs of all levels to be included in their budget; Establishment and institutionalization of Baytul Mal; unity of ulama and leaders in advocating unity and solidarity; Effective implementation of RDI in all ARMM provinces and cities to include centralization of zakah collection and its proper distribution; RDI officers should be permanent subject to CSC ruling; Good relationship of RDI and LGUs, however, RDI should be independent and free from political interference.” Hon. Mujiv S. Hataman, Regional Governor of ARMM, reiterated his full support to this noble undertaking both financially and morally. I believe that ulama play an important role as partner in the reform agenda we are pursuing in the ARMM specifically on Moral Transformation, Good Governance, and Peace and Security, he stressed. As such, they (the ulama) should be institutionalized so that they are not merely partner but become part and parcel of the ARMM government, he added. Hence, I allocated 5M pesos in my 2013 budget as seed money to materialize the RDI, he further said. On her part, Hon. Jum J. Akbar, Governor of Basilan, expressed also her full support to the institutionalization of ulama. Rest assured, that you have all my support in this magnanimous initiative because I am fully convinced that ulama should become our partner in the pursuit of peace and development in the community, she emphasized. Dr. ABoulkhair Tarason, Chairman of the BUSC, commended the effort of those who in one way or the other made the program successful particularly those who initiated the institutionalization of RDI. Truly, when religious and political leaders come together and work hand-in-hand many good things will be happening in the society, he concluded. Consultations in the remaining provinces like Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Lanao Del Sur to include Marawi City, and Maguindanao will be conducted soon insha Allah. The institutionalization of RDI is an initiative of BME under its special programs with a main objective of strengthening the ulama and all its potentials. With the issuance of E.O. 04, s. 2013 by RG Hataman, the TWG held a series of meetings. As a result, consultations with the stakeholders should be done. Once, consultations from different provinces and cities of the ARMM will be completed a consolidated report will be submitted to the office of RG Hataman for comments and suggestions. Then, the Hon. Regional Governor will certify it as “Priority Bill” and will finally be submitted to the members of the RLA for necessary actions until it will become a law insha Allah. As stipulated in E.O. 04, s. 2013 the following are the composition of the TWG: Undersecretary for Madaris Education as Chairman, one alim from each five provinces and two cities, one representative from RLA, one representative from the office of the Solicitor General as members, and two staff of BME who will serve as secretariat.
Posted on: Mon, 05 Aug 2013 22:07:12 +0000
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