Tawi-Tawi residents hail recognition of mosque

COTABATO CITY, Philippines  --- Residents of Tawi-Tawi expressed delight over the declaration of the country's oldest Islamic worship site in an island town in the province as a national historical landmark.

The mosque at Tubig Indangan, also called “Bohe Indangan” in the Samah dialect, at a fishing village in Simunul, an island town in Tawi-Tawi, was built in 1380 by Sheik Karimul Makdum, the first  Arab missionary to set foot in the South to propagate Islam.

Makdum, who was also a trader according to contemporary Moro historians, also established closely-knit Muslim communities in Simunul and surrounding islands that are now chartered towns of Tawi-Tawi based on the Islamic concept of unity of government and religion, and equality of all men, regardless of faiths and races.

“This Republic Act 10573 is a big feat, a big honor for the people of Tawi-Tawi. We have prayed for this to happen,” said Tawi-Tawi Vice Gov. Hadja Ruby Sahali, who was elected representative to the lone congressional slot in the province in the May 13 polls.

Makdum,  said local historians, also established a strong Sharia justice system, the framework for governance  adopted by pagan leaders he convinced to embrace Islam  to lead and manage their communities.

Simunul is known for having residents with Arab descent, apparently descendants of  Makdum and his wives from the local community.
Arab missionaries that arrived after Makdum in Simunul also sired children with Samah and Tausog women, spreading further the area’s lineage of mixed-race villagers.

President Aquino, in signing R.A. 10573 last May 24, cited the government’s mandate to promote and popularize the country’s historical and cultural landmarks such as the Sheik Makdum Mosque.

Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Gov. Mujiv Hataman, who has jurisdiction over Tawi-Tawi, being a component area of ARMM, said Makdum is still recognized an influential Islam missionary as  many still go on a  pilgrimage to the mosque he built and to his grave, also in Simunul.

“But the trips to the mosque and grave of Sheik Makdum are being done only to show respect and recognition of his contributions to the building of the Muslim community in Southern Philippines, not to idolize him for idolatry is forbidden in Islam,” Hataman said.

The R.A. 10573 also enjoined the National Historical Commission of the Philippines to oversee and supervise the preservation of the Sheik Makdum Mosque.  - John Unson