Final Requirement in

Philippine History 418

Prepared by: Hilmar W. Trinidad

Submitted to: Ma’am Marieannz Ronquillo Ocampo

Chapter 20: Islam in the Philippines
Islam Religion would have been the Dominant religion in the Philippines if the Spanish
Army didn’t colonize our country. Islam reached the Philippines 141 years before
Magellan arrived in the Philippines and planted the Christian cross at the summit of a
hill in Masao on Easter Sunday March 31, 1521. Islam was introduced about 1380 in
Sulu by a Muslim missionary from Malacca, Sharif Makdum, a noted judge and scholar
of Mecca. After converting the sultan and people of Malacca, he went to Sulu where he
propagated Islam. He built a Mosque at Tubig-Indagan on the Island of Simunul. The
first Muslim leader to reach Mindanao was Sharif Kabungsuwan. He landed at
Cotobato (Maguindanao) in 1475, from Johore. He converted the people to Islam and
Married a native prncess named Putri Tunina. He became the first sultan of
Maguindanao. From Sulu and Mindanao, Islam spread across the Visayas to the shores
of Manila. At the time of Legazpi’s arrival in 1571, Manila and Tondo were Muslim
Kingdoms. There were also many Muslims in Batangas, Pampanga, Mindoro, and
Catanduanes, as in Mindanao and Sulu. Islam has its own ways and customs, and their
faith, their God is Allah, and Mohammad is His Prophet, and the Bible they use are
called Qu’ran. Courtship among them comes after marriage and their marriages are
arranged by their parents and the suitors are not allowed to talk with their girlfriends.
Polygamy is a recognized practice among the Muslims. According to their Bible, A man
may have as many as four wives, provided he can support then. Divorce is also
permitted. Muslims do not eat pork and drink wine. Their religion considers a pig as
unclean and therefore its meat must not be eaten by all believers. They have been at war
with the Spanish army and the Filipino Christian for Three Centuries. The term Moro
is a Spanish term for Moor or Muslim. The Moros are great warriors. They can fight
well on land and at sea. Contrary to popular misconception, the Muslim Filipinos are
hospitable, kind, brave, and patriotic like their Christian brothers. Arabia didn’t just
imprint our country with the Islam religion but it was the greatest legacy. It also came
the Sultanate form of Government, The Arabic alphabet, the system of jurisprudence
based on Qu’ranic Law, the Arabic Calender and Islamic Holidays, the Arabic arts and
certain Islamic customs and practices, notably polygamy, divorce, slavery, prohibition
of eating pork, abstinence from drinking wines, giving of alms to the poor, and
pilgrimage to Mecca.