COTABATO CITY, Philippines - Officials on Wednesday established the Darul Iftah in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARRM) to help oversee ARMM’s religious activities and promote religious solidarity among local Muslim, Christian and Lumad folks.
The Darul Iftah, comprised of top regional muftis (clerics), is also known as either the Regional Islamic House of Opinions or Regional Juris Consult.
ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman approved, in a simple rite Wednesday afternoon in Cotabato City, the law creating the Darul Iftah, dubbed Muslim Mindanao Autonomy Act 323, in the presence of Speaker Ronnie Sinsuat of the Regional Legislative Assembly (“RLA”) and his constituent-lawmakers from the eight congressional districts in the region.
The RLA, touted as “Little Malacañang” of the autonomous region, is comprised of three representatives from each of ARMM’s eight congressional districts.
Hataman said he is thankful to the RLA for having passed into law the Darul Iftah bill, which he had previously certified as urgent.
“This is again another first ever in the 24-year history of ARMM,” a visibly delighted Hataman said in an impromptu message after the symbolic approval of the law, done in the presence of reporters and clerics from the ARMM provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.
A senior member of the RLA, Maguindanao 2nd District Assemblyman Khadafeh Mangudadatu, said the Darul Iftah can also engage in programs meant to address religious extremism, which is giving Islam a bad image.
“We did not hesitate to support the proposal to create it via a regional law because we fully understood its importance in furthering good governance in the autonomous region,” Mangudadatu said.
Foreign-trained cleric Abulkahir Tarasol, ARMM’s regional grand mufti, said he and his colleagues in the Darul Iftah are thankful to the RLA and to Hataman for initiating the creation of the entity via legislation.
He said they will focus on activities needed to strengthen Islamic practices focused on religious tolerance and co-existence and in propagating the culture of peace and cross-section solidarity based on equality of all men regardless of races and faiths.