It is very interesting to note that while the Philippine government has been establishing schools patterned after the Western educational model, Meranao ulama (learned Meranao Muslims) with the help shared of concerned people have set up a number of educational institutions known as madaris  based on their Islamic knowledge and orientation. This has been reinforced by the standard works of Muslim intellectuals from the Islamic educational centers abroad.

Manaros Boransing, Federico Magdalena and Luis Lacar,  who wrote  their book: “The Madrasah Institution in the Philippines,” revealed that in 1950, two (2) Al-Azhar missionaries arrived here and they were, namely: Abdulgani Sindang (an Indonesian) and  Mohammad Taha omar.  They started their own madrasah, first in Mabul, Malabang, Lanao named “Al Kuliyatul Istihadiyah.”  Unfortunately, after a year of existence, the school was closed and one of the missionaries, Taha, moved to Jolo,  Sulu where he became headmaster of the Sulu Madrasah al Islamiyyah established there by Major Barely Abubakar.  The other missionaryu, Sindang, went to Cotabato on invitation of Datu Bara Lidasan who founded a madrasah at Barang, Cotabato.

Before the madrasah was introduced in this part of the country, some pandita or guro in the past and alim tutored students in their premises or the mosques.  In Lanao, one such person is Nuska Alim ko Ranao.  Some of his students included Guro-sa-Marawi and Kali (qadi) of Bayang, Madalum, Ramain, Ganasi and Bangon.  His successors were notably Sheikh Halabi  Mamantia (his student) and Imam Sasan (a Syrian missionary known as Hadji Muhammad Nur Yahya), both known as accomplished guros in Marawi  and adjacent areas.

It must be noted that the first “true” madrasah in Lanao was actually organized in 1938, with the name Madrasah Islamiyyah Kamilol Islam under the management of Kamilol Islam Society, headed by Sheikh Mohammad Saddiq, also known as Guro sa Marawi.

The establishment of madaris throughout the country has greatly influenced Islamic awakening among Muslims.  Such Islamic institutions are quite important for the Muslims nowadays. The enrollees, young and old and  male and female manifests Islamic awakening in the country.  Madrasah is  a religious educational institution designed primarily to strengthen Islamic faith and not the molding venue of terrorism as perceived by outside ignorant observers.   Madrasah is frequently staffed by ulama who have studied in Islamic educational centers.

Undoubtedly, almost  all of those pocket Muslim communities nationwide have built their own madaris.  Its rapid growth in  1970’s may deserve some attention. There are now Muslim communities with madaris in different places in the country.   In 1988,  about  2000 madaris nationwide with approximately 200,000 enrollees as cited in House Bill No. 14730 of 1988.

In 1999 Salipada Tamano revealed that “the coming of the Arab missionaries and religious teachers signified the resurgence of Madrasah in the country, particularly in Lanao, Sulu and Cotabato provinces.”

Factors associated to the decline of the traditional Madrasah education can be addressed in our upcoming articles.  Some questions have been raised. Is it because of the on-going accreditation policy of the government to integrate the curricular offerings  of the Madrsah into the Philippine educational system?  Is it caused by the foreign aid and guideline designed to improve the Madrasah education? These are among the questions that must be addressed by  studies that will be conducted in the future.

	1. Written by Sanaira H. Jamel on 01-02-2008 03:16 - Guest
	question? Sir, is this the madaris stated is the one conducting Madaris Seminar in Dimoporo Gymnasium MSU?     narinig na kasi namin about this but ang balita kaya maraming nagback out sa mga seminarists kasi nabalitaan nila na ito ay nadistribute na daw ito sa mga Mayors .

	2. Written by A. P. on 01-02-2008 04:56 - Guest
	Response Madaris is plural of Madrasah (Muslim school.

	3. Written by Yellow Bird on 01-02-2008 11:09 - Guest
	Response When Professor Manaros Boransing assumed at Undersecretary at National DECS, he embarked on a project of integrating teachings of Madrasah Education into the DECS curriculum in the elementary. Today, he has a budget of 200M yearly to support this through out the Philippines through partnership with LGUs. All regions are participating. Madaris teachers are now being hired by the DECS and paid jointly by sponsoring LGUs, except Zamboanga City and the ARMM who did not cooperate in the noble project. Participating elementary schools through out the Philippines are schools with an average of 10 Muslim pupils enrolled .Subjects include Islamic ideals and teaching of how to read Arabic , among others. Would be teachers are made to pass a certain entrance exam and they undergo training.Minimum qualification is Sanawi graduate or High school graduate in Arabic.The project is now full blast!

	4. Written by A.P on 01-02-2008 22:06 - Guest
	Reaction The project must be given serious attention. Subjects and the curricular offerings of our madaris must be enrich within the framework of the Qur'an and the Sunnah and not to be dectated by carnal desires and human authorities who are following man made laws.

	5. Written by YB on 02-02-2008 01:31 - Guest
	Reaction The idea here, as initiated by then Dr. Mahid Mutilan, and pushed through by USEC Manaros Boransing, is to have a sustainable program for the Madaris which is applicable throughout the country. The curriculum offerings had been recommended and reviewed by Dr. Mulilan and company!Time will come that technical courses will be formally offered to our high school madaris when the high school curricula will be offered and a good future will be awaiting our Madaris graduates. Unlike now,where thousands of Madaris graduates are landing without jobs at all because only very few get employed yearly as they are only thought how to read Arabic forgetting the teaching of economic livelihood.. Every year, expect the increase of unemployment in our midst.

	6. Written by Dar Al-Hekma on 02-02-2008 15:59 - Guest
	"Westernization of Matampay" Talking about the decline of the traditional Madrasah is a topic of great interest to those who have been watching at every single step in railroading the Madrasah System to its demise. While we appreciate the beautiful intentions-“to-be” in the aforementioned comments (which I respected very much), I also have another way of looking at it.     Take for example the “westernization” of Matampay. The Madrasah System had been slowly but surely dwindling around for sometime now while the “English Department” had been measurably and expectedly gaining its overwhelming strength over the other. Most of the students and faculty members at Matampay had swiftly shifted to the English Department thinking of the “immediate benefit” and its affordable means leading to a deserted “Arabic Department”.     The immediate result had been a discouraging and continuous decrease in the number of “Arabic Graduates;” while on the other hand, an influx of “English Graduates” at the same Matampay surprisingly surfaced. But, will there be any benefit again to these English graduates (if the purpose of this “westernization” is for employment per se? The answer is again a big NO in the sense that their English Graduates are not understandably at par with the university graduates elsewhere in the Philippines! So again, it did not solve the problem on the increasing number of jobless individuals.    However, if the program of the Philippine government, as advocated by many of our Professionals and even some of our Ulamas, has been really for good and for the benefit of the Muslims in the South, there could be many other ways like supporting the many different Madrasahs (as it was originally systematized) plus the inclusion of English & Filipino Languages and other subjects deemed essential.     In so doing, we shall be able to maintain our system of teaching Islam to our new generations while at the same time preparing them to relate if not to become competent into the outside world. After graduation, they can be Arabic and Islamic teachers again competent to handle the subjects (Islamic and Arabic) in the many schools as these now have been introduced “full blast” in other parts of the country. They can also be trusted salesmen, businessmen, clerks, secretaries, cashiers, representatives, etc. at least in our provinces.    Unfortunately, however, we are viewing the government program introduced at Matampay as “Westernizing” the otherwise famous and competent Arabic School and railroading the same to its death bed.     And the death of Matampay, being the symbol of all Arabic Madrasahs in the Philippines (at its prime time at least), is considered the single step in a long journey in eventually putting a halt to the teaching of Islam in the Southern Philippines.

	7. Written by Aslani Montila on 02-02-2008 20:31 - Registered
	"Westernization of Matampay" Hi Dar Al-Hekma,    Your comment if added with more details can be an article enough. Can you add some more, para ma ipost natin.

	8. Written by Khalid Ibn Taher on 02-02-2008 23:55 - Guest
	"Westernization of Matampay" No doubt, we have thousands of graduates of Madaris Education in the Philippines, especially in Lanao del Sur which remained jobless up to these days. In fact, I am sure many of them are getting older having not tested how to be employed and/earn a livelihood because their knowledge is limited to just reading Arabic. Granting for example that we have ten thousand graduates every year, only perhaps 10% may land a job or have gainful livelihood because very few can be accommodated say in the Arabic teaching profession. This is not debatable and every year, these new graduates are being added to the ever increasing jobless sector of the Maranao Society.  What is needed therefore is to teach our Madaris students ,especially in the high school,short term technical courses and livelihood skills which can easily be supported by LGUs and international and local foundations or Muslim philantrophists.  What is happening at the Matampay Madrasah I think is, many Madrasah students and teachers are attracted to enroll in English courses or subjects because obviously with English background it is a big advantage . Even you graduated an Arabic college course, acquiring a English course or knowledge of the English language will be definitely an added qualification in the field of a competitive employment arena.  I don't think Muslim parents, especially their children,will abandon acquiring Arabic education especially the reading of the Quran.The way I see it, teaching English as additional subjects in Madaris schools is a reinforcement , students learning simultaneouly both languages. No doubt , English is a medium of great importance in the world today in acquiring knowledge, in commerce and industry. Even Saudi Arabia is now in the process of establishing a 10 Billion Dollar King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Jeddah which is purely to use English instruction as the KSA had realized that the Muslim Ummah is lagging behind in science and technology!  Indeed, the national government can not completely support purely Madrasah Education without violating the Constitution especially the separation of the Church and State.So, the integration of the Arabic instructions in the elementary curriculum in areas with Muslim pupils as now being implemented gradually by DepEd is a welcome development as it does not violate any law and besides non-Muslims can also learn Islamic ideals and reading Arabic, thereby contributing to achieving peace and order.Local government units, nevertheless, can use their peace and order fund , in support of the Madrasah Schools.  I sincerely believe that this is not killing the Madrasah Education, instead reinforcing it. With the success of the program of the DepED , thru Usec Boransing, our pupils through out the Philippines will be learning Arabic and Islamic ideals side by side with English and Pilipino instructions!Moreover, there will be more Arabic Teachers to be hired by the DepEd now and in the future!   Our children shall however continue to enroll in Madrasah Schools even on Saturdays and Sundays, which are now being practiced in many areas, like Iligan City.

	9. Written by Abdelmalik L. on 03-02-2008 05:08 - Guest
	"Westernization of Matampay" To me this is developing our system of learning and not Westernizing it. Enhancing it to make it better and stronger. However, let us all hope that with the introduction of this new system, we Maranaos learn something from it.

	10. Written by This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it on 03-02-2008 06:15 - Guest
	Location of Matampay and other madaris Assalamualaikum,  This is a digression from your discussion, but I need your help to locate those madaris you mentioned in the article e.g. the Matampay madrasah, and the Barang Madrasah. At least these two madaris, and if anyone could direct me to more madaris that would be better. I just need a general guideline on how to get from Marawi City to these places e.g. which bus to take if any, or which jeepney and from which terminal.    Thank you, wassalamualaikum.  Affendi,  Malaysia. http://anakalam.blogsome.com

	11. Written by This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it on 03-02-2008 06:37 - Guest
	Westernization of Matampay Introducing English and Filipino (Tagalog) languages in our Madrasah is totally not bad. In fact, it is an additional weapon for the MORITS (students). However, I think it is better if these subjects are integrated in HIGH SCHOOL "THANAWI", but not in PRIMARY (EBTIDA'E) AND ELEMENTARY (E'DADY). During those periods, we should not overload pupils, by adding English and Pilipino. We should make it easier for them to master NAHO AND SHARF, as well as Hadiths and the Qur'an. WHY? because, any Arabic Students who do have enough knowledge of the above subjects, the tendency is he/she will graduate under par, and therefore, cannot compete with other students who graduated from other countries like KSA, Egypt and Kuwait.    The right time to integrate English and Pilipino in our Madrasah should be in THANAWI (High School) because students who have mastered NAHO and SHARF in Elementary have the easier to cope up with so many subjects in High School... just like English Students who have mastered English Grammar during his Elementary and High School.. when he/she enroll in College he/she can easily participate in any activities in his college because of his good knowledge of Grammar..IF NOT.. he/she would not even participate in a normal recitation in his/her classes due to poor English.    WE SHOULD not try to corrupt our the mind of our minors by favoring English Language than the ARABIC, which also the language in the life HEREAFTER....

	12. Written by Khalid ibn Walid on 03-02-2008 07:04 - Guest
	Westernization of Matampay The DepEd program is actually intended to integrating some Arabic and Islamic subjects to existing elementary schools where there are Muslim pupils where ever in the Philippines. These are not Madaris Schools. This is to prepare Filipino Muslim pupils to be equipped with Islamic knowledge and Arabic literacy after graduation side by side with the English instructions. It has not yet reached high school level.  As to existing Madrasah Schools, what we are proposing is to integrate technical and livelihood projects in the existing curricula with the support of LGUs and of course Muslim donors and foundations. There is no government programs yet along these lines and this is one way of solving the chronic unemployment problem of Muslims in the ARMM.  The Matampay Madrasah experience is the school's initiative and repeat,we believe that it was launched by the school to have their graduates some alternatives to enhance their learning not only Arabic but also English, because employers especially abroad in Muslim countries now a days are always giving priority to Arabic graduates with English background for obvious reasons.The more you can easily be hired if you have computer skills!

	13. Written by This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it on 07-02-2008 04:49 - Guest
	Response I believed that introducing english and arabic curricilum inthe madaris is and advatage to the students. I leaved in saudi arabia for 12 year and i learned how to speak arabic which become my grreat assets coz i can communicate with our clients without any interpreter.Let us not make any negateve notion about the intention of those who want to modernize out education system.I become an american but until to this date i still speak fluent maranao it is up to the individual how to utilized what he learn .in my own expereince i speak several languages its is all in my advantages. let us support those educator who contributed there brilliant minds for the advacement of the maranaw student to be more competative in this modern world that we belong. my kudos to those educator who work hard for maranaw students future.