Filipino Muslims form the largest non-Christian group in the country, comprising 5 % of the total Philippine population as of 2005. Also known as Moros, a term which originated from the Spanish colonizers, Filipino Muslims mostly live in the southern Philippines, in the island of Mindanao, southern Palawan and the Sulu Archipelago. 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Map of the Philippines showing the island groups of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. ... Palawan is an island province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. ... Sulu Archipelago is an island chain in the southwest Philippines. ...

In 1380, Makhdum Karim, the first Islamic missionary to the Philippines from, brought Islam to the Philippines. Subsequent visits of Islamic Malay missionaries helped strengthen the Islamic faith of the southern Filipinos. The Sultanate of Sulu, the largest Islamic Kingdom of South East Asia and the Malay Archipelago, encompassed parts of Malaysia and the Philippines. The royal house of the Sultanate claim descent from the prophet Mohammed. Makhdum Karim (14th century) was an Arab trader known for having brought Islam to the Sulu Archipelago of the Philippines, in the year 1380. ... For the province, see Sulu The Sultanate of Sulu was a muslim state that ruled over much of the islands of the Sulu Sea. ... Location of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia. ... The Malay Archipelago refers to the vast group of islands located between mainland Southeast Asia (Indochina) and Australia. ... For other people named Muhammad, see Muhammad (disambiguation). ...

Many of the inhabitants of pre-Spanish Era Philippines were said to be of the Muslim faith. Rajah Sulayman, the local chieftain of Manila at the time of Spanish conquest under Martín de Goiti and Juan de Salcedo, was a Muslim. The chieftain of Mactan Island, Lapu-Lapu, led a skirmish with the Spanish in 1521 (known as the Battle of Mactan), in which Ferdinand Magellan was killed. An ingrained Islamic legacy in the Philippines is the custom to circumcise (tuli). When the Spaniards arrived, circumcision was justified as being Christian. The practice continues to this day and is still popular among Filipinos, even those of other faiths. Rajah Sulayman (Muslim : Suliman) was a native muslim king, who ruled with Rajah Matanda a large population of Tagalogs on the southern part of the Pasig River and the city of Manila, during the 16th century. ... Martín de Goiti (b. ... Juan de Salcedo (b. ... Mactan Island lies a few kilometers to the southeast of the island of Cebu in the Philippines. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Events January 3 - Pope Leo X excommunicates Martin Luther in the papal bull Decet Romanum Pontificem. ... The Battle of Mactan was fought in the Philippines on April 27, 1521. ... Ferdinand Magellan (Portuguese: Fernão de Magalhães, IPA pronunciation: //; Spanish: Fernando or Hernando de Magallanes; Spring 1480–April 27, 1521[1]) was a Portuguese maritime explorer who led the first successful attempt to circumnavigate the Earth. ... A Christian is a follower of Jesus Christ. ...

Longstanding economic grievances stemming from resentment of popular prejudice against them and years of governmental neglect contribute to the roots of Muslim insurgency in recent decades.

Subgroups

Ten cultural subgroups could be identified on the basis of language. Three of these groups made up the great majority of Moros. They were the Maguindanaos of North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and Maguindanao provinces; the Maranaos of the two Lanao provinces; and the Tausugs, principally from Jolo Island. Smaller groups were the Samals and Bajaus, principally of the Sulu Archipelago; the Yakans of provinces of Basilan and Zamboanga del Sur; the Ilanons and Sangirs of Southern Mindanao Region; the Melabugnans of southern Palawan; and the Jama Mapuns of the Cagayan de Tawi-Tawi Island. Maguindanao is a province of the Philippines located in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). ... Cotabato, formerly North Cotabato, is a landlocked province of the Philippines located in the SOCCSKSARGEN region in Mindanao. ... Sultan Kudarat is a province of the Philippines located in the SOCCSKSARGEN region in Mindanao. ... Maranao is the term used for the people of Lanao, a predominantly Muslim region in the Philippine island of Mindanao. ... Lanao is the name of two provinces in the Philippines: Lanao del Norte Lanao del Sur It is also the name of a lake in the Philippines: Lanao Lake This is a disambiguation page — a list of pages that otherwise might share the same title. ... Tausug is spoken in Sulu province in the Philippines It is a member of the Visayan language family. ... Sama or Samal is an Austronesian language in the Sulu Archipelago. ... The Bajau are an indigenous ethnic group residing in Sabah, eastern Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia. ... Sulu Archipelago is an island chain in the southwest Philippines. ... Basilan is an island province of the Philippines located in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). ... Zamboanga del Sur is a province of the Philippines located in the Zamboanga Peninsula region in Mindanao. ... Davao Region, designated as Region XI, is one of the regions of the Philippines, located on the southeastern portion of Mindanao. ... Palawan is an island province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. ... Mapun is a remote municipality in the province of Tawi-Tawi, Philippines. ...

Filipino Muslims are not a closely knit group and lack solidarity. Each group is fiercely proud of their separate identities and culture, Islam orthodoxy, and language, among other things. Endemic conflict persisted for centuries. Internal differences among Moros in the 1980s, however, were outweighed by cultural, social, and legal traditions and shared historical experiences vis-à-vis non-Muslims.

Hierarchy and Agamat

In the traditional structure of Muslim societies, sultans were the highest authority followed by the datus and their rule was sanctioned by the Qur'an. Datus were measured by the number of followers. In return for tribute and labor, the datu provided aid in emergencies and advocacy in disputes with other communities, through the agamat. A Datu is basic to the smooth function of the Filipino Muslim society. He was a powerful authority figure who may have as many as four wives but in modern times usually has only one. In the old days, they led raids on other villages. They may demand revenge maratabat for the death of a follower or upon injury to his honor. Datus continued to act as the community leaders in Muslim societies in Mindanao and administered the Sharia (Islamic law) through the agama. The support of the datu was essential for government programs in Muslim communities. Polygamy under Islam was permitted but rarely practised. Muslim communities tend to be hierarchical in rural areas. A sultan (Arabic: سلطان) is an Islamic monarch ruling under the terms of shariah. ... Datu is the title for ancient tribal chieftains in the pre-hispanic Philippines. ... The Qurān (Arabic: recitation) from Syriac qeryānā lectionary, also transliterated as Quran, Koran, and less commonly as Alcoran, is the holy book of Islam. ... Datu is the title for ancient tribal chieftains in the pre-hispanic Philippines. ... Sharia (Arabic: ; also SharÄ«ah, Sharia, Shariah or Syariah) is the Arabic word for Islamic law. ...

Government incentive to migrate, land disputes, public schools as propagators of Christianity

The government policies instituted immediately after independence in 1946 abolished the Bureau for Non-Christian Tribes, a legacy used by the United States to deal with minorities and encouraged migration of other Filipinos from densely settled areas such as Central Luzon to the "open" frontier of Mindanao. By the 1950, hundreds of thousands of Ilocanos, Ilonggos, Tagalogs, and others were settling in North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur provinces, where their influx inflamed Muslim hostility. The crux of the problem lay in land disputes. Christian migrants to the Cotabatos, for example, complained that they bought land from a certain Muslim only to have the seller's relatives refuse to recognize the sale and demand more money. Muslims claimed that Christians would title land through government agencies unknown to Muslim residents, for whom land titling was a new institution. Distrust and resentment spread to the public school system, regarded by most Muslims as an agency for the propagation of Christian teachings. 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... Central Luzon region contains the largest plain of the Philippines and produces most of the countrys rice supply. ... Map of the Philippines showing the island groups of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. ... 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Ilocano, also Iloko and Ilokano, refers to the language and culture associated with the Ilocano people, the third largest ethnic group in the Philippines. ... Hiligaynon or Ilonggo is an Austronesian language spoken in Western Visayas in the Philippines. ... Tagálog is one of the major languages of the Republic of the Philippines. ... Cotabato, formerly North Cotabato, is a landlocked province of the Philippines located in the SOCCSKSARGEN region in Mindanao. ... South Cotabato is a province of the Philippines located in the SOCCSKSARGEN region in Mindanao. ... Lanao del Norte is a province of the Philippines located in the Northern Mindanao region. ... Lanao del Sur is a province of the Philippines located in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). ...

Divisions

Divisions along generational lines have emerged among Moros since the 1960s. Many young Muslims, dissatisfied with the old leaders, asserted that datu and sultans were unnecessary in modern Islamic society. Among themselves, these young reformers were divided between moderates, working within the system for their political goals, and militants, engaging in guerrilla-style warfare. To some degree, the government managed to isolate the militants, but Muslim reformers, whether moderates or militants, were united in their strong religious adherence. This bond was significant, because the Moros felt threatened by the continued expansion of Christians into southern Mindanao and by the prolonged presence of army troops in their homeland. The 1960s decade refers to the years from 1960 to 1969, inclusive. ... Map of the Philippines showing the island groups of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. ...

Terrorist organizations

By 1970, a terrorist organization of Christians called the Ilagas (Rats) began operating in the Cotabatos. In retaliation, Muslim armed bands, called Blackshirts appeared. The same phenomena occurred in Lanao, where the Muslim 'Barracudas' began fighting the Ilagas. Philippine army troops sent in to restore peace and order were accused by Muslims of favoring the Christians. When martial law was declared in 1972, Muslim Mindanao was in turmoil. Species 50 species; see text *Several subfamilies of Muroids include animals called rats. ... The Blackshirts (Italian: camicie nere) were Fascist paramilitary groups in Italy during the period immediately following World War I and until the end of World War II. Inspired by Garibaldis Redshirts, the Blackshirts were organized by Benito Mussolini due to his disgust with the corruption and apathy of the... Lanao is the name of two provinces in the Philippines: Lanao del Norte Lanao del Sur It is also the name of a lake in the Philippines: Lanao Lake This is a disambiguation page — a list of pages that otherwise might share the same title. ... Martial law is the system of rules that takes effect (usually after a formal declaration) when a military authority takes control of the normal administration of justice. ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1972 calendar). ...

The Philippine government discovered shortly after independence the need for a specialized agency to deal with the Muslim minority and set up the Commission for National Integration in 1957, which was later replaced by the Office of Muslim Affairs and Cultural Communities. Filipino nationalists envisioned a united country in which Christians and Muslims would be offered economic advantages and the Muslims would be assimilated into the dominant culture. They would simply be Filipinos who had their own mode of worship and who refused to eat pork. This vision, less than ideal to many Christians, was generally rejected by Muslims who feared that it was a euphemistic equivalent of assimilation. Concessions were made to Muslim religion and customs. Muslims were exempted from Philippine laws prohibiting polygamy and divorce, and in 1977 the government attempted to codify Muslim law on personal relationships and to harmonize Muslim customary law with Philippine law. A significant break from past practice was the 1990 establishment of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, which gave Muslims in the region control over some aspects of government, but not over national security and foreign affairs. 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Two halves of a pig being delivered Pork is the meat taken from pigs. ... The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM; Rehiyong Awtonomo ng Muslim Mindanao) of the Philippines is composed of five provinces and one city namely: Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and the Marawi City. ...

There were social factors in the early 1990s that militated against the cultural autonomy sought by Muslim leaders. Industrial development and increased migration outside the region brought new educational demands and new roles for women. These changes in turn led to greater assimilation and, in some cases, even intermarriage. Nevertheless, Muslims and Christians generally remained distinct societies often at odds with one another.

This article contains material from the Library of Congress Country Studies which, as a US government publication, is in the public domain. The Country Studies are works published by the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress ( USA), freely available for use by researchers. ... The public domain comprises the body of all creative works and other knowledge—writing, artwork, music, science, inventions, and others—in which no person or organization has any proprietary interest. ...

See also

• Bangsamoro
• Islam in the Philippines
• Moro rebellion
• Keris

Bangsamoro is the name of the area claimed by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in the Philippines. ... Islam is one of the oldest organized religions to be established in the Philippines. ... The Moro Rebellion was the second phase of the Philippine-American War, following the so-called Philippine Insurrection phase. ... A keris or spelled as kris in English is a symbolic weapon that is mainly used in Southeast Asian countries. ...

External links

• Swish of the Kris: The Story of the Moros, by Vic Hurdley

Peoples of the Philippines

Ilokano | Pangasinense | Kapampangan | Tagalog | Bicolano | Bisaya Moro | Tribal groups | Chinese | Hispanic | Filipinos Abroad | Minorities The Filipinos or the Filipino people are the native inhabitants and citizens of the Republic of the Philippines located in Southeast Asia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Philippines. ... As of July 1, 2005, the population of the Philippines is estimated to be 87,857,473. ... The Pangasinense people are the eighth largest Filipino ethnic group. ... The Kapampangan, also called Pampangan, are a people of the Philippines. ... The Tagalogs are the largest Filipino ethnic group. ... The Bicolanos are the fifth largest Filipino ethnic group. ... The Bisaya people or Visayans are a group of people of Malay ancestry who originate from the central and southern regions of the Philippines. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Hispanic culture in the Philippines mestiso Spaniards in the Philippines Tornatras Zobel de Ayalas ... Filipino Americans Filipinos in Hong Kong Filipino Canadians Filipino-Australian Overseas Filipino Workers Overseas Filipino ... Americans South Asians Indonesians Koreans Japanese Arabs Europeans Jews ...