On conferring titles to non-Muslims by the Maranaos
MARAWI CITY, October 6 -- One major issue that has been rocking the Maranao culture, customs and traditions is the conferring of Maranao royal names on non-Muslims by Maranao organizations, especially those whose members are holding royal titles.
This practice has been going on for so long and, for so long, too, many Maranaos have been questioning the moral ground of such conferring of Maranao titles, or titles decreed in the Maranao lingo, on non-Muslims.
Within this month of October, an international humanitarian figure Maria Amor will be conferred the title “Sultana Bae a Gaus sa Mindanao, Sulu and Palawan,” by one of the so-called royal houses organization in Lanao in partnership with Lanao Muslim Professionals.
Organizers, hosts or sponsors of the planned enthronement -- others say coronation as the right term to be used -- might be concerned on the plight of the Maranao evacuees still suffering in tents and temporary shelters, since the travelling princess have promised a 10,000 shelters in a project called Eco-Palace Mindanao.
Organizers, hosts or sponsors of the planned enthronement -- others say coronation as the right term to be used -- might be concerned on the plight of the Maranao evacuees still suffering in tents and temporary shelters, since the travelling princess have promised a 10,000 shelters in a project called Eco-Palace Mindanao.
Nitizens celebrated a bashing ceremony on social media, accusing those behind the enthronement of Princess Amor as violating the Taritib and Ijma. Matching curses are thrown against them, saying they will soon receive the wrath for such disrespect and desecration of the Maranao Taritib and Ijma.
There were even reports that Marawi traditional leaders asked the management of Marawi Resort Hotel where the affair is supposed to be held but the General Manager said he could not do what they wanted unless he is presented with a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) from the court.
There were even reports that Marawi traditional leaders asked the management of Marawi Resort Hotel where the affair is supposed to be held but the General Manager said he could not do what they wanted unless he is presented with a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) from the court.
The awardee was not spared, she was mocked aimed to disgrace her. But that fiesta of nitizens barangay did not faze the organizers, not even the princess. It seems all the mocking and sarcasm and all the like are but part of the show: a neo-culture of the proud Maranao.
The point at issue is based on the existing Taritib and Ijma, the set of Maranao tribal rules orally transmitted from one generation to the next, which until now has not been formally written, and which the Maranaos have cherished since time immemorial, despite the many inconsistencies in it.
One particular inconsistency is why there are so many Sultans and Bai a Labis enthroned and who are reigning at the same time in one House? I don’t believe this is in accordance with the concept of “Lbatan a Omanan.” To me I agree with those who think this is simply irregular if not ridiculous.
This brings us to ask whether there is such a specific rule in the Taritib or Ijma that prohibits the conferment of this kind of award, and whether there is a law that penalizes such a violation of the rule so that this practice, if it is indeed wrong, will be stopped. But no one could ever show a concrete specific evidence.
Some clans may have kept within them a literature of the Taritib or Ijma -- mostly Salsilah of their families making them as hiers of royalty -- that might be written by them but only for their own use and purposes, which, I would say, may not be acceptable to others, and that. without general acceptance, cannot be binding to the entire Bangsa Meranao..
Many non-Muslims have been conferred identical titles. Among them are former President Gloria Arroyo, Senators Mar Roxas and Loren Legarda, Secretaries Dominguez and del Rosario. I heard Tomas Cabili and Speaker De Venecia got the same awards -- titles may vary in the words usage but still mean or imply the same as Maranao names or titles..
There are many others who were conferred with Maranao titles by the Maranao royalties. At first there were taunts and sneers but later the criticisms just faded away. And I believe it is because no one can prove it, or even dare maybe to prove, as a violation of either human or constitutional right.
If it is a violation, why are there so many Sultans or Bai a Labis in one house reigning at the same time? Why are there so many organizations claiming the same right and performing the same function, accusing each other though of illegitimacy. I always hear those are violations of the Taritib and Ijma but no effort has been exerted as much as the bashed Maria Amor has received.
Now, the irony is that no one has ever condemned openly the way they condemn the organizers of the enthronement of Maria Amor. Baka naman dahil hindi sila ang nag-organized kaya sila nagkakaganyan. (It maybe because they were not the ones who organized so they are like that.)
Forgive me for my words.
In the case of Maria Amor, I respect her as a human being and her right to aspire for something that is not proven detriment to any one or any community despite the many bashers.
I respect her right as an adopted daughter of one of the royal sultans of the Pat a Phangampong ko Ranao.
Amor has been adopted by Sultan of Balo-i Camad Ali sometime ago as his daughter and she is entitled to all the privileges inherent to the adoption that may include becoming a Maranao. Sultan Ali in social media said he did not know of the bashed enthronement of Amor but he attested to her as a real princess recognized by Malacanang.
On the other side, the bashed proposed enthronement may give us lessons. If indeed the Maranao people could not afford their pride to be touched, they should stop this conferring of Maranao titles on any non-Maranao and non-Muslim personality and they should not allow two royal titles to be held by two or more Maranaos. These could be done by codifying their Taritib and Ijma, with the hep of the government to be strictly followed by all.
As for me, sooner or later, such trident enchants will just go with the wind when it stops blowing and calmness returns. This has been always the case.
So why waste time and effort in fault-finding and cursing on people like Amor and her local partners who have not physically and morally devastated us? They do not represent good manners.
Why not curse, instead, our great enemies, the enemies who are destroying and taking Muslim lands, killing and torturing the Muslims? And why do we not exert more efforts on how we can help the Marawi evacuees return to their homes in the Marawi Ground Zero.
(LamusprofTalks)
This brings us to ask whether there is such a specific rule in the Taritib or Ijma that prohibits the conferment of this kind of award, and whether there is a law that penalizes such a violation of the rule so that this practice, if it is indeed wrong, will be stopped. But no one could ever show a concrete specific evidence.
Some clans may have kept within them a literature of the Taritib or Ijma -- mostly Salsilah of their families making them as hiers of royalty -- that might be written by them but only for their own use and purposes, which, I would say, may not be acceptable to others, and that. without general acceptance, cannot be binding to the entire Bangsa Meranao..
Many non-Muslims have been conferred identical titles. Among them are former President Gloria Arroyo, Senators Mar Roxas and Loren Legarda, Secretaries Dominguez and del Rosario. I heard Tomas Cabili and Speaker De Venecia got the same awards -- titles may vary in the words usage but still mean or imply the same as Maranao names or titles..
There are many others who were conferred with Maranao titles by the Maranao royalties. At first there were taunts and sneers but later the criticisms just faded away. And I believe it is because no one can prove it, or even dare maybe to prove, as a violation of either human or constitutional right.
If it is a violation, why are there so many Sultans or Bai a Labis in one house reigning at the same time? Why are there so many organizations claiming the same right and performing the same function, accusing each other though of illegitimacy. I always hear those are violations of the Taritib and Ijma but no effort has been exerted as much as the bashed Maria Amor has received.
Now, the irony is that no one has ever condemned openly the way they condemn the organizers of the enthronement of Maria Amor. Baka naman dahil hindi sila ang nag-organized kaya sila nagkakaganyan. (It maybe because they were not the ones who organized so they are like that.)
Forgive me for my words.
In the case of Maria Amor, I respect her as a human being and her right to aspire for something that is not proven detriment to any one or any community despite the many bashers.
I respect her right as an adopted daughter of one of the royal sultans of the Pat a Phangampong ko Ranao.
Amor has been adopted by Sultan of Balo-i Camad Ali sometime ago as his daughter and she is entitled to all the privileges inherent to the adoption that may include becoming a Maranao. Sultan Ali in social media said he did not know of the bashed enthronement of Amor but he attested to her as a real princess recognized by Malacanang.
On the other side, the bashed proposed enthronement may give us lessons. If indeed the Maranao people could not afford their pride to be touched, they should stop this conferring of Maranao titles on any non-Maranao and non-Muslim personality and they should not allow two royal titles to be held by two or more Maranaos. These could be done by codifying their Taritib and Ijma, with the hep of the government to be strictly followed by all.
As for me, sooner or later, such trident enchants will just go with the wind when it stops blowing and calmness returns. This has been always the case.
So why waste time and effort in fault-finding and cursing on people like Amor and her local partners who have not physically and morally devastated us? They do not represent good manners.
Why not curse, instead, our great enemies, the enemies who are destroying and taking Muslim lands, killing and torturing the Muslims? And why do we not exert more efforts on how we can help the Marawi evacuees return to their homes in the Marawi Ground Zero.
(LamusprofTalks)
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