The Scribe

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗸𝗵 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗮𝘁 𝗛𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗺: 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵, 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗼 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

July 13 marks the anniversary of the passing of Sheikh Salamat Hashim (July 7, 1939 – July 13, 2003), an Islamic scholar, revolutionary leader, and founding Chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (M**F). More than two decades after his death, his life and leadership remain an important part of Bangsamoro history. He is widely remembered for advancing the Bangsamoro people's aspiration for the right to self-determination—the principle recognized under international law that peoples have the right to determine their political status and pursue their economic, social, and cultural development. His legacy continues to shape conversations on peacebuilding, self-governance, and regional autonomy in the Bangsamoro.

Born in Pagalungan, Maguindanao, Sheikh Salamat Hashim was raised in a family deeply rooted in Islamic learning. He completed his early religious education in Mindanao before pursuing higher studies at Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt, one of the world's oldest and most respected institutions of Islamic scholarship. There, he studied Islamic Theology (Usul al-Din) and Islamic Philosophy, academic foundations that profoundly shaped his religious scholarship, political thought, and vision for the Bangsamoro people.

Before founding the M**F, Sheikh Salamat Hashim served as a senior leader of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). During the late 1970s, ideological and organizational differences emerged within the movement. He and his followers believed that the Bangsamoro struggle should be guided more explicitly by Islamic principles in its ideology, leadership, and governance. These differences eventually led to the establishment of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (M**F), which formally emerged as a separate organization in the early 1980s. As its founding Chairman, Sheikh Salamat Hashim led the organization for more than two decades and became one of the most influential figures in the modern Bangsamoro movement.

The M**F was established to pursue the Bangsamoro people's aspiration for self-determination, the protection of their identity, and a just and lasting political settlement to the long-standing Moro conflict. Under Sheikh Salamat Hashim's leadership, the organization developed an ideological framework rooted in the Qur'an and the Sunnah, emphasizing faith, discipline, education, responsible leadership, and the Bangsamoro people's aspiration to exercise their right to self-governance. While the movement initially engaged in armed resistance, it also became a principal party in the peace negotiations with the Philippine government.

According to Abdul M. Lantong's 2015 doctoral dissertation, The Bangsamoro Armed Resistance in Southern Philippines: The Role of Shaykh Salamat Hashim and His Views on Peace and War in Islam, Sheikh Salamat Hashim regarded peaceful negotiation—not war—as the primary means of resolving the Moro–Filipino conflict. Based on his sermons, speeches, lectures, press releases, and interviews, the study concludes that he viewed armed struggle as a last resort, justified only in the face of injustice, oppression, and aggression. He consistently maintained that any lasting political settlement must be founded on justice, equality, and mutual respect.

The M**F's most significant historical contribution came through its participation in the Government of the Philippines–M**F Peace Process. Years of negotiations culminated in the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (2012) and the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (2014), which paved the way for the enactment of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (Republic Act No. 11054) and the establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in 2019. Although Sheikh Salamat Hashim did not live to witness these milestones, the movement he founded played a central role in laying the foundation for the peace agreements that transformed decades of armed conflict into a political process centered on autonomy, democratic governance, and the Bangsamoro people's right to self-governance.

Today, the M**F continues to contribute to the Bangsamoro transition through its participation in the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), support for the normalization process, decommissioning of former combatants, institution-building, and cooperation with the Philippine government in strengthening peace, public institutions, and regional governance in BARMM.

Sheikh Salamat Hashim once reflected on the future of the Bangsamoro struggle:

"If freedom cannot be achieved during my lifetime, I can assure you—and I can assure everybody—that I have already planted the seeds of jihad. I have already planted the idea of fighting for freedom in the hearts of my people, the Bangsamoro people."

This statement has been cited in discussions of his leadership and reflects his conviction that the Bangsamoro aspiration for self-determination would continue beyond his lifetime. Academic studies have examined this statement alongside his consistent position that a just and enduring peace should ultimately be achieved through justice, equality, mutual respect, and negotiated political settlement.

Sheikh Salamat Hashim passed away on July 13, 2003, in Butig, Lanao del Sur. More than twenty years later, his life and legacy continue to be studied by scholars and remembered by many within the Bangsamoro community. His contributions remain part of the broader historical narrative of the Bangsamoro struggle, the peace process, and the establishment of BARMM.

As we commemorate the anniversary of his passing, we remember Sheikh Salamat Hashim as a scholar, leader, and historical figure whose vision continues to shape conversations on peace, justice, the right to self-determination, and responsible governance. His life reminds us that the Bangsamoro story is not only one of conflict, but also of resilience, dialogue, institution-building, and the enduring pursuit of a just and lasting peace.

𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 : 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗼 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗰𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗲?

For generations, the people of Maguindanao have borne the weight of armed conflict, right to self-determination, devastating floods, and recurring patterns of weak governance with extraordinary resilience.

They have rebuilt homes after disasters, restored livelihoods after displacement, and continued moving forward despite challenges that would have broken many communities.

Yet resilience alone cannot resolve deeply rooted structural problems and multidimensional issues.
Every flood raises the same questions: How many more families will be be displaced? How many more communities must go underwater before lasting solutions are implemented?

The people of Maguindanao have already proven their resilience—countless times. Now it is time for our local and provincial governments to demonstrate the same commitment through accountable, responsive, and transparent governance. This conversation is long overdue. Because resilience should never become a substitute for good and moral governance.

The people deserve better.

𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲: 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬

The 48th Pre-Commencement Exercises of Mindanao State University–Maguindanao, held on July 9, served as a clear testament to the inner fortitude and determination of the Graduating Class of 2026.

Undeterred by regional flooding and submerged roads, many graduates pushed through the journey to the Datu Odin Sinsuat Gymnasium to witness their hard work culminate in this milestone.

This strength of character perfectly set the stage for this year’s theme, “Graduates of Purpose and Integrity,” which was celebrated in the inspiring messages delivered during the ceremony.

Read more: https://msumaguindanao.edu.ph/news/graduates-of-purpose-and-integrity-rising-above-the-challenges/

𝖢𝖤𝖣 | 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺

Some dreams begin in our hearts long before they become reality. We carefully sketch them with our own hands, convinced we already know where life is leading us. But sometimes, Allah S.W.T., in His infinite wisdom, gently rewrites every plan we have ever made—not to take our dreams away, but to replace them with something greater than we could have imagined. Sometimes, the most beautiful lives are not the ones we plan for ourselves, but the ones Allah builds from the pieces of the dreams we had to let go.

For Almera T. Mantil, a graduating Bachelor of Secondary Education major in English student from the College of Education, life was never a story written in straight lines. It is a story marked by quiet tears, unexpected detours, and prayers whispered in moments when no one else could hear. Every trial became another chapter rewritten by faith, reminding her that Allah's plans are always more beautiful than our own. To many, Almera appeared composed—someone whose gaze and demeanor made her seem impossible to break. She carried herself like a mountain untouched by storms, the kind of person people assumed had everything under control. But even mountains crack. Behind the quiet strength she carried every day was a daughter silently holding burdens that few ever knew existed.

Long before she dreamed of becoming an educator, she imagined herself designing buildings that would one day touch the sky. "I used to dream of becoming an architect," Almera recalled. "I thought I already knew what my future would look like. But Allah S.W.T., in His infinite wisdom, had written a different story for me—one far more meaningful than anything I could have imagined." Yet Allah S.W.T., the Best of Planners, had already written a different blueprint for her life. "Perhaps you dislike something while it is good for you, and perhaps you love something while it is bad for you. Allah knows, while you know not." (Qur'an 2:216)

Not long after, their family entered a season that words could scarcely describe. A beloved member of their home began carrying an unseen battle of the mind—a trial known only fully by Allah, whose wisdom encompassed every soul He created. What had once been a home filled with ordinary hopes slowly transformed into a household learning to endure extraordinary tests. It was the kind of hardship that changed not only their circumstances but also the rhythm of everyday life. No child ever imagines watching the people they love bend beneath burdens too heavy for words. Yet Almera did. From that moment on, she learned to carry responsibilities far beyond her years. It was never a burden she asked for, yet she embraced it with patience, faith, and the hope that every sacrifice she made for her family would, by Allah's mercy, one day be rewarded with ease.

She watched life teach her parents the language of sacrifice. Almera was raised in a home where hope was cultivated with the same patience her father cultivated the land. Her father is a farmer, while her mother owns a sari-sari store. Beneath an unforgiving sun, Almera’s father spent countless days turning soil into sustenance. Every seed he planted carried a silent prayer—that his children would one day harvest opportunities he himself never had. The fields became his second home. The scorching sun became his constant companion. Every harvest whether abundant or scarce became another chance to keep his children's dreams alive. For Almera, there has never been a reason not to strive.

"Di ako man malugat ka dikena galugat su babangagi," she emphasized.

When she thinks of her parents, she remembers their hands—hands roughened by years of labor, hands that built home and carried hope, and hands that silently whispered, "Edtantu kanu ka nambun ba i makadtabang salkanu."

Yet hardship seldom arrives alone. Beyond financial struggles came another burden—the weight of judgment. The words that hurt the most were not always spoken by strangers but by familiar faces. There were moments when others looked upon her family with less respect simply because they had less.

On her father's side of the family, where no one had yet earned a college degree, finishing university seemed like a distant dream. Yet every generation is blessed with someone willing to become the bridge between what has always been and what is still possible. Without realizing it, Almera was becoming that 𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙜𝙚.

Outside her home, another struggle shaped the woman she would become. Growing up as a Kagan-Maguindanaon, she carried the richness of two cultures with pride, yet not everyone saw her identity as something beautiful. At a young age, she became a victim of bullying for countless times, simply because of the way she spoke.

"Honor student pero hindi marunong magsalita; hindi man lang alam paano mag-English."

To many, they were only careless words. But to a young girl still searching for her voice, they became wounds she carried in silence. In a world where fluency in English was often mistaken for intelligence, she quietly questioned her own worth, believing that every imperfect sentence erased everything she had worked so hard to become. Yet by Allah's mercy, those same words became part of the story that strengthened her rather than defeated her.

The young girl who was once ridiculed for the way she spoke would one day graduate as a
Magna Cum Laude, proving that a person's worth is never measured by the opinions of others but by perseverance, faith, and the courage to keep learning. She also became a recipient of the UNIFAST Excellence Award and the Kaalalai sa Edukasyon Program (KEP) Scholarship Award, milestones that stand as a testament to the countless sacrifices she and her family made along the way.

Her journey reminds us that our lives are not defined by the obstacles we face but by the faith we hold on to in the midst of them. Every hardship she endured, every sacrifice her family made, and every word that once caused her to doubt herself became part of the story that Allah S.W.T. had already written—a story of resilience, hope, and purpose.

"People may doubt you. Life may humble you. The journey may exhaust you. But what Allah S.W.T. has written for you will never miss you. To believe. To persevere. To overcome." She said.
"Indeed, with hardship comes ease. Indeed, with hardship comes ease."
— Qur'an 94:5–6

✍🏻 Astra and Gregorio
‎🖼️ Caoimhe