The foreign preachers will reaffirm the peaceful and tolerant message of Islam

By Rexcel Sorza, IOL Correspondent

MANILA, October 30 (IslamOnline.net) – Ten Muslim preachers from other countries have arrived in the Philippines and headed straight to the southern island of Mindanao to give religious lessons in several cities and towns about various topics to mark the holy month of Ramadan, centering on Islam as a religion of peace.

Ustadz Wahab Acmad, who accompanied the preachers in the capital Manila upon arrival Saturday, October 23, said the preachers “are here in the country to tell our fellow Muslims that our religion does not condone violence and terrorism. They are here to tell Filipinos that our religion is a religion of peace.”

Acmad declined to name the visiting preachers who were garbed in their white robes.

He said, however, they were from Malaysia, Indonesia and countries in the Middle East, which he did not want to name.

Acmad added that the preachers were brought in by a group of local Muslims preachers, whom he hesitated to identify.

He described the invitation was part of the continuing initiative of the local preachers to bring in foreign counterparts to further and deepen the understanding of Islam.

The local group, which receives a grant from "generous members of the local Muslim community," covers the travel, accommodation and other local expenses, Acmad said.

He refused to have the visiting preachers’ picture taken, too. “For security reasons,” he explained.

“What is important is they are here to promote peace. They are definitely not terrorists,” he told IslamOnline.net before boarding a passenger vessel bound for the Mindanao cities of Zamboanga and Cotabato along with the guests.

Acmad also hesitated to divulge the itineraries of the preachers. He said they did not want to elicit publicity as it might have adverse impact on the group’s mission during the holy fasting month.

He just said that they would visit the Islamic city of Marawi and the cities and towns in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The preachers, he said, would also leave the country after Ramadan ends about November 15.

As expected, the men caught the attention of the security guards manning the entrance gates of the terminal.

They spent seconds longer in frisking the preachers than the other passengers. The men, however, gamely submitted themselves to the frisking and were allowed to board the vessel, Superferry 12, without any delay.

Body search has become a routine security check implemented by shipping and airline firms as mandated by the Philippine National Police after the September 11 attacks in the United States.

One of the foreign preachers, who declined to identify himself, said they are in this Southeast Asian state to tell the Filipino Muslims not to resort to violence nor close the eyes to terrorism.

He told IslamOnline.net, “Islam means peace and submission. Peace means to be at peace with yourself and your surroundings. Submission means submission to the will of God. Islam means to achieve peace by submitting to the will of God.”

Acmad said the various topics the preachers would talk about in mosques would delve on Islam as a religion of peace.

“Islam is religion of peace and submission. It promotes the sanctity of human life.”

Quoting meanings from the Noble Qur’an Acmad said, “anyone who saves one life, it is as if he has saved the whole of mankind and anyone who has killed another person (except in lieu of murder or mischief on earth) it is as if he has killed the whole of mankind.”

He further said it is an opportune time for the preachers to come and speak on the topic of peace as it is the holy fasting month of Ramadan and people need to strengthen their faith through the understanding of Islam.

Mindanao, where most of the country’s Muslims live, has been tagged as a hotbed of terrorism not only in the country but in the whole of Southeast Asia.

It is home to Muslim fighters who want to “reclaim” the island, which they believe is theirs.

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which leads the struggle for an independent Islamic state, has repeatedly denied it has links with terrorists.

It has been accused of training terrorists and being trained by them. The Philippine government has recently reissued a statement echoing MILF’s claim.

There were previously published reports, too, which say Islamic preachers have sown the seeds of terrorism in the minds of Filipino Muslims in Mindanao, a claim not backed by solid evidence until today.