Farouk Sharif

His Royal Highness Sultan FAROUK RAWA GANDAROSA SHARIF is the crowned Sultan of Taporog, Poona Bayabao, Lanao del Sur, Philippines

Reign: July 1998 - presentBorn:Royal House: House of SharifFather: Late Abdullah SharifMother: Late Hadji Aminah Rawa Gandarosa Sharif

Marriage and Children

The Sultan is married to Angelita S. Sharif his first wife. They have three sons Alsidry, Farouk II, Farouk III and one daughter Sittie Kansah. At present the Sultan has two grandchildren, Soraya Ophelia B. Sharif from his eldest son and Jasmine Sharif from his second son.

The Sultan has eight children namely Al Farsi, Al Ghifari, Al Husain, Al Hasan, Muhammad Baquir, Muhammad Reda, Fatima Zahra, Marzia with his second wife, Gemma Sharif.

Early Years and Education

He was born in Malaig "Big Water" Balindong, Lanao del Sur, Attended his secondary education at Mindanao State University. Took his Liberal Arts and Law degree at University of Manila. He served as one of the few Maranao Muslim student ever elected as President of the Student Council of University of Manila in 1971. [UNIVERSITY OF MANILA, Student Leaders] A Student Activist who fought for reinstatement of civilian authority and student academic freedom during the regime of Ferdinand E. Marcos Martial Law. [MARTIAL LAW]

The Royal Sultanate Of Lanao

To the regular Filipino, the Sultanate System in Mindanao may seem so hard to understand and difficult to accept, the Sultanate system was the first centralized political bureaucracy in the Philippine archipelago. As state’s governance, it combines civil and religious authority, as the state in the pacific, it dominates trade and commerce and set the pace for others in social mores and ideas.

Indeed it has been very regrettable that some Filipino historians give only a few accounts, if any, of the heroism and bravery made by the Bangsamoro people and sultans, like Sultan Sarikula (1599) the fifth sultan of Maguindanao, Sultan Sharif Laut Buisan (1602) the sixth Sultan of Maguindanao, Sultan Muhammad Dipatuan Kudarat (1656), Datu Mamundog (1759) Sultan of Raya in the battle of Radapan, Kauswagan, Lanao, Datu Akadir Amai Pakpak (1889) of the sultanate of Masiu and other sultans.

However, many respected historians: Filipino, foreigner and Bangsamoro have chronicled events that would affirm and substantiate the heroic struggles of the Bangsamoro Sultans.

The Sultanate of Lanao could be traced from the advent of two muslim brother missionaries Sharif Muhammad Kabungsuan and Sharif Muhammad Alawi who arrived in Mindanao in 1515. They later settled in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental and the Sharif Kabungsuan in the present site of Malabang, Lanao, in the western coast of Mindanao after passing through Brunei, the sea-faring people from johore who accompanied Kabungsuan were called Jamal or erang Laut, Sharif Kabungsuan's blood relation with his followers who remained with him and aided him in the establishment of a Sultanate system and the support would be based more on the successful bringing of Islam among the heathen inhabitant of Mindanao and established the Sultanate of Maguindanao in the year 1520.

Sharif Muhammad Kabungsuan was the son of Ali Zein ul Abedin an Arab hailing from Hadhramout (Mecca) who settled in Johore where he married the daughter of Sultan Iskandar Julkarnain, the first sultan of Malacca. He arrived in Malabang in 1515 and married the daughter of Macaapun Rajah Simbaan of Malabang. Sharif Kabungsuan and her maranao wife Angintabo was blessed of two children, Sharif macaalang and her sister Daragat. Angintabo died,and Sharif Kabungsuan married Masawang niece of Angintabo, they begot eleven children one of them is Aloyodan and Layagun.

In 1543, Sharif Kabungsuan reached an old aged and he installed his first native Maranao son Sharif Macaalang as 2nd Sultan of Maguindanao in 1543-1574. Sharif Macaalang married Bae Ble and begot Sharif Bangkaya.

Sharif Bangkaya was enthroned as the 3rd Sultan of Maguindanao in 1574-1578, he ruled for a short period, Sharif Bangkaya married Bae sa Sulangan and begot Sharif Dimasangcay Adel. Dimasangcay Adel was enthroned as 4th Sultan of Maguindanao in 1579-1585. the Royal Datus and sultans of Lanao and Iranon were descendants of Dimasangcay Adel. Sharif Bangkaya begot four children to her second wife Bai Bezaton, the children’s were Datu sa Palao a Pekong , Rajah Muda a mala sa kalibo, Pinayongan Bae a labi of Rabaugon in Pagadian and Sharif Gugu Sarikula. In 1585- Sharif Sarikula was enthroned as fifth sultan of Maguindanao, he married a Sulu princess. Sharif Bangkaya begot two children and her 3rd wife Bae sa Matampay, such as Dakunug of Malabang and Sharif Laut Buisan. Sharif Laut Buisan was installed as 6th Sultan of Maguindanao in 1597, and was married to the sister of Sultan Batara Shah Tengah of Sulu. Sharif Laut Buisan begot Gayang and Muhammad Dipatuan Kudarat, Gayang was married of the grandson of Dimasangcay Adel, Sharif Matonding whose children's now the reigning Sultans and Bai Labi of Lanao while his brother Sharif Muhammad Kudarat was installed as 7th sultan of Maguindanao in 1619. In 1656 he reached declared a jihad against the Spanish colonialist. His sultanate was felt as far as Ternate in Indonesia and Borneo and in facts its power had reached the shore of Bohol, Cebu, Panay, Mindoro and Manila in north. [ [http://litera1no4.tripod.com DLSU LITERA1 NO4 - Philippine Literature ] ]

Spanish conquest of Lanao

In 1637 Sebastean Hurtado de Curcuera decided to send an expedition to subdue the Datus and the people of Lake Lanao. As early as September 1637 he had promised the lake area to the Jesuits, who would get the moment it was conquered.

The conquest of the maranaos was entrusted to captain Francesco Atienza, the alcalde mayor of caraga. With fifty Spaniards and five hundred caragaus, the captain landed in Bayug, then proceeded to maranao territory, reaching the lake on 4 April 1639, there we around 2,000 families or 800 inhabitant. The Spaniards brought with them six collapsible boats which they fitted out in the lake.

The Datus of Lanao initially offered allegiance to the Spaniards they promised tribute and accepted the missionaries. What appeared ominous was the movement of inhabitants into the interior at the same time; the Maranaos could easily muster 6,000 warriors from among the four confederation of Lanao. Lack of firearms was the disadvantages. Governor Al Monte dispatched Major Pedro Fernandez del Rio with seventy Spaniards and 500 Visayans to join with the forces of Atienza. The expedition had to pass through the area of Butig. Sharif Amatonding an Iranon Datu married to Gayang, a sister of sultan Kudarat who was Qudarat nephew, after a most difficult passage made by the fierce resistance of Sharif Amatonding, Pedro del Rio made it to the shores of the lake where he join the forces of Atienza. In the middle of April, Atienza and part of his troops left for Bayug and fortified it with a stockade and sailed for Caraga.

In October of the same years, an additional force of fifty Spaniards and five hundred Boholanos arrived under the command of Captain Pedro Bermudez de Castro who had orders to build fort in Marawi to establish Spanish sovereignty.

Sultan Kudarat visited his son in laws in Lanao. Balindong Bzar and Dianaton of Butig, they gather the Datus of Lanao and delivered a speech. In this form:

What have you done? Do you realize what subjection would reduce you to? A toilsome slavery under the Spaniards! Turn your eyes to the subject nations and look at the misery to which such glorious nation had been reduced to, look at the Tagalog and Visayan: Are you better than they? Do you think that the Spaniards consider you of better stuff? Have you not seen the Spaniards trample them under their feet? Do you not see everyday how they are obliged to work at the oars and the factories with all their rigors? Can you tolerate anyone with little Spanish blood to beat you up and grasp the fruits of your labor? Allow your selves to be subjects (today) and tomorrow you will be at the oars; I, at least will be a pilot, the biggest favor they will allow a chief. Do not let their sweet words deceive you; their promises facilities their deceits, which little by little, enable them to control everything, reflect on how even minor promises to the chief of other nations were not honored until they become master of them all, see now what is being done to these chief and how they are being led by rod.

The Maranaos took up arms against the newly built fort they used indigenous means to get at the fort and set it on fire. Three of the Spanish boats, brought from Bayug was captured. Atienza formed a relief expedition and saved the Spanish, the Maranao warriors after 29 days of siege left their position afraid to experience once more the horrors of siege, proceeded to burn their own fort, retreat to back to Iligan. In 1640 Atienza make one more try to conquer the Maranaos for the second time, the Spaniard burned the fields and retired to the coast, but not without losing some men on the way due to ambushes. After the second attempts to colonize and Christianized the Maranaos had utterly failed. In payment for their freedom the Maranaos lost the harvest. [MUSLIMS IN THE PHILIPPINES, Cesar Adib Majul]

Birth of the Sultanates in Lanao

In 1671 Sultan Dipatuan Kudarat return to the grace of Allah and the sultanate of Maguindanao started to declining and datus of Iranon and the Maranaos gradually stop their support to the Sultanate of Maguindanao.

In Lanao, the Maranao started to acquaint with the sultanate system in the 15th century thru the influence of Sharif Kabungsuan, who was enthroned as first sultan of Maguindanao in 1520. In 1640 Balindong Bzar of Masiu was the first Maranao chieftain enthroned as sultan, with specific title as Sultan Diagaborolah, who was charged to enforce the teaching of Islam and the law and order in Lanao. On the same year Sultan Diagaborolah consulted the seven wise men maranaus of his time on how to govern Lanao. They were Dianaton Naim of butig, Datu Burua of Pagayawan, Datu Ottowa of Ditsaan, Datu Acari of Ramain, Onbaor of Bansayan, Engki-okoda of minitupad alanake of Baloi the eight wise man including Balindong agreed to create the four confederation of Lanao (Pat a Pangampong a Ranao ) composed of state of Masiu, Butig, Bayabao and Baloi, and on the second level, the 15 Royal houses (Panoroganan) and the 28 legislative body.(Pyakambaya ko Taritib). This socio-political system is based on the Taritib, laws, Ijma, customary laws, and adapt, practices of the Maranaos, a Pangampong state is a is a further divided, into smaller socio-political units. With in the four state is a total of 43 Ingud communities classified into 15 supported or Panoroganans, Royal houses and 28 supporting Ingud or legislative houses called Piyacambaya ko Taritib (decider of Laws)

The Taritib, an ancient order or law bound together the four states or principality of Lanao into an alliance or confederation and define their relationships. There is no central, all powerful authority but every state or principality respected the traditional alliance termed Kangiginawai.

One problem that beset the Sultanate of the four confederation of Lanao was the identification of ancestral land area (Kawali) of each state (Pangampong). Such was identified by Datu Pascan of Unayan, Datu Popawan Bayabao, Amiyanon Simban of Masiu and Datu Dilion of Baloi. The agreement known as “Kiatathamana-an” such as; Dalama, located in the municipality of Molondo, the boundary between Bayabao and East Masiu; Sawei in Masiu municipality the boundary between East Masiu municipality and East Unayan; Madamba municipality, the boundary between West Unayan and West Masiu; and Bacayawan in Marantao municipality, the boundary between west Masiu and Bayabao, surprisingly, there is no identified boundary between Bayabao and Baloi, the reason is that both Pangampong linage come from the same family tree. All in the name of Kiangginawai (friendship); their boundary need not be established.

In 1754, the Maranaos kept on increasing their maritime strength and accelerating their attacks on the Spaniards, Leyte and Calamianes bore part of the brunt of their attacks. About nine hundred Maranaos once landed in Albay and captured more than a hundred inhabitants. In Balayan, they looted everything they could lay their hands on, the Maranaos were thus greatly responsible for the abandonment of many settlement in the Visayas and the dislocation of the economic life of thousands people. This was to the interest of the Maranao since most of the native troops used against them were Visayans. It was thus that the Spaniards began to devise a more elaborate and effective naval system of defense. In 1557, the Iranuns and Maranaos accelerated their attacks on the Spaniards. There were frequent naval encounters between them and the Spaniards and in some of them, according to reports, a few thousand perished. It has been estimated that these Maranaos raid on Visayas in a space of four years reduced the number of tribute to Spanish government by at least 100,000.for example, in the district in Panay figures show that in 1750 it paid 1,500 tributes and that by1757 there only 500 it paid. In Romblon, the number of tributes went down from 1,370 to 995, while in Kalibu (Capiz) it was reduced from 1,164 to 549.many coastal towns were totally destroyed and the Visayan population was reduced considerably. In 1759 Datu Aber Palawan and his men attack the Spanish squadron in the northern part of the Mindanao, in Radapan, Lanao he was martyred and buried in Radapan(now Tarapan, Linamon, Lanao del norte) Gen. Valeriano Weyler, the Spanish Gov. General decided to deal with the Maranao in 1889, he order his troops to land in Malabang to conquer so far unconquered Maranaos, he had 1,242 soldiers in two columns. First columns started from Malabang, while the second column started from Iligan. This two pronged attack on Maranao territory from the northern and western parts of Mindanao was a reminiscent of the 1639 campaign against Maranaos, after a few bloody clasess, Marawi was occupied on August 19. The next day they encountered a strong resistance from cotta defended by Datu Amai Pakpak, but they were able to capture. In September 1891, Weyler finally terminated his campaign without, actually conquering the Maranaos. On June 5, the Datus of Lanao cooperated in the fortification of section around Agus river for their mutual defense. In February 1895, systematic Maranao attack on the Spanish forts began. Thus another Spanish expedition was formed to attack and capture Marawi, once and for all, on March 10, the march to Marawi commenced. The Spaniards found themselves faced by strong cotta under the command of the same Amai Pakpak. The Maranao warriors fought with equal bravery but lost the war with the martyrdom of Datu Akader Amai Pakpak,his son, 23 datus and 150 maranao warriors, the Spaniards suffered 194 men about 3,000 Spanish troops involved, and countless volunteer from Zamboanga, Mizamis and Sibugay, the Spanish garrison in Marawi was in the state of siege. Sporadic attacks on the garrison and ambushes become the order of the day. The Maranaos around the lake, continued their resistance against the Spaniards until gunboats were brought to lake Lanao to launched a campaign against the communities around it, the Spanish had to withdraw after their defeat in manila bay on May 1, 1896.

In May 15, 1892, Pablo Pastel, drafted the blue print for the temporal and spiritual conquest of the sultanates in the Philippines. The gradual reduction of the political and other powers of the sultans, datus, sharif and pamlitas in such a way that they would all eventually become powerless, since they constitute the obstacle impeding the rapid progress of the degraded race in its march to civilization.

The American regime and the common wealth

In 1899, the sultans themselves led their people in fighting both the Spanish and later, American with all ending as martyrs together with their families and warriors. What non muslim may not realize that the sultans are not only temporal but also spiritual leaders. They are the symbols not only of their communities but also considered vicegerent of Allah in this world. It was the responsibility of the sultans not only to defend their people and communities but also their religion Islam. In 1889, the American in Malabang and occupied the Spanish camp without much fanfare and named it camp Corcuera. Two years later, the American proceeded to the lake area. But this time, in upper Bayang, Sultan Pandapatan with his men clashed with the Americans in a fierce, the sultan and his men were crushed and the sultan died, Capt. Vicar died and their camp in upper Bayang was named after him. In Tugaya Datu Saruang and many others died in fighting against the American forces coming to their place.

Amai Manabilang of Marawi challenged the authority of Justice Caytano Arellano in enforcing the government of laws to the Maranaos, he led a campaign that Mindanao should he separated from the Philippines. The policy of attraction of the Americans in Lanao under General Pershing offered empty promises to the Maranaos like the continued exercise of their traditional and cultural powers, and strict non-interference to their religion, customs and traditions.

On March 18, 1935, one hundred twenty datus of Lanao, with 30 sultans signed a strongly worded letter, popularly known as”Dansalan Declaration” to the U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt and the U.S. congress that should the Filipinos be granted an Independence, the Moro province should be given their own independence or be left under American rule until such time they were prepared for their independence to be known as Bangsamoro. [SWISH OF A KRIS by VIC HURLEY]

The sultanate at present

Philippines sultanates at present have legally been disenfranchised and reduced to non-entities by a provision in the Philippines constitution prohibiting the grant of a title of nobility to Filipino citizen, interestingly the same constitution provides respect for the local culture, traditions and practices. Among Muslims there is no way one can separate the sultanate from culture, tradition, religion and practices. Once the sultanate is destroyed everything goes along with it. A Muslim is a Muslim because he has his own identity in the sultanate of which he is part and parcel. without the sultanate, he becomes a non-entity, a person without identity or an anchor much like a rudderless boat being blown away any which way by every passing wind.

This in essence is the heart of Mindanao problem why it continues to fester like a wound that has turned cancerous. The government looks at the Mindanao problem as one of economics, peace and order, progress, and even education and secretly religion, so it strengthens the military and sends them on campaigns intended to physically annihilate most, If not all, rebel elements. Whether Abu Sayaf, MILF or terrorists, what the government continuously fails to understand, much less appreciate, is that all Muslim are one body, whichever part of the body suffers from pain affects all parts of the body, when a Muslim, no matter that he is a terrorist or rebel, is oppressed and eventually killed, all Muslims feet its pain, the difference in the reaction of a Muslim from that of a non-Muslim is that friend and family of the Muslim victim. The Muslims in Mindanao may opt to react in any of three ways: go to the mountains or urban centers and avenge his death using physical force, discuss the pain but not do anything about it while waiting for the opportunity to redress the wrong doing against him, or keep it securely hidden in his heart. For as long as the real solution to the Mindanao problem is not used so long will it remain ever widening until a Mindanao of not nation will confederation arises.

Preservation of Social Order

When there is no source of power except the Sultan, the community is stable. The Sultan has influence and command, imposed and execute with the honored Taritib and Ijma.

When a despot happens and the Sultan is not personally available to settle it, he sends his Tobao (scarf Headdress) through his emissary and it would be enough to make the parties in suspended the animation and wait until he arrives to settle it.

The Sultan has the power to ask anyone within his territory to come for questioning, for punishment if he committed an offense, for anything that is for the interest of his people. He only needs to beat his gong and it enough for the people to come to him.

When a buffalo is stolen from the hand of another area, it becomes his duty to recover and restore it the owner.

When a conflict from different Sultanate occurred, it was the duty of another sultan to come and talk to them for peaceful settlement. The common practice used by the sultan in settling Ridos even until now is tracing of the family lineage of the concerned parties with the ultimate end that both parties are relatives either by affinity or by consanguinity, Kambabatabata-a (blood relations) Kapamagongowa (friendship) Kapamagadata (respect), and others of the forefathers are being recalled and in most cares it is followed by flowing of tears of all those present in the scene.

15 Ruling Royal Sultans in Lanao

The fifteen Royal Sultans of Lanao is now increased to 16 with the creation of Sultan sa Domalondong sa Butig in Pangampong a Unayan. It was recently renamed as 16 Panoroganans of Lanao. A Pangampong is awin to principality of which they head is addressed as his Royal highness (HRH). Since a title of a sultan become now a common commodity in Lanao. The 16 royal sultans agreed to call themselves as “Panoroganan” instead of “his royal highness” in order to be fitting to the Maranao dialect and make them different with the other sultans in Lanao.

The Panoroganans are the one entitled to approve or disapprove the Taritib, Ijmas and Adats in their respective Pangampong. Such made them as Royal highness and now localized as Panoroganans.

They also created the ’28 Piakambaya ko taritib (ruled by a sultan but not a royal sultan) seemingly similar to a legislative council body to the so called taritib and “ijma” that are distributed by pangampong.

The places under each of the Pat a Pangampong a Ranao are:

1. Pangampong a Masiu covers the municipalities of Taraka, Tamparan, Masiu, in Lanao del norte.

2. Pangampong a Unayan covers the south of lake Lanao strictly from the Barina, Matanog, Parang of Maguindanao province and the long coastal area parallel to Manila bay going to northern up to Zamboanga. Lanao border. In Lanao del sur, it include Butig, Domalindong, Lumbayanague, Lumbatan, Bayang, Tubaran, Binidayan, Marogong, Ganassi, Pualas, Madamba, Calanogas, Kapatagan, Balabagan and Malabang. In Lanao del norte, it include Kormatan, Lala and Tubod.

3. Pangampong a Bayabao is presently composed of the Municipalities of Ditsaan Ramain, Bubong, Buadipuso-Buntong, Kapai, Marantao, Saguiaran, Maguing, Bumbaran, Wao, Lumba-Bayabao, Poona-Bayabao, Piagapo in Lanao del Sur and the city of Marawi.

4. Pangampong a Baloi consists of the municipalities of Pantar, Tagoloan, Baloi, Marugong, Pantao Ragat, Poona Piagapo, Tangkal, Magsaysay, Kauswagan, Linamon, Bacolod, Maigo amd Kolambogan in Lanao del Norte and Iligan City.

The Sixteen Royal Houses Of Lanao

Masiu

* The Royal house of Masiu
* The Royal house of Datu a Cabugatan

Onayan

* The Royal house of Butig
* The Royal house of Pagayawan
* The Royal house of Bayang
* The Royal house of Domalondong

Bayabo

Poona-bayabao

* The Royal house of Bansayan
* The Royal house of Rogan
* The Royal house of Nagre Taporog

Lumba-bayabo

* The Royal house of Minitupad
* The Royal house of Borocot
* The Royal house of Bacolod
* The Royal house of Maribo

Mala-bayabo

* The Royal house of Ramain
* The Royal house of Ditsaan

Baloi

* The Royal house of Baloi

[Maguindano, Jose Arnaldo Dris http://litera1no4.tripod.comMindanao History http://www.sultankudarat-mag.gov.phSwish of the Krishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butig,_Lanao_del_Sur]

References