Monthly Archives April 2025

Shari’ah Bar Exam Memory Hacks

Shari’ah Bar Exam Memory Hacks
by | April 30, 2025 | No Comments

Let’s face it—memorizing the provisions of the Muslim Code (PD 1083) can feel overwhelming, but with the right memory hacks, you’ll not only retain them but also recall them effortlessly when it counts. When it comes to memorization, especially for something as detailed as the Muslim Code, mnemonics are a game-changer. They turn complex provisions into bite-sized, memorable chunks, making recall during study sessions and the exam a breeze. In this post, I’ll share with you the very mnemonics that
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Mt. Kabalukan Not Just Watching, But Listening

Mt. Kabalukan Not Just Watching, But Listening
by | April 30, 2025 | No Comments

In our community in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, certain slogans rise and fall like tides—repeating themselves in critical political moments, like background chants to our unfolding public story. One of them, increasingly familiar across Facebook captions, TikTok reels, and YouTube videos, especially during moments of political reshuffling and electoral frenzy, is the solemn line: “We hear and we obey” (sami‘na wa ata‘na). It sounded during the 2022 presidential elections. It resurfaced earlier this year during the second extension of the
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How Social Constructivism Makes Sense of Burkina Faso’ Young Lion

How Social Constructivism Makes Sense of Burkina Faso’ Young Lion
by | April 29, 2025 | No Comments

Just these Easter holidays, over cups of native coffee partnered with Maguindanaon delicacies with a former classmate and fellow Shari‘ah counselor in Cotabato City, we found ourselves talking about someone halfway across the world: “Have you heard about that young guy in Burkina Faso?” “The one challenging the old powers? The one saying they will stand on their own?” We laughed—not because it was funny, but because it felt familiar. Sub-Saharan Mindanao indeed. It felt like looking in a mirror.
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On This Day, a Wound Speaks

On This Day, a Wound Speaks
by | April 28, 2025 | No Comments

Today, we unsheathe another sword. Today, we release into the world a book that was never meant to be merely read—but to be felt, grieved, and acted upon. Today, The Politics of Peace and the Mindanao Problem: Tracing the Roots of a Historical Injustice by Professor Christopher Ryan Maboloc officially sees the light of day. And in doing so, it demands that we, too, open our eyes wider to a history that has long been buried under broken promises, muted
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“The Politics of Peace and the Mindanao Problem”—Published Today!

“The Politics of Peace and the Mindanao Problem”—Published Today!
by | April 28, 2025 | No Comments

We’re thrilled to announce that our fourth title for 2025 is officially out! 🚀 🎉 “The Politics of Peace and the Mindanao Problem: Tracing the Roots of a Historical Injustice”by Dr. Christopher Ryan Maboloc (ElziStyle Bookshop, 2025).🔗 Grab it here: https://bit.ly/PoliticsofPeace or here: https://amzn.to/3EpBJ3S This milestone means we’re still right on track with our goal: one new title every month! 📅✅ Here’s our 2025 lineup so far: 📖 January – BARMM Barangay Justice System Training Manual (link coming soon!)📖 February
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Confessing to My Sub-Saharan Roots

Confessing to My Sub-Saharan Roots
by | April 27, 2025 | No Comments

I have a confession to make. After much soul-searching, relentless fact-checking, and a deep dive into my ancestral archives, I must finally admit the truth: I have Sub-Saharan roots. Yes, you heard that right. I remember it clearly, as if it were just yesterday. We were deep into our two-week training on Insider Mediation and Negotiation at Clingendael in The Hague (https://www.clingendael.org/node/8944)—an experience filled with long hours, heavy discussions, and stories shared over coffee breaks and hurried lunches. Somewhere between
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Social Constructivism’s Unmasking of Syria’s ‘Liberator’

Social Constructivism’s Unmasking of Syria’s ‘Liberator’
by | April 26, 2025 | No Comments

It happened too fast. Nobody—neither the West’s analysts nor the Arab street’s coffee shop prophets—predicted it. The fall of Bashar al-Asad in a matter of 11 days (Nov 27 – Dec 8, 2024) felt like a strange dream. Or a well-rehearsed play. Maybe both. In the end, it wasn’t the Syrian people who reclaimed Damascus. It wasn’t the widows of Aleppo or the orphans of Homs. It wasn’t the exiled poets, the broken rebels, or the dusty boys with slingshots
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A Muslim Tribute to a Pope Who Spoke Truth to Power

A Muslim Tribute to a Pope Who Spoke Truth to Power
by | April 24, 2025 | No Comments

It was exactly a month ago. Or almost. On February 25, I stood before a conference hall full of bright, idealistic minds—students and young scholars gathered at the Mindanao International Studies Society Convention (MISSCON) 2025. I was there to speak about a subject close to our hearts and histories—the exclusion of Sulu from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region. But before diving into legal provisions and historical grievances, I paused. I asked everyone in the room to join me in a moment
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Thanks for Reviewing “Cracking the Shari’ah Code”!

Thanks for Reviewing “Cracking the Shari’ah Code”!
by | April 24, 2025 | No Comments

A heartfelt shoutout to one of our readers from Marawi City for this thoughtful and inspiring feedback on “Cracking the Shari‘ah Code: Insider Tips and Tricks for Super Busy Professionals to Pass the Shari‘ah Bar Exam”: “I was truly impressed by how the author, Brother Dr. Mansoor Limba, explained everything in such detail. The book is not just theoretical—it also offers very specific and practical instructions. “I gained a deeper understanding of the importance of capturing key mnemonics and familiarizing
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Thank You for Ordering “Cracking the Shari’ah Code”!

Thank You for Ordering “Cracking the Shari’ah Code”!
by | April 14, 2025 | No Comments

A big shoutout to our readers from Cotabato City, Marawi City, Davao City, and Quezon City — your orders are in, and you’re one step closer to cracking the code! “Cracking the Shari‘ah Code: Insider Tips and Tricks for Super Busy Professionals to Pass the Shari‘ah Bar Exam” is designed to be your trusted companion as you navigate the path to success in the Shari‘ah Bar. Let’s keep the momentum going! Order your copy today: Paperback (Philippines): https://bit.ly/ShariahCode Paperback via
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Unsheathing Another Sword

Unsheathing Another Sword
by | April 12, 2025 | No Comments

As soon as I put down my sword (‘mic’) for the 3-day conversations on the tri-justice legal framework of the BARMM Barangay Justice System, I had to immediately unsheathe another sword (‘pen’) to meet the target publication date – April 28, 2025 – for the next ElziStyle Bookshop release, THE POLITICS OF PEACE AND THE MINDANAO PROBLEM: TRACING THE ROOTS OF A HISTORICAL INJUSTICE by Dr. Christopher Ryan Maboloc. Shifting from Conversationalist to Editor/Introduction Writer means doing the E and
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Training Manual’s Real Authors

Training Manual’s Real Authors
by | April 11, 2025 | No Comments

During my visits to the 15 selected barangays across the BARMM over two months to write the BARMM BARANGAY JUSTICE SYSTEM TRAINING MANUAL, I would always begin with my usual introduction to the Lupon members, explaining that I was not there to author the manual but merely to serve as their scribe. “The real authors,” I would tell them, “are none other than yourselves. You—who have lived through countless disputes and found resolutions in ways only you can. You are
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Thank You, MILG and SUBATRA!

Thank You, MILG and SUBATRA!
by | April 10, 2025 | No Comments

Thanks to the Ministry of the Interior and Local Government (MILG-BARMM) and Support to the Bangsamoro Transition (SUBATRA) for the invitation to be part of the conversations on: * Overview of the BARMM Barangay Justice System * Understanding Non-Moro Indigenous Peoples’ Customary Laws and Their Relevance to the Barangay Justice System * Understanding Moro Religious and Customary Laws and Their Relevance to the Barangay Justice System * Learning the Techniques and Skills in Conflict Resolution * Demonstrating the Techniques and
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Breaking the Mental Health Break

Breaking the Mental Health Break
by | April 6, 2025 | No Comments

My personal thanks to the university for blessing us with those much-needed few days of Mental Health Break. At least we get to somehow reclaim and regain whatever’s left of our sanity. Feel free to blame it on the Instruction overload, if you will. Paradoxically though, we’re using this short break to dive headfirst into yet another source of insanity — Research overload: Editing and writing the Introduction to the forthcoming ElziStyle publication, THE POLITICS OF PEACE AND THE MINDANAO
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Thank You, Atty. M.

Thank You, Atty. M.
by | April 5, 2025 | No Comments

Right on schedule with our plan to publish at least one title a month, we were able to locally publish RISALAH LIQA’ ALLAH (P500) just a few days before the end of March. It was soon followed by RISALAH MA‘RIFAT ALLAH (P500), al-hamdulillah. Thank you, Atty. M of Quezon City for ordering your copies of the books! ElziStyle #LiqaAllah #MarifatAllah #IslamicMysticism #IslamicPhilosophy
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