“Dedicated to Mom Tana’s Muntasirūn Kids”

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What struck me most was not just the formalities, but the sense of community. Later, I found Ma’am Tana at the pantry just outside the auditorium, arranging food items. She smiled warmly, “We don’t have a catering service here. Everything you see is what the participants bring to share.” Coffee, tea, native Moro delicacies, pizza, pancakes—everyone contributed something. The pantry was a microcosm of the generosity and selflessness that defined the entire experience.

“This is about more than just learning,” Ma’am Tana explained as she arranged another tray of snacks. “It’s about building relationships, serving one another, and sharing whatever blessings we have.”

It was the fourth or fifth session, and I had already become more comfortable with my classmates—a heterogeneous mix of lawyers, juris doctors, Islamic scholars, professionals, government employees, and even men in uniform. Our group was affectionately called Al-Muntaṣirūn—The Triumphant Ones.

Our class was divided into four groups for collaborative activities, and I found myself in Group 4, Al-Qamar (The Moon). “We chose this name,” one of my groupmates explained, “because the moon, though it reflects a borrowed light, still shines in the darkness. Like the moon, we aim to impart knowledge to those in need.”

“Remember,” ‘Alim Omar, a young but seasoned Islamic scholar, would often remind us, “True triumph is not in passing the Shari‘ah Bar Exam. It’s in our intention. If our goal is to learn and facilitate others in following the Shari‘ah, we are already triumphant, in sha’ Allah.”

His words resonated with many of us, a reminder that this journey was about more than grades or exams. It was about service, dedication, and the pursuit of knowledge.

As our Shari‘ah training progressed, it became clear that this was not just a formal educational setting. It was a community, a family, built on trust and mutual support…

Reflecting on my time at the Shari’ah training, I am deeply grateful to Ma’am Tana, nay Mom Tana, and the NCMF Secretariat, as well as my fellow Al-Muntaṣirūn participants. What I initially thought would be just another academic course turned out to be a transformative experience—one filled with kindness, camaraderie, and an unwavering commitment to learning and service.

In the end, it wasn’t just about gaining knowledge, but about embodying the spirit of the Moon: shining not for ourselves but for others in the darkness. As ‘Alim Omar would often say, “True triumph is in the intention.”

And for that, we feel truly triumphant.

Mansoor Limba, CRACKING THE SHARI ‘AH CODE: INSIDER TIPS AND TRICKS FOR SUPER BUSY PROFESSIONALS TO PASS THE SHARI ‘AH BAR EXAM. ElziStyle Bookshop, 2025, pp. 37-39.

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