“Why didn’t/don’t you take up law?”

This question has been repeatedly asked of me for over three decades.

As the son of an LLB graduate, I understand why it is often posed.

My answer is heavily influenced by my college mentor’s negative attitude toward Philippine law, including PD 1083 (the Code of Muslim Personal Laws).

My mentor also had a critical view of Philippine elections, which he described as “an institutionalized fitnah.” This sentiment influenced me, and I did not vote for the President until the 2016 National Elections.

Fast forward to April 2023…

I was deeply involved in my advocacy for promoting the halal industry when the Supreme Court, through the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF), opened applications for the Shari’ah Training Seminar.

This time, I decided to apply for the training and pass the Bar Exam with three goals in mind:

1. Further promote the halal industry and Islamic finance in the country;

2. Campaign against the misuse of Islam conversion certificates and the institution of divorce under PD 1083 and for the amendment of RA 11596 (the so-called anti-child marriage law); and

3. Lobby for the establishment of Shari’ah-related offices such as the Shari’ah High Court, Shari’ah Public Assistance Office (SPAO), Shari’ah Special Prosecution Service (SSPS), Shari’ah Academy, and the Office of the Jurisconsult, as provided in Sections 7 and 16 of Article 10 (Bangsamoro Justice System of RA 11054) and Sections 6, 13, and 15 of Title V (the Bangsamoro Justice System) of BAA 13 (Bangsamoro Administrative Code).

With these three intentions, I took the 45-day training (May-June 2023) in Manila as the ‘youngest’ member of Al-Muntaṣirūn Batch (1st Batch of the 18th Series Shari’ah Training in NCR). (I couldn’t even attend our graduation ceremony as I had to return to the university.)

July to December 2023 passed by swiftly without any serious review on my part. So did January to March 2024.

Let me confess something: I would procrastinate whenever I would think about my dismal performance in the Islamic Law of Succession, which is obviously my most ‘favorite’ Shari’ah Bar Exam subject.

Amidst my procrastination and despondency, these words from our trainer-reviewer during our mid-April review served as my eye-opener:

“Remember, Succession is just one of the four subjects of the Shari’ah Bar Exam, and NOT ALL parts of Succession involve computation and problem-solving!”

“Al-hamdulillah, I still have one week,” I told myself then.

Last April 28 and May 2, I took the exam with this supplication:

“Let me pass the exam only if it will be of beneficial service.”

This afternoon, while in an extended siesta, I was awakened by private messages from many well-wishers.

Sujūd shukr.

Then… I had mixed feelings when I found out the passing percentage:

21.45%

To be exact, 183 out of 853 exam participants…

Al-Muntaṣirūn immediately came to my mind, along with ALL the other participants.

So, I have to add another goal to the three advocacies mentioned above:

“4. Help future examinees pass the Shari’ah Bar Exam.”

As such, a book on HOW TO PASS THE SHARI’AH BAR EXAM (EVEN IF YOU’RE SUPER BUSY) is forthcoming, in sha’ Allah.

How about this title?

“CRACKING THE CODE: INSIDER STRATEGIES FOR BUSY INDIVIDUALS TO PASS THE SHARI’AH BAR EXAM”

Leave your comments below on what you think about this book title.