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Lugaw: a comfort food for everyone By   GAMSON JR MAWALLIL QUIJANO In the ongoing ECQ (enhanced community quarantine) in the “National Capital Region + bubble” due to the surge in COVID-19 cases, “lugaw is essential” became viral on social media and Filipino netizens worldwide reacted in many different ways to this trending topic. I would like to share my own story related to this matter. “Lugaw” or “mistang” to us in Tausug, is always present on our table during the breaking of fasting in the month of Ramadhān. Since I started to fast, this has been what my family eats to break our more than ten hours of fasting. It’s a long day on an empty stomach, so this comfort food is light on the stomach and it helps us feel a bit warmer inside, as well. It is worth remembering that during my college days at the Universidad de Zamboanga, almost every day except weekends, we would cook this food during Ramadhān inside the premises of our university. Of course, with the permission of the universit
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Ramadhan 1442H By   GAMSON JR MAWALLIL QUIJANO The sounds of banging, cracking and grating coconuts in the early hours of the night during Ramadhān are invigorating and are one of my best childhood memories. This coconut is used for “sabaw maimu’” or sweetened soup, which is common for the old folks, especially for pre-dawn meals during Ramadhān. As our neighbors prepared their food as well, the same sounds resonated with them. It makes me nostalgic to remember the time when, as we ate our predawn-meal, we could hear the call of our neighbouring masājid resounding throughout our place. “Bati’ na kamu! Bati’ na kamu! Sahur! Sahur!  (Wake up! Wake up! It’s time for pre-dawn meal). This practice is common in some Muslim-dominated communities during the whole month of Ramadhān to awaken and remind people to prepare and take their pre-dawn meal so that they cannot be reached by the Fajar time. While I could not fast yet because I was still a child then, my elders would let me join them to e

Stray ferocious dogs — one of the most serious public threats

Simple Kindness by 2 Muslim-Tausug Cops of Sulu

Simple Kindness by 2 Muslim-Tausug Cops of Sulu By Gamson Jr Mawallil Quijano  This story was published on Mindanews.com  https://www.mindanews.com/mindaviews/2021/06/tausug-in-doha-simple-kindness-by-2-muslim-tausug-cops-from-sulu/ A great story is always worth telling, because it can inspire others to do the same. On Monday, 08 June 2021, one post on Facebook caught my attention. It is a story of the kind-gesture done to a 60-year-old man by one junior member of the Philippine National Police, who happens to be my younger brother, Pat. Mohammad Alsarif Mawallil Quijano-- a Muslim-Tausug cop currently assigned in Oriental Mindoro. He also belongs to the Tulawie Clan of Sulu.  My heart was elated  by reading the post because he is my younger brother and he makes me so proud of him. He has displayed the true sense of being one of the best examples of a true Muslim who is always kindhearted and humble to anyone not just to someone or a special few.  My brother is a licensed Respiratory T

Advantages for Muslim expatriate working in Muslim countries

Advantages for Muslim expatriate working in Muslim countries  By Gamson Jr Mawallil Quijano For a Muslim Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) like me to be working in a Muslim country like Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and State of Qatar is gratifying and a great blessing from Allāh. Simply because these are Muslim countries and I’m a Muslim. In these countries, I find it so convenient to practice my way of life as a believer of the Islamic faith. Al-Fanar Islamic Cultural Center is one of the most widely known architectural landmarks in Doha, Qatar. In this wedding-cake shaped building, non-Muslim visitors are offered extended as well as crash-courses on the Islamic faith. It also offers a variety of educational, yet unforgettable, activities, such as exhibitions, tours of the cultural center, visits to the mosque, Arabic language courses and the unique opportunity to attend the khutbah (Friday sermon) in English. — Adriana Paramo, AFAR Local Expert, Doha, Qatar. Photo by Gamson Jr Mawallil

MONA, one of the greatest women, succumbs to COVID-19

MONA, one of the greatest women, succumbs to COVID-19 By Gamson Jr Mawallil Quijano Families, loved ones, students, and colleagues both local and abroad of Ustaza Taiba "Mona" Sakaluran Aiyub, one of the renowned Tausug-Banguingui Islamic teachers in Zamboanga City, are flabbergasted and saddened by her unexpected demise on May 19, 2021. His brother, Professor Alih Sakaluran Aiyub, Secretary General of the Ulama Council of the Philippines, announced on his Facebook account that his beloved sister had died. She was 62.  Accordingly, on May 14, 2021, Friday, just a day after Eid’l Fitr 1442H, she was admitted to a hospital in Zamboanga City. On May 19, 2021, Wednesday, she succumbed to COVID-19. Alhamdu Lillāhi, she was still able to reach and fast the blessed month of Ramadhān 1442H, the last and final Ramadhān of her life.  His brother Alih narrated that Ka’ Dayang was still able to pray Eid at home. However, because she already had experienced some of the symptoms of COVID-1

Inspirational Speech of Khawtar Tan Hassan

    Khawtar in red with her two siblings, Amier and Nashrum Inspirational Speech of Khawtar Tan Hassan during her Black Belting Ceremony held in Dammam, KSA.  Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahiim... Assalaamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullaahi wa Barakaatuhu….. Honorable guests….fellow taekwondo colleagues, ladies, and gentlemen….. GOOD AFTERNOON! On this momentous occasion, I express my pride and joy to give salute and honor to our beloved parents who struggle and sacrifice for the sake of our dreams despite their extremely hectic schedules as OFWs. They tirelessly nurtured us to become responsible children of society. You are indeed our inspiration in every step that we shall take in our lives. As an innocent kid, our room is our play area with my brother, Anya Amier. He's my elder brother, my first playmate and my best friend.  When my precious parents admitted my Anya Amier to Taekwondo school, I always accompanied them to send off my brother to the Taekwondo center.  I witnessed how much my elde