Abuhuraira Udasan

Sheikh Abuhuraira Abdulrahman Udasan (March 3, 1942 – July 3, 2023) was a Filipino Muslim theologian who was the first grand mufti of the Bangsamoro Darul Ifta'.

Shiekh
Abuhuraira Udasan
Personal
Born(1942-03-03)March 3, 1942
Dulawan, Cotabato, Philippines
DiedJuly 3, 2023(2023-07-03) (aged 81)
Cotabato City, Philippines
ReligionIslam
NationalityFilipino
Muslim leader
Period in officeUntil July 3, 2023
PredecessorPosition established
PostGrand Mufti of Bangsamoro

Early life and education

Early years

Abuhuraira Abdulrahman Udasan was born on March 3, 1942, in Kitango village of Dulawan, Cotabato (modern day Datu Piang, Maguindanao del Sur).[1]

Born to Udasan Gutem Montok and Sa'Diah Sambelen Abdulrahman,[2] Abuhuraira grew up in a religious family learning about Islam from his father. He reportedly already memorized many chapters of the Quran by the time he was six years old.[3]

Basic education

For his elementary education Udasan attended the Kitango Primary School for years before moving to the Dulawan Central Elementary School where he finished his two remaining years. For his secondary education he attended the Cotabato High School where he studied from 1948 to 1958.[4]

Religious studies

Udasan would start dedicating in Islamic studies when he studied at the Madrasah Rashidah (now Ma’had al-Rahmaniah) in Maganoy (now Shariff Aguak) from 1958 to 1964.[4]

Udasan traveled abroad for further studies. In 1966, Udasan would learn about spiritual studies in comparative religion (Christian-Islam) in Jerusalem,[4] studied at the Islamic University of Madinah in Saudi Arabia in 1971 where he obtained a bachelor's degree of Da'wah and Islamic Usuloddin (Shariah).[2]

Career

From 1971 to 1972, Udasan would be director of the Ma'had Al-Rahmaniah, an Islamic studies Arabic-language high school in Magonoy.[4] He would start missionary work across various parts of Mindanao in 1974.[1]

Udasan was also director of the Islamic Da'wah for the United Sabah Islamic Association in Sabah, Malaysia for 15 years.[4]

Moro conflict

Udasan was one of the co-founders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). He helped recruit at least 300 fighters for the group.[4]

Grand mufti

Udasan would become the grand mufti of the Darul Ifta' of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), institutionalized in 2015, which would be reorganized as the Bangsamoro Darul Ifta' in 2019.[1]

Udasan declared the activities of violent religious extremists such as the Abu Sayyaf, the Maute group and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria as haram and condemned the utilization of minors in armed conflict.[5][6]

Udasan also released a fatwa or edict in 2015 endorsing early marriages which would be criminalized by the Philippine national government in 2022.[7]

The Bangsamoro Darul Ifta' under his leadership also released rulings for Muslims on how to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes edicts stating that COVID-19 vaccines are halal[8] and that taking the vaccines does not break the fast.[9]

Personal life and death

Udasan was fluent in multiple languages such as English, Filipino, Arabic, and Malay. He also had command of various Mindanaoan languages such as Maguindanaon, Maranao, Iranon, Davaonon, and Tausug.[4]

Udasan died in his sleep on July 3, 2023, at his residence in Cotabato City. He was 81.[1][2]

References
  1. Fernandez, Edwin; Dela Cruz, Sheila Mae (July 4, 2023). "BARMM mourns passing of Grand Mufti". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  2. "Sheikh Udasan, first Bangsamoro Grand Mufti, passes away". MindaNews. July 3, 2023. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  3. "BARMM chief religious leader dies at 81". Manila Bulletin. Philippine News Agency. July 3, 2023. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  4. "In Memoriam: Grand Mufti Abuhuraira Udasan, a beacon of faith, guidance for Bangsamoro community". BARMM Official Website. Bangsamoro Information Office. July 3, 2023. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  5. Unson, John (October 20, 2017). "Bangsamoro grand mufti urges unity vs Islamic extremism". PhilStar Global. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  6. Cabrera, Ferdinandh (December 2, 2015). "Grand Mufti says ISIS is haram, un-Islamic". NDBC News. Notre Dame Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  7. Maitem, Jeoffrey (January 7, 2022). "Philippine Muslim Leaders Urge Repeal of New Law Criminalizing Child Marriage". Benar News. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  8. Unson, John (March 21, 2021). "BARMM residents assured: COVID-19 vaccines are halal". PhilStar Global. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  9. Fernandez, Edwin (April 21, 2021). "Covid-19 vax doesn't nullify fasting: BARMM grand mufti". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
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