How Islam came to the Philippines, particularly to Mindanao and Sulu is a sophisticated inquiry that cannot be answered instantly,

especially if the inquirer is a non-muslim with only limited knowledge about Islam. It is crucial to acquire adequate, if not comprehensive, knowledge regarding the advent and inception of Islam if you wish to know how Islam came to the philippines. The expansion of Islam commenced after the death of Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) in 623 AC. The spreading was carried out through missionary efforts and military victories, expanding the Islamic dominion, encompassing the Middle East, Spain, North Africa, Central Europe and Eastern Europe. The expansion proceeded towards the Sub-Saharah Africa and Sotheast Asia, subesequently to Mindanao and Sulu, via cicuitous route. It is still disputed as to which group- traders, missionaries, crusaders, etc- was accountable for the introduction of Islam in Mindanao and Sulu. Nevertheless, historians have concurringly and considerately consorted that the advent of Islam to Mindanao and Sulu was the outcome of the missionary efforts of Arab traders and teachers (or sufis) who arrived via the trade routes. Nonetheless, there is not enough proof so far to verify the disceptation that Islam was introduced in Mindanao and Sulu before the concluding years of the 14th century. However, the discovery of a tombstone on the slope of Bud Datu indicating the year of death of the deceased (710 AH) that could substantiate the conjecture that Islam might have much earlier. The tombstone also bear the name of the deceased - Tuhan Muqbalu or Maqbalu. According to UP scholar, the title 'Tuhan' entail that the deceased was a chief or person of high potency. It was ascertained that those dwelling in or near trading stations or by the trade routes are the first to become Muslims in Mindanao and Sulu. This ascertainment is the reason why most of the historians, if not all, conceive that the early missionaries of Islam were traders also. However, it is more likely that the advent if Islam in this part of the world might have ensued from the collective efforts of traders, teaches or sufis, even though the visual aspect of a sentinent, orderly and organized scheme of executing the task was patently deficient. Names of istorical figures should also be noted in the advent of Islam in Mindanao and Sulu: Tuan Mashaika, the founder of the first Muslim community; Karimul Makhdum, who converted a large number of inhabitants to Islam, and was accountable for the founding of the first Mosque in the Philippines; Rajah Baguinda successor of Makhdum; Syed Abubakar, the first crowned sultan and said to be a direct descendant of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him); Sharif Muhammad Kabungsan, claimed to be of Hashimite descent, credited as being the most subservient in the propagation of Islam in the island. Before the advent of Islam, the inhabitants of Mindanao and Sulu were animistic. No cummunity was accounted by word of mouth or in writing to be monotheistic. They revere or idolize stones, celestial bodies and other inanimate objects. Anito and diwata were the only quintessential features of their belief scheme. Conversion to Islam was usually regarded as leisurely and unconstrained excluding some isolated cases where skirmishes that prefaced it. With immensely superior knowledge, the newcomers easily got past the local resistance. Doing the task more leisurely was the Arabian blood running in their

veins which expedited rather than impeded espousal not only by good deal of people but also by the obsolete dominating strata. And with Islam came the new worldwide viewpoint, power structure and the ablutionary force to kibosh heathen rituals and ceremonies. It yielded an inflexible faith in one single Supreme Being called Allah, on the egality and fraternity of the firm beleivers, on the foundation of goodwill and prosperity to all and inspired the modus vivendi of the believers in all aspects of existence. As evidence of its convingcingness, Islam earned new disciples who turned out to be among its most abled and dauntless defenders as shown in the succeeding three centuries of persistent struggle with the colonizers.