in memoriam
Cesar Adib Majul By Dr. Susan Boyle
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guide, instructing and counseling students
33
seasons
dr. cesar adib majul (AdÏb Maj‰l) passed away on Saturday, October 11th, 2003 in his home in San Pablo, California. He died of cancer ten days before his eightieth birthday. Best known for his work on the Filipino revolutionaries, Apolinario Mabini and Jose Rizal, and for his classic work, Muslims in the Philippines, he influenced several generations of Filipinos through his commitment to honesty in the smallest of things and his service as an incorruptible moral compass. Dr. Majul was born in the Philippines as one of nine children to a Syrian Damascene immigrant father from the Ottoman Empire and a local Spanish-Malay mother. He spent several childhood years in Davao and studied at La Salle and the University of the Philippines before obtaining his doctorate in Political Science as a Fulbright Fellow at Cornell University in New York in 1956. Upon his return to the Philippines in 1957, he came to prominence for his analysis of the meaning and significance of building a national community. As a lead-
ing Muslim intellectual of Christian Arab and Filipino heritage, he tracked the ‘China link’ to Islam in the Philippines, placed the history of the Philippines in its southeast regional context, and addressed the neglected history, the current conditions, and the culture of Muslims in Mindanao and Sulu. Dr. Majul published seven books and over 120 articles. In addition, he was instructor of Philosophy and Political Science for years at the University of the Philippines. He was also a visiting professor at Cornell University for the 1966-67 and 1973-74 academic years and received several national awards in the Philippines for his historical and biographical works. In the 1960’s and 1970’s, he supplemented his academic endeavors with administrative responsibilities as dean at the University of the Philippines and then as head of the University College, Department of Admissions and the College of Arts and Sciences. Also, during that time, he served on the Board of Regents of the University of Mindanao, and he was dean, Islamic Philosophy professor, co-founder of the Institute of Islamic Studies, and officer-in-charge of the Institute of International Studies and the Asian Center. In addition, he served as chairman of the Board of Directors of the Philippine Amanah Bank. In 1975, Dr. Majul was chairman of the Presidential Commission that drafted the ‘Code of Muslim Personal Laws of the Philippines’. During the period of martial law under President Marcos beginning in 1972, Dr. Majul worked as guardian and
(some of whom would become priests and
transcending retribution and a culture of
some revolutionaries), advising government
vengeance; and of fractured man awakening
officials, and suggesting policy and ideas to
beyond ego, tribe, and sect to a world of com-
end the impoverishment, neglect, and abuse
mon concern. For Majul, the challenge was
of
Sulu.
always that of individual choice: to assume the
Throughout this period, he said he remained
responsibility of choosing to become truly
devoted to three things: “to protect the
moral.
Muslims
in
Mindanao
and
Muslim minority; to help in the cohesion of a
After a lifetime of teaching, he reflected
growing national community; and, as much as
days before dying that “some 30,000 people
possible, to raise the educational and national
know my face … through my lectures (some
level of ordinary Filipinos.”
lectures had 300 per class) on philosophy, on
In 1980, Dr. Majul left the Philippines – just
logic, on Islamic institutions, on Rizal ….”
as his father had left the Ottoman Empire –
Students flocked to his lectures to witness his
secretly in fear of his life – never
brilliance, his unyielding respect for inherent
to return save to provide the
human dignity, and his irrepressible moral
1999 commemorative speech
impulse. They were inspired by Majul’s faith,
on Jose Rizal at the University of
discipline, and moral courage to achieve
the Philippines, where ten years
critical, creative, and meaningful lives which
earlier he had received an hon-
ennobled both the individual as a social being
orary Doctor of Laws in absentia
and the nation as a whole.
Calligraphy by Cesar Majul from the front of his forthcoming book Remembrance and Forgetfulness in the Qur’an.
for his “unremitting dedication
Throughout his life, Dr. Majul’s reputation
to the highest standards”; his
grew as an incorruptible character – a man
“selfless service”; his “inspiring
seeking peace whom revolutionaries would
wisdom,
and
embrace. “I have always loved fairness and
strength of character”; his “sin-
hated vindictiveness,” he said days before pass-
gular contribution to history
ing. He spent his final years still deeply
and political science, and his
connected to the Muslim problems in the
dedicated service to the coun-
Philippines, ever available for counsel and
try.”
advice to all sides. Amidst sectarian conflict
compassion,
and tribal divisions, he called upon individuals to transcend their differences to secure the common good.
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In the final days of his life, Dr. Majul prepared to update and publish his essay, Islam’s Advent and Spread in the Philippines, and to distribute copies of his most
At a time when the world is stained with
recent essay, Remembrance and Forgetfulness in
bloodshed and awash with hundreds of thou-
the Qur’an; he was also preparing to obtain his
sands of refugees, Cesar Majul, a Muslim of
dual citizenship (U.S. and Filipino). Though
Christian ancestry, remains an inspiration: a
pained by those who had turned on him
man of peace who understood progress in
during the Marcos period, he remained with-
its most fundamental dimensions of life
out anger. His aphorism was, “Don’t let
lived with moral courage and character.
resentment poison your blood. You hurt your-
Intellectual brilliance was and never is suffi-
self if you are vindictive.” He transcended the
cient; for without a spiritual capacity, there is
petty, ever focusing on principle and the fun-
little to guide humanity’s refinement and
damental moral goal of working towards the
creation of a compassionate, caring, just, and
common good of the nation. His own life
fair domain united beyond blood and ideolo-
resolved the paradox of spiritual man seeking
gy by the moral anchor of a common purpose
34
refinement in a material world; of broken man
– a common good.✺
Shakir Massoud adds:
ment from his comrades to apply for U.S. mili-
dr. cesar adib majul was a truly delightful
tary veterans’ benefits, Cesar Majul refused,
friend and teacher, who passed from this
stating that his only intention had been to rid
world on the 15th of the lunar month of
his country of its occupiers.
Sha¢b¥n of this year, 1424 Hijrah. Upon nearly
Dr. Majul had not only a lifelong interest in
everyone who ever met him, he bestowed some
and appreciation of Islamic Law and political
treasured gift; yet, even more so, over the
power but also an enduring devotion to the
course of the latter half of the 20th Century, he
spiritual disciplines of Sufism.
attained an important and unique position in
He attributed his path to Islam and Sufism
the modern history of Islam. Looking at some
first to his father’s encounter with the charis-
of what we know of his life and legacy may offer
matic 19th Century Algerian resistance leader
a glimpse of his station in our common history.
and spiritual devotee, Emir ¢Abdul Q¥dir. The
Diverse peoples, cultures, and movements
emir, in his latter life, had been the main
intersected through Dr. Majul’s life. Firstly, he
instrument in the revival of the books and Sufic
inherited from his father, Adib, many aspects
teachings of Shaykh Mu^iyuddÏn ibnu ‘l-
of the classical Arab culture of 19th Century
¢ArabÏ. The young Adib Majul was taken by his
Damascus, and, in his own life, that culture
father before the great shaykh in Damascus to
blended with the Southeast Asian and Moro-
be blessed. He was later taken on as a retainer
Islamic legacy of the Philippines, the country
to the Ottoman authorities in Damascus and
into which he was born. His life also bridged
educated in their traditions. Furthermore,
Orthodox Catholicism, through his Christian
Dr. Majul used to say he was profoundly influ-
family origin, and Islam, though his later con-
enced through sitting attentively by his father’s
tact with many great Islamic scholars and
side after Bible study every Sunday to listen to
personages of the 20th Century. From his
him recite Surah Y‰suf from the Qur’an.
early classical education, he was not only flu-
Besides his more worldly academic pursuits,
ent in Spanish but also knew by heart large
in his later years, Dr. Majul was initiated into
portions of the Catholic Liturgy in Latin.
several Sufi ~arÏqas (paths), most notably the
That, combined with his embrace of Islam
Naqshabandiya path through Shaykh Muham-
and taking part in its scholastic pursuit, made
mad (Mehmet) Zahid Kotku of Istanbul.
him a formidable authority in comparative his years of teaching and his interest in the
Dr. Majul spent his entire life in the service of
affairs of young Muslims up until his death.
education. He began as an exceptional
He was a significant point of contact between
student. One philosophy professor at Cornell
Islamic scholars in the Middle and Far East
University expressed his shock at Cesar
and Muslim converts in the West.
Majul’s high performance as a graduate stu-
Guerillas and the U.S. Forces. At one point,
Dr. Majul was intrigued with many different
he fought room to room to clear the Manila
issues and topics, and his keen, analytic mind,
Hotel of Japanese soldiers for General
trained in logic and philosophy, often dis-
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An Inveterate Academician seasons
religion. He bridged young and old through
MacArthur. After the war, despite encourage-
cerned subtleties and hitherto unknown
35
Also worthy of mention is Dr. Majul’s
dent from the Philippines who came up with
valiant military service. During World War II,
innovative ideas on the thought of Bertrand
when the Majul home was bombed by the
Russell; this professor said that he had up until
Japanese, the family fled into the provinces.
then assumed that Majul was just an upstart
For the Filipino Resistance, Cesar Majul ran
student from an inconsequential American
messages under fire to coordinate the
colonial backwater.
aspects of whatever subject he applied himself
surmised through his research that it is more
to. His research allowed him access to some of
than likely that they were three of four cousins
the best libraries in the world, and through it,
from the 80 or so Muslim emigrants to
he also became acquainted with internation-
Abyssinia during the lifetime of the Prophet
ally
helped
Muhammad œ. The fourth of them is known
establish and oversee the Institute of Islamic
to have perished en route and is buried at a
Studies of the University of the Philippines,
spot on the coast of Southwest India. Dr. Majul
and he served as Trustee on the Board of the
also researched the life and ancestry of the
Center
Muslim admiral, Cheng-Ho.
renowned
for
academics.
Muslim
He
Contribution
to
Civilization in Qatar. Even in informal gatherings, Cesar Majul
Lover of The Qur’an
would often deliver what was, in effect, an
Although Dr. Majul was the first to admit that
impromptu lecture, or, if his companions
he had no formal training in the Arabic
possessed information or insights that stimu-
language or other areas of Islamic academic
lated his interest, he would elicit from them
disciplines, he nonetheless exercised his con-
every pertinent detail until the subject was
siderable intuitive powers and reason to gain
exhausted.
new and dramatic insights into some linguistic
Dr. Majul required from his students and
and numeric aspects of the Qur’anic text.
aides diligence and accuracy, and he never
Although his methodology was considered by
put up with sloppiness, often to the point that
some controversial due to its non-traditional
some initially viewed him as a severe taskmas-
approach or being liable to misinterpretation,
ter. Nonetheless, his critics usually later came
Dr. Majul did not agree. He viewed these ideas
to realize that his uncompromising attitude
and methods as unique contributions to the
had bettered their skills and habits.
wealth of knowledge that establishes the Majesty and Perfection of God through con-
Historian
sideration of the inimitability (i¢j¥z) of the
Through Dr. Majul, the history of the great
Qur’an.
Sultanates of the Philippines was preserved. Calligrapher and Artist
the Arab-American Army surgeon, Dr. Najeeb
Partly from his love for mathematics and partly
Mitry Saleeby (of the American colonial peri-
through his interest in the elegant design motifs of Islamic Andalusia, Dr. Majul devel-
authoritative textbook on Philippine Islam
oped a talent for creating wonderful
called, Muslims in the Philippines. Some of his
geometric Arabic calligraphic designs, which
essays were translated by Dr. Nabil Tawil Subhi
was one of his favorite hobbies. He admired
into Arabic and published in Beirut as Al-Isl¥m
those who knew the meaning and cosmologi-
fÏ Sharqi ‘l-Aq|¥ (1966).
cal symbolism behind many of the traditional
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He compiled and expanded on the works of
od) and others to create the definitive and
the immigration of three Muslim holy men
Social Issues
from the West, and their gravesites are still
Dr. Majul was always passionately opposed to
known and revered. China historians have not
oppression, not only as it related to the politi-
agreed on the details of who exactly these men
cal and cultural oppression of the indigenous
36
were or when they arrived in China. Dr. Majul
Muslims of the Philippines but also to other
Dr. Majul speculated on and set out to
forms of Arabic calligraphy. For him, art,
establish a solid connection with the incep-
architecture, and the creative process were
tion of Islam in China and the earliest Arab
essential to life and happiness.
Muslim travelers. Tang Dynasty records note
beleaguered peoples such as the Palestinians.
Muhammad Salih; his adoring sisters; and
Dr. Majul respected the courageous work of
legions of friends, former students, and
journalists such as Robert Fisk, whose career
acquaintances around the world. Many will
he followed avidly. Although sympathetic to
miss him now that he has passed on to the next
various resistance movements, he tempered
Stage in his journey. May God enliven us all by
his support for such causes with practicality
his memory, enable us to make good use of his
and reason. He envisioned and worked
teachings, and shower him with rewards,
towards the formation in the Philippines of a
divine mercy, and forgiveness.
multicultural, tolerant, and pluralistic society, not one born of violence and polarization.
a selection of some of cesar majul’s
The Philippine government held him in such
many published books & articles:
high regard as to have appointed him media-
Muslims in the Philippines (Univ. of Phil. Press,
tor in disputes with Moro political groups and
1st edit. 1973, last edition 1999). (This
in some of their foreign affairs involving Mus-
book is also translated into Malaysian.)
lim countries.
Family Planning in Islam (1973). The Divine-Human Encounter in Islam (Cornell
Conclusion
Univ., 1974).
Those lucky enough to have known Dr. Majul
What Jerusalem Means to Muslims (1974).
remember that he was always able to elicit a
Basic Islamic Concepts Underlying the Principles
good laugh with one of the humorous anec-
Governing the Islamic Family and Their
dotes he gleaned from his experiences. He was
Implications on Modern Islamic Society (Al-
never a stranger to having a good time, to hav-
Azhar, 1975).
ing dinner out on the town, or to appreciating a classic Japanese samurai movie. In his selfdeprecating humility, he sometimes used to call himself a “kas‰l” (lazy loaf). His kindness and generosity seemed limit-
The Beautiful Names of Allah (Salam Magazine, Sept. 1974). Arabic Kufi Inscriptions in the Stole of Archbishop Hubert Walter (1978). Islam’s Explanation of the Human Paradox and its
less, extending not only to family and friends
Solution to it in the Modern World (WAMY,
but even on occasion to passing acquaintances
1979).
on public transportation as well as near neighbors. He lived his years of ‘retirement’ in working class suburb of the San Francisco Bay Area. I saw one of his Hispanic neighbors ‘Don Cesar’ had just passed away, saying she
The Prophet Muhammad as the Norm for True Humanity (1980) Islam and the Social Sciences (Univ. of Malaya, 1981). Code of Islamic Personal Law (collaboration
would miss his kindness and companionship. I
with Al-Azhar Univ., Cairo, at request of
recall one afternoon walking several blocks
Philippine Government, 1981).
with him in Berkeley, and no less than a half a
The Names of Allah in Relation to the
dozen people came running out of the shops
Mathematical Structure of Qur’an (1982).
and cafes with huge smiles just to greet and
Islam and Creative Development (Qatar Univ.
embrace their friend, Dr. Cesar. Dr. Cesar Majul is survived by his loving and gracious wife, Wiene; his son, Dr. Zainul Abidin; his stepdaughter, Christina; his grandsons , Amr, Ahmad, Muhammad Umar, and
1983). Four Special Names of Allah in the Qur’an (1984). The Contemporary Muslim Movement in the Philippines (Mizan Press, Berkeley, 1985).
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break down weeping when she learned that
Modernization (Rockefeller Found., 1979). seasons
semi-obscurity, in an unassuming house in a
Islamic Traditional Values as a Force for
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