ISIS Attacks on the Philippines Only Unites Muslims and Christians More
Foreign journalists covering the conflict in Marawi, southern Philippines conjured of scenes similar to Raqqa and Mosul. There may have been similarities, especially on battle scenes and civilians trying to escape the war zone. However, what surprised them was the unity between Christians and Muslims that wasn't apparent in Iraq and Syria.
This show of selfless interfaith compassion has been exhibited since the start of the clashes last month. The Maute group overran Marawi during Ramadan to impress the Islamic State leadership in the Middle East and attract funding and fighters. After burning a Catholic cathedral and Protestant school, they went after Christians to hold hostage.
One Muslim leader hid dozens of embattled Christians in the warehouse of his rice mill where he taught them how to say prayers. "He was giving them an orientation," Catholic bishop Edwin de la Peña said. "How to respond to questions, to recite prayers, to wear their veils, how to say assalamu alaikum (peace be upon you)."
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The plan worked except for an unfortunate few. "When they were asked if they were Christians, they said yes readily. So they were pulled out. And we just heard that they were killed and thrown down into a ravine," dela Peña continued. Since then, there have been stories told of sympathetic acts between adherents of the two religions.
Most of Marawi's 200,000 inhabitants fled to nearby Iligan where residents opened their homes to feed those who made the 23.5-mile trek. "This is something that [the militants] did not expect. They tried so hard to divide us, but in the end, the strategy brought us together," Dela Peña added.
The unfortunate events have indeed brought Christians and Muslims together, even in other parts of the country, to support their brethren in Mindanao. In Central Philippines, Muslim and Christian students organized a relief effort to send food and items to Iligan. Through their operation, the students wanted to show the goodness in people regardless of their faith.
