The Supreme Court (SC) holds its first national Shari’ah summit in Cagayan de Oro City starting Sunday, March 5, in a move to thresh out challenges and strengthen support to Muslim’s legal and judicial system in the country. About 300 justices, judges, prosecutors and lawyers are expected to attend the two-day summit – called “1st National Shari’ah Summit: Forging the Role of Shari’ah in the National Legal Framework” --  at the Limketkai Luxe Hotel. The SC’s public information office (PIO) said that also expected to participate are Shari’ah counselors, Shari’ah judges, members of the academe, representatives of non-governmental organizations, as well as foreign delegates from countries which implement Shari’ah laws. Shari’ah is “a body of Muslim ordinances and regulations which are found principally in the Koran (or Quran which is the ‘sacred scripture of Islam’) and the Hadith (‘believed to be the record of the words, actions, and the silent approval of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad’).” Shari’ah courts in the Philippines, which are under the administrative supervision of the SC, adjudicate cases arising under the Code of Muslim Personal Laws. The PIO’s press briefer said that Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo leads the roster of speakers.  He will discuss the SC’s five-year Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations on strengthening the foundations of Shari’ah. SC Senior Associate Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen will deliver the welcome remarks. Senate President Juan Miguel F. Zubiri will lead key government officials who will deliver messages of support. The PIO said that topics for discussion on March 5 include -- “Brief History of Muslim Filipinos,” “Updates on the Peace Process,” “Shari’ah in the Philippine Legal Framework,” “Shi’a and Sunni, and the Four Sunni Madhab (Schools of Thought),” “Concept of Halal,” and “Islamic Banking in the Philippines.” It said there will be a panel discussion focusing on “Women in Islam.” On March 6, the topics for discussion are -- “The Muslim Code and the Bangsamoro Organic Law,” “Supreme Court Decisions on Shari’ah,” “Salient Provisions of the Proposed Revised Special Rules of Procedure in Shari’ah Courts,” and “Islamic Banking and Finance.” There will also be knowledge sharing on the “Best Practices on Shari’ah in Foreign Jurisdictions” to be led by Egyptian Ambassador to the Philippines H.E. Ahmed Shehabeldin Ibrahim Abdullah who is speaking in his personal capacity as a lawyer and a scholar. Associate Justice Japar B. Dimaampao, the second Muslim to have been appointed to the SC after Associate Justice Abdulwahid Bidin, will discuss “What Lies Ahead: Conquering Challenges in the Philippine Shari’ah Legal System and the Evolving Shari’ah Doctrines.” Philippine Judicial Academy (PhilJA) Chancellor Rosmari D. Carandang will deliver the closing remarks. PhilJA is the education arm of the SC. The PIO said the summit is organized by the SC in cooperation with PhilJA, in partnership with the Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy (PCID) and the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF), and  with support from the European Union through the SUBATRA and GOJUST2 Programmes co-funded by Cooperación Espańola, and The Asia Foundation.