in memoriam

Cesar Adib Majul

By Dr. Susan Boyle

| au t u m n w i n t e r 2 0 0 3 - 4 |

guide, instructing and counseling students

33

seasons

dr. cesar adib majul (Adb Majl)

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 1960s and 1970s, 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 Majuls 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 Quran.

for his unremitting dedication

Throughout his life, Dr. Majuls 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.

| au t u m n w i n t e r 2 0 0 3 - 4 | s e a s o n s

In the final days of his life,

Dr. Majul prepared to update and publish his
essay, Islams 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 Quran; 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, Dont 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 humanitys 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.

Shabn 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 fathers 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 Qdir. The

Diverse peoples, cultures, and movements

emir, in his latter life, had been the main

intersected through Dr. Majuls life. Firstly, he

instrument in the revival of the books and Sufic

inherited from his father, Adib, many aspects

teachings of Shaykh Mu^iyuddn ibnu l-

of the classical Arab culture of 19th Century

Arab. 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 fathers

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 Ysuf from the Quran.

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 ~arqas (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.

Majuls 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-

| au t u m n w i n t e r 2 0 0 3 - 4 |

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. Majuls

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 . 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 Quran

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 Quranic 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 (ijz) of the

Through Dr. Majul, the history of the great

Quran.

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-Islm

those who knew the meaning and cosmologi-

f Sharqi l-Aq| (1966).

cal symbolism behind many of the traditional

| au t u m n w i n t e r 2 0 0 3 - 4 | s e a s o n s

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 majuls

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 kasl (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).
Islams 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 Quran (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 Quran
(1984).
The Contemporary Muslim Movement in the
Philippines (Mizan Press, Berkeley, 1985).

| au t u m n w i n t e r 2 0 0 3 - 4 |

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

37