853 aspirants take Shari’ah Bar exam

The Supreme Court (SC) has listed 853 successful examiners for this year’s Shari’ah Bar examination, held simultaneously for two days at the University of the Philippines in Quezon City and Ateneo de Davao University in Davao City.

In July this year, the results of the examinations will be released and the oathtaking of the successful examinees will be held in August, said SC Associate Justice Maria Filomena D. Singh, chairperson of the Shari’ah Bar Examinations Committee.

She said that 855 examinees finished the first day of the examinations last 28 April but two of them did not take the tests on the second day on 2 May.

From 1983 to 2022, the SC administered 17 Shari’ah Bar examinations.

Out of the total 3,694 who took the tests during the period, only 1,048 passed the examinations.

The SC lowered the passing percentage from 75 percent to 70 percent during the 2020 and 2022 examinations.

The 2024 examinations were given both online and manually using pen and paper.

The SC originally set the examination last 25 to 28 February, but it was re-scheduled “in anticipation of the holy month of Ramadan (9 March to 8 April) and to allow the prospective examinees additional time to review and to prepare the application requirements.”

Subjects covered during the two-day examinations were jurisprudence (Figh) and customary laws (Adat); persons, family relations and property; succession, wills or adjudication and settlement of estates, as well as procedure in the Shari’ah Courts.

Shari’ah or Islamic law is implemented in the legal system of the Philippines and applicable only to Muslims.