The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) cited the important milestone achieved by the 2025 Shari’ah bar passers.

The lawyers’ group extended its congratulations to the 154 successful examinees of the 2025 Shari’ah Special Bar Examinations (SSBE), welcoming them to the legal community.

The IBP, in a statement, said, “Your achievement marks a significant milestone, not only in your legal journey, but also in advancing access to justice and strengthening the Shari’ah justice system in our country.”

The new Shari’ah lawyers are preparing to take their oath and sign the Roll of Attorneys.

The IBP expressed pride and hope for the new passers by urging them to “always uphold justice with integrity and compassion.”

The Supreme Court on Friday announced that 154 out of 628 examinees passed the two-day SSBE, resulting in a passing rate of 24.48 percent.

Chaired by Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio T. Kho Jr., this year’s SSBE marked a significant development as it was the first time the examinations were conducted in a fully digitalized format.

Exams were held simultaneously at four local testing centers: the University of the Philippines Diliman in Quezon City, Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology, Ateneo de Davao University, and Ateneo de Zamboanga University.

Innovations in the 2025 examinations included the successful use of translation software for converting English exam questions to Arabic and examinees’ responses from Arabic to English, with human translators overseeing the process for accuracy.

The examinations also utilized Arabic keyboards, allowing examinees to type their answers directly in Arabic for the first time in SSBE history.

The SSBE is a specialized licensure examination for lawyers seeking to practice Shari’ah law in the Philippines, particularly in Muslim Mindanao.