Written by Michael B. Kanday, IDEALS
Radiya Abdulsatar during interview at Mahad Libutan Al-Islamie, Inc., Barangay Libutan, Mamasapano, Maguindanao del Sur. Photo by Michael B. Kanday/IDEALS
For many people in Maguindanao, the sound of gunfire has long been part of ordinary life. For Radiya Abdulsatar, it was part of her childhood.
Born and raised in Barangay Libutan, Mamasapano, Maguindanao del Sur, the 33-year-old ustadzah (female teacher in islamic education) spent most of her life witnessing how conflict affected communities around her. Even when armed encounters happened outside their barangay, fear still reached their homes—especially during nights when displaced families arrived seeking refuge and safety.
The situation affected not only security, but also education. For many children in their community, continuing school became difficult whenever conflict escalated. During armed clashes in nearby areas, roads going to schools became unsafe due to the presence of armed groups and the risk of violence. Some families were forced to evacuate to safer places, causing children to miss classes for days or even weeks. Fear and instability also discouraged parents from allowing their children to travel to school. As someone who deeply valued Islamic education, Radiya witnessed how instability disrupted both teaching and learning.
Despite these challenges, she remained determined to pursue her dream of becoming an ustadzah However, financial difficulties forced her to temporarily stop her studies and work abroad as an overseas Filipino worker (OFW). While living overseas, she continued carrying the hope of one day returning home to finish her Islamic studies.
After working abroad, Radiya returned to Maguindanao to continue her education and eventually complete her studies. Today, she teaches at a madrasah, where young Moro women and men learn about Islamic values. She also conducts online Islamic learning sessions for OFWs based in Saudi Arabia. Anchoring on her own experiences, Radiya understands how important it is for Muslim OFWs to stay connected to the Islamic faith and Allah, amid the logistical and financial challenges of working and living independently abroad.
Last February, IDEALS and the Bangsamoro Darul Ifta’, through the support of Brot für die Welt, gathered religious leaders from Maguindanao del Sur for Upholding Haqq, a learning initiative focused on human rights and media & information literacy. For Radiya, the sessions opened deeper conversations on how Islamic teachings, community responsibility, and ethical communication can work together in promoting peace and understanding.
Before joining the training, Radiya’s understanding of human rights was only limited to the right to live. Through the discussions, she became more aware of how human rights also underscore dignity, equal treatment, accountability, and the responsibility to do no harm to others.
One of the lessons that impacted her the most was the discussions on misinformation, disinformation, and mal-information. Living in a conflict-affected community, she realized how easily false or harmful information could escalate tension and influence people’s behavior online and offline. As she shared,
“Before, I shared posts right away without thinking if they were true or harmful. Now, I pause first, verify the source, and think about how it might affect other people.”
The Upholding Haqq training encouraged Radiya to become more mindful of how she uses social media and how religious leaders influence people within their communities. She explained that many people look up to ustadz and ustadzah, like her, not only for religious guidance, but also for how they communicate and act in the day-to-day.
Beyond social media responsibility, the training also deepened her reflections on women’s rights and the role of women in strengthening communities. For Radiya, women play an important role in shaping families, educating children, and helping maintain peace within the home and community.
Following the training, Radiya began conducting re-echo sessions within her community and integrating discussions on human rights and media & information literacy into her madrasa classes and online teaching sessions. She also continues sharing verified information online and encouraging young people to think carefully before posting or sharing content on social media.
Radiya Abdulsatar leads a community learning session on human rights and media & information literacy at Mahad Libutan Al-Islamie, Inc., Barangay Libutan, Mamasapano, Maguindanao del Sur.
Over time, she noticed emerging changes among her students. Some of her students would jokingly call her “Ms. Karapatan” which means “Ms. Rights,” whenever they saw her—a reminder that the lessons had left a mark, even briefly.
In an interview between Radiya and IDEALS, she shared that “human rights” can become a sensitive topic for Islamic communities, particularly on discussions on freedom of belief and religious expression. From Radiya’s experience, these topics are often approached carefully because they may be perceived as challenging established religious teachings, cultural traditions, or community norms. As a result, these conversations and learning sessions are handled with care and sacredness to ensure that discussions remain respectful of Islamic principles while still encouraging dialogue on broader human rights issues related to current affairs. With every conversation or madrasa class, the goal for Islamic teachers like Radiya is to foster peace and empathy, rather than contribute to tension and conflict.
Looking ahead, Radiya hopes more young people in their community will become more aware of their rights, more responsible online, and more committed to peaceful coexistence. As she emphasized,
“A community is peaceful when people no longer live in fear, when children can freely and safely study, and when leaders listen to the problems of the people.”
For Radiya, peace is not built overnight. It grows through education, responsible leadership, and communities willing to guide the next generation toward understanding instead of violence. Through her work as an educator and religious leader, she continues helping create spaces where faith, learning, and responsible communication can contribute to a more peaceful future.
About the project
SPARK Peace or “Strengthening People’s Actions for Human Rights and Kalilintad (Peace)” is a three-year (2024 to 2027) project supported by Brot fur die Welt. SPARK Peace aims for Bangsamoro communities to have increased agency in representing their priorities at the local and national levels, and participate in peacebuilding processes to prevent violent extremism. Among its objectives, SPARK Peace directly engages with Islamic religious leaders through Upholding Haqq in strengthening their role as champions of peace, justice, and human rights in the Bangsamoro region.