Bismillahirrahmanirrahim
I’ve debated whether to post this.
Decided I should.
In the last few weeks, there was an issue that was extremely important for the Muslim community here to address. Yet as a whole, we did not. For whatever reasons.
I refer to PM Lee’s announcement that the SG govt was considering joining the ‘coalition of the bombing’.
Instead of addressing the issue – the elephant in the room in my view – they chose to address the dog issue.
The situation is akin to what happened in Saudi Arabia during the first Gulf War and the setting up of a US airbase in Dahran. Instead of addressing the issue, the ‘establishment ulema’ there chose to focus their attention to a Muslimah who – heaven forbid – decided to drive. Aparently that’s far more impt than the issue of an entire airbase being situated very near to Islam’s holiest shrines. But I digress.
Let’s recap. After Minister Shanmugam posting something on IS on his FB, suddenly so many establishment asatizahs start falling all over themselves to condemn IS. Not in their name, they chorused dutifully. The asatiahs were from RSIS and MUIS. The big guns, so to speak. Then The head of PERGAS gave an interview on national TV, condemning in no uncertain terms IS and again chorusing ‘not in our name’.
Don’t get me wrong. I do not support IS. Im saying these acts do not happen in a vacuum. US atrocities, the bombing of entire Muslim villages by drones, the killing of many Muslims attending a wedding feast, CIA and Mosad complicity in the genesis of IS…. all these are conveniently left out of the narrative.
Then there’s the woeful episode of the black flags. Asatizahs began writing articles, questioning the authenticity of the hadith on Khurasan and the black flags. Firstly, it was done in a rather lop-sided manner. Eg, in a particular chain that was quoted by both Imam Tirmidhi and Imam Ahmad, it was said that Imam Tirmidhi considered the chain weak. But what did Imam Ahmad say about it? Next, two places were mentioned: Khoorasan and Jerusalam. There are other ahadith about a Muslim army liberating Jerusalem, and the hadith is muttafaqqun alaih – of the highest possible authenticity. This was not mentioned. Also, there appears to be numerous chains of the hadith. And these chains could strengthen one another, making it collectively sahih. Not to mention these ahadith appear in the canonical six collections of ahadith – collectively the most authentic we have.
Then the ED of PERGAS saw fit to talk to BH about it not being right to purchase the flag, as it would make non Muslims uncomfortable. Truly, that’s a preposterous statement. Should we then censor the Quran? After all, the end of Bakarah is a doa for Allah azzawajal to Grant us victory agst the non Believers? That’s juz one eg out of many.
We are told we should have husnu zhon. But shouldn’t these asatizahs have husno zhon on the Muslims who had purchased the flags, without realising its bigger implications? Should the asatizahs not contact these people personally and advise them to remove it from FB? To my knowledge this wasn’t done. And our brothers were hauled up by the authorities and have to answer for their deeds, with all the attendant worry the family had to go thru.
Now, after the govt announced that they would join the ‘coalition of the bombing’ and the issue has become fait accompli, some among the asatizahs are voicing out their displeasure. A little too late no? Or is it an attempt to recover lost legitimacy, since there has been voices ‘encouraging’ out estab asatizahs to join the jihad?
Final word. Late for Jumuah. We hope our pol leaders and estab asatizahs enjoy their paychecks and coming EOY bonus. If u r MUIS staff, bear in mind it comes from the Fitrah fund.
A reminder these things come with strings attached.
We hope and pray there will not be hell to pay.
Gotta go for now. I’m not done yet. will dress our own complicity in this.
Wallahualam. Barakallahufeek.
Authored by Syed Danial on 7 Nov 2011.
