When PAP Minister Masagos Zulkifli made his comment about the hijab ban and gay sex, there was another issue that he mentioned that probably has a much larger repercussion..
Masagos stated that Islam in Singapura should be practiced according to local context.
On the surface, it does not look that harmful.
It supposes differences in context for Muslims living in different parts of the world and at different times..
Many assume he simply meant that Muslims should take our local context into account.
But that was not all he said.
Masagos’ comment was in relation to the PAP government’s decision on the type of Muslim speakers they allow into Singapura..
It is about the type of Islam the PAP allows to be practiced.
In discussing the ban on Muslim scholars who believe Muslims should not wish others on their religious holidays..
Masagos argued that these scholars did not take “into account the teachings of our religious scholars that allows it, and they reject our religious scholars – this is very dangerous.”.
But his assertion that we should take into account the teachings of local scholars (as though all our local scholars allows it)…
betrays the fact that there is a difference of opinions among the local scholars.
PERGAS wrote in their irsyad that the difference of opinion is valid and that this difference should be respected.
How can he accuse the Ulama as though they are behind the decision to ban these speakers when these Ulama stated they accept the difference of opinions?
And the ulama do not have the ability to deny anyone entry.
That ability rests with the PAP government.
The decision to deny entry was not made by the Ulama.
That decision was made by the PAP government.
The PAP government decides on the types of Muslim scholars allowed to enter Singapura based on the type of Islam they allow.
The “Islam according to local context”…has nothing to do with referring to our local scholars.
It is about referring to the PAP.
Masagos’ statement is about creating a version of Islam…
Created and approved by the PAP.
Source: Almakhazin SG
