Tag: Islam

Walid J. Abdullah: ISIS IS Not Only Muslim Problem

As a Muslim, I have been called to ‘own’ the ISIS problem and apologise for it. I have been doing some soul-searching and i think those people do have a point.

So on behalf of all Muslims, i would like to apologize for ISIS.

But my soul-searching did not stop there. On top of being Muslim, i am also a male Singaporean of Indian descent who stays in Simei. And therefore, i have to apologize for more stuff i did not do.

——

Donald Trump called Mexicans ‘rapists’. On behalf of all males, i apologise for his racism.

A former Nominated Member of Parliament from Singapore has urged the killing of children to stop terrorism. On behalf of all Singaporean males, i apologise for his stupidity.

Rick Santorum believes climate change (due to man-made activities) is a myth. On behalf of all males who may have told a lie or two before, i apologize for his ignorance.

The NTUC at Eastpoint Mall is located on the fifth floor, making it difficult for the elderly to make their purchases. On behalf of all residents of Simei, i apologise for this error in calculation.

Not too long ago, a group of apparently ‘drunk’ workers started a riot in Little Indian. As an Indian, i apologize for them drinking the alcohol.

I saw a guy beat the red light at the junction of Simei Street 3 and Simei Road some time
back. As a male, Singaporean, road-user, and resident of Simei, i apologize for his misdemeanour.

Sharon Au made a racist joke against Indians recently. As a Singaporean and product of the same education system, i apologize for her insensitivity (can you hear how ludicrous this sounds? An Indian apologizing for racism towards Indians is the same as Muslims apologizing for ISIS when most of its victims are Muslims).

President Obama has used extrajudicial drone strikes, which have inadvertently killed many innocent people. On behalf of all brown men everywhere, i apologise for his mistakes.

If there are any more problems that i can ‘own’, please do tell!

Source: Walid J. Abdullah

November 18, 2015
Alfian Sa’at: Outrageous To Suggest Muslims Should “Own” The ISIS Problem

I don’t know how to ‘own’ this problem of ISIS.

And the simple reason is that ISIS has not, does not, will never own my allegiance. This is stating the obvious but there are people too thick to figure this out by themselves.

ISIS has killed more Muslims than non-Muslims. Some were killed for refusing to swear loyalty to them. Female Muslim doctors were killed for refusing to wear veils when treating patients. There is a whole catalogue of horrors that they have perpetrated, including the rapes of women and the killing of children. I can’t even bring myself to watch any of their execution videos because just the description sickens me to the core of my being.

I don’t know how to ‘own’ a problem in which there is every possibility that I will be one of those executed.

So those of you who insist on telling Muslims to ‘own the problem’, do ask yourself why you are doing it. Does it give you the bully’s pleasure to associate someone with the very worst of (in)humanity? Do you think that there is not enough self-criticism within the Muslim community and having a discussion about ISIS will force some soul-searching? (In which case you really haven’t hung out with enough Muslims.) Or do you just need some ‘moderate Muslims’ to ‘apologise’ so that you can seize the opening to go off on one of your Islamophobic rants?

I keep hearing all these demands about ‘moderate Muslims’ needing to publicly denounce what the extremist ones are doing. And very often these platforms are subsequently hijacked by those who go on to denounce Islam. So it’s not surprising that many of us would prefer to keep our thoughts–the sorrow at the senseless murder of innocents, the anguish at how verses are interpreted into an ideology we can’t even recognise–private.

If you know of anyone who endorses what ISIS is doing, then go ahead and ask them to ‘own the problem’.

Leave the other Muslims alone. We don’t owe you any explanation or statement on something which we can even barely imagine or comprehend, much less condone or justify.

Source: Alfian Sa’at

November 17, 2015
Walid J. Abdullah: The injustices in Palestine and Syria deserve equal outrage as the Paris attacks

I am not disturbed at all by people who change their profile pictures to incorporate the French flag. Some do it because they studied/worked in France, or have learnt French, and therefore have a natural affinity for the country and its people. Some do it because it’s cool to jump onto the bandwagon. Some do it simply because all it takes is to press a button. It is all fine. There is really no need to get upset about that.

Changing your profile picture does not need in any way imply you are fine with killing of innocent people elsewhere, so we must not make such tenuous claims.

What does disturb me though, is when people say that talking about innocent lives being taken away elsewhere, or speaking on how Western foreign policy could be one of the causes of terrorism (not the only one, obviously), is somehow equal to devaluing human life, or is equivalent to justifying the murders in Paris. I think that is just absurdity of the highest order.

Of course, we must in no way justify the Parisian murders, or devalue the lives lost. I just don’t see how saying that Palestinians go through similar stuff, or stating that Syrians have been through worse, or that many other peoples in the world face injustices everyday, ‘cheapens’ the lives lost in Paris.

Worse still, some of the people who are saying such stuff, are usually completely silent when innocent people are killed elsewhere.

If someone is vocal about the loss of innocent lives in Afghanistan, for example, and then says that we should not compare Paris to other countries, i can accept that, even if i may not agree with the premise.

But for those who are silent on other issues, and yet see the need to lecture others who are expressing dismay at the loss of Palestinian lives, i think we know for sure who are the ones that actually ‘cheapen’ the lives of others.

An innocent life is an innocent life: if we rush to condemn one act of terror vociferously, and then are silent towards others, i think it is good to check why on earth we are behaving in that manner, who is it that we are so eagerly trying to please, and whether that is indeed consistent with our own moral codes.

It also seems to me like people who refuse to discuss the causes of terrorism properly, are perhaps not really interested in solving it.

Source: Walid J. Abdullah

November 17, 2015
Damanhuri Abas: Normalise, Celebrate Cultural And Religious Diversity

There is a viral post going around about a particular lady that seems to have posted a racially disparaging remark about the Malay language on her FB. I was also informed that this was the same lady that labeled me early in the election campaign as Taliban or ISIS for some strange reason.

I choose to ignore her posting but wishes to highlight the following.

I am convinced that Singaporeans mostly are not racist. There will always be that 10% and I hope lesser in any racial community that has this strange concept of racial superiority, which in essence goes against the grain, and teaching of all religion and cultures.

I believe in the maturity of most Singaporeans that have lived 50 years together, and mixed very well too in the region, which similarly is made up of people of many races, cultures and religion.

On this conviction, I decided to run as a candidate to allow me the opportunity to also engage the mainstream majority Chinese community on issues that are close to the heart of my Malay community.

I am heartened by the many more occasions when my Chinese brothers and sisters proudly declare their support for what I explained as discriminatory practices that still exists in Singapore that must be stopped. All the while reasoning that by championing issues of my community in no way mean that I am undermining other communities. These open and dignified dialogues strangely don’t happen often enough, which could have resolved many so-called sensitive issues much earlier.

I am glad that the things I openly said during rallies and in engagements with many people of all races have assured me of the ingrained value of universal brotherhood that is in all our hearts.

Let us strive to normalize the diversity that exists in our country into a true celebration of cultural and religious openness with mutual respect and goodwill that will breed genuine tolerance between us. It is unnatural policies driven by suspicion and distrust that hinders such progress towards unity. Nature and its wondrous diversity displays unparalleled beauty as a Sign and lesson for mankind from the Creator on unity in diversity.

For the lady in question, I do hope we forgive her, as clearly she doesn’t represent the majority of us and probably needed some form of help.

Source: Damanhuri Abas

November 6, 2015
Zulfikar Shariff: Discussion Of The Singapore System Will Open Minds, Helps Uncover Better Solutions For Malay-Muslim Community

A common response made against activists who operate on social media is to tell them to stop discussing on these platforms and instead to do something.

There are several misconceptions exhibited in such suggestions.

First, it assumes that social media discussions, especially those that involves substantive exploration and interrogation of ideas is not doing something.

Our understanding of the world, of systems that are created and sustained in our political system, policy choices and preferences, are all based on ideas.

The government does not craft policies independent of their values, preferences, beliefs or interests. All these ingredients of policy formulation are based on ideas.

So is the system we live in. The rules that define what we can or cannot do, who represent us, the platforms we are allowed to use, the actions we can take, are all based on ideas.

To challenge, clarify and develop ideas is to do something that will have a much greater impact than simply acting without clarity.

We should acknowledge, embrace and celebrate the role of ideas and its formulation in our community.

Second, before we act, we need to know why we act, know how to act, what the scope and limits of our action.

Too often, we act without knowing the why, how and what. We assume to know what we do but do not understand what defines our behaviour.

I have seen so many Muslim leaders discuss engagement with the government to modify policies.

And yet, they do not understand the context of the policy. They do not know the values, preference and interests that not only allow but create the conditions for the policy to exist.

So they engage, in expectation of a change, while being constrained by the very system they exist in.

The policies, (whether hijab, imposition of leadership, domestic and international preferences) are based on a system that defines what can be done and the preferences of the elites.

To assume that all we need to do is engage on policy is to ask for a meal while trapped in a well.

Understand the system. Understand what creates the preferences.

And then we can understand what we can do.

And these understandings can only be gained when we discuss ideas.

Whether it is done in a classroom or social media, these discussions have to take place.

Social media provides amazing access to activists. We can reach out to hundreds or thousands of followers and friends.

Unlike using the mainstream media, our voice and opinions do not need to be filtered. There are no gatekeepers to decide what we can say or how we can say it.

We can develop and share ideas.

We can explore, provide clarity, impart knowledge and mobilise.

Every discussion is an opportunity shift a position.

An effective discussion will create new understanding or solidify old ones. Or create perceptual drifts.

Social media discussions, even if limited, can change society.

And that is more substantive than what many realise.

Source: Zulfikar Shariff

November 6, 2015