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Tag: Islam

  • Praise Of Lee Kuan Yew In Some Friday Prayer Sermons Angers Some In Malay Community

    Praise Of Lee Kuan Yew In Some Friday Prayer Sermons Angers Some In Malay Community

    The death of the nation’s founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew has permeated into our consciousness extensively since his death on Monday morning, but some Muslims have taken issue with the case of praising his legacy during Friday sermons earlier this afternoon.

    Usually delivered during Friday services before conducting their Zuhur (noon) congregation prayers, topics typically range from community, ethics, morals and generally all about being a better Muslim and human being.

    According to the transcript of today’s khutbah — sermons delivered by imams to Muslims attending Friday prayers at mosques — a portion of the speech is dedicated to Lee Kuan Yew, praising the late statesman for his role in ensuring a multi-racial and multi-religious society while also encouraging attendees to reflect on their own personal legacies.

    Some Muslims however have taken issue with the tribute to Lee Kuan Yew in their Friday prayers, a sort of unwelcome intrusion of state into religion.

     

    MUIS khutbah today…for Muslims to emulate Lee Kuan Yew.They praise a man who discriminate Muslims, insulted Islam …during khutbah Jumaat.This is MUIS now. A government propaganda machinery.

    Posted by Singapore Muslims for an Independent MUIS on Thursday, 26 March 2015

     

    BrothersA lot of us are upset with MUIS referring to Lee Kuan Yew in the khutbah…which is supposed to be a sermon…

    Posted by Singapore Muslims for an Independent MUIS on Thursday, 26 March 2015

    Not all mosques however report the same cases of references to the late Lee Kuan Yew — some imams have left out the section concerning his passing in their sermons.
    Some Muslims have also raised concerns about the inclusion of politics in places of worship, while others feel that the passing of Lee does impact the community as a whole and it would be relevant in context of current events.

     

    Source: http://singapore.coconuts.co

  • Samad Ismail: Of Friends And Foes

    Samad Ismail: Of Friends And Foes

    I read something about my late father yesterday. He was mentioned in an article written by a former Singapore Minister Othman Wok in a tribute to the republic’s first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew who died on Monday. I reproduce it (in bold) from (excerpt) of Othman’s piece that was published in the Straits Times (Singapore).

    It is a nice tribute to Singapore’s founding father. But the bit on my late dad – not so nice.

    For reasons, perhaps known only to Othman who considers my father “a good friend”, he chose to repeat and publish a false allegation made decades ago against my late father – that he was a “card-carrying member” of the Malayan Communist Party. A charge my father had denied following his release in 1981 after four-and-half years in detention under the ISA.

    I write, on behalf of my sisters and brothers, to say that – with due respect to Othman, we find the reference made of our father despicable and a deliberate act to malign him.

    We will not be drawn into further remarks to set the record straight or to clear our father’s name for obvious reasons. Individiuals (from both sides of the causeway) responsible for the detention of our father are all dead and gone.

    We will let it rest but we must register our protest and to express our regret and that we are deeply saddened by Othman’s invocation of our father’s name – by resurrecting and repeating a false accusation – a false narrative – that had been put to rest decades ago.

    Below is part of Othman’s article.

    “I told him my concerns were about how we were going to cope with the communist threat in an independent Singapore. He said to me: “You don’t worry. I will handle them.”

    He made good on this promise, dealing firmly and deftly with the communists after Independence. Some have expressed disagreement with Kuan Yew on his subsequent actions, since many of those detained continued to insist for many years that they were not communists.
    This is a misunderstanding of how the communists worked in that era. They did not admit they were communists then because communist organisations had been declared illegal from the time of the Malayan Emergency. So it became their strategy to go underground and to secretly infiltrate groups throughout society. My good friend Samad Ismail, also an Utusan Melayu newsman, did not admit to being a communist at the time, but he turned out to be a card-carrying member of the Malayan Communist Party.

    Samad was detained in Malaysia in the 1970s. I have no doubt there were detainees in Singapore who, like him, were underground communist members or strong communist sympathisers who fought for the same violent cause. Kuan Yew fought the communists vigorously and Singapore is better off because of it.”

    Othman Wok, 90, served in Lee Kuan Yew’s Cabinet as Social Affairs Minister from 1963 to 1977.

     

    Nuraini A Samad

    Source: http://nursamad.blogspot.sg

  • Muslims Should Do Duty For Allah And Seek Approval Only From Him

    Muslims Should Do Duty For Allah And Seek Approval Only From Him

    Dear brothers and sisters

    When we speak about what has been going on the last few days, do not do so because we hate a man.

    Or because we are angry with members of the community.

    Those who have made mistakes (and some who keep doing so) are our brothers and sisters. We do not speak out of anger or hatred. We speak to remind each other and ourselves.

    We speak to strengthen the ummah.

    LKY is irrelevant. We need to reject his ideology especially as it pertains to Islam.

    There are too many Muslims who have followed his way.

    They give up Allah’s commands to please him.

    They compromise Islam.

    They sought his approval rather than Allah.

    These are the ideologies and behaviour that we need to reject. We need to make sure it is removed from the community.

    The only one we seek approval from is Allah. Not any man.

    We do not make excuses for compromises. What is wajib is wajib.

    When someone stops us from our obligations to Allah, we strive to remove the hindrance. Not to simply keep quiet and accept.

    We remind each other not out of anger or hatred.

    But because we love our brothers and sisters.

    We are Muslims.

    And that is all that matters.

     

    Source: Zulfikar Shariff

  • Lee Kuan Yew Was Honest And Authentic, Malays Should Reflect And Move Forward

    Lee Kuan Yew Was Honest And Authentic, Malays Should Reflect And Move Forward

    The Malays should move on, appreciate history but get unstuck from the past. I don’t think this is how Sang Nila Utama, Left Adnan… and all the other historical Malay leaders they often quote would want them to behave. A BIG mindset shift is needed among the Malays. Their comments are a revelation on their way of thinking, on what is going on subconsciously. Probably the reason why the community is not progressing as much as the other ethnic groups. Something must be done to reprogram their mindset, to purify their hearts. Let’s hope there is a blessing in disguise to this. – Miss INI

     

    It started with her private message to me on FB on Saturday (21//3/15), a few days before Mr Lee Kuan Yew passed away. Miss INI (my name for her as she preferred to remain unknown):with her private message to me on FB on Saturday (21//3/15), a few days before Mr Lee Kuan Yew passed away. Miss INI (my name for her as she preferred to remain unknown):

    “I really like your post about LKY. It cringes and saddens me to read [some] ruthless comments. How can they even have the heart to say such a thing about another person… regardless if they like him or not.”

    [The post referred to: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153715612467080&set=a.10150113790487080.295946.811982079&type=1&theater]

    MY REPLY: You should feel free to add your comments for people to appreciate.

    MISS INI: I should feel free. But maybe I am afraid about being confronted by other FB users who I think are not doing justice towards their own family upbringing by using harsh words on an ailing, old man. I am sure their parents have raised well.

    Forget about him as LKY, a very successful leader in my opinion. It’s about basic humanity. It’s so toxic to curse others. It’s just cruel. May Allah forgive them and purify their hearts.

    It’s also very revealing about the mindset of [some in] the community. Many still expect special privileges just because of their race. I appreciate the fact that Singapore offers a level playing field; it brings about our resourcefulness and resilience. If they keep on ‘expecting’ to be given and having a victim mentality, it’s going to be challenging for them to snap out of their poverty mindset.

    If us Malays desire to be successful and respected, it starts from us. Add more value to the community and be exemplary in character. Don’t blame LKY and the government. Based on my experience, the older generation like my Mum, Dad, Dad’s friends and elderly taxi drivers I have spoken with are the ones who truly respect and appreciate LKY. They went through hardships and have seen how this island has transformed.

    Mr Lee Kuan Yew is known as a VISIONARY leader for a good reason, a very gifted one that is. (Sat 21/3/15 at 10;53pm)

    MY REPLY: Good points. May I use it for our people to reflect upon? If you still have concerns, I can exclude your name and just mention ‘FB friend’. (Sunday 22/3/15 at 10:41am)

    MISS INI: Just want to share why I am so perplexed by the unhappiness of the Malays. It’s based on my own experience.

    I’m as ordinary as other Malays and as ordinary as other heartlanders regardless of race and religion. If others think that the Malays are marginalized, I beg to differ.

    I wasn’t born in an ‘elite’ family. Growing up, my Dad was a plumber at Sembawang Shipyard. My Mum was a housewife taking care of 7 children. Their roles were defined and we were a simple yet a very happy family.

    None of my siblings were graduates and when I was young, I had this fascination towards ‘mortar boards’, which to me at that point was a symbol of academic success. So as a teenager, I set the intention to be the first graduate in my family. I am the second youngest. And I also visualized for my younger brother, nieces and nephews and the generations beyond to keep getting better and better academic and career wise.

    Having said the above, I had never faulted my parents for not having a bigger dream for their children. My Dad was a very responsible provider, an alpha male like most men in his and LKY’s generation I suppose. He was also a disciplinarian. Together with my loving Mum who also honored her roles as a wife and mother, their parenting focus was simple – on values, religion and character. In this aspect, I would say that they have done a wonderful job and I thank Allah for blessing us with beautiful parents.

    To fast forward, my dream about the future of my family became a reality. I had the opportunity to complete my degree. I received some support from MOE so as a bonus as I did it overseas. Application was a breeze, MOE didn’t make it difficult for me. My race and religion were irrelevant. I graduated with a BA.

    My younger brother did a better job than me. Not long after, he graduated with an honours degree. He is now one of the Head at a government organisation. His race and religion didn’t stop him from being promoted.

    As for my nieces and nephews, I am grateful that they are also academically driven so almost all of them are graduates if not working towards being one.

    When my late brother in-law was suffering from lung cancer and finance was a little tight for my him and my sister having 6 children to care for, my undergraduate nieces received sufficient financial support and subsidies. The balance, we raised the funds collectively as a family.

    Glad to say that one of them is now doing her honours year at NUS (Political Science) and the other one was offered to do her PHD (Information Systems) by NTU. Again, their gender, race, religion and them wearing the hijab didn’t hinder them from progressing and receiving support that they have worked hard for.

    So yes, the future is brighter for my family. InsyaAllah. We are not millionaires yet and face life challenges like others, but we are progressing. Not sharing this out of arrogance as abundance is from Allah and Allah can take it away from us anytime so it is very important to remain grateful yet humble.  

    My point is to highlight that it is a level playing field in Singapore and we should appreciate that it is based on meritocracy and not special privileges. My Malay friends who were academically driven, but faced financial challenges have also received support that they deserved. No, they were not marginalized by the government.

    If we truly desire to succeed, finance is genuinely tight, support is around us. To get more like attaining a scholarship, we must of course earn it. If we are not happy where we are, be proactive and do something about it.

    As a former teacher, I have never met any student who is deprived of support because of their race or religion. There are all sorts of schemes offered.

    Medically, having gone through the cancer healing journey with my late brother in-law and having aged parents myself, I know there are various schemes to make medical fees affordable for the community. The Malays are not ‘crossed out’.

    High COE, cost of living… Live within our means. To have a more comfortable living, go work for it. No one is stopping us. Limitations joining the Navy, SAF? If it is really so, aren’t there other options?

    Mr Lee Kuan Yew spoke his mind. Like it or not, he was AUTHENTIC and was honest about his views. It may be painful to hear, but it’s much better than him being a hypocrite.

    Look at the glass as half full instead of half empty. In relation to your post, yes it’s all about having the attitude of gratitude.

    Was aghast when I read comments on Mediacorp Suria [website]. Disturbing how they throw the blame to Mr LKY for the prettiest of shortcomings. What is happening to the Malay/Muslim community? I didn’t know that it is ‘sinful’ to be praying for the health of the ‘kafirun’? With such ‘religiously elitist’ mindset, it wasn’t wrong after all for Mr LKY to have once said that we could integrate all religions but not the Muslims.

    Instead of backlashing him, why not take it as a positive challenge and prove him wrong by being progressive, respectful and gracious? Those who advise others to think positively and pray for Mr LKY’s health are verbally attacked and labelled as boot-lickers, ‘Melayu yang lupa daratan’ and worse… as sinned deviants.

    Yes, feel free to share my thoughts. Appreciate the exclusion of my name as I may not know the best way to respond to strong, harsh views yet.

    The Malays should move on, appreciate history but get unstuck from the past. I don’t think this is how Sang Nila Utama, Left Adnan…and all the other historical Malay leaders they often quote would want them to behave.

    A BIG mindset shift is needed among the Malays. Their comments are a revelation on their way of thinking, on what is going on subconsciously. Probably the reason why the community is not progressing as much as the other ethnic groups. Something must be done to reprogram their mindset, to purify their hearts. Let’s hope there is a blessing in disguise to this.

    (Thought this was sent last night, but it didn’t go through. Have a blessed Sunday with your loved ones, Mr Maidin. Thank you for hearing out my concerns.) – Sunday 22/3 at 12:17pm.

    MY REPLY: This is a good addition to be included in the note I plan to quote from you. Thank u. I hope it will do some good to our people’s mindset.

    (Sunday 22/3/15 at 12:22 pm)

    “You begin your journey not knowing where it will take you. You have plans, you have dreams, but every now and again you have to take uncharted roads, face impassable mountains, cross treacherous rivers, be blocked by landslides and earthquakes. That’s the way my life has been.” – Lee Kuan Yew

     

     

    Source: Maidin Packer

  • Money Believed To Fund Terror Networks Flowing From Australia To Indonesia

    Money Believed To Fund Terror Networks Flowing From Australia To Indonesia

    Money thought to be funding terrorism networks has been detected flowing from Australia into Indonesia, authorities say.

    “We do have a significant amount of funds coming from Australia. We suspect it to be supporting terrorism in Indonesia,” said Indonesia’s Financial Transactions and Analysis Centre (PPATK) deputy head, Agus Santoso.

    “Not specifically ISIS (Islamic State militants), because there are many organisations,” he said.

    Mr Santoso would not say how much money was being transferred, or by whom.

    Local media has reported that the money was supporting organisations linked to IS militants, but Mr Santoso has denied that the link could be made.

    Mr Santoso said Indonesian authorities were working closely with the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) to track the money.

    Meanwhile, concern is mounting in the country over the number of people leaving the country to fight with IS militants and other groups in Iraq and Syria, with experts called to a conference on how to tackle IS and terrorism.

    Singapore-based terrorism researcher from the University of Nanyang, professor Rohan Gunaratna, said there were about 18 Indonesian terrorist groups with links, or sworn allegiances, to IS.

    One of those is the offshoot of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), which was responsible for the Bali bombings and led by the radical Islamic cleric Abu Bakar Bashir.

    Bashir, who is the spiritual leader of another terrorist organisation he founded called Jemaah Ansharut Tauhid (JAT), has sworn allegiance to IS militants.

    He is currently in prison on Nusa Kambangan, the island where convicted Australian drug smugglers Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan are awaiting execution.

     

    Source: www.abc.net.au

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