Tag: Islam

Malays in SAF: Be The Change You Wish To See In This World

https://twitter.com/RyhanHusainni

https://www.facebook.com/ryhanhusainni

And so, my clarifying post had ended up being shared on two pages:
Fabrications About the PAP (FAP), and Rilek1corner (R1C).

Whilst the FAP drew positive comments, reinforced with even further proof and testimonials from people that actually served in the force, R1C was laced with negative insinuations and remarks from people who, mostly never served the force, had no empirical data, actual stats and only hear say stories to back up their claims.

Despite all that, it is the voices of the believers that will continue to give us reason to continue breaking boundaries and striving hard to excel in whatever we are tasked to complete, no matter what appointment we sit in.

Come 1st July, we celebrate SAF Day. It is not just a day to remind our servicemen on the purpose of our existence. Neither is it only a day where we rekindle the passion and fire that made us take up this responsibility.

SAF Day is also a day where were reaffirm to the people that we are there, because they are there. We protect those we love, or family, our friends and also our community. It is important that our community believes in this organisation and they MUST know that everyone that serves, is given equal opportunities to excel, move up and become an icon for the rest of his community to emulate.

Heck I am a Diploma Holder, taking precious time every other night attending classes just to get a Degree. When I look left and right, everyone else holds that Qualification, and I used to believe and still believe, that if I want to be given the same opportunities, it is then my responsibility to make sure I am on par with the rest.

Opportunities don’t come, just because the organisation thinks there is a political impetus to. Opportunities come because, we in our own capacity and hard work, creates it. I may not be a high-flyer but I believe that I am still able to fly the flag high for the Malay/Muslim community. But we cannot do this if we continue disbelieving that change is already taking place.

If any parents or school children is reading this, please remember.
Tell your kids or yourselves, that if they/you have aspirations to join the service and be part of this organisation, step forward and do your very best. Believe that you will be someone and trust that you will be given what you deserve.

There is without doubt many Malay/Muslims holding even higher and more important appointments, much more important that mine. Those who know these people, you can bare testament, how good they really are. Shut out all those who don’t believe.. because if I had listened to all these people 14 years ago, I would have never reached this milestone in my life.

Believe in yourself, continue learning and upgrading and serve the country and community because, if you don’t, no one else will.

Happy SAF day my brothers/sisters in arms and to the generations that takes over, remember that we are the ones that craft our own futures.

Regards..

:: Be the change you wish to see in this world ::

Authored by Ryhan Husainni

READ RYHAN’S EARLIER POST ON MALAYS IN MINDEF/SAF

EDITOR’S NOTE

Here at Rilek1Corner, we appreciate people sharing their life experiences. It is through these heart-to-heart topics that we learn something about the other person and what is important to him or her.

For this instance, we get to understand the challenges and issues faced by Malay and Muslim brothers who are serving the nation be it in the MINDEF or HOME TEAM.

While we agree to disagree, let’s not character assassinate someone. That’s the beauty of perspectives; it may not be the same but it shed light on the thinking processes of someone who may share something common with us, for example race or religion.

Rambut sama hitam, hati lain lain.

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June 27, 2014
Is Wearing White a Sunnah?

Ustaz Nurul Turun with Sheikh Syuaib al-Arnauuth who supports Wearwhite. He send his supplications to those who are involved in this, may the blessings of Allah be with all of you and may Allah give you strength and Iman.

Is wearing white a Sunnah?
Answering accusations thrown against the Wearwhite campaign

Recently a brother of mine, Ust Noor Deros, initiated a noble campaign called wearwhite. It aims at herding & guiding us back to Fitrah. At the same time, it promotes wearing white on the first day of Ramadhan as it is a tradition of our beloved Prophet. One of the main tenets of this campaign is also to enjoin good virtues and forbid vice acts (Amr Ma’ruf Nahy Munkar). In spite of their pure and noble intentions, I have personally witnessed baseless accusations being thrown at them. Thus with the will of Allah, I will try to discuss and refute a few, if not all, of the claims.

1. Prophet did not force anyone to wear white. Why should you say it is a Sunnah?

Suprisingly, this “queer” accusation came from Muslims. It is clear from authentic narrations that the Prophet encouraged wearing white, to the extent that in the eyes of certain scholars it is Wajib not Fard. Nonetheless, no scholar argues that it is not a Sunnah.

With a big YES, the most beloved colour to Prophet Muhd in clothing is white. He said:
البسوا من ثيابكم البياض ؛ فإنها من خير ثيابكم
Wear white from your clothing, as it is the best of your clothing…
– Recorded by Nasaie and graded as Hassan
البسوا البياض ؛ فإنها أطهر وأطيب
Wear white, as it is the purest and the best…
– Recorded by At-Tirmizi and other and he said: Authentic & Good (Narration).

Therefore, I hope it is clear now that Prophet loves white in clothing and with affirmative I say that WEARING WHITE IS A SUNNAH

2. Wearwhite promotes hatred and division against Singaporean. At the same time it discriminates the rights of Homosexuals

I wonder what has happen to our sound & just mind. Most of us try our best to rationalize things, yet only a few reason on it. Why does supporting wearwhite can be considered as a “culture war”?

If promoting the family institution and culture equates to vilifying the rights of homosexual, doesn’t it reciprocate to the same thing? When you encourage the limitless “freedom to love” of Pink dot, you are subjecting the family institution to harassment and threatening the safeguard culture of the majority?

If you call for an equality that entails a check of majoritarianism – the act where majority values are imposed on minority, why is that minoritarism – the act of imposing minority rights and cultures on majority, can prevail without being questioned?

If you are calling for the rights of minority to be freely exercised without condemnations towards it, which is in this case accepting LGBTQ, why is it when I am rejecting it is not considered as ‘exercising my rights’ as a citizen?

Why is Pinkdot a good campaign and Wearwhite a bad one?
If you are promoting love towards homosexuals,
We are promoting love towards family institutions which has been the backbone of any civilizations throughout history.
If we are endorsing hatred towards homosexuality,
Then you are endorsing hatred towards heterosexuality, family institutions, religions and the security of our country at large.
Isn’t it only fair, if you have the rights to promote it to me so that I’ll accept LGBTQ, I also do possess the rights to promote family institutions so that you’ll accept it?

If part of your rights are for me to accept LGBTQ, isn’t it part of my rights to reject it as a lifestyle too?

Again, I am not saying we should marginalized homosexuals especially from religious institutions such as mosques, you are more than welcome there. We are just saying that we can never condone it becoming a culture and we still strive with all efforts to curb it.

3. Wearwhite main aim is to counter pinkdot which is masked under the name of Sunnah.

As mentioned earlier, the basis of wearing white is an encouraged Sunnah. Thus if by promoting a Sunnah, we can accomplish different other objectives as well, then where is the issue?

Hypothetically, if I can create a campaign called “Quit Smoking, Start Siwaking!”. With just one campaign, I can promulgate a Sunnah – which is applying siwak (a form of cleansing the mouth), I can promulgate living a healthy lifestyle and also at the same time preventing a bad action which is smoking. Thus 3 birds are killed with one stone.

So Wearwhite is not using Sunnah as a semblance where in actual fact they are sincere in promoting the Sunnah.

4. Allah will not look at what you are wearing this Ramadhan, He will observe the most pious amongst all of you

A classic decoy just to stir people away from the intended course. Allah will insyALlah accept the prayers of a servant if he is doing terawih alone in his room. Yet isn’t it better to pray in congregation in mosque? Allah will accept your prayers if you come for terawih with an old t-shirt, yet isn’t it better for you to apply perfumes on your best of clothing? Allah will accept you prostrations if you are wearing a pink Jubah yet isn’t it better to wear a white Jubah emulating the Prophet and abiding to his commands?

If you comprehend the message, you will abide to it. Wearwhite is bridging us towards a better cause. What are you waiting for?

The best part about Wearwhite is that the campaign is being led by scholars of our community. Let the world be reminded of the power in the hands of our scholars. We have the likes of Imam Ahmad, Imam al-Ghazali, Sheikh Ibn Taimiyah, Sheikh Omar Mukhtar and many other may Allah vouchsafe them paradise. One of the most contemporaries would be Sheikh Ahmad Yassin, a quadriplegic scholar who was nearly blind, had used a wheelchair since a sporting accident at the age of 12, yet managed to convert the whole communist community who were jailed with him to Muslims.

When Allah guards something, there is nothing that can afflict harm to it. Wearwhite has received more attention than it can ever imagine just because of its adversaries. It was even featured in Reuters. Verily, Prophet Muhammad had promised:

“And know that if the nation were to gather together to benefit you with anything, they would not benefit you except with what Allah had already prescribed for you. And if they were to gather together to harm you with anything, they would not harm you except with what Allah had already prescribed against you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried.” – Recorded by Tirmizi and he classified it as Authentic & Good.
I am wearing white this Ramadhan. Are you?

The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried.

WAllahu A’lam.

‪#‎wearwhite‬ ‪#‎returntofitrah‬ ‪#‎Sunnah‬

Authored by Nuzul Turun

Source: https://www.facebook.com/nuzul.turun/posts/10152095350342805?fref=nf

EDITOR’S NOTE

Are you supporting the Freedom to Love or are you supporting the Traditional Values of Marriage and Family?

Which side are you on? Share your opinion with us at Rilek1Corner.

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June 27, 2014
AWARE, Liberal Islam, The Reading Group Organise Talk During Ramadhan

http://www.aware.org.sg/

http://www.thereadinggroup.sg/main.htm

AWARE is organising a 3-Part Ramadan talk on Gender in Islam, and first session is on 4 July.

AWARE will be holding a series of presentations and discussions about the works of prominent Islamic scholars and their views on gender in Islam.

Dr Azhar Ibrahim Alwee, NUS and member of The Reading Group

Session 1: Malay Ideas on Women by Dr Azhar Ibrahim (Senior Visiting Fellow, NUS)

Throughout Malay intellectual history, there were several strands of thinking pertaining to gender and women’s role within the socio-cultural, political and religious spheres of the Malays. This presentation will highlight some of these thinking through early proponents of the modern era, such as Syed Sheikh al-Hadi, to later thinkers such as Hamka, Khadijah Sidek and the prominent Muslim feminist group, Sisters in Islam.

Friday, 4 July 2014
AWARE Centre
6.30pm to 9.30pm
Register for Session 1 here!

Assoc Prof Noor Aisha Abdul Rahman, NUS & member of The Reading Group

Session 2: Muslim Personal Law and Citizens’ Rights: The Case of Singapore
by A/P Noor Aisha Abdul Rahman (Head, Dept of Malay Studies, NUS)

Prevailing discourse on multiculturalism tend to focus on its merits in protecting the cultures and traditions of minority groups within the framework of the politics of accommodation. Less discussed are its implications on the rights and autonomy of members of the groups themselves who may be adversely affected by the arrangement. This presentation will focus on the problems arising from autonomy granted to the Muslim community of Singapore to determine its personal law, on some segments of the community, particularly in the arena of the Muslim law on marriage, divorce and inheritance.

Friday, 11 July 2014
AWARE Centre
6.30pm to 9.30pm
Register for Session 2 here!

Mohamed Imran Mohamed Taib is a social activist with The Reading Group, Singapore.

Session 3: Challenging Patriarchy: Early Reformist Responses
by Mohamed Imran (Associate Research Fellow, NTU)

Feminism and the struggle against patriarchy is not a new phenomenon in Muslim society. This presentation will trace some of the early ideas on feminism to the Egyptian context of Islamic reform in the late 19th and early 20th century. In particular, the ideas of seminal figures such as Rifa’ah al-Tahtawi, Muhammad ‘Abduh and Qasim Amin will be discussed.

Friday, 18 July 2014
AWARE Centre
6.30pm to 9.30pm
Register for Session 3 here!

Individual price: $8 for 1 person/session
Pair price: $14 for 2 persons/session
Price includes cost of catered food.
Prayer space is provided.

Source: http://www.aware.org.sg/2014/06/ramadan-talks-on-gender-in-islam/

READ MORE ON THE READING GROUP, MUIS & LIBERAL ISLAM HERE

EDITOR’S NOTE

Liberal Islam, Progressive Muslims, and The Reading Group seems to be a popular choice among Muslims who are more ‘open-minded’.

Growing number of academics in NUS and NTU are also joining the band of liberal Muslims.

What do you think of this development and trend?

Share your opinion with us at Rilek1Corner.

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June 26, 2014
Malays are Holding Key Appointments in MINDEF and SAF

https://twitter.com/RyhanHusainni

https://www.facebook.com/ryhanhusainni

There still exist, in e larger community, the misconception that Malays do not hold Key Appointments in e Military. And Malays are passed over when it comes to Promotion and consideration for sensitive appointments.

In many cases, all these hearsay is from baseless tongue wagging unverified claims.

Today as I go to work, I know I’m sitting in a position that affects how our soldiers train, the facilities they will use in future, the way we carry out our business.. And yes I am Malay and I am doing what most people in my community think, is a job that Malays will never sit in.

At the same time, my fellow Malay friends and seniors are sitting in Key positions of Command as well in offices in e Ministry of Defence, doing again, what most people in my community think, Malays will never do.

The organization that I have gladly served for the past 14 years, has never been biased nor have never judged me based on my race. It’s who best fits the job.. And if there is someone who fits e job better than me, I will gladly let him have the job.

Henceforth, please eradicate all notions that Malays will never go far in e Military. Because I work with people everyday, who prove this theory wrong.

We succeed because of e values and ethics we hold..
And if we fail, it will be because we didn’t try hard enough.. And not because of e color of our skin.

Cheers..

Authored by Ryhan Husainni

Source: https://www.facebook.com/ryhanhusainni/posts/659126227515602

EDITOR’S NOTE

We are glad to see more and more Muslims opening up and sharing their life experiences with fellow Singaporeans especially on issues that are generally swept under the carpet. Seems like people in the civil service don’t really brag about their work and what positions they hold. Maybe they are not allowed to do so or perhaps it is in the SOP.

Well, it takes few brave ones to clear misconception and make the general public more aware of the real situation.

Rilek1Corner would like to wish Ryhan Husainni all the best in his future endeavours.

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June 26, 2014
WearWhite: Informal Grassroots Movement Invites Muslims Return to Fitrah

The WearWhite movement is a social media initiative inviting Muslims to return to our natural disposition (fitrah) and the Sunnah (way) of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).

The movement’s genesis was from our observations of the growing normalization of LGBT in Singapore. However, we recognize the conduct and it’s support among Muslims is due to the lack of understanding and connection with Islam and our fitrah. We thus came together initially with the expressed purpose of reminding Muslims not to participate in the LGBT event on 28th June.

The movement encourages a return to the values as guided by Islam. These values include prioritizing the family and marriage, responsibility and justice and fair dealings.

The initial campaign emphasizes a return to natural relationships as found in Islam. Given the clarity in Islam on the nature and conduct of family relationships, marriage between a man and a woman forms the basis of the family.

We hope to continue promoting family focused campaigns throughout the year. These campaigns will hopefully strengthen the family unit and result in healthy relationships. We also call for a return to fitrah through reconnecting the Muslims especially the youth, back to Islam and clarifying key concepts such as freedom and rights in Islam.

WearWhite supporters have indicated that some of the other family oriented campaigns they would like to promote in the near future include developing respect and recognizing responsibilities among family members as guided by the Prophet Muhammad.

It is our hope that this campaign helps bring Muslims back to our fitrah and reconnect us with the Sunnah of the Prophet.

Let us return to family. Let us return to fitrah.

ABOUT WEAR WHITE

WearWhite is an informal grassroots movement that has come together to help Muslims return to their natural disposition.

As a social media initiative, it has no membership or institutionalised committee. WearWhite supporters discuss initiatives, gain advice and suggestions and develop family oriented plans. These initiatives are centred around developing family relationships as guided by the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad.

Individuals provide support based on their expertise and capabilities.

Given the holistic nature of Islam and it’s beautiful exhortation to goodness, we do not limit the invitation to or against any specific group. Our invitation is for the return to fitrah in its entirety and for all humanity.

WearWhite is launching our initiative with a call for Muslims to attend the first Terawih prayer on 28th June 2014 in white.

#wearwhite
www.wearwhite.sg

Ust Noor Deros

EDITOR’S NOTE

Are you supporting the Freedom to Love or are you supporting the Traditional Values of Marriage and Family?

Which side are you on? Share your opinion with us at Rilek1Corner.

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June 26, 2014