I only wish that I will have half the courage as you do to speak out on a public platform for the support of the freedom to love, and standing up for equality of people. I apologize, on behalf of my Muslim brothers and sisters, that you have to face such unjustified backlash, laden with bigoted, harsh criticisms which largely rest upon their blind reliance on faith — without considering that you too, are a Muslim, with your own unique beliefs and ways.
I have to be perfectly honest here, clicking the PinkDotSG video link, I didn’t expect to see a hijab-donning Muslim (in the first 10 seconds too!) openly supporting the movement, much less the acceptance of LGBT people in Singapore. Knowing well that the loud and vocal minority of Muslims who will do whatever it takes to condemn homosexuality, I worried that you will have to put up with the furor from the conservative anti-gay groups here in Singapore. And true enough, the backlash came in swift, and I watched, disgusted that you bear the runt for a deep-seated prejudice inherent in these vocal oppositions.
You do not deserve to be berated for just merely expressing your beliefs. You do not deserve to have your name thrown around as a tool in a pursuit of progressing the agenda of the anti-gay community here. If you are reading this, I just want to let you know that your bravery, while not unprecedented, inspire me tremendously and speaks a lot about the state of progressive Islam in this country. You and me, and thousands of other young Muslims are in your support, we are behind you. The fact that you made the choice, out of your own conscience and guided by your moral compass, is a heroic one. You are a gem, in the sea of charcoal, Ms Sadarli.
Many of the comments directed towards you, whether on the R1C site, on Facebook or even on the PinkDot promo video itself make me feel embarrassed as a Muslim. They do not understand that you are not a deviant of Islam, and that their resounding criticism itself is contrary to the peace-loving message Islam stands up for. They are not able to comprehend that other than you, a good number of progressive Muslims are increasingly showing support for things they claim to be ‘heretic’. Do not let the vocal few bring you down, and I am pretty sure that these vocal few, and through the ever prevalent Streisand Effect, have just shed more light on this event (there’s no such thing as bad press) and bring people closer together, strengthening the support for the event and the freedom to love.
You have inspired me, and in that capacity, you have inspired many others who are shy in supporting the freedom to love, to come out and support it fervently. I hope that you continue sticking to your principles and that you will not be wavered by the tough times ahead. Your name carries a weight now, and this weight will, Insya Allah, open the hearts of the narrow-minded to see that the true word of God – is to love, despite differences, and to accept, despite deviations.
Meet 3SG Jagrnjeet Singh, a regular Infantry specialist who just graduated from the 15/13 Specialist Cadet Course. As a junior commander, he is looking forward to leading his men and giving them a positive time in the SAF. He elaborated, “I am in this not for the money but for my passion. I want to give a different experience to my men and show them that there is much more to National Service than the two years. Having been a trooper before in 4 SIR, I understand how troopers feel and want to make a positive impact on their time in NS”. Very inspiring words, 3SG Singh! — with Jagrnjeet Singh Sidhu.
During my 4th ICT, I have a corporal posted into my unit. He’s a Muslim with facial hair just like our Sikh friend in this picture. Not trying to stir any racial/religion issue here. But upon in pro, he was asked to rid of his facial hair without any second chances.
In Islam, Muslim men are encouraged to keep beards. But how is it that our dear Sikh brothers are allowed to keep facial hairs but our Muslim brothers are not allowed. This shows that the SAF is cultivating double standards.
The organization is being biased towards Muslim practising their rights in the SAF. As a Muslim, I am upset that after 40years of developing Asia’s best army, this MAJOR issue has yet to be ironed out.
Also, the serviceman has a letter from MUIS to allow him to wear track pants instead of the standard issue PT shorts. Sadly, he was not allowed to perform his IPPT due to his attire. Reasons were compromise of safety/possible heat injuries etc. We all know that it can be done but they just want to suppress our rights.
Harap maaf kerana mengguna bahasa english. Serviceman tersebut adalah FCruz. Saya adalah CSM beliau.
Authored by Izzat
EDITOR’S NOTE
Followers of the Sikh religion are allowed to keep beard, and wear a turban while still donning military uniform. They do not need special permission in the SAF.
MINDEF explained the allowance for Sikhs was passed down from British colonial times.
What is your view on this beard issue and what do you think is the best way to resolve this matter?
SINGAPORE — Religion is important to their identity, and Muslims and Protestant Christians are the two religious groups that are most affected by and most disapproving when friends or family members of the same faith give up their religious beliefs.
They also feel more strongly than their Buddhist, Hindu, Catholic and other counterparts about moral issues such as homosexual sex, sex before marriage, adoption of children by gay couples and gambling.
These were among the findings in a study on religiosity and management of religious harmony released yesterday by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS).
The study’s authors said: “Considering that for many Muslims, Protestants and Catholics, a mark of the good person includes the teaching of one’s morals, it is important that they temper this with a respect for those who do not share such values.”
About two-thirds of Muslims and 44 per cent of Protestants said religion was very important to their sense of identity — significantly higher numbers than those of other faiths. About 69 per cent of Muslims and half the Protestants said they disapproved of family members of their faith giving up their religious beliefs, compared with 20 per cent of Buddhists and 31 per cent of Hindus, for example.
The study’s authors noted that giving up religious beliefs is more disconcerting among religious groups where there are higher levels of religious participation and identity.
Lead author, IPS senior research fellow Mathew Mathews, said greater religiosity among Muslims here was observed a few decades ago and coincided with increased global Muslim piety. Many Muslims in Malaysia and the region also take their religion very seriously and this is increasingly so, he noted. As for Protestants, the dominant form of Protestant Christianity here is of a “conservative variety where there is an emphasis on doing the right thing”.
Many Singaporean Protestants are first-generation Christians and “you expect converts to be a lot more fervent about their faith, especially since they made a choice to embrace the religion”, Dr Mathew said.
Mr Noor Mohamed Marican, president of Inter-Religious Organisation, said it is important that Muslim and Protestant leaders have strong ties and communication with different religious leaders, as inter-faith dialogues based on goodwill will prevent misunderstandings. “We must learn to respectfully agree to disagree and see above and beyond our disagreements,” he said.
Speaking in his capacity as Bishop of the Lutheran Church, Reverend Terry Kee said: “If you look at the survey, it’s not just Muslim and Christians … almost all the faiths had similar conviction in terms of the importance of good strong morals. With the increase of non-religious influence … (and) in the face of eroding moral fabric of our society, this actually brings the religious community closer together … on how we can work together to preserve and protect the moral value of our nation.”
Rev Kee, who is also a vice-president of the National Council of Churches of Singapore, added: “So this would not be a problem between different religions but, rather, it may become a problem between a more united religious community versus the non-religious.”
Literary and cultural critic Nazry Bahrawi of the Singapore University of Technology and Design also felt Singapore’s biggest challenge with regard to harmony is not inter-religious. “Rather, our developing ‘culture war’ really has to do with how Protestants and Muslims react to changing views of sexuality,” he said, urging both religious groups to consider theology from multiple traditions and perspectives.
Singapore could consider ethics instead of moral education modules in schools to promote more empathy and less judgment of others, he suggested.
The study’s authors also warned that vibrant religious centres elsewhere are likely to have some influence on believers in Singapore through constant exchanges and the Internet. With immigrant flows, there is the possibility of intra-religious conflicts over theology, religious practice and other issues.
Established religious structures here should also be open to incorporating “splinter groups” with their own interpretation of religion and “steer them clear from tendencies that may destabilise religious harmony”, they wrote. Additional reporting by Laura Philomin
Kebanyakan rakyat Singapura agak senang dengan keadaan sekarang apabila membincangkan soal ruang bersama bagi amalan keagamaan.
Hanya suku yang mengatakan kumpulan-kumpulan agama patut diberi lebih banyak hak daripada yang sedia ada.
Demikian menurut dapatan terbaru mengenai kehidupan beragama di sini, yang dikeluarkan Institut Pengajian Dasar, IPS.
Dan masyarakat Muslim ternyata masih mencatat kadar tertinggi mempertahankan nilai-nilai agama, berbanding penganut agama lain.
Dapatan tertinggi – 94% Muslim menganggap hubungan sejenis adalah salah.
Here are the compiled comments by Matt Loe who strongly defended Subway Singapore’s decision not to go halal:
Why does every restaurant be halal? if there is a difference in taste with halal, then the non-muslims should be allowed to enjoy also. so anyone who wants their food halal and can’t find it in Singapore, then go up the border where everything is halal, remember Singapore is a multi-race country, for sure, but it is not a muslim one and shouldn’t have to make everything halal just to please a certain percentage of the population. Plus, there are healthy veggie options, not every meal has to be a meat one!
and YES, it will TASTE DIFFERENT… as well as cost a lot to get done. So i support Subway Singapore’s decision on this matter!
** the funny thing about this whole episode here is this… **
1. why do you want to eat in a food outlet that serves foods that you cannot or are not allowed to consume??
2. why should a food outlet that is famous for it’s products, including the very ones that you are not able to consume, be forced or begged to change it’s menu items just so that you can also eat there??
3. why can’t you see how selfish you are being, acting in this manner?? because if it were changed for you, then the others who enjoyed the special menu that they are known for, are going to miss out…
4. it is very simple… if you have an issue with a certain item, then choose another item!!
5. it is very simple again… if you are not allowed to consume products in a food outlet that is not certified to your standards, then choose another outlet!!
6. it is very unreasonable to demand an outlet to be changed just so that one can follow a particular belief system. that is your own choice. just like ppl who choose to be vegetarian, there are those that choose to consume particular foods. if you cannot eat meat or are not allowed to eat particular foods, then it is not the fault of the outlet. it is your particular issue.
7. i have never seen a meat serving outlet forced to go meat free just to suit a vegetarian’s choice. meaning all meat becomes meat free. i am sure a lot of vegetarians would like more alternatives to choose from, but there are only a couple. instead a choice must be made to choose a suitable outlet. this is an example, because you want all the meat changed just to suit your own taste and beliefs. this means that the
animals to be eaten are killed to your standards and a little sticker goes on the menu along with a certificate on the wall.
8. the taste WILL be different. maybe not for you, but for all the regulars who loved the menu just as it was….
9. the way the animal is slaughtered is unethical for a LOT of people.
10. for a meat eater, turkey does NOT taste better than pork. and i really have to ask, how would you know that it does?? for the real thing, there is no substitute. so stop saying that there can or should be.
11. if you wouldn’t change your outlets when asked, why should others change theirs?? a lot of ppl do not like halal but this would never be changed now would it…to please those that don’t like the taste, or the preparation? the coin has TWO sides to it.
Ps. i am not against anybody here, or anywhere, i am not promoting any kind of ‘hate’ speech either. however, i can see here that some are very rude when they don’t get their own way. this is just discussion only. and FYI, i do not consume any pork, beef, or any seafood items as my choice. I am against ANY outlet being changed from it’s original menu items when it doesn’t need to be just to suit a few.
Subway is Subway – sumthing can’t eat, then too bad !!! you can’t change a whole restaurant just cos u can’t eat a few tems on the menu – r u kidding me??!! LOVE it or LEAVE it…
What is your take on this matter? Do you want Subway Singapore to go halal or do you think our non-Muslim friends should continue to enjoy their non-halal meats and sauces?
There’s something we need to confess to you. We, straight Muslims, do not hate you. In fact, we have never hated you. True, we may seem aggressive with our acts of eradicating LGBTQ from the society but it’s not because we hate you.
So my dear brothers and sisters, how can homosexuality ever be acceptable in Islam?
Allah’s wisdom is so great that nothing can surpass it. We’re always talking about hijab. That’s why we even need to hijab when we’re in the same room with the same gender. Both men’s and women’s aurah when in front of the same gender are from the navel to the knees (knees included). We cannot be naked in front of anyone, except for your halal wife/husband. That’s the beauty of marriage. MasyaAllah. How much details Allah SWT has put into the rules and guidelines for us to live our daily lives and not even a single loophole in Islam.
Allah SWT even forbid us from cross-dressing. A lady can’t dress like a guy and a guy can’t dress like a lady. Even if a guy wears the headscarf just for sake of fun, it is haram. SubhanAllah. How strict our Lord is when it comes to this.
Again my homosexual brothers and sisters, we’re not against you. We will never humiliate you. Those who humiliate you are not one of us. We are here to give constant reminders to you. It may be hurtful going through the process of purification. No doubt, it will be very very hard to contain those urges and desires. But just think of your parents, if not for them, you’ll not see the world. You need both mother’s and father’s love and attention. You know both of them play very different roles. Can you imagine yourself being brought up by same sex parents? And knowing that you’re either adopted or your birth isn’t normal? Not knowing who’s your real parents or who your dad is? If you can’t imagine, then please spare the emotional torture from your future child(ren). Plus, you know how important breastfeeding is to newborn. How can you have the heart depriving a newborn of the best nutrition?
Allah is great. He wants to protect us. Have we not read of the statistic that proportionally, more homosexuals are infected by HIV than heterosexuals? Can’t you see how much Allah SWT, the One who created you, loves you? He knows you more than you know yourself. He forbids homosexuality as He knows how much detrimental effects it will bring to you, to the community.
It’s not too late, my dear brothers and sister. You may have a very dark past. You may feel that your sin is too big for Allah SWT to forgive. But know that the only sin that Allah SWT won’t forgive is syirk (associating partners to Allah SWT). Allah SWT says in the Qur’an:
“Allah says: “O My servants who have transgressed against their souls, do not despair of Allah’s mercy, for Allah forgives all sins. It is He Who is the Forgiving, the Merciful.” (al-Quran 39:53)
Remember that whenever you wanna repent and there’s something inside you saying that you’re not deserving of Allah’s forgiveness, that’s not your voice. That’s syaitan who’s whispering into your ears. You’re better than syaitan and iblis. Know that while you’re struggling to stop loving the same gender, there’s also a straight person who’s struggling not to be in a haram relationship.
I know this post may not change you, but my only hope is that for you to keep seeking the truth. My only advise is that to not miss any prayers. I remembered at one point of time how far I was from Allah SWT, but I keep telling myself that I should never miss any prayers. How difficult it was to find the time or place to pray, I still struggled hard to stop making excuses for myself. At that moment, I didn’t know what actions will make Allah SWT happy, but I knew the things that Allah SWT hated. So I tried my best to refrain from doing things that brought pleasure to me, but hatred to Allah SWT.
If you always club, drink, smoke, have promiscuous sex, or any sinful acts, avoid it one by one. No one is asking you to change drastically. For drastic change will bear drastic impact. If you can handle the drastic impact, then Alhamdulillah for you. If not, then do it one at a time. What’s most important is that you have the intention to change, only for the One. Keep making do’a to the Lord of the universe. Know that if He can control the entire universe, controlling your heart is just a small matter. Just ask for it. He doesn’t need you to survive, you need Him to survive.
Life is just a challenge. Everyone has their own challenges. If you think your challenge is the biggest, know that there’s someone else in this world who’s struggling to live; no food, no place to sleep, no parents, don’t know if tomorrow a bullet gonna pierce through his/her head.
You can be the happiest person. You don’t need a human’s love to make you feel complete. All you need is Allah SWT’s and Rasulullah SAW’s love. To have your halal spouse to love you, is a bonus. You choose your own happiness.
“A happy person once said: “The beautiful day is the day on which we have control of our affairs and our affairs do not control us. It is the day on which we control our desires and we are not controlled by them like slaves.”” (extracted from the book ‘You Can Be The Happiest Women In The World’)
Last not but not least, be friends with those who love Allah SWT. Be in the environment that gives you the positive vibe. Know that if someone loves Allah SWT, it doesn’t only come from the heart. If someone truly and sincerely loves Him, from the heart it will automatically show through from one’s appearance and actions. Be with those who truly and sincerely love Him.
How contradictory and hurtful it may sound, but know that those who support your sinful acts are actually the one who don’t love you. Those who stop and acknowledge you are the ones who truly love you. Life is temporary and we don’t want you to live “happily” only for a short period of time. We want you to be happy forever, now and till the Hereafter. InsyaAllah.
May Allah SWT guide us always and never make us go astray.
