Tag: Muslim

Call To Embrace Diversity In Islam

There is a growing confidence in the Malay-Muslim community about its place in Singapore, said Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Yaacob Ibrahim.

But even as it enjoys successes, challenges remain, he said, highlighting the need for the community to embrace diversity in Islam.

In an interview with Malay newspaper Berita Minggu, Dr Yaacob said the community has made progress in three areas.

First, Malay students are doing better in education. Besides more of them scoring well in national exams at the primary, secondary and polytechnic levels, there were also more who achieved first-class honours in universities last year, he said.

There was progress made in the religious life of Malay Muslims too, he added. He cited how donations to mosques have increased, and low-income families are getting help through their programmes, among others.

A third area of progress, which Dr Yaacob described as “more innate”, is that more Malays are stepping forward to do more not just for the community but also for other Singaporeans. Some have launched start-ups, while others do community work such as serving food and cleaning the homes of poor Singaporeans of other races.

The community has progressed on many fronts, Dr Yaacob said. “Divorce rates are coming down, our educational achievements are going up, home ownership is stabilising, wealth is increasing in the community, (there are) better jobs and there is a greater diversity of talent.”

But as the community grows in self-confidence, it also has to embrace diversity in Islam. The Islamic faith is “very diverse” and there is a need to respect differences, he said.

As a vocal minority online and in the region has sought to sow discord against Shi’ites, Dr Yaacob said there is a need to respect minority Shi’ite Muslims in predominantly Sunni Muslim Singapore, noting that senior Muslim scholars have all along considered Shi’ites as part of the mainstream in Islam.

“They pay MBMF (Mosque Building and Mendaki Fund). They come to our mosques. They pray together with us. They celebrate the same Hari Raya. So why are we not treating them as fellow Muslims but different?” he said.

He gave the example of how the chairman of the Moulana Mohamed Ali Mosque at UOB Plaza, Mr Mirza Namazie, is Shi’ite while the majority of its board is Sunni. “That’s a great example of how we deal with diversity, and we have to continue with that,” he added.

Source: The Straits Times

January 9, 2017
Undergrad Part-Time Tutor Rejected By Tuition Agency Due To Parents’ ‘Racial Preferences’

Tuition has become a staple for school-going children in Singapore.

While it is understandable that each child — and by extension, family — may seek specific tutors for specific needs, one tutor has come forward to share her experience of being repeatedly rejected for tuition jobs — despite being more than qualified for it.

The tutor is an undergraduate student from a local university and is seeking part-time work at a local tuition agency for extra income.

The agency essentially acts as a middleman by matching families with the tutors for the required subjects.

Compiling all the requests of the different families, the tuition agency then sends them out to the tutors under them. Interested parties can apply to take up the vacant slots.

As the tutor in question specialises in English and Literature, she has repeatedly applied for positions that required tutors for those two subjects.

However, time and time again, she has met with responses from families like the one below:

Recently, it was more blatantly put across to her:

Deep-rooted problem

Speaking to Mothership.sg, the tutor said she feels frustrated that she has to deal with this kind of issue time and time again.

This is despite the fact that she is a first-class honours student.

She also related that she has even met with a situation where after she was rejected by the family, the same tuition gig was offered to someone she knew, who is Eurasian Chinese.

She also said any language or communication barrier with non-English-speaking families should not be a problem, particularly in her case, as she is from a mixed Malay-Chinese family.

Acknowledging the sensitivity of the issue, she doesn’t demand recourse.

Instead, she said she understands that some people just don’t feel comfortable with certain races.

What have the authorities said about such practices

According to TAFEP’s job advertisement guidelines stated in its fair employment practices handbook,

“Employers who advertise a position requiring a specific attribute which may be viewed as discriminatory should ensure it is indeed a requirement of the job and state the reason for the requirement in the advertisement…

Race should not be a criterion for the selection of job candidates as multiracialism is a fundamental principle in Singapore. Selection based on race is unacceptable and job advertisements should not feature statements like ‘Chinese preferred’ or ‘Malay preferred’.

Religion is unacceptable as a criterion for recruitment except in cases where employees have to perform religious functions as part of the job requirement. In such cases, the requirements should be clearly and objectively presented”.

But such practices are normalised

However, a quick check on forums has shown how prevalent racial preference in tuition has become in Singapore.

Ultimately, the student tutor said she hopes people, especially parents, can have a more open mindset towards tutors like her.

She said: “I just wish that it wasn’t this way because it hasn’t changed since my mum’s time.”

Source: mothership.sg

January 9, 2017
Ruang Bersolat Yang Selesa Di Atas Kapal Terbang Saudi Airline

Sоlаt ialah tіаng аgаmа dаn ѕеоrаng Muѕlіm wajib mеnunаіkаn solat mengikut wаktu-wаktu уаng tеlаh dіtеtарkаn.

Bagi mеrеkа yang mеmрunуаі реngаlаmаn bеrѕоlаt dі dalam mаnа-mаnа реѕаwаt, раѕtіnуа anda tahu bеtара tіdаk ѕеlеѕаnуа untuk bersolat dі tempat duduk anda berbanding dengan solat dі аtаѕ lantai.

Sеlаіn dаrіраdа іtu, mаѕаlаh untuk bеrwuduk dі mana kеdudukаn ѕіnkі уаng tinggi dаrі lantai раѕtіnуа mengehadkan pergerakan kаkі аndа di dаlаm ruangan tandas pesawat уаng kесіl dаn tіdаk lupa juga dеngаn arah kiblat уаng kebanyakkannya tіdаk diberitahu ѕеmаѕа аndа menaiki mana-mana pesawat ѕеbеlum іnі.

Tetapi ѕеkіrаnуа аndа mеnаіkі реѕаwаt mіlіk ѕуаrіkаt penerbangan Sаudі Aіrlіnеѕ dаn Irаn Aіr, tеrdараt ruang ѕоlаt уаng ѕеlеѕа dіѕеdіаkаn dі dаlаm реѕаwаt untuk реrjаlаnаn jarak jаuh.

Ruangan ѕоlаt уаng terletak di ruangan kаbіn ekonomi іnі lеngkар dеngаn реnunjuk аrаh kіblаt уаng dірараrkаn pada skrin LCD уаng dipasang раdа dinding di ruang іnі.

Sеlаіn dаrіраdа іtu, ѕуаrіkаt реnеrbаngаn Sаudі Airlines juga tіdаk mеnghіdаngkаn minuman kеrаѕ dаn daging babi dі dalam mana-mana pesawat mеrеkа dаn mereka juga tidak mеngаmbіl wаnіtа berwarganegara Arаb Saudi untuk bertugas ѕеbаgаі рrаmugаrі tetapi ѕеbаlіknуа mеrеkа mеngаmbіl wanita-wanita уаng bеrаѕаl daripada nеgаrа-nеgаrа lаіn ѕереrtі Pаkіѕtаn, Filipina, Albаnіа dаn Bоѕnіа untuk bekerja ѕеbаgаі kru реnеrbаngаn mеrеkа.

Source: ohmymedia

January 9, 2017
Ustaz Sallim Jasman Sudah Keluar Hospital, Rehat Sebulan Dari Kuliah

BERITAMediacorp: Pendakwah veteran yang juga seorang kadi terkenal, Ustaz Sallim Jasman, sudah dibenarkan keluar dari hospital, dan kini perlu berehat selama sebulan daripada tugas-tugas seperti menjalankan kuliah.

Ustaz Sallim, yang mengalami masalah injap (valve) jantung, menjalani pembedahan memasukkan alat perentak jantung ketika dirawat selama lima hari di Hospital Besar Singapura (SGH).

Demikian dedah anak beliau, iaitu Ustaz Muhammad Ma’az Sallim, semasa dihubungi BERITAMediacorp bagi mendapatkan perkembangan terkini mengenai keadaan Ustaz Sallim, yang keluar hospital kelmarin (4 Jan).

Ustaz Sallim, yang kini berusia awal 70-an tahun, dimasukkan ke SGH pada Sabtu lalu (31 Dis) setelah beliau mengalami lemah-lemah badan.

(Gambar: Masjid Al-Iman/ Facebook)

MASIH RAJIN MENGAJAR, NIKAHKAN ORANG WALAU KURANG SIHAT

Ustaz Ma’az berkata, keluarganya menasihatkan ayahnya itu untuk menjalani pemeriksaan di hospital, setelah melihat keadaan kesihatannya itu tidak begitu baik.

“Beliau mengalami masalah jantung yang lemah sebelum ini. Dan akhir-akhir ini, beliau aktif mengajar di kuliah-kuliah dan baru pulang dari umrah. Di samping itu, beliau juga masih menikahkan sehingga lebih 10 orang dalam seminggu,” kongsi Ustaz Ma’az.

Disebabkan lemah jantung, Ustaz Sallim “harus memasang alat perentak jantung bagi menangani keadaan jantungnya itu,” jelas Ustaz Ma’az lagi yang juga mengikut jejak langkah ayahnya dengan menjadi naib kadi, selain memikul tugas selaku Imam Eksekutif Masjid Al-Taqua.

(Gambar: Muhammad Salihin Sulaiman Jeem/ Facebook)

Menyusuli pembedahan tersebut, Ustaz Sallim dinasihatkan oleh pihak hospital supaya banyak berehat, tambah beliau. BERITAMediacorp diberitahu, tiada pasangan yang dijadual bernikah yang terjejas dengan gangguan kesihatan Ustaz Sallim itu.

KELUARGA MOHON MASYARAKAT DOAKAN KESIHATAN USTAZ SALLIM

Ustaz Sallim Jasman, pernah menjadi Presiden Kanan Mahkamah Syariah dan bersara pada tahun 2006 setelah sekitar 40 tahun berkhidmat di mahkamah tersebut. Beliau kini terus aktif mengajar, antaranya di Masjid Darul Ghufran, Masjid Al-Iman, dan Masjid Assyafaah.

Seorang yang peramah dan rajin tersenyum, perkataan ‘bersara’ nampaknya juga tiada dalam kamus Ustaz Sallim, dan merupakan antara golongan asatizah perintis Singapura sejak negara ini mencapai kemerdekaan.

Beliau lulusan Diploma Pendidikan dari Kolej Islam Malaya. Di tengah-tengah negara berdepan dengan isu pengganasan, Ustaz Sallim juga berkhidmat sebagai salah seorang daripada kaunselor Kumpulan Pemulihan Keagamaan (RRG).

“Kami mohon doa daripada semua agar beliau diberi kesihatan dan sokongan supaya dapat terus berbakti dan memberikan sumbangan kepada masyarakat Islam,” pinta Ustaz Ma’az menerusi BERITAMediacorp.

Source: http://berita.mediacorp.sg

January 7, 2017
‘My Name Is Noordin But I Am Not Muslim’

GEORGE TOWN: No thanks to an old error in his identity card, 34-year-old Johann Lim Noordin has been forced to put off plans to marry his girlfriend and buy property.

And those are just two of the problems he faces, all because his name sounds Muslim although he is not.

Lim was born to Buddhist parents in Penang and has never changed his religion. But on his MyKad, he is Johann Lim Noordin bin Billy Noordin and his religion is given as “Islam”.

The errors were made when he applied for his MyKad at the age of 12 and he has had to live with them since.

His problem first came under the media spotlight three years ago, but Lim said even that failed to help him resolve his problem.

“I am not getting any younger,” he said in an interview with FMT. “Why should I have to go through so many obstacles to get my IC fixed? It should have been done easily.

“No religious department in the country has any record of my being a Muslim. I have signed a statutory declaration proclaiming I am not Muslim. Why am I now told to go to the shariah court when I am not a Muslim?

“My constitutional rights have been violated. No one dares to do anything to help. All they do is keep telling me to go to the shariah court.”

Lim said his father was never a Muslim.

He said an oral complaint was immediately made at the NRD when he received his MyKad in 1994.

“When I first received my IC when I was 12, the family wanted it changed immediately,” he said. “But the department required both parents to give consent and my father at the time was living and working overseas. So we thought we would get to it when he came back.”

Lim’s father, Billy Noordin, 64, works with drug enforcement agencies in the United States and Saudi Arabia. He is of Chinese and Indian descent.

His mother, Lim Jee Yew, 65, is Chinese and a housewife in Penang.

When he was 21, Lim went to the NRD to upgrade to the new MyKad. He also asked the NRD to remove his Muslim status.

“The officer told me I could not use the name on my birth certificate. He told me to get a different name. At the time, I thought it ridiculous of the NRD to ask me to change my name; so I decided to ignore it.”

More recently, he misplaced his wallet and had to get a replacement MyKad. However, the NRD told him he would have to cancel his 2011 application to amend his name in order to get a replacement.

In desperate need of his MyKad, Lim agreed to the cancellation with a heavy heart. “So here I am, having to start all over again,” he said.

Source: www.freemalaysiatoday.com

January 6, 2017