Tag: Muslim

Last Year, Mosques Urged Not To Adopt Confrontational Approach With LGBT Lifestyle

The Republic’s highest Islamic authority has called on mosques “not to adopt a confrontational approach or vilify those who are involved in LGBT lifestyles or in events such as Pink Dot”, referring to the annual event that will be held next Saturday at the Speakers’ Corner in support of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

In an internal advisory issued to the mosques, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) said it was against the promotion of the LBGT lifestyle, but that “support and help” must be given to those who have been leading the lifestyle or have inclinations towards it.

It said: “We do not agree (or) approve (of) the pervasiveness of the LGBT lifestyle and we cannot agree to the efforts in promoting such a lifestyle. Nevertheless, we have to plan for something which will not only strengthen the resilience of our community to the LGBT lifestyle, but also help those who have been leading this lifestyle abstain from it and, at the same time, help those who have inclinations towards this lifestyle overcome those inclinations by providing support to them.”

Programmes conducted in the mosques must also not be seen as a movement to oppose these people, said the advisory which was dated yesterday and signed off by the council’s director of religious development, Mr Mohd Murat Aris. The advisory was circulated on social media by Facebook users and MUIS verified its contents when contacted by TODAY.

It also highlighted key points from a pre-Ramadan discussion held by the Office of the Mufti on June 12 for mosque religious officers, social development officers and youth development officers. The session was intended for Mufti Mohamed Fatris Bakaram to provide guidelines on the issue of “building (the Muslim community’s) resilience towards the LGBT lifestyle”.

For example, the mosques should stress in their Ramadan programmes the pro-family message and the importance of educating family members, so they would not be involved in LGBT-related activities. Nevertheless, the issue should not be the sole focus throughout Ramadan, the Mufti said.

On the non-confrontational approach, MUIS said: “This is first and foremost to avoid them distancing themselves from the religion and the mosque. Secondly, this is to avoid being involved in unnecessary arguments with them, which will impede our long-term efforts (on the issue). At the same time, we also do not want them to get unwanted publicity.”

The advisory also asked the mosques “not to be seen as being involved in the crossfire” between the Pink Dot and the Wear White campaign, which was started online by Mr Noor Deros, a 28-year-old Islamic religious teacher.

Mr Noor is calling on Muslims to wear white next Saturday to protest against homosexuality and defend traditional family values. Ramadan begins next Sunday and the first evening prayer to mark the fasting month will be held on the previous day.

Yesterday, Mr Noor reiterated his call for Muslims to wear white to the evening prayer. In a press statement put up on the movement’s website, he said it hopes to continue promoting “family-focused” campaigns throughout the year. He reiterated that the “informal grassroots” movement has “no membership or institutionalised committee”.

The Wear White Facebook page has attracted almost 3,000 likes so far. However, it has also attracted criticism from some social media users for being divisive, especially during Ramadan.

Earlier this week, findings from a survey conducted by the Institute of Policy Studies showed that Muslims and Protestant Christians feel most strongly about moral issues such as homosexual sex, sex before marriage, adoption of children by gay couples and gambling.

Yesterday, Faith Community Baptist Church (FCBC) senior pastor Lawrence Khong declared his support for the Wear White campaign. He said the FCBC and LoveSingapore network of churches will also encourage their members to wear white next weekend as a show of support. “I’m so happy Singapore’s Muslim community is making a vocal and visual stand for morality and family,” he said.

Last month, the Ministry of Social and Family Development rejected an application by an affiliate of TOUCH Community Services — which was founded by Mr Khong — to hold a pro-family event at the Padang. Participants had been asked to wear red to the event, which was to be held on June 28, the same day as Pink Dot.

Source: www.todayonline.com

May 10, 2015
Malaysia’s Home Ministry Banned Four Books By Controversial Novelist Faisal Tehrani, Contain Syiah Elements

KUALA LUMPUR: The Home Ministry has banned four books authored by controversial novelist Faisal Tehrani as they were found to have contained Syiah elements.

The books are Sebongkah Batu di Kuala Berang published by PTS Litera Utama Sdn Bhd, Karbala published by Abeerden Books World, Tiga Kali Seminggu and Ingin Jadi Nasrallah, both published by Al-Ameen Serve Holdings Sdn Bhd.

The books also contravened the teachings of the Sunnah Wal Jamaah.

The Publication Prohibition Order, which took effect on April 1, was gazetted on the four books because it contained elements detrimental to public order and safety, said the Ministry’s Publications and Quranic Texts Control Division secretary Hasmimah Nik Jaafar.

The ban was also in accordance with Section 7(1) of the Printing Presses And Publications Act 1984.

According to subsection 2 of section 8 of the Act, anyone found to have printed, imported, sold and in possession of the banned books in the country, can be jailed not more than three years or fined not exceeding RM20,000, or both. – BERNAMA

Source: www.thestar.com.my

May 7, 2015
‘Generasi Muaz’ Mahu Lahirkan Pendakwah Fasih Berbahasa Inggeris

Berdasarkan pengalaman, setiap kali Jamiyah mempunyai acara syarahan, kebanyakan penceramah Singapura yang diundang selalunya bertutur dalam bahasa Melayu.

Secara tidak langsung, menurut Presiden Jamiyah, Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar, para penonton yang hadir juga merupakan mereka yang berusia sekitar 50 tahun ke atas.

“Agak sukar bagi generasi muda yang kebanyakan lebih mesra bertutur bahasa Inggeris memahami apa yang diketengahkan pensyarah.

“Ada kekosongan di situ. Justeru kami amat berharap dapat melahirkan lebih banyak pendakwah yang mahir menyampaikan ceramah dengan yakin dalam bahasa Inggeris,” ujarnya.

Dr Hasbi amat berharap mereka yang mahir bersyarah di depan khalayak ramai dan mempunyai pegangan agama asas menyertai program Generasi Mu’az yang diinspirasikan daripada program mencari pendakwah berjudul Pencetus Ummah yang popular di saluran televisyen Malaysia, Astro Oasis.

Sejauh ini sudah 30 peserta daripada pelbagai latar belakang telah mendaftar.

“Mereka yang daftar bukan sahaja golongan pelajar dari peringkat madrasah sahaja.

“Pelajar sekular yang mengikuti kelas agama hujung minggu tetapi yakin berpidato juga boleh tampil mendaftarkan diri,” tambahnya yang menyasarkan 50 peserta.

Sebagai permulaan, program itu dibuka kepada kaum Muslim berusia antara 17 dengan 40 tahun.

Semua peserta akan dibimbing empat pembimbing dari Singapura dan Malaysia yang akan mengongsi selok-belok menjadi seorang penceramah berkesan.

Empat finalis terbaik juga akan diundang memberi ceramah semasa acara Pelayaran Islamik.

Menurut Dr Hasbi, meskipun program Generasi Mu’az ini akan dijalankan dalam bahasa Melayu, memandangkan bahasa Inggeris merupakan bahasa utama di sini, ia secara tidak langsung memberi kelebihan berbanding pendakwah lain di rantau ini.

“Di Canada, setiap tahun mereka sering mengadakan konvensyen agama yang dihadiri lebih 17,000 penonton.

“Antara penceramah yang diundang selalunya dari negara itu sendiri, Britain dan Amerika Syarikat.

“Jadi saya juga mempunyai impian agar satu hari nanti seorang pendakwah Singapura juga akan diundang dan menyampaikan ceramah selain mengongsi pandangan kepada penceramah dan penonton antarabangsa lain,” ujarnya yang pernah diundang ke konvensyen di Canada itu.

Tarikh tutup pendaftaran ialah hari ini, 7 Mei, dan mereka yang berminat boleh mendaftarkan diri menerusi talian 6743-1211 atau e-mel ke [email protected].

Source: http://beritaharian.sg

May 7, 2015
What Are Our Universities Doing About The LGBT Community?

Aku terkilan nampak posting dari NTU Kaleidoscope semalam. Makin baca makan hati aku membuak. Bingit siak.

Diorang repost satu article dari Today yang telah ditulis bersama oleh beberapa orang yang associated dengan Inter-University LGBT Network.

Aku ada satu soalan…kenapa cara hidup komuniti LGBT ni harus digembar-gembur dan diterima mayarakat? Nampak macam diorang ditomah lah selalu, macam hidup mereka tu susah merana. Orang-orang Nepal yang merana takda rumah, keluarga hapus keranan gempa bumi pun takda teruk asyik complain macam diorang. Macam kena victimised sangat ke apa sial…

Kelakar siak dapat tau yang ada banyak support groups untuk komuniti LGBT in our univeristies. As a graduate of one of the uni, aku malu siak nampak ni macam punya support for komuniti LGBT ni.

NUS je dah ada tiga kumpulan yang provide support. Tak rasa ada banyak group untuk budak-budak Melayu yang datang dari keluarga susah. Sedangkan korang tengok…NUS Muslim society agaknya ada satu, society Bahasa Melayu pun ada satu. Apa mereka lebih important daripada kita ke? Apa diorang punya problem lebih teruk dari problem masyarakat kita yang bertahun-tahun, tukar Minister ni Minister tu pun tak boleh solve jugak the problems.

Yang ada aku menyampah dia punya anggek macam dia bagus sangat. Tapi yang ada aku respect diorang as individuals. Yang ada mampus dia punya pandai dan konfiden.

Tapi as a Muslim aku tak boleh bawak diri aku nak accept mereka. Bukan aku je fikir macam ni. Ramai lagi orang dari agama lain pun macam tu juga. Ini agama kita tak accept kenapa ni uni-uni pandai-pandai nak force it down our throats? Kita boleh tolog diorang tapi kalau diorang yang tengok kita macam sial, sala siapa siak? Diorang yang suspicious of us. Kenapa?

Memang bukan tempat kita untuk judge diorang, memang terpulang pada mereka…aku pun tak kisah sebab aku pun ni bukan macam malaikat pun. Tapi kenapa sibuk-sibuk sangat pasal hal diorang? Kau tanya diri kau, apa diorang buat untuk be normal. Diorang yang ostracise diri mereka. adakau nampak orang cakap depan muka diorang…eh bapuk pergi berambus…ada?

Orang Melayu diorang suruh integrate. Apasal nak jadikan LGBT komuniti ni separate and distinct? Kena give diorang special treatment? Aapa counsellors kat NTU, SMU atau NUS tak cukup ke atau tak boleh handle?

Aku hope ni universities ni semua do something about this. Nanti tahun depan apa? 10 LGBT support groups in the unis?

Reader Contribution: Faiz S

May 7, 2015
Woman In Centre Of Geylang Murder Case Dissociates Herself From Men

The woman at the center of the Geylang Lorong 8 murder case has come out to give her say: “I admit that I know both of them (the suspect and deceased), but those two men have nothing to do with me.”

Shin Min News reported yesterday that two men got into a quarrel over a woman, which resulted in one man stabbing the other in the waist, killing him and leaving him on the street where the victim bled to death.

The incident took place at about 9PM in a coffeeshop between Geylang Lorong 6 and 8. The deceased is a 48 year-old local Malay man named Rashid.

The suspect was a 55 year-old elderly Malay man who wore a red hat.

Eye witnesses overheard the two men arguing over the 40 year-old Siti, who works as a cleaner.

Siti was approached by the media for her comments. She said she knew the suspect and the victim, but they did not have a relationship with her.

“I worked at this coffeeshop last year for two months as a coffeeshop helper. I got to know them during this time as they are regulars there. They were there almost everyday.”

However, she quit her job as a helper and went to work for a backpacking hostel and did not have anymore contact with the 2 men.

Source: www.allsingaporestuff.com

May 6, 2015