Tag: Muslims

  • A Hijab Issue: Apa Yang Orang Perlu Is Expertise Aku, Bukan Kaki Ke Ketiak Aku

    A Hijab Issue: Apa Yang Orang Perlu Is Expertise Aku, Bukan Kaki Ke Ketiak Aku

    Hijab issues.

    Memang tak habis kan.

    Especially kalau kita kerja in a non muslim environment.

    Harini, aku kena one of the worst hijab comments dari a non muslim colleague. #IndiaMari

    Mula2 dia tanya,

    Dia : Kau pernah tak rasa macam nak bukak tudung and wear normal clothes?

    Aku ekcheli tengah busy gila tapi ye la, dia budak baru so aku layankan je.

    Aku : Apa yang normal? Ni normal la.

    Dia : Tak.. maksud aku.. pakai normal blouse.. normal clothes la.

    Aku : Tak pernah. Ni normal aku.

    Dia : Kenapa kau nak cover up? Semua perempuan ada desire untuk dress up and melawa. Abih apa yang orang boleh nampak kalau semua kau tutup?

    Aku : I am a senior system analyst with a double degree. Aku da puas melawa dengan make up, dengan baju2 sexy. Aku nak be defined by my intelligence. Bukan the depth of my cleavage.

    Dia : Kau gila. Kau seriously gila. Aku tak pernah nampak orang so so silly macam kau. Aku dress up untuk diri aku, bukan untuk orang lain. Aku put on make up, dress nicely so orang tak pandang rendah pada aku.

    Aku : Apa yang gila? Apa yang bodoh? Kau ada kau nye own definition of beauty. Pada aku yang sexy tu mentality, brain. Sekarang ni apa yang aku pakai cantik. Aku rasa cantik camni. Apa yang cantik pada aku, tak semestinya cantik pada kau. Aku tak pernah kutuk orang pakai sari buruk. So apa sebenarnya problem kau dengan my dressing.

    Dia : Takla.. maksud aku macam kita kan career women, abih kau pakai macam ni, how orang nak take kau seriously? Kau tertekan dengan culture ke? Parents kau paksa kau pakai macam ni? Sebab aku kenal ramai muslim ladies yang modern. Kau nampak macam backdated.

    *Sedap betul minah ni kutuk aku*

    Aku : Aku tak perlu prove apa2 pada sesiapa. Kalau sesiapa rasa aku tak layak to do this job, aku will happily go. Apa yang orang perlu is expertise aku, bukan kaki ke ketiak aku. Modern tu tak terletak pada skimpy clothes. It is terletak pada pemikiran kita. Aku dengan agama aku, and ni cara aku. So kau rasa by wearing sleeveless and mini skirts, kau lagi modern dari aku? Make sure kau abiskan semua reports ni by today. Jangan asik bebual buang masa je.

    Dia : Kau marah ke?

    Aku : Yes. Marah. Sekarang diam. Aku nak sambung kerja.

    Aku take hijab very seriously. Pada aku, it is bullshit bila orang kata takleh pakai hijab sebab kerja kat town or holding a senior professional position. Kita kena shake hands dengan clients lelaki. Takleh kuno sangat.

    And so far memang selalu orang tanya, tak panas ke kau pakai gini. Aku ok kalau orang tanya baik2. But kalau orang kutuk2, arh tu memang la. Tekan switch auto eject to outerspace. And aku tak believe in “Biarlah apa orang nak kata.. janji Allah knows hati kita”. Memang la Allah tau, tapi aku bukan jenis bagi orang hentam je hijab. Aku berhijab kerana Allah and aku pertahankan hijab pon kerana Allah. Its just not me untuk “biarkan la”.

    Anyway, yang nak kerja is kepala otak ke kepala? Jangan bukak tudung for your job. No matter what happens, jangan bukak tudung. Biar orang kata kita kuno ke, bodoh ke, gila ke pakai camni dalam hot weather.. lantak diorang la. Takde siapa yang boleh jamin rezeki kita. Rezeki kita da tertulis kat loh mahfudz. Hak kita.. akan jadi milik kita no matter what.

    And yakin dengan rezeki dari Allah SWT. Tak guna kalau gaji 10 ribu tapi tak berkat. Baru dapat, da abis. Biar kita gaji kecik, tapi dengan gaji kecik tu, kita boleh ada bajet nak sedekah.

    Aku da lama tak marah tapi lately aku tengok orang perlekehkan hijab and kata it is tuntutan kerja untuk bukak hijab. It is my passion.

    Passion tu boleh jamin syurga ke?
    Kalau tak boleh, buat apa buat?

    Nanti bagi alasan yang sama pada Allah SWT. Bila Allah SWT tanya kenapa bukak tudung bila kerja, bila nak carik rezeki yang halal, cakap, “Sorry Allah, it is my passion.”

    Siapa yang tak boleh terima, takyah waste time comment panjang2 sebab aku tak baca. Aku tak pernah judge orang yang tak berhijab sebab aku pon pernah struggle masa mula2 nak pakai hijab. Aku sayang and layan semua orang yang PM aku tak kira korang berhijab ke tidak ke. Semua sama je. And aku respect those yang tak bagi alasan untuk bukak hijab.

    “Oh sebab kerja.”
    “Oh Allah Maha Pengampun”

    Ni hak peribadi. Nak pakai, you are saving yourselves. Not me. Taknak pakai, terserah.

    Ingat, Allah SWT tak rugi sikit pon kalau kita taknak berhijab or solat. Kalau kita taknak taat, ada bermillion million lagi orang yang nak taat pada Allah SWT. Kita ni kira macam sebutir garam dalam lautan. Kalau kita betul la nak Allah SWT sayang kita, ikut perintah Allah.

    “Kami dengar. Dan kami taat.”

    Aku share bukan tuk riak. Tapi kinda untuk membebel pada those yang taknak take hijab seriously. Kita ada beli 50 pcs hijabs to give away. Kalau sesiapa rasa nak jinak2 berhijab, boleh PM aku, aku akan post out kan untuk korang as a small gift. But jangan give up untuk try berhijab.

    Kita hidup tak lama kat dunia ni. Sekarang da makin ramai yang mati muda and mendadak. So kalau ada difficulties nak share, boleh PM. In shaa Allah aku boleb adakan masa sikit untuk membebel in private.

    Ni bukan judge. Jangan narrow minded sgt. Ni cakap. Aku memang cakap camni. Kuat. Dengar tak? Hello..

    Semoga bermanfaat. Pada those yang kaki menjawab macam aku, jangan takut jawab balik. Jangan asik dengan attitude “biarlah..” Sampai bila nak jadi layu2.. lembik2. Tunjuk orang kita pon ada otak nak fikir and kita are not stupid. Pada yang tak agree, to each his own.

     

    Rilek1Corner

    Credit: Khainis Tahir (We salute you!)

  • Prominent Muslim Scholars Assembling To Discuss Rising Levels Of Islamophobia In Britain

    Prominent Muslim Scholars Assembling To Discuss Rising Levels Of Islamophobia In Britain

    An event due to be held in London and Yorkshire in England has been billed as the event of the year.

    There has been a rise in Islamophobia, Islamic principles and practices are under the spotlight, and Muslims are being subjected to verbal and physical abuse.

    On top of that, Muslims are constantly being asked to prove their loyalty. This has made them feel foreign in their own countries. As Muslims come under pressure to maintain their creed in this difficult time, some are close to losing their faith.

    In response, the ‘Losing My Religion’ conference has been organised to discuss some of the challenges faced by Muslims in Britain.

    Prominent international speakers will be sharing knowledge and guidance from the Qur’an, Hadith and the Seerah to help Muslims preserve their faith during these testing times.

    Speakers include: Imam Omar Suleiman, Shaykh Yasir Qadhi, Dr Tariq Ramadan, Shenaz Bunglawala, Shaykh Abu Esa Niamatullah, Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan, Maryam Amir and others.

    The conference will take place on Saturday 22nd April in Yorkshire and Sunday 23rd April at the Excel.

     

    Rilek1Corner

    Source: http://ilmfeed.com

  • Anggota Parlimen Rahayu Mahzam Selamat Bersalin Anak Lelaki Bernama Muhamad Ayden

    Anggota Parlimen Rahayu Mahzam Selamat Bersalin Anak Lelaki Bernama Muhamad Ayden

    Anggota Parlimen GRC Jurong, Rahayu Mahzam sudah selamat melahirkan, dan beliau mendapat seorang bayi lelaki.

    BERITAMediacorp difahamkan, beliau memilih nama Muhamad Ayden bagi bayi tersebut.

    Ini merupakan anak sulung bagi Cik Rahayu dan suaminya Muhamad Imaduddien Abdul Karim, seorang peguam. Cik Rahayu, juga seorang peguam, bertugas di firma guaman Heng, Leong & Srinivasan.

    Yang pasti, Cik Rahayu yang berusia 36 tahun, kini sah mencatat sejarah menjadi Anggota Parlimen (AP) Melayu tempatan yang pertama, melahirkan anak sulung semasa memegang jawatan AP.

    Muhamad Ayden dilahirkan di Hospital KK bagi Wanita dan Kanak-kanak pada 10.35 pagi, 7 April, dan BERITAMediacorp diberitahu, bayi comel itu seberat 3.39 kilogram semasa dilahirkan.

    Cik Rahayu kini masih lagi berehat pasca kelahiran dan pihak kami belum lagi mendapat peluang untuk mewawancara beliau.

    BEREHAT 2 BULAN

    Dalam wawancara dengan BERITAMediacorp bulan lalu, Cik Rahayu pernah berkata, beliau mungkin mengambil dua bulan cuti sahaja, walaupun ibu bersalin di Singapura layak mendapat cuti penuh empat bulan. Beliau sempat berseloroh bahawa “mungkin untuk bulan pertama itu ‘radio silence’, betul-betul perlu berehat”.

    “Tugas dan harapan orang sebagai AP itu berat sedikit. Saya rasa mungkin sukar untuk saya mengambil masa sepenuhnya empat bulan,” ujar beliau ketika itu, sambil menambah, ini juga akan bergantung kepada keadaan kesihatan beliau dan bayi sulungnya itu.

    “Rancangannya adalah untuk mengambil dua bulan. Mungkin satu bulan penuh untuk berehat dan bulan kemudiannya kalau sekiranya saya sihat, alhamdulillah, saya akan cuba mungkin lakukan tugasan yang tidak begitu berat,” kongsi Cik Rahayu ketika itu.

     

    Rilek1Corner

    Source: http://berita.mediacorp.sg/

  • The Day I Got Drenched At Kampong Gelam

    The Day I Got Drenched At Kampong Gelam

    THE DAY I GOT DRENCHED AT KAMPONG GELAM

    #MYFsg office is located at 62A Arab Street, in the heart of Kampong Gelam. It is just 2 minutes walk to Sultan Mosque. I was often asked why I chose that location. To me, its a no brainer. It is a centralised youth hotspot.

    Today, I found out that its not just that.

    Throughout our stay in Kampong Gelam, there have been several funeral prayers conducted at Sultan Mosque for prominent community leaders who spent their life in His servitude, whose legacies helped set Singapore on a path of peace and progress. At MYF, we have a culture encouraging each other to take time to pay our last respect to our pioneer leaders, regardless of their fields. I didn’t think much of of it, then.

    Just recently, the nation laid to rest one of its first-generation leaders, the late Mr Othman Wok. The funeral prayer was conducted at Sultan Mosque. The congregation itself was filled with changemakers, old and young. The sky teared heavily the moment when the casket was being transported in the pouring rain to a gun carriage to begin its journey to the burial site.

    Witnessing the moment barely 5 metres away, its was solemn, drenched.

    That moment, I realised the reason God placed me in Kampong Gelam.

    He wants me to constantly be reminded of the contributions made by our pioneer leaders. The prosperity today could not be achieved without their sacrifices. More than I know, I needed these moments to gather strength to be steadfast in courage and passion into creating a better life, a better tomorrow for the community.

    I was also reminded that there are no such thing as retirement on the path of service. You simply serve till your last breath and may our death too benefits the community, triggering reflection and repentance. When that day come, we can only hope that the next generation is ready to carry on the torch. Moving faster than us. Breaking more things than us.

    It is up to us to live up to the legacy that was left for us, and to leave a legacy that is worthy of our children and of future generations.

    It is no longer a question of how much we believe we owe those living in the future, not just our own children or grandchildren, but the generations of people who will come long after we are gone.

     

    Rilek1Corner

    Credit: Shah Reza

  • Haji Mohammad Alami Musa: No Doctrinal Basis For Enmity Towards Non-Muslims

    Haji Mohammad Alami Musa: No Doctrinal Basis For Enmity Towards Non-Muslims

    In February, a video of Imam Nalla Mohamed Abdul Jameel reciting a prayer in Arabic that said “God help us against Jews and Christians”, among other things, was circulated online.

    He was charged in court and pleaded guilty last week to promoting enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion, and committing an act prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony.

    He also apologised to Christian and Jewish religious leaders for his remarks. He was fined $4,000 and has been repatriated back to India.

    The issue has come to a closure in a “uniquely Singapore” way. It judiciously combined the application of law via the courts, lots of community engagement efforts by Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Yaacob Ibrahim’s dialogue, and with religious leaders of different faiths. Mr Shanmugam also met the imam for a cordial breakfast.

    Few countries in the world have the opportunity to adopt this balanced approach to resolve a sensitive issue, because it needs the existence of social peace and religious harmony, which Singapore works very hard to preserve.

    With this closure, it is useful now to deal with the “elephant in the room”, which is Islam’s doctrinal position on the “religious other”.

    This discussion is important to make clear to non-Muslim Singaporeans that enmity towards non-Muslims was never a part of Islamic doctrine.

    ISLAM AND NON-MUSLIMS: A HISTORY

    Islam’s position on non-Muslims was first shaped by historical conditions. This early position evolved over time so that it remained appropriate to the context of the day as the dynamics in the relationship between Muslims and non-Muslims changed.

    The Quran spoke warmly of Christians because they were more receptive to the message of monotheism, compared with local idol-worshipping tribes in Mecca, when Islam first came.

    Furthermore, it was the Christians of Abyssinia (present-day Ethiopia) who gave refuge to Muslims who fled Mecca to escape persecution.

    Similarly, Muslim-Jewish relations in the early Islamic era were positive as they were shaped by an agreement that manifested the congenial dynamics between the two faith communities.

    More importantly, early Muslims conceptualised the community of believers to be originally independent of confessional identities.

    They regarded Christians and Jews to be members of their community.

    It was only later that membership in the community of believers came to be seen as a confessional identity in itself, and this had a lot to do with the prophethood of Muhammad.

    Tensions, therefore, occurred in Muslim-Christian as well as Muslim-Jewish relations and due to sharp differences in a number of other doctrinal matters.

    Notwithstanding these fundamental differences, the special relationship among the three religions as part of the Abrahamic family of religions was preserved.

    The divisive issue of Prophet Muhammad’s prophethood was played down and, instead, the focus was on what bound the three faith communities together.

    These are the belief in monotheism, the Last Day and the importance of doing good deeds on this earth.

    The attitude of early Muslims was to preserve unity of the community of believers so that they could be assured of Jewish and Christian support to defend their city, Medina, against the common enemy in Mecca, who were not monotheists.

    This explained why Muslims did not force Jews and Christians to accept the status of Prophet Muhammad as their prophet, too, but chose instead to focus on teachings that could be accepted by all three faith communities.

    But the bigger cause of conflict and division was less religious and more political. It was the violations of parties of the agreement to honour it and fulfil their obligations. These violations were seen as tantamount to treason.

    Violators were severely dealt with as traitors and put to death – a punishment that was the norm during wartime.

    Despite challenges in keeping alliances and violations of the agreement, Jews and Christians were not regarded by Muslims as enemies.

    Who, then, were singled out by early Muslims in their supplication?

    THE REAL ENEMY

    The supplication by Muslims was for divine help in their war against the disbelievers in Mecca, who were superior both in numbers and strength.

    They were the enemies of the early Muslims only because they wanted to kill the Prophet, annihilate Muslims and extinguish Islam from the face of Arabia. It was, therefore, a matter of life and death for the Muslims.

    The Prophet’s mission spanned over 23 years, out of which 16 years were spent in a state of heightened tension and war with the disbelievers of Mecca.

    Twenty such wars were fought and the Prophet was pained when about 1,000 of his companions were martyred.

    The Prophet supplicated to seek God’s help against disbelievers using verses from the Quran that specifically mention them (kafirun and mushrikun).

    There is an important qualification, though.

    The supplication was not targeted at all disbelievers. It was specifically aimed at disbelievers whose plan was to kill Muslims, drive them out of their homes and destroy Islam.

    Disbelieving people who were not engaged in such sinister plans were not the ones Muslims supplicated against.

    INCLUSIVE CATEGORISATION

    Another pertinent fact is that, besides Christians and Jews who occupy a special relationship with Muslims as People of the Book, there are also a number of other religious communities who enjoy this special status in the eyes of Muslims.

    The Quran has categorised Sabians as People of the Book, while there are scholars who also included Zoroastrians.

    There are other less known facts.

    For example, there was a religious ruling issued in AD710 by Islamic scholars in Kufa, Iraq, to accord Buddhists the same status as monotheists.

    This ruling was in response to a query by a young general of the Muslim army, Muhammad Qasim, who upon conquering Sindh province in India was petitioned by the local Buddhist community to allow them to continue to practise Buddhism and preserve their temples. The ruling accorded the Buddhists in question the same status as monotheists (like Jews and Christians) and provided privileges to them, considering them People of the Book, but they were obliged to pay taxes.

    Similarly, from an early period, when Muslims arrived in India, Hindus were designated People of the Book, a practical solution that allowed Muslim rulers to permit Hindus to live in peace within the Muslim empire as long as they paid taxes. This also explained why some Muslim mystics consider the Hindu scripture, the Vedas, as a revealed Book and believed that Lords Rama and Krishna could be prophets of God.

    As for Taoism, the former grand mufti of Egypt (Sheikh Ali Gomaa) was asked at an inter-faith dinner during his visit to Singapore in June 2014 whether Taoists are People of the Book. He turned to Taoist leaders and asked if their teachings were based on a sacred text, to which an affirmative reply was given. The former Egyptian mufti stated his position that Taoists are People of the Book.

    A word of caution is needed here.

    It is never claimed that all religions are the same and that religious pluralism is advocated here. All religions are different, although they share the same roots. Religions are like the Banyan tree – they have shared roots, appear to have many trunks (although there is only one trunk) and have many branches that sprawl in different directions as they reach for the sky.

    The Prophet of Islam respected all religions; he never denigrated any religion or prayed for the destruction of any religious community. Muslims supplicate for divine help against those, regardless of religion, who wish to harm them in any way.

     

    Rilek1Corner

    Source: http://www.straitstimes.com