Like many Muslim Singaporeans, my colleagues and I are disturbed and saddened about the conditions in Gaza.
Over the past weekend, I have also shared views on the matter:
“With the unrest in Gaza still going on, there are two things that we can do at this point – firstly help those affected through humanitarian effort and secondly, keep praying for peace. I am happy that we are able to organize a donation drive and collect a lot of money which can be channeled to those in need. I think there is a strong desire in the Muslim community to see an end to all hostilities and hopefully with all the efforts by the world leaders, together with what we can do here in Singapore, peace can come to the region as soon as possible. Meanwhile, we can continue to pray and use the blessings of the month of Ramadan, to do the best that we can through the means that we have here in Singapore.”
It is heart wrenching to see innocent victims of this deadly episode dying and suffering.
Let us continue to do our part to bring peace to the region.
Thank you sis Quaintly Urs for highlighting this.
True enough we have checked the MUIS website, and went through the list of Halal certified caterers and eating establishments, but we can’t find the name ‘The Landmark in Village Hotel Bugis’.
Really misleading don’t you think?
We have contacted MUIS, and The Landmark in Village Hotel Bugis for their clarification on this matter. Hopefully, they will reply and we will post an update accordingly.
I received a msg from the wearwhite folks earlier in the day, requesting me to meet up with a person who was asking for help with Same Sex Attraction (SSA) my task was to befriend and recommend him to other agencies for follow-up.
He recounted his early years of grappling with SSA. It’s the classic story of an absent father figure and a domineering mother. Growing up, he too suffered from being bullied.
Amazingly, he had the force of will to not immediately succumb to the attraction. He read up and researched the issue, finding out a lot about it. It helped him grapple with the SSA, finding solace and comfort through worship and spirituality.
He’s a strong advocate of the view that SSA is primarily due to socialisation issues, not inborn. We were then met with a guy fr the entertainment industry, who recounted incidents whereby people he knew with SSA returning to fitrah, the natural disposition inherent in humanity. All he did was put the hashtag #wearwhite on his FB pg. they Came to him, he connected them to others and they too returned to fitrah.
They plan. And God plans. And God is the best of planners.
I believe tonight’s gathering was planned by God. To make people of very varied backgrounds and interests, come together with the intent of helping humanity.
I speak to all of us here. We are reaching out to one and all, regardless of your religion or race. If you are battling with SSA, and are looking for help, go to the wearwhite page, make contact. They can help you get in touch with sincere people who have gone through what you are going through. They have gone through the darkness and have seen the light. They are more than willing to help.
You can also PM me.
I make a special request. Can all here please share this posting on your walls? Wearwhite is here for you.
Come back to fitrah. Come back to the natural disposition and inner purity that God has created you with.
For a non-Muslim/non-Malay who can’t even speak like a native, we find it rather strange that a motivational speaker like Adam Khoo have the guts to write on a topic that we doubt he is familiar at all.
We have seen this many times where non-Malays and non-Muslims, speak of our communities and cultures like as though they are living it.
Studying our culture, religion, language, or even staying in a Malay or Muslim country doesn’t make you (non-Malay/non-Muslim) an expert in our cultures, languages, religion, and race. Those experiences just makes you have a better understanding of the intricacies. Makes you wiser.
SETIAP hari sepanjang Ramadan sekitar 6 petang, suaranya mengisi ruang udara, sekali gus menghiburkan semua, termasuk kaum Hawa yang sibuk menyiapkan juadah berbuka puasa.
Penyampai radio, Nona Kirana, memastikan setiap rancangan yang diatur serta disiarkan mengikut jadual dan tepat pada masanya, termasuk iklan dan rakaman rancangan kerohanian yang dinantikan pendengar. Bayangkan tekanan yang dihadapi Nona kerana perlu memainkan azan maghrib tepat pada waktuya, laungan yang ditunggu masyarakat Islam untuk berbuka puasa.
“Mengelolakan ruangan 6 petang hingga 10 malam di Warna, terutama semasa Ramadan ini, memang banyak cabarannya. “Memang stres kerana semasa ruangan ini ada banyak rancangan tajaan dan komersial yang perlu diputarkan,” ujar penyampai radio Warna 94.2FM ini.
Menurut Nona, beliau perlu banyak membuat ‘kira-kira’ ala cikgu Matematik untuk memastikan semua iklan dapat diputarkan tepat pada masanya sebelum azan. “Setiap iklan pastinya mempunyai tempoh tersendiri sama ada 30 saat, 53 saat atau satu minit 2 saat.
“Jadi misalnya jika azan ialah 7.17, kita perlu buat kiraan dan memastikan semua iklan dapat diputarkan sebelum hikmah Ramadan dan azan. “Bayangkan kalau ada 10 hingga 13 iklan, memang kelam-kabut dibuatnya. “Ketepatan itu penting. Tak boleh lambat walau satu saat pun,” ujar Nona lagi.
Bertugas di bilik siaran pada waktu tersebut juga bermakna beliau terpaksa berbuka seorang diri di bilik siaran dari Isnin hingga Jumaat. Masa bersama keluarga terpaksa dikorbankan demi menjalankan tugas.
“Saya sebenarnya setiap bulan puasa kadang-kadang tak reti makan makanan luar. Saya lebih suka masakan ibu,” kata Nona, ibu tiga anak, Muhammad Haris, 10 tahun; Mohamed Khair Ashayr, tiga tahun; dan Mohamed Khair Ashraf, sembilan bulan. “Tetapi saya tak cerewetlah. Apa ibu saya masak, saya bungkus sebagai bekalan untuk berbuka di tempat kerja,” kata Nona, yang terbiasa dengan keadaan ini kerana ini tahun kedua beliau mengendalikan ruangan berbuka.
Berbuka sambil bertugas juga harus dijaga supaya tidak kekenyangan, kata Nona, 30 tahun, Kadangkala, hanya segelas air, kurma dan menjamah sedikit makanan yang dibawa.
“Ini kerana selepas 10 minit azan berkumandang, saya perlu membaca berita sukan. Berita 7.30 malam selalunya dibaca oleh penyampai lain. “Jadi, penting untuk saya atau penyampai yang perlu membaca berita itu tidak memakan makanan yang berat-berat. Kalau tidak, ‘semput’ nak baca! “Tetapi kalau tercungap-cungap nak baca masih okaylah jugak, boleh berhenti ambil nafas. Tapi kalau tiba-tiba sedawa on air, macam mana? Lagi teruk!” gelaknya.
Menurut Nona, setiap hari sebelum berbuka, beliau akan sempat menelefon rumah menanyakan keadaan anak-anak. “Pada mulanya, anak saya yang sulung, Khair Ashayr, sering bertanya mana Mama setiap kali masa berbuka. Tetapi alhamdulillah, beliau mula faham sekarang.
“Mujur saya ada ibu dan pembantu yang sering memastikan makan minum budak-budak terjaga,” kongsi Nona, yang kelihatan begitu manis selepas mengenakan hijab sekitar Mei lalu. Menurut Nona, beliau sebenarnya berfikir untuk berhijab pada 18 Jun iaitu pada hari lahirnya yang ke-30.
Tetapi, beliau mengubah fikiran dan memakainya sebulan lebih awal. “Suami saya memang banyak memberi nasihat dan perangsang kepada saya. Sebelum ini juga, beliau sering membawa saya menghadiri syarahan dan ceramah berkaitan agama. “Apabila saya mengongsi niat saya, suami saya berkata mengapa saya mahu tangguh melakukan sesuatu yang baik? Saya mendengar nasihatnya dan mengenakan hijab secepat mungkin. Beliau juga bersyukur akhirnya saya memilih untuk berhijab,” ujar Nona.
Menurutnya, setiap kali tiba Ramadan, beliau sering terkenang arwah neneknya yang meninggal dunia pada 2008. “Saya ni memang cucu manja. Setiap Ramadan, nenek akan layankan kerenah saya, walaupun saya sudah meningkat dewasa. “Beliau sering memasakkan lauk-pauk kegemaran saya untuk sahur. Maklumlah, saya ni jenis yang susah bangun sahur,” kata Nona, yang tinggal bersama arwah nenek sejak bayi lagi.
Nona menambah, antara lauk kegemaran neneknya yang dirindui ialah lauk rasam masakan orang India. Buat masa ini, Nona – yang merupakan pekerja kontrak dengan MediaCorp – sibuk dengan kerja sambilannya sebagai ejen hartanah.
“Ekoran jadual saya yang agak ketat ketika ini, saya sendiri belum sempat bertarawih. Hujung minggu pula saya sibuk membawa para pelanggan melihat rumah. Jadi memang sibuk sangat. “Demi memastikan saya dapat menghabiskan masa bersama anak-anak, saya akan membawa mereka sekali setiap kali pergi melihat rumah.
“Sedang saya sibuk melayan pelanggan, suami akan membawa anak-anak meneroka dan bermain di taman-taman permainan berdekatan dengan rumah yang dilihat itu.
“Yang penting, kami sekeluarga semua bersama,” kata wanita peramah itu.
