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Tag: religion

  • Racial Harmony Alive In Singapore: Multiracial Effort Helped Old Man Who Fell Off From Bike

    Racial Harmony Alive In Singapore: Multiracial Effort Helped Old Man Who Fell Off From Bike

    What happened last night reaffirmed my beliefs that RACIAL HARMONY is still strong in Singapore !

    About 7:30pm last night, I was about to chase a bus back home at Elias CC. Then a woman yelled “that old man fell down”
    My wife and I turned and we saw that an old man fell off his bike. We got nearer by walking and realized he was bleeding. It then turned into a sprint.

    I yelled to my wife to call the ambulance while I dug my bag for a shirt. I immediately applied pressure on his head where he was bleeding from. He was shivering and muttering. I continued applying pressure and carried him up to sit at the ledge. At that point of time all I could think of is to stop his bleeding as it has already went down to his shirt.

    Out of nowhere, a few passer by came by to help.
    1) a Chinese woman shielded the old man with an umbrella while asking the old man for his family member’s contact.
    2) a Malay man came to us and took the old man’s bicycle aside (it was still in front of me)
    3) An Indian man rushed to the nearest clinic and called the doctor to help
    4) a Bangladeshi man stood behind me to shield me and the old man from the rain while I was still applying pressure.

    The scary part to me was holding the shirt and feeling it getting heavier and warmer. I didn’t want to apply too much till I hurt the uncle nor do I want to be too soft till blood keeps flowing.

    Shortly after, the doctor that the Indian man went to get, came down. He came with an assistant. I relieved my position and the doctor covered the old man’s wound with a gauze. While this was happening :

    1) Malay man was constantly looking out for the ambulance
    2) the Chinese woman got a hold of the old man’s family and comforted the old man that they are on their way
    3) the Indian man gave his wet tissues to my wife so she could wipe blood of the old man’s hand and face
    4) the Bangladeshi man was still using his umbrella to cover the old man and also the doctor

    Like what it seems to be forever, the ambulance finally came. Bringing the old man and his grandson to the hospital.

    I don’t even know the names of the people who helped me last night but I was truly touched and moved by the unconditional help by our fellow Singaporeans (and Foreign help!!)

    What gave me hope that the uncle can make it was that he was even asking for his bicycle when he was being put on the ambulance ?

    Thank you my wife Jenny Insyirah Farhanah Lim for calling the ambulance and aided them to come to the exact location. Then also helping the uncle wipe off the blood on his face and hands.

    But most of all, to those people who rushed down and help, thank you very much. I am extremely touched (‘:

     

    Source: Khairul Farhan

  • New Faith, New Lives

    New Faith, New Lives

    When train captain Muhammad Joy Kumar Paul turned 25 in May, he celebrated by converting to Islam.

    The ceremony was held at the Muslim Converts’ Association (MCAS) and witnessed by his closest friends and fiancee’s family. That same day, he attended his first Friday prayers as a Muslim at Assyakirin Mosque, near his home in Taman Jurong.

    Mr Muhammad was brought up in a Buddhist family, but growing up with Malay friends, he knew “how a Muslim behaves, what they are supposed to do and what they do not do”.

    Still, he never expected to become a Muslim until he met Ms Syuhaidah Sha’ada, a 24-year-old pre-school teacher.

    The couple got engaged in June but it was not an easy decision. They had a serious talk about their relationship in the long term and considered breaking up.

    On his own accord, however, he researched and watched videos by Islamic scholars online, as well as talked to Muslim friends, to learn more about the religion.

    Mr Muhammad lives with his mother, who is divorced, and elder sister. Both felt it was his decision to make. He also attended beginner courses at MCAS last year.

    Every year, about 600 people convert to Islam at the three-storey building located in Onan Road in Joo Chiat.

    Also known as Darul Arqam Singapore, the one-stop centre for converts was set up in 1980 to oversee the welfare, religious guidance and problems of new converts.

    All prospective converts are encouraged to take up basic courses on Islam. Mr Muhammad went through Ramadan as a Muslim for the first time this year. The ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, Ramadan is a holy period of fasting, reflection, devotion, generosity and sacrifice observed by Muslims around the world.

    While there have been challenges, he has been touched by the support of his loved ones.

    His mother, a Buddhist, cooks the food he wants to eat and made sure there was food in the morning when he woke up to break fast during Ramadan. She buys meat and produce that is certified halal for his sake.

    Like Mr Muhammad, Ms Rachel Aryssa Chung, 39, converted to Islam two months ago. The customer insight and communications manager at a gas company found fasting during Ramadan to be particularly challenging.

    “What’s more, coffee is not recommended because it dehydrates the body but I don’t function well without coffee. I always tell my colleagues I’m not human until I have my coffee,” she said, laughing.

    Divorced for 10 years, Ms Chung has two daughters. She has been dating a Muslim for a year and is still learning about her new faith.

    It was her own decision to convert. She said of her new faith: “I feel that it’s a very comprehensive and disciplined faith. How you should treat other people, how you should behave as a person. We’re encouraged to pray five times a day. When you do things like that, I feel that it changes you as a person.”

     

    Source: The Straits Times

  • Normal Practice For Ministers To Be Given Expedited Clearance At Checkpoints: ICA

    Normal Practice For Ministers To Be Given Expedited Clearance At Checkpoints: ICA

    It is normal practice for the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) to give expedited clearance to ministers, ICA said on Tuesday (July 19) in response to media queries.

    ICA also confirmed that Minister for Family and Social Development Tan Chuan-Jin was travelling with 20 bus loads of people, who were his residents and grassroots leaders, on Sunday (July 17) when he, his security officers and the other passengers in his bus were given clearance, without having to queue, at the Tuas Checkpoint at around 9.20pm.

    The passengers in the other 19 buses were cleared through the normal channels, ICA added.

    “It is normal practice for ICA to give expedited clearance to Ministers, on both sides of the Causeway as well as members of the Malaysian royalty,” ICA said.

    “Where they travel with others in a group, ICA officers will use their judgment on the clearance process,” it added.

    ICA’s response came a day after Workers’ Party MP Png Eng Huat commented on his Facebook that he was “dismayed” to see a lane for immigration clearance specially opened for Mr Tan and his residents. Mr Tan is MP for Marine Parade GRC.

    Mr Png said in a post on Monday (July 18) afternoon that the Singapore customs was “overwhelmed” when he and some residents were returning from a one-day trip to Desaru on Sunday. Mr Png is MP for Hougang SMC.

    “Many tired travellers were relieved to see another counter opened but to their dismay, it was only to allow Minister Tan Chuan-Jin to clear as he had joined his residents for a day of outing and fun too,” he said.

    He said that most people probably did not mind this, as “being a minister does come with privileges”, but he noted that some others in the group with Mr Tan also did not have to queue.

    “An entourage of grassroots leaders and members with shopping bags in tow also enjoyed the privilege of fast clearance… No one else could use that counter,” he said.

    Mr Png added that an 89-year-old resident in his group, and one who was injured during the tour had to wait in line.

    “The chaos, anger and confusion at the Tuas Immigration check point certainly made us forget how bad the durians were yesterday, and how bad the system needs to change,” he concluded.

    According to ICA, records show that Mr Png was at the checkpoint for about 30 minutes, and was cleared through immigration.

    When contacted,  Mr Png said that the issue was not about Mr Tan given expedited clearance, but the fact that the grassroots people travelling with him were also given special treatment. “ICA sees it fit to state that I waited about 30 minutes to clear customs. I am sure the Minister would not mind waiting 30 minutes for the rest of his travelling companions to clear customs as well”, he added.

    Another Workers’ Party politician, Kenneth Foo, also wrote about the incident on his Facebook page.

    Mr Png’s post had been shared more than 600 times by Tuesday morning.

    Netizens debated the incident in the comments under the post, with some defending Mr Tan and others saying that grassroots leaders should not be given special treatment.

    Meanwhile, Facebook group Fabrications About The PAP gave an explanation for the incident.

    It explained in a Facebook post on Monday night that Mr Tan was on a semi-official trip. He then chose to join his residents for a Johor Baru tour and take the bus with them instead of driving in.

    “It was a semi-official visit and his security officers carried firearms. Thus, his whole bus of residents was cleared at the same time,” said the post.

     

    Source: The Straits Times

  • Learning To Appreciate Islamic Thought In Modern Context

    Learning To Appreciate Islamic Thought In Modern Context

    A programme for aspiring Islamic religious leaders to better understand religious teachings in the context of contemporary, plural societies was launched yesterday.

    A total of 40 recent graduates and final-year undergraduates from universities in the Middle East and South-east Asia are attending the Islamic Thought in Context: Living in Plural Societies series at the Singapore Islamic Hub over 10 days this week and the next. The sessions are organised by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore’s (Muis’) research and education arm, Muis Academy, together with the Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies (SRP) Programme at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) at Nanyang Technological University.

    They cover such topics as syariah in a modern context, and diversity and Islam in modern Singapore.

    On Friday, Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs Yaacob Ibrahim announced plans to study the feasibility of setting up an Islamic college here to provide a higher quality of religious education that is better tailored to the local context.

    Dr Yaacob also told reporters over the weekend that such a college could have its first cohort in, say, five years, but a full-fledged institution might need a longer timeframe of between 15 and 20 years.

    In the meantime, sessions like this month’s aim to help equip local religious teachers with an appreciation of current trends, and skills to better teach the religion today.

    Sessions will be taught by lecturers from both RSIS and the Muis Academy, as well as international scholars such as University of Melbourne Professor of Arab and Islamic Studies Abdullah Saeed, and University of Notre Dame Professor of Islamic Studies Ebrahim Moosa.

    Participant Muhammad Ashraf Anwar, 23, said the series would help him better understand current issues facing the community. Said the final-year Islamic theology student at Al-Azhar University in Cairo: “In Egypt, we learn traditional Islam from credible sources, but the community in Egypt is very different. We have to learn how to contextualise what we study to better serve the community here.”

    Muis Academy’s vice-dean, Ustaz Mohammad Hannan Hassan, said: “The programme was created to help students consult the Islamic tradition and place it within the context of Singapore’s plural society.” He added: “This contextualisation is not something outside of Islam, it’s an established part of our tradition.”

    As for an Islamic college, SRP Head of Studies Mohammad Alami Musa said it would benefit madrasah graduates, who are now not able to pursue higher religious education locally. A pool of some 15 asatizah (religious teachers) with master’s and doctoral degrees could be part of the faculty, he said.

    Other community leaders also welcomed the college. Managing director of education group SimplyIslam Mohamed Nassir Abdul Sukkur said it was “long overdue”.

    Mr Alami said: “It has been a dream of asatizah from the pioneer generation to have an Islamic college here.”

     

    Source: Berita MediaCorp

  • Zulfikar Shariff: Israel Is A Political Entity All About Oppression, Not Religious Diversity

    Zulfikar Shariff: Israel Is A Political Entity All About Oppression, Not Religious Diversity

    Some friends posted about the Israeli embassy iftar in Singapura a few days ago.

    I think it is terribly unfortunate that Muslims attended that event.

    If they are forced to attend, then I can understand it.

    But for those who attended out of their own accord…why?

    Some of those who attended argued it is about accepting religious diversity.

    That argument shows how flawed their position is.

    Israel is not about religion.

    It is a political entity. It is a political creation that at its very core is about dispossession and oppression.

    We can respect and have affection for the Jewish communities.

    But do not confuse the state of Israel with those who believe in Judaism.

    By conflating Judaism with Israel, they are insulting all the Jewish communities that reject the atrocities that Israel perpetuates.

    Those who attend out of their own free will should know that their participation will not help Palestinians.

    The Israeli embassy in Singapura does not have the authority to influence Israeli policies or stop its violence…

    Or will it relay your personal concerns to the Israeli government.

    All you do is legitimise Israel and its behaviour.

     

    Source: Zulfikar Shariff