Rilek1Corner

Tag: Syed Danial

  • Muslims Must Capitalise On Economic Leverage To Condemn Israeli Oppression Against Palestine

    Muslims Must Capitalise On Economic Leverage To Condemn Israeli Oppression Against Palestine

    From time to time, as a community, we tend to react when we feel There’s injustice done to certain groups of people we feel are oppressed.

    These may include the Rohingyans, Palestinians, Syrians etc.

    We do this by for E.g. Making Facebook postings on the issue. We share articles and memes portraying the injustices. We also start online petitions.

    These help in creating awareness of the issue. And it is a positive thing that we at least show empathy for our fellow brethren in faith that’s going through severe hardship.

    Beyond awareness there is little, methinks, by way of impact.

    I think collectively we do have some leverage. Economic leverage. What we can do for e.g. Is to join the BDS movement worldwide. In a nutshell, the global movement encourages boycotting of Israeli goods by way of peaceful protest against the oppression of the Palestinian people.

    Next time we shop, take a little time looking at the product barcode. Do not purchase items worth the barcodes beginning with 729 and 871.

    No need for petitions or writing letters to embassies. These are generally ignored.

    Let our wallets do the protesting. God willing it could lead to significant changes. BDS has scored some significant victories along the way.

    Let’s join the movement.

    At least on Yaumul Qiyamah we can stand in front of Allah azzawajal and say ‘Oh Allah. I am very weak. I’m swimming in sin. I at least try to help
    My Palestinian brothers in this small way. Please forgive me.’

    Remember that Allah azzawajal is al Ghafoor and ar Raheem. May He look upon us with Mercy and may He accept our deeds n forgive us our shortcomings n transgressions.

    Wallahualam.

    ***

    Please read previous posting. Additionally there’s some companies here you may wish to consider not purchasing from.

     

    Source: Syed Danial

  • Live Below Your Means In This World So You Can Prepare For Life In The Hereafter

    Live Below Your Means In This World So You Can Prepare For Life In The Hereafter

    Waited before I made this posting. Didn’t want to spoil anyone’s vacation.

    It was so wonderful to see so many of my FB friends going on vacation with their families. I saw so many countries visited. From all corners of the globe. Truly fantastic to spend quality time with family.

    Recently had dinner with an old friend from varsity. He’s a very successful businessman, running a multi-million dollar enterprise for more than two decades. And what a kind heart. He has helped so many of the poor and downtrodden all over the world. May Allah azzawajal Bless and Protect him. But I digress.

    He said that never before on the more than two decades of doing business has he seen the situation so bad. Not the 2008 financial crisis. The 2003 SARS one. Or any one of the financial downturns in the last two decades.

    MAS recently made the announcement that we should be circumspect with our spending, putting away savings for the coming financial headwinds. I honestly can’t remember the last time they did this.

    Anecdotallly u can see signs of a slowdown if u look carefully. Juz yesterday went to IKEA. Normally on a weekend they will be quite a queue at the checkout. This time around I hardly had to wait to be served.

    Bringing me to my main point.

    We should look upon the impending financial slowdown as an opportunity. So we should create a financial ‘war chest’ to be used when the time is right.

    For e.g. My car is 8 years old. Alhamdulillah it still purrs like a kitten. So in the event of a financial slowdown, the coe will fall. If and when it does I’ll be ready to take advantage.

    And the niyyah (intent) is to try to steer clear of interest costs (riba). Hopefully the coe will fall at the time I need to renew the coe. That way, I InshaAllah will pay cash for the coe and get another ten years of usage without incurring any riba. Incidentally 8 years ago I bought the car and paid cash in full. So InshaAllah I can have usage of it for the next 10 years without paying any installments and be virtually debt free.

    Another person may be looking to get a bigger flat coz of growing family etc.

    So financial savings now can mean one can strike when the iron is hot. Also if u r a hi income earner, u may want to think of getting a second property. The objective is to get a steady stream of passive income, such that you don’t have to be so dependent on the promotions n bonuses at work.

    This is important methinks. If one is too focused on promos n bonuses it would take up slot of time and energy. And you pay a price, because less time N energy would be spent serving the Deen of Allah azzawajal and investing for the Everafter. The opportunity cost is not worth paying.

    Also if u r too dependent on the monthly income, U will be unable to speak up at work when the situation calls for it.

    So we need to think strategically. Link our financial goals towards freeing ourselves to serve His Deen.

    In the meantime, Live simply. Don’t juz live within our means. Live BELOW our means. And keep our intentions pure.

    If we are strategic now, we can take advantage of any financial headwinds that come our way.

    At least we won’t be saddled in debt. The modern-day slavery.

    Live in this world. Live for the next.

    And God Knows best. Wallahualam.

     

    Source: Syed Danial

  • Syed Danial: A Message To Conservatives – Smile More Please

    Syed Danial: A Message To Conservatives – Smile More Please

    There is method in the madness.

    The ‘jubah sado’ (traditional Arabian attire for the muscularly-built) posting serves as an effective (methinks) preamble to the point I wish to make.

    Friends, in this ‘post-truth’ era, I think there’s a certain assumption that if one has conservative views, then he is not in touch with modernity. He is somewhat backward. Worse still, he is somehow linked to ‘extremism’.

    This is of course not true. I can’t believe I’m typing this. It’s worth makin it explicit. One can have views steeped in conservatism and still be in touch and quite adept with modernity – be it in embracing technology, being in the forefront of entrepreneurship, academia etc.

    Bringing me to my main point.

    We live in an era of so much fasaad. Right has become wrong and vice versa.

    Like it or not, that’s the environment we operate in. I feel in such an environment it really doesn’t help that a person whose views are conservative and steeped in the more than fourteen centuries of Islamic scholarship…. Also look severe and unsmiling. In a nutshell unapproachable.

    Again it may not be true. The person could be very friendly and kind.

    Fair or not, its the image of the conservative chap.

    In the interest of furthering the Dawah (invitation) why can’t we appear less ‘severe’? I bring up the ‘jubah sado’ to illustrate this point. Bear in mind we live in an age where it’s ok to be half naked in a foam party or dancing on bar tops. But wearing the jubah or thoube is considered ‘Arabism’ and somehow backward.

    Let’s celebrate our conservative values. If we are comfortable with it wear the jubah. Heck u don’t have to look so ‘severe’. I think it’s fine to jazz it up a little. There’s the jubah sado. Or the hooded Moroccan thoube. You get the idea.

    And very importantly let’s Smile more. I think we can all agree that’s the Sunnah (way) of Prophet Muhammad. And prophet Jesus, too, for that matter.

    So even in our dressing InshaAllah let dawah be our niyah. Wear cool stuffs. Smile more. And engage in meaningful conversations, putting across our principled stances with mauithatun Hasanah – beautiful preaching.

    Yeah and by the way, I see nothing wrong with the jubah pahlawan. ??Even the pink ones. Real men wear pink. They Juz don’t subscribe to the ideology of Pinkdot.

    Wallahualam.

     

    Source: Syed Danial

  • WAAPD: Reject PinkDot & LGBT Agenda Through Intellectual, Policy Engagement, Not Violence

    WAAPD: Reject PinkDot & LGBT Agenda Through Intellectual, Policy Engagement, Not Violence

    Message from waapd admins In response to the recent post on violence.

    WAAPD is made up of a cross section of Singaporeans from all walks of life, belief systems, ethnicity, gender and creed.

    We were set up to discuss the attempt to promote a homosexual movement in Singapore. This movement is not part of our traditional family values.

    We are clear that our position is to reject the promotion of the homosexual lifestyle.

    We do not condone the advocacy of violence.

    As is expected in a group of thousands of Singaporeans, we will not know the inclination of every member.

    We would like to inform every WAAPD member that we will delete any post that promote violence as they come to our attention.

    We would also not hesitate to report such matters to the authorities and ban the member from the group if we believe a threat is real.

    WAAPD is a public advocacy group.

    PinkDot and the homosexual movement should be rejected through intellectual and policy engagement.

    We are confident that our members can come together and engage on that level.

     

    Source: Syed Danial in We Are Against PinkDot in Singapore

  • WearWhite: Stand Up Against The LGBT Ideology

    WearWhite: Stand Up Against The LGBT Ideology

    I’m wearing white today.

    Not because I’m a bigot. This is a secular country. What one does behind closed doors is between him and his Maker.

    I’m wearing white today.

    Because I’m standing up against an ideology. An insidious ideology that wishes to radically change society at its very core. Do not be deceived. Pinkdot is not there to promote ‘free love’.

    It is there to change the structure of society itself. It has stated as its goal the repeal of 377A.

    BUt that is not its endgame.

    They will push on and on…..

    Imagine this scenario:

    At City Hall gay couples queue to get married. In attendance are ‘Liberal’ religious priests and imams. At a nearby mosque an openly gay imam is conducting a marriage ceremony of another gay couple.

    Down Orchard Road is a gay pride parade. As they moved down Bras Basah road the backdrop of the gay pride parade is the Sultan mosque. Images are beamed worldwide, with the Sultan mosque standing as a very visual symbol of our docility to stand up for our beliefs. Our toilets must now be completely gender free, with full grown men sharing it with six year old girls.

    If we do not share this vision of Singapore, then we have to make our stand. Now.

    And not stand by the wayside mired in our own docility. And I speak to the young. If you have a young family or thinking of getting married etc, ask yourself what kind of Singapore do you envision for your children when you look into their eyes?

    I’m wearing white today. And I urge my Christian friends to wear white to church this weekend.

    I too will be wearing white on Sundsy evening to welcome the blessed month of Ramadhan.

    I invite all of us to wear white this weekend.

    More importantly we should make a stand. Learn about he LGBT ideology. Speak about it to our family friends n neighbors. Start a conversation going.

    May God bless our efforts. And may He Protect our country from forces – foreign and local – who wish to fundamentally change the structure of the family itself.

    ‪#‎wearwhite‬

     

    Source: Syed Danial