Tag: Zulfikar Shariff

Ustaz Dr Mohamed Ali: Masyarakat Tidak Harus Keliru ISIS Berlandas Islam

Masyarakat Islam tidak harus keliru dengan fakta bahawa ajaran pengganas ISIS walaupun atas nama Al-quran dan Sunah tetapi bukanlah satu ajaran Islam yang sebenar.

Pengganas ISIS ialah golongan yang melampau yang menggunakan agama bagi membenarkan sesuatu fahaman atau ajaran mereka termasuk pengganasan diterima oleh umat Islam yang lain.

Fahaman mereka itu hanya menuju ke arah radikalisme dan akan terus merosakkan Islam.

Naib pengerusi Kumpulan Pemulihan Keagamaan (RRG), Ustaz Dr Mohamed Ali, yang juga Penolong Profesor Program Pengajian Perhubungan Antara Agama Dalam Masyarakat Majmuk (SRP), Sekolah Pengajian Antarabangsa S. Rajaratnam (RSIS) di Universiti Teknologi Nanyang (NTU) berkata: “Adakah umat Islam perlu menanggung masalah ISIS? Sebenarnya masalah yang dihadapi oleh ISIS bukanlah masalah umat Islam keseluruhannya. Tetapi ini masalah salah guna agama dan tiada kena-mengena dengan Islam.”

Beliau berkata demikian ketika diminta mengulas mengenai tulisan Encik Sulaiman Daud di laman Facebook yang meminta umat Islam menanggung masalah militan ISIS.

Menurut Dr Mohamed, umat Islam perlu membezakan antara keperluan sebenar umat Islam dengan kehendak pengganas.

Beliau turut mengutarakan konsep ‘Al Wala Wal Bara’ iaitu di antara konsep Islam yang diputarbelitkan kumpulan pengganas bagi mengesahkan niat jahat mereka itu.

Konsep itu membicarakan tentang hubungan antara orang Islam dan golongan bukan Islam, serta Islam ialah agama yang mementingkan perhubungan baik sesama manusia.

Menyentuh tentang langkah mewujudkan negara Khalifah Islam, Dr Mohamed berkata tindakan mewujudkan negara khalifah bukan satu keperluan agama pada zaman hari ini.

“Zaman ini terdapat kuasa negara ‘nation state’ dan zaman telah berubah kepada bentuk sekular atau sistem pemerintahan yang lain. Umat Islam sebenarnya sesuai pada setiap zaman pemerintahan. Kita boleh tinggal di mana sahaja di England atau di mana sahaja. Apa yang diperlukan oleh setiap orang Islam yang berpegang teguh kepada agama dan menyesuaikan diri dalam apa sahaja keadaan,” ujar Dr Mohamed.

Source: http://beritaharian.sg

November 20, 2015
Zulfikar Shariff: Discussion Of The Singapore System Will Open Minds, Helps Uncover Better Solutions For Malay-Muslim Community

A common response made against activists who operate on social media is to tell them to stop discussing on these platforms and instead to do something.

There are several misconceptions exhibited in such suggestions.

First, it assumes that social media discussions, especially those that involves substantive exploration and interrogation of ideas is not doing something.

Our understanding of the world, of systems that are created and sustained in our political system, policy choices and preferences, are all based on ideas.

The government does not craft policies independent of their values, preferences, beliefs or interests. All these ingredients of policy formulation are based on ideas.

So is the system we live in. The rules that define what we can or cannot do, who represent us, the platforms we are allowed to use, the actions we can take, are all based on ideas.

To challenge, clarify and develop ideas is to do something that will have a much greater impact than simply acting without clarity.

We should acknowledge, embrace and celebrate the role of ideas and its formulation in our community.

Second, before we act, we need to know why we act, know how to act, what the scope and limits of our action.

Too often, we act without knowing the why, how and what. We assume to know what we do but do not understand what defines our behaviour.

I have seen so many Muslim leaders discuss engagement with the government to modify policies.

And yet, they do not understand the context of the policy. They do not know the values, preference and interests that not only allow but create the conditions for the policy to exist.

So they engage, in expectation of a change, while being constrained by the very system they exist in.

The policies, (whether hijab, imposition of leadership, domestic and international preferences) are based on a system that defines what can be done and the preferences of the elites.

To assume that all we need to do is engage on policy is to ask for a meal while trapped in a well.

Understand the system. Understand what creates the preferences.

And then we can understand what we can do.

And these understandings can only be gained when we discuss ideas.

Whether it is done in a classroom or social media, these discussions have to take place.

Social media provides amazing access to activists. We can reach out to hundreds or thousands of followers and friends.

Unlike using the mainstream media, our voice and opinions do not need to be filtered. There are no gatekeepers to decide what we can say or how we can say it.

We can develop and share ideas.

We can explore, provide clarity, impart knowledge and mobilise.

Every discussion is an opportunity shift a position.

An effective discussion will create new understanding or solidify old ones. Or create perceptual drifts.

Social media discussions, even if limited, can change society.

And that is more substantive than what many realise.

Source: Zulfikar Shariff

November 6, 2015
Propnex Investigating Agent For Racist And Anti-Islam Remarks

Amazing…a Propnex Property agent…

Is an anti Muslim bigot in Singapore…

He first accused Muslims of supporting ISIS. When I told him that we do not support ISIS and we need to look at how the west created the environment for groups like ISIS…

He responded with insult after insult on Muslims, Islam and Arabs.

He first said my response about western colonisation is the “biggest b.s. muslims tell the world”. Then proceeded to how starving arabs begged the British to buy their oil…

That the arabs have zero contribution since 16th century…that I should leave singapore and become a wannabe arab with a GOAT’s beard.

This Propnex agent then followed up with…

saying palestine existed is an “Islamic lie”

and that the whole “god damned middle east can be bombed, since, they are useless”

He ended with saying I should get an education but not from madrasah.

I am amazed that such a racist and Islamophobe is in Singapore and representing a major company.

Why does Propnex work with such anti Muslim bigots?

Update: We have been informed that Propnex will investigate and take appropriate action.

Source: Zulfikar Shariff

October 13, 2015
Zulfikar Shariff: Malays Who Voted For PAP Weakened Community’s Bargaining Power

Shortly after the last general elections, I discussed voting decisions with some Muslims who voted for the PAP.

Interestingly, these Muslims justified their vote for the party as though it would benefit Muslims.

Their arguments were based on:

1. Yes, the PAP has discriminated against the community.

2. But we do not know if the opposition will be better if they are in power.

3. So it is better to support the PAP.

Basically, they argue that it is better to support the devil you know. And since this devil may perform better in other areas (such as economic development), then we should support them.

These Muslims admit that the PAP discriminates against the community and yet continue to support them.

One of the problems they face is the inability to see voting and political engagement outside of a binary outcome: either PAP or opposition in power.

I agree that the opposition has not proven to be better for Muslims. In fact, I do not believe that they are.

But PAP or opposition in power are not our only options.

What we should look at is…what strengthens our negotiating ability?

We know that the PAP would be in power anyway. But what will force them to listen more?

At 60% popular vote, the PAP did not really care. Yes, the drop from the previous election hurt them and they became more responsive (which should have shown these Muslims what they should do).

But they still had a 10% cushion. And they can continue to discriminate against Muslims knowing we could not do much to affect their power.

Dropping their popular vote to the mid or low 50s (I suggested 53%) would have a much bigger effect. The PAP would then realise their situation is precarious.

They cannot take our votes for granted.

They will have to respond.

Our negotiating stand would have become stronger insha Allah.

But now at 70%, the PAP’s position is stronger than ever.

They do not need to listen or engage.

We cannot be a swing vote anymore.

What swing vote? At 70%, even if the community as a whole say we will not support them, they will still be in power.

We have lost our ability to negotiate from strength.

To those Muslims who voted for the PAP, good job.

You have strengthened a party that discriminated against your brothers and sisters.

And weakened your community.

Forget negotiating.

Pray that they do not take more of your rights.

You have given them the power to not need you.

Source: Zulfikar Shariff

September 30, 2015
Zulfikar Shariff: Islam Is The Answer To Social Ills That Beset The Muslim Community Here

It is so predictable.

Whenever Muslims discuss discrimination in Singapore, whether hijab, SAF, leadership, madrasah etc, the government and its tools will tell us…

Focus on drugs, on high rate of divorce and other social problems that Muslims are involved in.

We will always be told not to spend our energy and efforts discussing and overcoming discrimination. Instead, we are told, either by the PAP (whether the Prime Minister of the Malay MPs) or its supporters that there are more important issues to work on.

Sure, drugs, divorce etc are important social issues. But working on one does not mean we should exclude working on another.

But what PAP supporters tend to ignore (whether intentional or unintentionally) is that these issues are interrelated.

First, as I have discussed before, drug, divorce and economic disempowerment are systemic problems. Part of the problems can be traced to the PAP’s policies from the 1960s onwards.

Second, and more importantly is that the solution to these social problems are found in the same place that drives us to work on the hijab, the madrasah and Muslim community leadership.

The ban on hijab, the attempt to shut down madrasah and the denial of an independent Muslim community leadership are based on political and religious imperatives.

The attempt to remove Islam from the Muslim community as can be seen in these discriminatory policies are also at the root of these social problems.

What the Muslim community need is not less Islam. We need more.

A community that is dedicated and committed to their Islam will not be involved in drugs.

They will not create social problems.

They will not misuse or abuse the amanah and talent that have been granted to them.

A community that is dedicated to Allah will excel. Not because they want to be rich or have power.

But so that they can better serve Allah azzawajal.

A community that lives in Islam will be strong not for strength sake…

But so they can help the ummah.

The solution to our social problems does not lie in programs that negate Islam from our lives.

The solution lies with Islam.

And that is also why we defend our sisters who wear the hijab.

Source: Zulfikar Shariff

September 27, 2015