The horrifying video above, showing Muslims arriving at a community charity event in Orange County, U.S.A., being mercilessly heckled and harassed by protesters, has been making its rounds on the Internet.

Many people, Muslim and non-Muslim alike, have reacted to this video emotionally. Many of the comments I’ve read have been in the vein of losing faith in humanity. Others have denounced the blatant hatred and ignorance displayed by the protesters. Some have even shed tears over the jarring contrast between the fortitude of the Muslims in the eye of the storm and the uncouth hecklers.

The defence that surfaces when such inflammatory material arise—not all Muslims are the same, a billion Muslims should not be tarred by the same brush, terrorists come in all shapes and sizes—is often true, but trite.

Last week, while watching a program on CNN, I saw on the “Breaking News” crawler that two U.S. soldiers had been shot and killed in Germany. I felt my throat tighten and prayed that the killer was a random madman and not another Muslim with misguided ideas and beliefs.

I was dismayed to find out later that the killer was indeed a Muslim.

In the wake of the killings, the German Interior Minister has declared that Islam does not belong in his country, a sentiment that has been described as a “slap in the face” for the 4 million Muslims who call Germany home.

This, unfortunately, is the problem. For as long as some Muslims continue to carry out heinous acts targeting innocent people in the name of Islam, we will all be tarred by the same brush and bear the consequences of their actions. This isn’t fair, to be sure, but it’s happening anyway.

Mitigating ignorance simply is not enough. Fighting fire with fire will only add to our woes (an article I read in the aftermath of the shooting in Germany declaimed that the killing of two U.S. solders by a Muslim was justified by NATO soldiers mistakenly killing nine boys in Afghanistan. What needs to be addressed here is fear, and fear will persist as long as terrorists, politicians and the media allow it to.

It seems more than a little disheartening and demoralising to conclude that the majority of us who aren’t actively contributing to this negative image of Muslims can do little to alleviate it. Our good deeds and the Quran-sanctioned values of compassion, kindness and peacefulness we practice daily will always be overshadowed by the newsworthy actions of the misguided minority.

So what can we do?

Articles critical of Muslims often bleat about insufficient denunciation from the Muslim community when terrorist acts occur. I believe many Muslim communities already do release statements renouncing such acts when the need arises, but perhaps more forceful words and wider coverage in the media would help (media coverage can often be attained through good relationships with important journalists, a strategy successfully employed by the pro-Israel lobby).

We can also exercise patience and forgiveness. My father often tells my siblings and I this story about our Prophet Muhammad s.a.w., in which a woman used to throw pebbles at him as he walked past her house every day, but he would continue to walk by, head bowed. One day, as he walked past the woman’s house, she was not outside, ready to lob pebbles at him, so he knocked on her door to enquire after her. The woman was so humbled by the Prophet’s concern and ashamed of her previous behaviour that she embraced Islam.

The Muslims in the video displayed the same fortitude and patience as the Prophet p.b.u.h., holding their heads high and remaining peaceful and unruffled despite the verbal abuse being hurled at them. This is how we should behave in these difficult times. Rather than allowing ourselves to be consumed with rage and vengeance, we should be resilient, strive to stay on the path of righteousness, and strengthen our knowledge and imaan so we can deal with such obstacles.

Shahirah is an aspiring journalist who is interested in social issues, women’s rights, the Middle East conflict, and Islam in the Western world. She is also interested in languages and would like to take up Arabic soon.

Website: http://shahirahmdansari.com

I was torn as to whether to support these freedom fighters or not. On the one hand, I feel sympathetic towards their cause, which seeks to end the repressive regimes that have ruled them most unIslamically for decades. These governments have allowed poverty to exist while the ruling class hoards wealth, allowed low literacy and levels of education to persist, and have put the needs of the ruling class before that of their citizens.

On the other hand, as Muslims, we are enjoined to obey our rulers, as long as they allow us to practice Islam.

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar: The Prophet said, “A Muslim has to listen to and obey (the order of his ruler) whether he likes it or not, as long as his orders involve not one in disobedience (to Allah), but if an act of disobedience (to Allah) is imposed one should not listen to it or obey it.” (Saheeh Bukhari, Vol. 4, Book 52, Hadith 203)

Some might interpret this as encouraging fatalism and defeatism, two attitudes frequently cited as hampering progress in the Muslim world. Others may argue that the freedoms and comforts of this world are not what we should seek; instead, bearing hardship with patience and fortitude, all the while striving to be as good a Muslim as one can be, should be the aim.

As faraway observers, it is easy to ponder and judge from the safe cocoon of Singapore, where we have significant freedoms and liberties, and lead relatively prosperous lives. Unless we have truly experienced what our brothers and sisters in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and the like go through on a daily basis, it is impossible to genuinely understand and appreciate their sentiments and motivations.

As the news on Libya gets increasingly dire, and as the revolution spreads across the Arab world, I came to the conclusion that in lieu of supporting or opposing the unfolding events, we can best contribute by making do’a for the best outcome for those affected, and for the violence to end quickly.

Shahirah is an aspiring journalist who is interested in social issues, women’s rights, the Middle East conflict, and Islam in the Western world. She is also interested in languages and would like to take up Arabic soon.

Website: http://shahirahmdansari.com

National University of Singapore's Islamic Awareness Week

The lecture “Between Integration, Assimilation, and Affirmation: Muslims as minorities. A comparative reflection from Europe to Singapore” by Associate Professor Gabriele Marranci, an anthropologist with the Sociology Department of NUS on 8 February 2011 was apt in light of the recent furore in Singapore over Minister Mentor’s comment that Islam is an impediment to integration in Singapore in his recently published book “Lee Kuan Yew: Hard Truths to Keep Singapore Going.” In his book, Minister Mentor highlighted that Muslims are “distinct and separate” and had called upon Muslims to be “less strict on Islamic observances” in order to integrate in society. Many Malay Muslims organisations and individual Muslims alike have expressed their disagreement with Minister Mentor’s opinion in the book and had amongst others proved through their own experiences that Islam is not a barrier to integration.

The talk, organised by the NUS Muslim Society, as part of its Islamic Awareness Week is ideal in deconstructing the issue and rhetoric of integration involving “Muslims” specifically as a minority in Singapore and contrasting the Singaporean experience with the experience of those in the United Kingdom. A/P Marranci provided an academic perspective to the issue. He highlighted that “integration” as it is used in the book is epistemologically problematic, as it did not accurately describe the nature of “integration”. Indeed the recent furore may be seen as an issue of assimilation rather than integration where one needs to ‘necessarily sacrifice’ parts of one’s faith and be absorbed into the so called “majority” culture in order to be considered as integrated- in this case, a Singaporean.

Politicians such as the Minister Mentor, Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron and Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel were highlighted in the lecture as amongst a string of politicians who joined in the trend of talking about the failure of multiculturalism in recent times. To this end, the lecture had highlighted the importance attached to the worldview held by the politicians and every individual human being.

A/P Marranci had asked a well overlooked but very commonsensical question on the issue of Muslim community (-ies): “Who are we talking about empirically when we term someone as “Muslim” or part of the “Malay-Muslim community”?” He highlighted the fact that most of us perceived abstract concepts such as “Muslims”, “Islam”, or “nation” in some concrete term. We do not understand the world we live in naturally. We are social beings who are socialised to understand certain items in a certain perspective. We might for instance, learn what it takes to be a female, first in the family, neighbourhood and then the nation. In the case of the Minister Mentor, it would be helpful to understand that his ideas about Muslims may well come from his perspective of mixing around with the “Muslims” in his generation – in a time where “halal” logos were not yet available to Muslims, with each Muslim consuming his/her diet based on his/her own understanding of halal. We are then putting values to such abstracts through our personal experiences interacting with people whom we assumed is part of one category of society.

It is thus useful for us to understand that categories are socially constructed and may not well represent the abstract ideas in its utopian sense. Categories may also be manipulated to reinforce a certain idea that a certain group need to be managed in a certain way. For example, it is often highlighted that the Malay-Muslim community is the most problematic community in Singapore by the State but it is often overlooked that the community has the most number of youths. Precisely because of their youthfulness, they are most likely to be risk takers and ends up in trouble with the law as is the experience of those in the United Kingdom. By terming a certain issue as one that is religious, we are forcing ourselves to manage the issue in a distinctively religious way, likewise for race.

In the case of Singapore, Muslims are often being interpreted as Malays and therefore religion and race are often conflated. While it is easy to manage categories, one will only be able to live well with each other if one understands how the individuals behind the categories lead their lives and understand the underlying principles operating in their individual lives.

W’allahu a’lam.

Muhammad Yusuf Bin Osman is reading Sociology in his Honours year at National University of Singapore. He enjoys discussing politics and community issues over a cup of teh tarik. He is currently doing research on youth political participation in Singapore.

To God belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and the day on which the end of time will happen, a day on which prattlers will lose out. And you will see every people kneeling; every people will be summoned to its record: “Today you are being repaid for what you used to do. This record of Ours speaks about you in truth; for We have been transcribing what you have been doing.” As for those who believed and did good works, their Lord will admit them into divine mercy. That is the evident success. And as for those who scoffed, were not My signs recited to you, yet you were arrogant, and were sinning people? And when it has been said that the promise of God is true, and there is no doubt about the end of time, you have said, “We do not understand what the end of time is; we suppose it merely speculation, and we cannot be sure.” And the evils they did will be manifest to them, and what they used to sneer at will have surrounded them.

– Qur’an, 45:27-33

No matter what a Man’s foul character may be,
Though he imagines it is concealed from the people,
It shall be revealed.
– Zuhayr b. Abi Sulma, Favorite seventh century Arabian poet of Umar b. al-Khatab

In the seven years I spent with Mauritanians who are Bedouin people of the Sahara, what struck me most about them was the transparency in their lives. They live without walls, and hence what the Swiss psychologist Carl Jung termed the “shadow self,” which holds our repressed weaknesses and darker side, seems wholly absent from their personalities. I never saw the Bedouins hide anything from me. Even when they go to relieve themselves, it is often in open space. Once I was with a particularly gruff Bedouin, and in the middle of our conversation, he turned around, walked a few paces from me, and, taking cover with his outer robe, he dropped his pants, squatted, urinated, cleaned himself with sand, returned, and continued the conversation.

Bedouins are entirely comfortable in their skin and completely unself-conscious. If I intruded on a Bedouin without warning, he did not suddenly become nervous or uneasy; he remained calm. Even after many years in “civilized” society, Bedouins retain an uncanny openness. Their homes in Nouakchott, the Mauritanian capital, always have open doors. A hungry person, upon smelling food being served, will sometimes walk in from the street, eat a meal with them, say little, and depart as unobtrusively as he appeared.

In societies that have walls, closets, and private bathrooms, we develop a keen sense of privacy early on. We also do things in private that we would never do in company. Some of us develop profoundly dark sides; a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde personality seems quite common in modern society. When we read the statistics in books like Pornified, we can only be horrified at the pervasiveness of people watching pornography; the man next to us in the grocery store line might return home only to settle in for “kiddie” porn on his home computer. Do an online search on registered sex offenders, many of whom are pedophiles, and you might find one living down the street from you. Too many people are hiding things. Wives often know the truth about their “upstanding” husbands, and men may have far more secrets than women, who undeniably have their own share.

So what’s all the fuss about Wikileaks? These wikipeaks into the unseemly side of the American Empire have caused quite a stir – and quite a backlash. Julian Assange was arrested for what may end up being trumped up sexual charges in an obvious attempt at distracting people from the real story. The U.S. Attorney General is seeking excuses to bring charges against Assange for what the American media does routinely. Clearly, the war is on. Luke Skywalker-like hackers are whittling away with Wikileaks at the Empire, and the Empire is striking back.

What intrigued me is not so much what is revealed – after all, many of us knew, didn’t we? And so far, the crimes and transgressions revealed are not as severe as what the earlier Pentagon Papers revealed. But they are far more disturbing. The recent release of diplomatic cables shows the duplicitous nature on a daily basis of the inner workings of American diplomacy – the “shadow self” of America. Our government demands transparency from corporations and from its citizens in detailed tax returns. Employers do background checks on us, and our credit histories and medical records are routinely reviewed by strangers. Even our time on the internet is now monitored in many places; our phones are tapped with judicial consent. So why should our governments, especially in democratic societies, be exempt from what is routinely done to us? They are public servants, aren’t they?

Well, the fact of the matter, as the Wikileaks exposé so cogently reveals, is that they are not serving us – they are serving the Empire’s corporate profit-making, its selling of arms, and its oil interests that fuel our cars and their private jets. The corruption in dealing with Afghanistan, highlighted in these recent leaks, had initially shocked some people. But, all things considered, Afghan corruption pales by comparison to our own corruption on Wall Street, not to mention Main Street. Despite the moral depravity we witnessed in the recent financial scandals, everything is back to business as usual. The fat cats are once again doling out multimillion-dollar executive bonuses with our bailout money, as if the party never ended. Our mail boxes are again being stuffed with those same ridiculous credit card offers that had stopped a couple of years ago. The banksters are back in business, thanks to Henry Paulson, Larry Summers, et al. who cleaned out the national treasury in broad daylight, while Congress and the Senate applauded their patriotism. Unbelievable. Jesse and Frank James are no longer robbing them as outlaws: they’re on the board of directors. Al Capone must be turning over in his grave.

But something deeper is at work here. “We will show you Our signs on the horizon and within themselves, until it becomes clear to you that this is the truth; is it not enough that God is a Witness unto all these?” (Qur’an, 41:53). The computer has become the Achilles’ heel of the secret keepers. They have to use it, and they depend on it, not only to hoard their secrets but to monitor and surveil the rest of us. The inherent weaknesses in the system are now enabling whistleblowers and hackers to bring some of their dark secrets to light. Until now, the defenders of the Empire used the secrets as they wished. Former vice-president Dick Cheney, for instance, had no qualms about using classified, top-secret information in outing Valerie Plame, the CIA agent. This was a retributive act against her husband, Joseph C. Wilson, who wrote a New York Times Op-Ed on the false information that Cheney and George W. Bush were promoting about sales of nuclear materials from Niger to Iraq. So when it suited him, Cheney used his own “wikileaks,” but now that the ball’s in the other court, suddenly they’re crying, “Foul.”

So leaks can obstruct justice, and leaks can redress wrongs – a double-edged sword, indeed. More leaks are said to come, and I for one am looking forward to it. It is good to see them squirm and scurry, as they feel, in their cockroach shadow lives, the light of the sun beginning to penetrate their subterranean worlds.

The Qur’an has its own “leaks” and clearly demands utter transparency. The Pharaoh’s private conversations are recorded as well as the hidden statements of the Prophet’s enemies, not to mention some of the family intrigue in the Prophet’s own household. People with integrity have nothing to hide. Like the Bedouins, their transparency is their shield.

When the great and pious Filipino historian and Qur’an scholar Cesar Majul was dying, he remarked to his son, “I want you to know, I have never done anything in my life that you would be ashamed of.” Now that’s a real deathbed confession of a saint. Murabit al-Hajj, my own teacher, has lived a life of utter transparency. I slept in his tent for months. During that time, I saw him rise every night three hours before dawn and recite the Qur’an in night vigil. I never heard him say anything unkind or unflattering about anyone. A cousin of his who has known him for seventy years affirmed this as well. Murabit al-Hajj never complained or criticized the weather, the food, the company, or any of the hardships so evident in the lives of West African nomads. Once, a man from Geru, a nearby village, saw Murabit al-Hajj in a dream in which he was praying naked. Embarrassed, this man went to a well-known dream interpreter and told him the dream but not the identity of the naked man. The interpreter said, “That could only have been Murabit al-Hajj because I don’t know anyone who prays in a completely pure-hearted state other than him.”

We are born naked because we are without sin, but we are raised naked because we will be without secrets. The Prophet, peace be upon him, lived an utterly transparent life. Even his bathing habits are described by his wife. Nothing about his life is hidden from us. No split in his personality, no shadow developed by keeping unspeakable secrets, for he is the transparent man. No shameful Wikileaks necessary in his government or family life. God meant for his life to be an open book, as he is an exemplar for leaders until the end of time. Leaders are the servants of the people, and they should never fear public opinion or the light of day. They should be concerned only about doing what is right and lawful.

The Prophet, peace be upon him, wanted to keep private an opinion he had shared with Zaid, his ward and companion, about Zaid’s difficult marriage that the Prophet, peace be upon him, had facilitated. However, the Qur’an revealed the confidential statement he had made to Zaid: “Remember how you said to the one God had blessed and you had favored, ‘Keep your wife and be conscious of God,’ then you kept to yourself what God would reveal, as you feared the people, though God is more worthy of your fear” (33:37). The Prophet, peace be upon him, did nothing sinful in wanting to conceal the conversation he had with Zaid. He was concerned that people would attack his character if they learned of his impending marriage to Zaynab, who was married at that time to his “adopted” son (through a pre-Islamic form of adoption that the Qur’an would later proscribe). People were unaware that Zaid and Zaynab’s marriage was an unhappy one because Zaynab wanted to be wed to the Prophet, peace be upon him, and had only accepted the marriage to Zaid due to the Prophet’s request of her to do so. So the Prophet, peace be upon him, had kept the matter quiet for fear that if people knew, it would detract from and undermine his essential spiritual message to the people. However, the Qur’an “leaked” this private conversation to the people through the very source of the conversation. Aishah said about the above verse, “Had the Prophet hidden anything from his revelation, it would have been this verse due to the heavy impact it had upon him.” This “leak” was clearly designed to reveal the utter sincerity of the Prophet, peace be upon him, and his complete and total truthfulness and transparency about his own personal life as well as everything revealed to him. The Qur’an says to all of us:

If you are on a journey and cannot find a scribe, then let pledges be taken. And if one of you entrusts another one with something, let the one entrusted return his trust, conscious of God, his Lord. And do not conceal testimony; whoever conceals it is a sinner at heart. And God knows what you do. Whatever is in the heavens and the earth belongs to God. And whether you reveal what is in your selves or conceal it, God calls you to account for it. And God forgives whom God wills, and God punishes whom God wills, and God has power over all things. (2:283-284)

The Day of Judgment is the day when nothing is concealed. All secrets are to be revealed. The Qur’an informs us that a “digital book” (kitab marqum) contains all the actions of the evildoers in perfect order, and another “digital book” contains those of the righteous. Everyone on the Day of Judgment will have a full trial, but before the actual reckoning, we will all have to endure the ‘ard, which is the review of one’s entire life with nothing omitted except those actions for which we repented and for which the repentance was accepted. Wikileaks is nothing in light of what will be revealed on that day. Tyrants will see all of their dastardly deeds, hoarders must carry all they hoarded, liars will be exposed, and traitors will have flags of treachery furled from their backsides announcing their vileness. What a day!

America prides itself on transparency. MBA students learn in school the necessity of fully transparent corporations, where the books are all in order, and nothing is hidden. Taxpayers are told to reveal all in their tax forms. And yet, there is a double standard, as the government reveals little until fifty years later, long after the secret-keepers are dead, when documents are declassified. The Federal Reserve, a private institution of bankers that controls our nation’s money, has never been audited. Yet, we the peons can be audited with impunity.

We need more whistleblowers, not less. And we need to exalt the ones who, with honor and courage, risk everything so the truth can be known. Daniel Ellsberg had the courage to blow the whistle on the Pentagon in 1971, and now the Luke Skywalkers of the day are attempting to do it again, revealing the utter hypocrisy of our public “servants” who seem to serve only themselves and their corporate paymasters. We need a far more open and transparent society if we are to flourish. If a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people” means anything at all, the people must not only be informed of what is being done in their names, they must also demand of their public servants full accountability.

A close friend in Arabia informed me recently that the Wikileaks revelations have created utter contempt for America in the region, and sadly the respect that was once there despite all the shortcomings of America is now largely gone. While it is hard to restore respect once lost, if it is ever to be regained, the place to start is this: admit one’s mistakes and redress one’s wrongs. Many of us live in profound denial of why America is perceived so poorly around the world. Even many Europeans look on us with disdain. Envy undeniably plays some part, but to suggest that envy is the only reason is a poor excuse – it is an attempt by a nation’s ego to avoid the painful realities of imperial arrogance and the hubris of power. The ancient Greeks believed that arête, virtue, elevated human beings, but hubris brought them down. Hubris, in their understanding, resulted in até or reckless behavior, which unleashed nemeses, the divine forces that laid the haughty low.

I do not wish that upon my native land or fellow citizens, as I am a multi-generational American, and desiring disaster for people is not in my nature. But without real repentance and a change of business as usual, I don’t see any other possibility. The Wikileaks controversy is another wake-up call among many to this nation. Perhaps if some of those apathetic and ill-informed people in America addicted to the pipes of the pied piper leading them into the cave of shadows and ignorance would forgo seeing Jackass in 3D and other mindless films at the multiplex and actually pay attention to these developments, some good might come of it. Benjamin Franklin, upon leaving the Continental Congress, was asked by a woman what kind of a government they had settled on. He is reported to have replied, “A republic, if you can keep it.” Openness and transparency, not to mention admitting wrongs and redressing them, are all necessary to restore the republic that has clearly been damaged and profoundly threatened.

Written by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf

This article is reproduced with permission from Sandala Productions.

It is true that Allah created us different from each other, but, as explained in the Qur’an:

“We have created you from male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that ye may know one another…” (49:13).

As Muslims, our differences in race or nationality should not be a source of discord or disunity. It should serve as an opportunity to learn from one another and adopt each other’s strengths in order to become better Muslims.

When I was studying in Sydney last year, I subconsciously shed my already weak cultural identity and considered myself as nothing more and nothing less than a Muslim. In many ways that helped me become a better Muslim because I became constantly aware and reminded of my obligations and responsibilities. It also helped me feel less alone in a city where my nationality and race makes up an almost insignificant minority.

While I did feel a sense of belonging with other brothers and sisters in Islam on my university campus, this wasn’t always the case.

I occasionally visited a Lebanese enclave about 15 kilometres away from the Sydney CBD. Its main thoroughfare dominated by halal restaurants and butchers, and shops selling Islamic books and paraphernalia, I could almost forget that I was in Australia and not some Muslim country!

Paradoxically though, it was there, amongst other Muslims, that I felt like an outsider. Perhaps because I was an unfamiliar face, or because I, with my dark skin and Indian features, look starkly different from the typical residents of that suburb, but I was disappointed when my smiles and friendliness were not reciprocated.

This phenomenon brought to mind what a Chinese friend once told me. She said that as a race, the Chinese are rather united and proud, and are quick to defend one another against the criticism of outsiders. Within the race however, they are divided by regional loyalties, by dialects, by clans.

Alhamdulillah, in Singapore I feel this is less rampant. You do still hear about certain Muslim parents or grandparents disapproving of their child’s chosen spouse on the grounds of race, and mean-spirited racist comments are not unheard of. But overall the relationship between Muslims of different races in Singapore tends to be warm and genial. We should all strive to not only maintain the status quo but to improve it such that we no longer differentiate each other as Malays, Indians or Chinese first, but acknowledge each other as Muslims first.

Source: Muslim-forum.org

Shahirah is an aspiring journalist who is interested in social issues, women’s rights, the Middle East conflict, and Islam in the Western world. She is also interested in languages and would like to take up Arabic soon.

Website: http://shahirahmdansari.com

“ISLAM : A PROGRESSIVE RELIGION”

By : Ustaz Zhulkeflee Hj Ismail
(PERGAS)Singapore Religious Teachers’ Association.
paper for “WAMY” World Assembly of Muslim Youth
- Islamic Symposium
1997”
(10 Sept 97/ 8 R.Awwal 1418H)
organized by Global Impact and Muhammadiyah Association.
======================================

INTRODUCTION

“They aim to extinguish Allah’s light with their utterances: but Allah has willed to spread His light in all its fullness, however hateful this may be to all who deny the truth.”
(Qur’an: as-Saff: 61:

Despite the negative portrayal of Islam, especially by the media, Islam still is steadily being accepted and today its adherents comprises of one-fifth of all humanity. Yet, those who see it as a threat will constantly try to undermine it by process of “misinformation.” The most important respond is by way of educating our young generation towards being able to coherently rebut these misconceptions and expose their silly prejudices.

BRIEF OUTLINE

Amongst the constant barrage of misinformation is the portrayal of Islam as a “backward religion”, “antiquated” and “not in synch with progress.” It is most unfortunate that such views are affecting our young minds, especially those with little knowledge of Islam and who are being exposed to such thoughts emanating from advocates of ‘modernism’ and ‘post-modernism’.

This paper will respond to only one aspect of such misinformation i.e. the notion that Islam is a backward religion and against progress. Yet inspite of the negative portrayal by the media, Islam is indeed a progressive religion and this paper will argue with the following sub-topics:

[1] What do we mean by “progressive” ?
[2] Why is there, generally, a negative perception of Islam?
[3] Our task and the intellectual challenge ahead.
[4] “Islam is progressive…” Examples of some important aspects.

What do we mean by “progressive”?

When we talk about being “progressive”, we normally are concerned about man’s efforts towards change from good to better. To know what is best, criteria and standards have to be envisaged to be used as measurement – be it quantitative or qualitative or both. It must be a constant effort towards attaining perfection, and not just limited to certain aspect of development but it must also consider the overall effect to man’s total development. Therefore by progressive we do not necessarily mean whatever is attained is already perfect, for to be fully satisfied with present attainments stifles the very notion of being progressive. Suffice if the changes attained are in line with the long-term vision of success, and the spirit of striving still continues. In judging a particular religion, we have to evaluate from its teachings whether it conforms to that idea of “progressive”, rather than relying on what its followers have done – because we believe Islam is perfect but the Muslims are not, rather Muslims can seek perfection in Islam. (and not the other way round).

To define what we mean by “progressive” it is crucial and dependent upon what one considers as important objectives and vision for life, which one sets. And thus, to judge any particular religious teaching as being truly progressive depends very much also on how that religion view man’s purpose and destiny. If the notion of “who is man? what is his role & purpose ? where will he go ? “ differs (for people have different objectives and views in life), the question of being “progressive” will differ respectively. Some within a narrow or particular perspective whilst those with a broader or holistic ideal defines it within the larger perspective. The following characteristics which I believe only Islam has, sets it apart as a truly “progressive religion” from all other:

[1] Entrenched in its original teachings are clear concepts of success, which not only is concerned with short-term gains alone but also is far-sighted. While it does concern itself with particular aspects yet it does not neglect the overall human development. Every aspect of its teachings is linked in a harmonious matrix emanating from the essential teaching i.e. concerning the Oneness of God and from it the unity and the brotherhood of man and the universe. Although Islam teaches that the ultimate life is in the hereafter, it does not ignore the importance of this life here and now, which it emphasize as the important means to the hereafter. And it has all along resisted attempts to dichotomize between the secular and the sacred, the earthly and the hereafter.

[2] Central to its teachings is that it exhorts its adherent towards attaining the highest standards possible according to one’s capacity.
[3] It provide guidelines, framework for its attainment in a harmonious way, from rules for personal development to international relations, linking every aspect of man’s life to a unified paradigm. Yet, it is not a rigid system as it allows for man’s growth in terms of his own discovery and inventiveness, in whatever circumstances which he may face in living in this world.

[4] Its message is aimed universally to all nation and constantly manages to draw people from every nation into its fold regardless of their difference in make up, because essentially all mankind are related in their humanity and share a common trust and responsibility.

[5] Its primary vision, standards and principle teachings remain unchanged whereas other religious or philosophical thoughts tend to change their stand. An interesting observation can be seen in that others tend to “discover” what Islam has all along been advocating.

Why generally is there a negative perception?

There are people who think that “Islam is backward”, “Islam is not progressive” and this is somewhat supported, either explicitly or implicitly, by the world media’s slanted coverage of events and news. This is compounded with the Muslims’ lack of success responding to the same media. Although it is accepted that what Muslims do does not necessarily mean that that is what Islam teaches, yet opinions of people tends to use such false syllogism (i.e. example, since the Muslims are backward, therefore it speaks much of Islam itself as a religion.). Added to this are the attacks against Islam by its enemies, which dates back to the Crusades. Although nowadays the approaches used have become somewhat subtler but more sophisticatedly lethal, in the form of Orientalist research and writings by so-called ‘sympathetic scholars’. We have to be proactively trained to think critically, to be prepared for the “ideological battle” (Ghuzwatul-fikr).

OUR TASK AHEAD

To prepare for this (ghuzwatul-fikr) every Muslim must know how to respond to misconceptions, not just by emotional outburst but with “wisdom and fair exhortation” as enjoined in the Qur’an (an-Nahl: 125.)

The process required is for every Muslim:

[1] To have a satisfactory general overview of Islam’s message – its philosophy, principles, paradigm, epistemology, history and development etc.;

[2] To be critical of the so-called “standards” used by the others and set them right first vis-à-vis Islam’s;

[3] To exposed their flaw viz. incomplete data, out of context etc. or their fallacious arguments viz. false syllogism, fallacy of the converse etc.

(refer to my presentation: “how to deal with the general misconceptions on Islam”)

“ISLAM IS A PROGRESSIVE RELIGION.

Examples of some important aspects…….”

To support our contention that Islam indeed is progressive, let us evaluate the contributions of Islam in the various fields and approach it using criteria listed above (The area or fields listed below as just examples to show the approach – and therefore not exhaustive):

In Education

“He (Allah) it is who sent unto the unlettered people an apostle from among themselves, to convey unto them His messages, and to cause them to grow in purity, and to impart unto them the divine writ as well as wisdom – whereas before that they were indeed, most obviously, lost in error – ; and to [cause this message to spread] from them unto other people as soon as they come into contact with them : for He alone is almighty, truly wise!

(Qur;’an: al-Jumuu’ah: 62: 2-3)

Islam stresses from the beginning, and the Muslims are exhorted to:

[1] Education is a very important human rights compulsory for all. (tolabul’ilm-faridwa-tan ‘alaa kul-li muslim – “to seek knowledge is compulsory for every Muslim” – Hadith reported by Ibn Majah) and is lifelong vocation (utluubull’lmi, minal mah-di ilal-lahd – “Seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave” -Hadith)

[2] Truth and Wisdom is universal and mankind’s success requires their preoccupation with the seeking and sharing of this. (wa-tawaa-swoubil-haq – Exhort one another towards (the teaching of) truth – Q: al-Asr : 3..) (..awalam yasii-ru fil-ardi fa-yan-zuruu kai-fa kaa-na ‘aa-qibatu-lazi-na min qab-lihim..”….Have they then never journeyed about the earth and beheld what happened in the end to those who lived before their time ?….- Q : ar-Rum :9 )

[3] Ultimate objective of education is the perfection of man’s nature & disposition entailing development of his intellect & conviction, his deeds and actions, and his inner spiritual purification and growth. (In-namaa bu-ith-tu-lii utam-mima makarimal akh-laaq – “verily I have not been raised (as a prophet) except to perfect the noble nature (disposition of mankind) – Hadith.” Beginning with the three aspects (iiman, islam wa-ihsan – “conviction, submission and best conduct”) it provides for the balanced growth and development of a truly humane personality.

[4] Knowledge (al-’ilm) – Islam does not recognize secularist notion of knowledge but it extends knowledge even to the study of the universe as a necessary extension to religious pursuit. Research of the universe is the other (“aayah”) signs which the Qur’an enjoins believers to discover. (in-nafii kholqis-samaa-waati wal-’ardhi wakh-tilaafil-lay-li wan-nahaari la-aa-yaa-ti li-ulil al-baab – “verily in the creations of heaven and earth and in the alternations of night and day, in them are Signs for those who reflect” – Q: ali-Imran : 3 :189 )

[5] Lest we forget, Islam had contributed tremendously in the field of education and especially our young Muslims should never forget this. The present age or civilization owes a lot to the Islamic civilization, which carried the torch of knowledge and enlightenment when the world then, was in the “dark ages”. Attempts to eradicate or deny this had been made especially when the Muslims were dominated and ruled by colonial rulers. The time has come for us Muslims to resume that tradition of education, which had made us the leaders of man with a civilization, which benefit the universe.

In legislation

- “Maqaasid-ash-shar’iyyah”(Aims & purpose of Shari’ah)

[1] Ever since its inception, Muslims have a constitution perfectly written in a perfect language i.e. Al-Qur’an (Dustuuruna) and exemplified through the Prophet Muhammad’s life i.e. As-Sunnah (Qudwaatuna). From then on the development of the Shari’ah evolved in accordance with the needs of people and has remained continuously relevant even till today. Much criticisms were made to it by those who were advocates of other legislative systems but a simple respond would be to discuss the aims and purpose of Islamic Shari’ah vis-à-vis theirs. Briefly, they should realized that Islamic shari’ah concerns itself with mankind’s preservation and development of their:

Dhururiyyah (Rights to religious belief, to life, to intellect, to wealth, to honour / lineage,)

Haajiyyah (Needs which ensure comfortable life as a manifestation of glorifying God)

Tahsiniyyah (Perfection- towards “Makarimal akhlaq” (development of noble character) and “Mashaalih” (betterment of the community)

[2] It can be shown the extensiveness of Islamic jurisprudence by listing the areas covered under “Fiqhul-Islam”, viz. ‘Ibadah (Personal Devotions); Mu’amalah (Social Transaction); Munakahah (Marriage & Family); Jinaayah (Criminal); Faraa-idh (Inheritance / Distribution of wealth); Aqodhiyyah (Judiciary); Jihad (Striving in war & peace) and al-Imaarah (Leadership & government).

In international relations

- “globalization of human civilization”

“O men! Behold, We created you all out of a male and a female, and have made you into nations and tribes, so that you might come to know one another. Verily, the noblest of you in the sight of Allah is the one who is most deeply conscious of Him. Behold, Allah is all knowing, all-aware.”
(Qur’an: al-Hujurat: 49: 13)

[1] It advocate peaceful co-existence of mankind inspite of our physical differences which should positively be used towards better understanding of each other (li-ta’aarafu – “that they may come to know one another” -Q: al-Hujurat: 49: 13);

[2] It directs mankind towards mutual assistance for the sake of goodness and the general welfare of all-mankind (ta’aawanu alal-birri wa taq-wa – “but rather help one another in furthering virtue and God-consciousness” – Q: al-Ma’idah: 5: 2);

[3] It emphasizes Justice and Good Deeds (ya’ muru bil-’adli wal ihsaan wa itaa-i zil-qurba, wayanhaa anil fah-shaa-i wal mungkari wal baghi – “…He (Allah) enjoins justice, and the doing of good, and generosity towards (one’s) fellow-men; and He forbids all that is shameful and all that runs counter to reason, as well as envy..” – Q : an-Nahl : 16 : 90) to be a common virtue for all mankind to consider implementing;

[4] It advocate communication and dialogue for the pursuit of Truth without coercion (laa ikraaha fid-diin – “ there shall be no coercion in matters of faith” – Q: al-Baqarah: 2: 256) ; (afa-anta tukrihun-naas hat-taa ya-kuunu mu’miniin – “.. do you then think that you can compel people to believe..? – Q: Yunus: 10: 99.)

[5] Collective concern to eradicate oppression by reconciling the feuding parties through negotiations. And when this fails, then to resort to use of collective force against the one who oppresses because when all else fails, peace can only be achieved through a just war. ( fa-asw-lihu bai-nahumaa, fa-in ba-ghat ih-daa-huma ‘alal-ukhraa fa-qaatilul-lati tab-ghii ha-taa tafii-a ila am-rillaah fa-in faa-at fa-asw-lihuu bai-na-huma bil-’adli wa-aq-swituu… “..make peace between them; but then, if one of the two (groups) goes on acting wrongfully towards the other, fight against the one that acts wrongfully until it reverts to Allah’s commandment; and if they revert, make peace between them with justice, and deal equitably (with them)..”al-Hujurat : 49 : 9)

Conclusion:

Vicegerency-Mankinds common role, purpose & responsibilities.

“Corruption has appeared on land and in the sea as an outcome of what men’s hands have wrought :”
(Qur’an : ar-Rum : 30 : 41)

“And so set thy face steadfastly towards the [one ever-true] faith, turning away from all that is false, in accordance with the natural disposition which Allah has instilled into man: [for] not to allow any change to corrupt what Allah has thus created – this is the [purpose of the one] ever-true faith: but most people know it not.”

(Qur’an: ar-Rum: 30: 30)

There are many other aspects of Islam, which are so beautiful and relevant for mankind. Thus, it is for us Muslims to reform ourselves and return to the pristine and noble teachings of Islam – because whether we like it or not, people tends to judge Islam based on the state and behavior of the Muslims. And why are the lives of Muslims not reflective of the noble teachings of Islam? Perhaps, many are themselves ignorant of it, or simply complacent by not being committed to the Islamic cause.

Before we can effectively convinced others, we ourselves must be convinced. Before we can educate others about Islam, we ourselves must be educated in it. Therefore, the beginning of change must start with each individual Muslim themselves. For Allah s.w.t. says

“Verily, Allah does not change the state of a people unless they change what is in themselves.”
(Qur’an: ar-Ra’ad: 13: 11)

WALLAAHU A’LAM -

WABIL-LAAHI-TAU-FIQ-WAL-HI-DAA-YAAH
-WAS-SALAA-MU- ‘ALAYKUM WARAH-MATULLAAHI- WA-BARA-KAATUH.

—————————————————————————

Zhulkeflee Hj Ismail

Earlier today, Berita Harian ran an article titled “Apabila Islam ditonjolkan di Hawaii“. It was an email from a brother, M Effendy A Hamid, who informed us of a bill passed by the Hawaii lawmakers that declared September 24 as “Islam Day” – a day dedicated to honor the positive contributions by the Islamic world. You can read the article below:

E-MEL DARI HAWAII
Apabila Islam ditonjolkan di Hawaii

By M Effendy A Hamid

BEBERAPA hari lalu seorang kawan saya memberitahu bahawa Dewan Senat Hawaii meluluskan rang mengadakan satu ‘Hari Islam’.

Resolusi itu menetapkan tarikh 24 September tahun ini sebagai hari sulung yang bersejarah itu. Ia diluluskan dengan undian 22 menyokong dan tiga membantah.

Matlamat utama mengadakan ‘Hari Islam’ ialah mengenal dengan mendalam sumbangan Islam dan Dunia Muslim kepada perkembangan agama, sains, budaya dan kesenian.

Setahu saya, Hawaii negeri pertama di Amerika Syarikat berbuat begitu.

Berita itu tersebar oleh harian Honolulu Advertiser dan mendapat reaksi bantahan daripada banyak pembaca. Ini memang sudah saya jangka.

Kebanyakan surat pembaca bernada marah sehingga menggunakan kata-kata kesat yang berbau perkauman dan ekstremis.

Tetapi yang paling ketara ialah keputusan senat itu dianggap menghina mangsa serangan pengganas Muslim pada 11 September 2001 atau lebih dikenali dengan 9/11.

Ini membuat saya merenung jauh mengenai beberapa perkara:

Mengapa Hawaii menjadi negeri pertama di Amerika mengadakan ‘Hari Islam’?

Adakah langkah ini terlalu awal untuk Amerika?

Apakah kesan rang itu ke atas penduduk Hawaii?Hawaii merupakan negeri penting dalam amalan toleransi antara kaum, agama dan bangsa. Sejarah migrasi dan pembentukan masyarakat berbilang bangsa dan agama melahirkan sebuah budaya yang unik sehingga mempengaruhi sistem politik, ekonomi dan budaya.Antara ciri penting komunikasi di Hawaii ialah penggunaan bahasa setempat atau ‘pidgin’, serupa ‘Singlish’ di Singapura.Pernah saya bersembang dengan beberapa siswa Amerika kelahiran Hawaii yang menggunakan bahasa sedemikian. Ketika itu saya berada dalam kelas menunggu siswa masuk.Hanya beberapa kerusi yang belum dihuni dalam kelas itu. Saya perhatikan seorang siswa lelaki berketurunan Jepun menaruh begnya di sebuah kerusi sebagai tanda sudah ditempahnya. Muncul pula seorang siswa lelaki keturunan Korea yang mengambil beg siswa Jepun itu dan diletakkannya di lantai. Siswa Jepun itu melenting:’Ey Brah, you no take da bag from there brah. U wanna get some beef from someone. No akamai brah, sorry.’(Hello brader, jangan ambil bag itu dari situ brader. Nanti ada masalah dengan orang. Tak bijak buat begitu brader, maaf).Murid keturunan Korea itu tersedar dan meminta maaf, lantas duduk di kerusi lain.Saya tercengang dengan slanga mereka. Setelah kelas berakhir, saya tanya siswa keturunan Jepun itu mengenai ‘bahasa’nya. Menurutnya, bahasa pasar itu lebih menyenangkan komunikasi sesama penduduk Hawaii.

Dek suasana toleransi, Hawaii amat sesuai menjadi sebuah ‘makmal’ menyambut ‘Hari Islam’.

Tetapi fakta sejarah juga penting untuk memahami pentadbiran Hawaii dikatakan berbeza dengan tanah besar Amerika.

Amerika menjajah kepulauan Hawaii yang sudah lama mempunyai kerajaan berdaulat. Pada 7 Julai 1898, seluruh kepulauan Hawaii diisytihar sebagai sebuah negeri Amerika.

Namun, masih terdapat sikap masyarakat Hawaii yang unggul untuk ‘membanteras’ pengaruh dan kuasa tanah besar Amerika

Walaupun begitu, ‘Hari Islam’ merupakan sesuatu yang baru dan asing. Mentelah Muslim bukanlah majority di Hawaii.

Saya ajukan hal ini kepada Encik Erenst Anip, siswa di Universiti Hawaii dalam bidang pembangunan antarabangsa. Beliau warga Indonesia, keturunan Cina dan beragama Katolik.

Katanya: ‘Bagaimana dengan agama lain yang lebih dominan daripada Islam di Hawaii?’

Kata-katanya membuat saya berfikir jauh bahawa di sebalik niat baik mengadakan ‘Hari Islam’, kesannya mungkin jauh lebih buruk daripada baik.

Kawan-kawan Amerika saya turut menimbulkan persoalan berikut:

Masyarakat Muslim yang mana yang akan diutamakan pada ‘Hari Islam’? Ini kerana terdapat kaum asal Indonesia, benua kecil India dan Timur Tengah di kepulauan ini.

Apakah motif ‘Hari Islam’ untuk menarik pelancong Timur Tengah ke Hawaii?

Adakah ‘Hari Islam’ kerana dikaitkan dengan Presiden Obama pernah menghabiskan masa kecilnya di Hawaii dan Indonesia?

Apakah budaya Islam dan adakah ia sesuai dengan budaya tempatan Hawaii?Kepala saya berdesing memikirkan semua persoalan itu.

Saya hanya mendoakan ia suatu langkah ‘akamai’ (bijak atau panjang akal)?

I was able to find the original article in the Honolulu Advertiser. As I read 20-over pages of comments by readers, this was the main points I could extract from the comments:

1. Why was Islam singled out? If Islam deserved a day for itself, so do Christianity, Buddhism, etc.
2. By choosing to honor Islam, it only serves to remind Hawaiians, and Americans alike, of the victims of September 11 and would be highly offensive to the relatives and friends of the said victims.
3. When there were other problems such as housing, education reforms and the financial crisis at hand, why are the legislators choosing to focus their energies on having a ‘festivity’ and of all things to glorify, Islam was chosen?
4. There were a handful who said that having Islam Day would affect Hawaii’s tourism negatively.
   A one-day festival was not the issue. The issue is that choosing to even have such a day in the first place was reflective of the mindset and culture of such a place which rendered the place undesirable as a tourist spot.

Most comments proved to be skeptical, at best, and downright aggressive and insulting at worst. One comment even suggested that this was a tactical ploy by the Senate so that Hawaii would remain off the target of Muslim terrorists. While there were some amusing comments, many were painful to read. The intended day is months away and yet the negative hype created around it is overwhelming.

Are they exaggerating or over-reacting? Before we pass a judgment, remember that we are speaking as Muslims and therefore have a clearer understanding of our deen than they do. Secondly, many of us did not lose a friend or relative during September 11 and will therefore not feel the emotions that many Americans are burdened with. While many of their hatred are uncalled for and directed towards the wrong target, do keep in mind that they are reacting towards murder and the only portrayals they’ve probably ever had about Islam are negative.

How would we react if the Singapore government dedicated a day to honor, for example, Christianity? Would we be able to respond positively? Or would we also demand our own Islam Day?

A comment-poster put up a link to a video to prove that having an Islam Day is a much bigger deal than just honoring the religion. The owner of the video calls himself friendofmuslim yet at the end of the video, a voice narrates: “The Catholic Church recently reported that Islam has just surpassed their membership numbers. As believers, we call upon you to join in the effort to share the Gospel message with the changing world. This is a call to action.”

Will Islam Day result in more good than bad? I guess that remains to be seen on who the organisers are, what activities are planned on that day, and the guests invited etc. Lets pray that this day would help dispel the doubts and clear suspicions around Islam insyaAllah.

What are your views? Hit those keyboards!

Wabillahi Tawfeeq wal Hidayah,

Ameera Begum Aslam

http://alfaqeer.wordpress.com

In case such issues make you mad, I would like you to read and comprehend Ustaz Haniff’s answer.

He highlighted that such work is important and we do need Muslim nurses but also living in this multiculutural society, we must understand our limits and not just think about rights all the time.

Explaination is in Malay. We apologize to our non Malay readers. If you do wish an answer in English, do drop Ustaz Haniff a note or read his other articles related to it. Links are shown at the bottom.

Soalan
Assalamualaikum Wr Wb,

Ust yang dihormati,

Saya ada satu kemusykilan di sini. Ramai di kalangan kita yang bekerja sebagai jururawat di hospital-hospital samada di Singapura ataupun di luar Singapura. Selalunya kita tidak dibenarkan memakai tudung jadi bagaimana tu ustaz?

Ada orang kata kena berhenti kerana ada banyak lagi kerja halal di luar. Tetapi ramai yang telah ambil kursus di poly dan lain-lain lagi dan mendapat pekerjaan di hospital terpaksa perlu membukanya. Kawan-kawan ada mengatakan apa salahnya because this is a noble job..

Saya harap ustaz boleh tolong jelaskan apakah benar pekerjaan ini kurang baik ataupun boleh sahaja meneruskannya?

Terima kasih

———————————————–
Jawaban

Salam

Jururawat adalah profesi yang tepuji di sisi Islam. Oleh itu, ia adalah sumber kehidupan yang halal.

Bagi saya, hukum jururawat wanita Muslim yang tidak boleh pakai tudung ketika bertugas sama seperti hukum anak-anak perempuan Muslim yang tidak dapat bertudung di sekolah pemerintah yang telah ada fatwa mengharuskannya dari MUIS.

Sememangnya, seseorang itu ada pilihan untuk mengambil pekerjaan lain di luar sana sehingga dia dapat menunaikan tanggungjawab menutup aurat. Namun, sepengetahuan saya, ini sama sekali tidak menjadikan pekerjaan jururawat itu haram di sisi agama kerana seorang wanita tidak dapat menutup aurat.

Kalau pun kita bersetuju bahawa status bekerja sebagia jururawat tidak sampai ke peringkat dharurat, saya berpendapat di sana terdapat keperluan untuk wanita Muslim bekerja sebagai jururawat dan keperluan ini mencapai tahap hajat di sisi syara’, satu tahap di bawah dharurat. Dalam hal ini kaedah fiqh yang boleh diamalkan ialah al-hajah tanzilu manzilah adh-dharurah (sesuatu yang berstatus hajat, boleh mengambil kedudukan dharurat).

Apakah hajat itu?
1. Keberadaan jururawat Muslimah yang soleh membantu untuk menjaga keperluan pesakit Muslim, memperjuangkan dan mempertahankan keperluan dan hak mereka.

2. Keberadaan jururawat Muslimah boleh menjadi sebagai check and balance terhadap anasir-anasir seperti gerakan missionary yang di hospital-hospital baik secara terang atau tersembunyi, oleh orang luar atau staff. Gerakan ini bukan hanya boleh mengakibatkan kesan buruk terhadap pesakit dari kalangan penganut agama lain tetapi juga bercanggah dengan polisi kerja yang sedia ada.

3. Keberadaan jururawat Muslimah yang kompeten boleh menjadi tauladan yang baik di mata orang ramai sehingga membantu menaikkan nama baik Islam.

Islam adalah agama yang sentiasa memerhatikan konteks. Disebabkan konteks di Singapura, kita tidak boleh menggunakan standard dharurat atau hajat yang digunapakai di negara-negara majoritinya umat Islam. Pendirian seperti ini ada sandarannya dalam pemikiran fiqh mazhab Hanafi yang membolehkan standard dan amalan syariat yang berbeza di sebuah negara bukan Islam berbanding di negara Islam.

Tambahan pula, jika kita ingin menggunakan dasar pendapat yang tidak membolehkan wanita Muslim bekerja sebagia jururawat kerana tidak dapat mengamalkan tudung atau aspek tertentu dari agama, nescaya kita akan menyempitkan ruang pekerjaan bagi wanita Muslim di Singapura. Ini akan pasti memberi banyak kesulitan kepada masyarakat kita. Sedangkan Islam itu adalah agama yang memudahkan.

Sesuatu pekerjaan yang telah jelas haram di sisi agama seperti pelayan bar yang menghidangkan minuman keras tidaklah boleh dihalalkan. Namun, pekerjaan yang asalnya halal tidaklah boleh kita haramkannya semata-mata kerana wujud elemen tertentu yang bercanggah di sisi agama. Pendekatan yang saksama ialah untuk kita membuat penilaian menyeluruh secara umum atau diperingkat individu samada kebaikan lebih banyak atau keburukan. Jika lebih besar kebaikannya, maka dibolehkanlah pekerjaan itu, baik secara umum atau kepada individu tertentu.

Jika ada individu merasa lebih selesa tukar kerja kerana ia lebih menenangkan hatinya, itu adalah pilihan peribadi yang tidak salah di sisi agama. Namun, ia tidak wajar dijadikan standard umum untuk semua kerana ia adalah pilihan atas dasar wara’ (lebih berhati-hati). Sedangkan wara’ itu tidak wajar dijadikan hukum umum untuk orang awam di sisi para ulama.

Untuk memahami lebih lanjut, masalah ini sila lihat artikel mengenai hukum bekerja di bawah pemerintah bukan Islam di 

http://counterideology.multiply.com/jou … ent_Part_1
http://counterideology.multiply.com/jou … ent_Part_2 

You can find out more about Ustaz Haniff at his blog shown below.

Blog: http://hanifiyah.multiply.com

Every now and then (and getting more frequent), we in IslamicEvents.sg gets the same comment over and over again from disappointed visitors – “Where are your english events??”. Its not really a thought-provoking question, yet it does concern us here in IslamicEvents.sg, as we are set up to serve all Muslims in Singapore, not just the Malay-Muslims.

It is pertinent to note that IslamicEvents.sg is only listing the events happening in Singapore. So more appropriately, this question has to be directed to the ‘sources’ themselves, mainly the Muslim organisations and mosques here.

We reflect the reality of the nature of Islamic events happening in Singapore and we understand the disappointment that our Indian, Chinese (even those from China ones), Pakistanis, Myanmarese, European, and American Muslims here face (most of the comments came from them) when surfing by IslamicEvents.sg hoping to find ‘ilm in a language they’re more familiar with.

To be fair, these organisations cater for the majority of the Muslims here, who are Malays. Tradition is hard to break as well, as Islam has been taught in the Malay language since a long time ago.

But where there are Muslims of different races and cultures here, and with today’s and future homogenous society becoming more acquainted with English, it is timely that Muslim organisations and mosques embark on da’wah and islah efforts in a language (or languages) understood by all and reflect the diversity of the Muslim populace here.

Some Muslim organisations such as SimplyIslam.sg (As-Siddiq Centre), Al-Markaz and AMP realised the need to change the language-medium of conveying the message of Islam to English and have become a hub for Muslims of all races to get their doses of Islamic classes and events.

But more needs to be done and we hope to see more mosques have events and classes which caters to every Muslim in Singapore insyallah.

	Written by: Luqman Hakim Occupation: Full Time Student @ NUS Founder of IslamicSG Networks