For the past year since I'm in this website, we were glad to hear questions from Muslims from different backgrounds and problems. From homosexuality issues to infidelities (in marriage), yet, reactions tends to be mixed due to the complexities in finding the right model answer to these issues.
How do we as Muslims cope with such "tight" issues in helping others online, even in cases that is beyond our capacity and differences in our life as Muslims in Singapore? Should there be an outreach for different categories of issues,?
salam fariz
long time no hear. :)
I do believe all answers are found in the Quran, sunnah and hadiths and the sound teaching of the islamic scholars. :)
Its a matter whether we want to find the answer or avoid the truth.
Knowing its wrong to marry in a civil marriage, but still many go ahead with it , thinking its ok even they know its not allowed.
I am also disappointed with one of the recent conversation by Dr Yacob Ibrahim, in the TODAY newspaper, April 13th pg. 2 that when brought up the issue of civil marriages among malay muslims, he said, " The issue is very simple, we are living in a secular society, everyone has the right to use any registrar."
Is not encouraging more civil marriages???
In reply to that, will post it in my blog when im free. :P
salaam,
I'm glad of the recent voices among Muslims on this post. Unfortunately, ahxuan, to be frank, the word "secular" is sometimes most misused yet most complicated and misunderstood word ever invented. Believe me, it's at many times, became a recurring excuse to use "secular" whenever it fits your agenda or game, even though it may well be easily disagreed.
And that coming from among local prominent figure Muslim in the government, sadly, shows how much Muslim community have "to go". By that standard of reply, all credibility goes to nowhere positive.
I always wish for a more leadership qualities and prominent role of Muslim minorities in Singapore, regardless of converts or born Muslims. Currently, I don't think there is any much of those, to some fault of ours in as well.
Strangely religion such as Buddhism and Christianity have more headways in their religious communion in recent years, but when it comes to Muslims, the label fundamentalist or worse, extremist becomes a label for us, pushing us to bigger confines and more conservative stance in social life. It's the opposite of the West though, where the rise of Muslims associations take bigger stand against all odds for Muslim rights and moral respect ...<sigh>
I'm not replying on the part of "coping with tight" issues, but the part on Secular.
i didn't read the newspaper about that comment. but if it's true, you must imagine how it's like to be in his shoes.
Because it's true, we're living in a secular society, you should have seen it coming right? I've also heard of comments of people saying MUIS not doing their job etc. I'll tell them, the same thing that I told non-muslims who asked me "why some muslims can drink one?", "how come i got see muslim buy 4D?"- it's a matter of choice. And I will not blame any authority or minister. Because to-date, we can step into a mosque safely, or even perform solat in Musollahs islandwide safely Alhamdulillah. That's more than adequate.
Remember, the first few who became Muslims in the time of Rasulullah SAW had to practice in secret. If you look through carefully, the life of Rasulullah SAW is somewhat parallel to this current era, no matter where you live. that's why if we have problems, return to seek knowledge from Quran and Hadith
You can't do a "Martial Law" here on the Muslims specifically on issues like civil marriage etc. We're no longer in the days of Temenggongs & Malaya etc. It has been done, we're a secular nation.
There was a public lecture few months back by a Bro. Idris Tawfiq (a former priest who has converted) who said something like this: "Masjid Al-Aqsa is suffering because we Muslims have been SLEEPING" (may Allah forgive me if I'm incorrect) and also "Islam is perfect, Muslims aren't".
I have this opinion (mine only, not necessarily that you share the same) that the non-muslim community is constantly finding fault with us. Maybe it's just what I experienced and you have not. These are all decided by the Rabbil'Alamin.
Furthermore look around us, which heads of Muslim families prioritise Religious education for their children's future? A small fraction. issues of haram, halal and many 50-50 issues have answers in the Quran and Hadith. It is us who avoids READING it. Iqra'. The first word/revelation revealed to Rasulullah SAW should be our first lesson. Look around us again, or look in "Facebook", look at how we Muslims behave. If you don't see what I mean then Alhamdulillah , Allah SWT has protected you from seeing ugly truths.
Public lectures, religious classes are all over the Island and newspapers, actively calling us to join and learn things like tajwid, tawhid, aqidah etc. But what are we interested in? Highly expensive & exclusive getaways, cars, "can't wait for my getaway", "cam-whoring", "i love you forever", "my heart has been slashed", "girls just wanna have fun", "i wanna be a tai-tai", singapore/american idol, "can't wait for ..... (worldly happenings)".
Am I steroetyping? Nope. But it's there, as long as it exists in our community, it's like Bacteria/virus that can plague the rest.
Now imagine you're a minister in charge of Muslim affairs for a secular nation like here. A reporter wants a spontataneous answer from you there and then. How? Will you "design" your answer that leads to unhappiness and controversy? As i mentioned, there exists people who just wants to find fault with us. Mass communication is insanely fast and widespread. So I'll have an answer different from that of Dr Yaacob just like every Muslim will have a different answer. 1001 causes of it or even more, Allah knows best.
I'll quote a part of a long hadith from Sahih Muslim below. May Allah protect the Muslims of Singapore. Because today, these are the challenges we face. Tomorrow, when a certain false messiah establishes himself, Muslims may be at knife-point, gun-point or worse situations so as to ensure everyone submits to this monster. This coming false messiah is known as the biggest fitnah for his capability to even convince the holiest person. Allah SWT knows best.
A long hadith Narrated by Fatima Bint Qays but a portion of it is:
"...Then he said: 'Tell me about the illiterate Prophet [Muhammad S.A.W ], what has he done?' We said: 'He has left Makkah and settled in Yathrib (Madina).'
He said: 'Do the Arabs fight against him'?' We said 'Yes'. He said: 'How does he deal with them'?' So we told him that Prophet Muhammad S.A.W had overcome the Arabs around him and that they had followed him.
He asked: 'Has it really happened?' We said 'Yes'. He said: 'It is better for them to follow him. Now I will tell you about myself. I am the Dajjal. I will soon be permitted to leave this place: I will emerge and travel about the Earth. In forty nights, I will pass through EVERY TOWN, except Makka and Tayba (Madina), for these have been forbidden to me.
Every time I try to enter either of them, I will be met by an angel bearing an unsheathed sword, who will prevent me from entering. There will be angels guarding them at every route leading to them...."
May Allah SWT protect the Muslims all over the globe Insya-Allah.
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