VOICE OF ISLAM MAGAZINE Oct
Transcription
VOICE OF ISLAM MAGAZINE Oct
JAMIYAH SINGAPORE ﺻﻮ ﺕ ﺍﻹﺳﻼﻡ o f I s lam Suara Islam MCI (P) • 201/07/2015 SG50 Kita National Day Observance Remembering Mr Lee Kuan Yew A Significant Milestone for Singapore The Founding Father of Singapore oct – dec Issue • 2015 Congratulations GCDC! First Malay/Muslim Childcare Centre to Attain SPARK Issue 2 / 2015 Voice Contents oct – dec Issue • 2015 Contents Cover Story: SG50 Family & Health Special Tribute to Lee Kuan Yew Education 28 Towards Becoming A Counselling 05 SG50 Journal Of A Singaporean Youth Centre Of Choice 06 SG50 Kita National Day Observance Ceremony 2015 29 Cleansing Our Heart 08 A Teacher’s Sacrifice For Her Students 10 11 12 13 Remembering Mr Lee Kuan Yew In Wondrous Awe The World Witnessed Goodbye Mr Lee Kuan Yew Up Close & Personal With Our Founding Father Features 14 Iftar With Friends 16 Konsert Amal Tiga Negara 18 Mr Lee Bock Guan Passes Away Events 19 The Young For The Old 20 Happiness With Amocan 21 Hari Raya Celebration @ Singapore Christian Home 22 Donated Beds From Switzerland 23 British High Commissioner @ Iftar 24 Generasi Muaz: A Contest In Search Of Singapore’s Emerging Da’i (Missionary) 25 Dialogue On Medishield Life 26 Honouring Mothers’ Sacrifices: 23rd Exemplary Mother Award 2015 06 30 Jamiyah Childcare Centre Expands 31 A Spark For GCDC 32 The Molly Bus Programme Beyond Borders 33 The 7th Session Of Prince Naif International Award Ceremony 34 International Conference On Islam And Counter-Terrorism In Makkah 36 Compassion And Brotherhood In Islam 38 A Multi-Religious Society In Secular Singapore Photo Diary 40 Photo Diary Dakwah 42 ﺍﻟﻮﺳﻄﻴﺔ ﻣﻦ ﻣﻨﻈﻮﺭ ﺍﻹﺳﻼﻡ 08 38 Voice of Islam 3 oct – dec Issue • 2015 Editorial Editorial Board Advisor Prof (Adj) Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar Chief Editor DR H. M. Saleem Editorial Board DR ISA HASSAN MR MOHD NOOR SAID ROZLIN OTHMAN Contributors NURUL BADRIAH MOHAMED ARSAD ZURAIDAH ISMAIL Farhana aziz ANDI ABDUL KADIR ANDI KITTA rahimah beevi FADZILAH ABDUL RAHMAN Designers Azhar Kamar SYAZWANI SYAFAWATI ZUHAIRI Published by Jamiyah Singapore Printed by Multiprint Services Jamiyah Singapore 31 Lorong 12 Geylang Singapore 399006 Tel: +65 6743 1211 Fax: +65 6745 0610 Email: info@jamiyah.org.sg Website: www.jamiyah.org.sg Follow us on Instagram @jamiyahsg Like us on Facebook facebook.com/jamiyahsg 4 Voice of Islam Editor’s Note Firstly, Jamiyah Singapore would like to wish our nation a very Happy 50th Birthday, this year! Since it’s been half a century that Singapore has gained its independence, we think it’s apt that Singapore has announced for a whole year of celebrations. We remember in this issue the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew, Founding Father of Singapore, a statesman par excellence and a respected world leader of great reputation who passed away on 23 March 2015. With the passing on of Mr Lee Kuan Yew, like the rest of the nation, we at Jamiyah feel the great sense of loss for this legend who had single-handedly transformed Singapore from a mere fishing village to a cosmopolitan city it is today. This issue presents you with some stories to commemorate the late Mr Lee. On a micro level, this larger than life leader had in fact left behind a significant mark to most of us in Jamiyah. During his visit in 1990, Mr Lee’s words of encouragement to the former President of Jamiyah, the late Haji Abu Bakar Maidin had spurred him on to expand our services and programmes to help the needy Singaporeans regardless of race or religion. To commemorate SG50, this issue features stories relating to the numerous celebrations which have taken place. Jamiyah was privileged to be part of this year’s memorable celebration. Held on 8 August 2015, together with 29 other Malay-Muslim organisations (MMOs), we took part in an integrated celebration called ‘SG50 Kita National Day Observance Ceremony’. Also there to celebrate along with some 1,500 participants of all races and religions were Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong ,Minister for Communications and Information, and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim and his entourage of prominent Malay-Muslim MPs. But what is more significant, PM Lee and Dr Yaacob Ibrahim was at our booth during the SG50 Kita event to put the finishing touches to the batik paintings done by our Darul Ma’wa residents, under the mentorship of the renowned batik artist, Mr Sarkasi Said. Also this year, Jamiyah Singapore’s Global Childcare Development Centre (GCDC) has successfully attained the Singapore Pre-school Accreditation Framework (SPARK). With the accreditation by the Ministry of Education (MOE), GCDC becomes the first Malay/Muslim childcare centre in Singapore to ever achieve the recognition. With so many happenings that have taken place so far in 2015, we hope you will find our publication in your hands a good read! We also hope the year will end on a good note for our nation and Jamiyah as well, Insya Allah. DR H M Saleem Editor Voice of Islam r from YOU! We want to hea at ah.org.sg and let us know wh Drop us an email info@jamiy can we how us m. Share with you think about Voice Of Isla experience for you! g din rea ter bet improve for a Cover Story: SG50 oct – dec Issue • 2015 SG50 Journal of A Singaporean Youth Nurul Badriah, Communications Executive, Jamiyah Singapore Dear Diary, Being away from home for the past three and a half years for my education was definitely an eyeopener. I have learnt to appreciate all the things that I have taken for granted in Singapore, for example, its transportation system and public safety that enables women to be out and about till late night without much fear. With all these in mind, I am glad to be back just in time to celebrate Singapore’s significant 50th birthday this year! Although my family and I were not at the Padang to celebrate the National Day with the rest of Singapore, the experience of watching the parade passed by on our television set was enough to create the feelings of love and belonging that we have for this small nation. When it was time for the fireworks, we ran to our corridor to catch a glimpse of the colorful display in the evening sky! Reflecting back, even though I was not born yet to see the total transformation of the fishing village into the metropolitan city it is today, I could still relate to the changes that Singapore had undergone from the 80s to what it is presently. Singapore has come a long way since our independence. I could still remember when the Singapore Bus Service (SBS) were majorly non air-conditioned. On hot and sweltering afternoons, my friends and I would pray hard for the rare air-conditioned ones to come and take us home. Nobody wanted to sit in an oven after a long day at school! These days, not only all the buses are fully air-conditioned, the digital technologies enabled information to be easily made available to consumers on - the bus numbers, number of empty seats left and the estimated arrival time of a bus. From young, I mixed freely with friends from different religious backgrounds and races. I did that in my neighbourhood, at school and anywhere. So when I read about racial and ethnic tensions taking place all over the world today, I feel that we are very fortunate to be able to live harmoniously as one regardless of language, race and religion. I look forward to what the next 50 years will bring, whatever the future is Singapore will always be my Home. With Love, Badriah Voice of Islam 5 oct – dec Issue • 2015 Cover Story: SG50 Prime Minister, Mr Lee Hsien Loong (centre) and Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for Communications and Information, and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs (fifth from left), graced the SG50 KITA event alongside community leaders from various Muslim organisations in Singapore SG50 Kita National Day Observance Ceremony 2015 This year, Singapore celebrates its 50th birthday on 9th August. Also known as SG50, the nation hopes to show its gratitude to the pioneer generation of Singapore. As part of the great celebration that would take place throughout 2015, Jamiyah Singapore and 29 other MalayMuslim organisations (MMOs) took part in an integrated celebration called ‘SG50 Kita National Day Observance Ceremony’. The ceremony was held on Saturday, 8th August 2015 at ITE College Central in Ang Mo Kio. The guest-of-honour for the event was Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong himself. Also there to accompany the PM were Mdm Halimah Yacob, Speaker of Parliament, Assoc. Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for Communications and Information and Minister-in-charge of Muslim ----- 6 Voice of Islam Cover Story: SG50 Affairs and various other prominent Malay-Muslim MPs With the strength of more than 1,000 participants, the patriotism in the atmosphere could be felt in the air especially when the crowd sang the national anthem and recited the pledge together. “Against all odds, we have succeeded. We built a harmonious multi-racial society. We have nurtured self-reliance and mutual support and we have kept the faith between the Government and the people. Together, we have journeyed from Third World to First. That is why, today, we can be happy celebrating SG50,” proclaimed PM Lee, in his speech. After a session of warm-ups, PM Lee and Dr Yaacob were invited for a tour around the booths set up by the MMOs. Jamiyah was the proud owner of the first booth which both ministers did their first stop. At the booth, PM Lee and Dr Yaacob put the finishing touches to the batik paintings, which were done by the residents of Jamiyah Children’s Home (Darul Ma’wa), under the mentorship of the legendary veteran artist, Mr Sarkasi Said. The paintings depicted the current and futuristic Singapore, with the SG50 logo embedded to represent the hopes and dreams of every Singaporean. PM Lee also launched Jamiyah’s significant milestones on the gigantic LED screen that visually described the organisation’s 83 years contributions in interfaith and interreligious harmony locally, regionally and internationally. Mr Sarkasi Said added, “I am grateful that Jamiyah has given me this opportunity to teach the younger generation about batik painting. They can learn about the Malay Culture and the Singapore heritage through this way.” Jamiyah wishes Singapore a Happy 50th Birthday! We hope that together, we can move forward to create many more shared memories in the future! oct – dec Issue • 2015 “Against all odds, we have succeeded. We built a harmonious multi-racial society. We have nurtured selfreliance and mutual support and we have kept the faith between the Government and the people.” – PM Lee Hsien Loong The crowd enjoyed the upbeat mass workout that kickstarted the much anticipated national celebration Voice of Islam 7 oct – dec Issue • 2015 Cover Story: SG50 A Teacher’s Sacrifice For Her Students Rozlin Othman, Head of Communications, Jamiyah Singapore Writing story books to help children to learn and read in Tamil has always been her passion. So, Jamiyah Kindergarten (JK) teacher, Mdm Mubarak Begum Mohamed Siddiqe did not feel anything wrong when she just had a few hours of sleep every day, for at least a month. The sacrifice was worth it when a series of four children story books were published in Tamil, with her being a major contributor. The published books were eventually sent to Mdm Mubarak, last year. “I feel very happy whenever I use the story books with my Tamil-speaking students at the kindergarten,” she smiles. The published books were the products of a story writing competition organised by the Ministry of Education (MOE) in 2012. 8 Voice of Islam Mdm Mubarak Begum (centre) with students from Jamiyah Kindergarten MOE invited kindergarten teachers island wide to join in the competition which required teachers to translate some English children stories into Tamil. The stories to be translated were chosen by MOE themselves. Knowing her passion for writing, JK nominated Mdm Mubarak for the competition. She was among the selected team of teachers to work on the stories. Without delay, Mdm Mubarak went straight to work on her little project. For a period of about a month, she would start working on the book right after dinner to about 1 a.m. daily. Despite occasional objections from her family members who were concerned for her health, Mdm Mubarak still continued with her determination of completing the four books. The task was not without challenges. She explained, “Typing Tamil characters even if it’s on the computer could be rather tedious as they are very different from the romanised characters. I also got my children to help out such as arranging the printed papers.” For JK, Mdm Mubarak’s achievement was greatly welcomed. “We are glad that Mubarak was selected for the competition and even had four books printed under her name. Mubarak has helped to bring up the name of our kindergarten,” explained Mdm Absah Adam, Acting Principal of JK. “Despite the challenges I faced while getting the books done, I will like to publish more books in Tamil so that I can help many more children in the future,” concluded Mdm Mubarak. Currently, her storybook in Tamil titled “Leela’s Bag” is in the works and will be published, this year. oct – dec Issue • 2015 Special Tribute to Lee Kuan Yew Remembering Mr Lee Kuan Yew (1923 - 2015) No one could ever doubt the contributions the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew, the founding father of Singapore had made to the nation. Each and every Singaporean – past, present and future – owes it to him for what Singapore has turned up to be. Despite its tiny size in the world map, Singapore is economically strong, socially vibrant and politically stable, commanding respect among the comity of nations worldwide. The late Mr Lee Kuan Yew was one of those few world leaders who was always sought after for his erudite advice and pragmatic guidance in managing economies and social issues. Although Mr Lee’s schedule may be tight with both local and overseas meetings, he had definitely left an unforgettable memory for many in Jamiyah Singapore. Accompanied by his wife, Mdm Kwa Geok Choo, Mr Lee visited Jamiyah on the 3rd of November 1990. During his visit, he gave kind words of encouragement to the former President of Jamiyah, the late Haji Abu Bakar Maidin, spurring him on to further enhance Jamiyah’s programmes and services to benefit the needy Singaporeans of all races and faiths. Jamiyah Singapore is deeply saddened by the passing of Mr Lee Kuan Yew. We stand with the rest of the nation in grief. Thank you Mr Lee Kuan Yew, for all that you have done for the nation and for those kind words that you had left us with. We will continue to give our best in serving the local community. Former President of Jamiyah Singapore, the late Haji Abu Bakar Maidin with Singapore’s former Prime Minister, the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew 10 Voice of Islam Special Tribute to Lee Kuan Yew oct – dec Issue • 2015 (In Wondrous Awe The World Witnessed) Dr H M Saleem, Vice-President I, Jamiyah Singapore Liken the sculptor Of talent extraordinary Chiselled he Beauteous Singapore The shining star of the orient Placed did he her On pedestal high In stage world Nation’s Father Lee Kuan Yew had Closed his eyes A giving nation Without her people asking Such did the fortuitous Lee Made Singapore of Hope he planted In men and women Flags of success fluttered high Lee Kuan Yew today In slumber deep Homes he built Roads and rails to speed in ease Ports of fame for sea and air Parks and streets Sparkle neat in days and nights Surging crowds from world over Move safe and secure Nurtured tongues and furthered bonds Amidst faiths and race Lean to excel Sweat to achieve The twin mantras Sport did he Toiled ever in life entire In total passion for soil Singapore Leader Lee rested never on leaves for long But for once Took his leave now to rest ever On the word of his demise World tremored in dismay Dignified calm froze Singapore Showing in quiet Success of discipline Leader Lee ingrained in us Grief hovered like thick dark mist In every heart Men women young and old But life moved on those painful days In pace normal In wondrous awe The world witnessed The love pain and passion for Lee People showed in measures beyond In pages gold Lee carved his place In the history of Nation Singapore Voice of Islam 11 oct – dec Issue • 2015 Special Tribute to Lee Kuan Yew The senior management and officials of Jamiyah Singapore joined the nation in bidding farewell to the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew Goodbye Mr Lee Kuan Yew the celebration for Singapore’s 50th year of independence was unfortunately marked by a significant poignant event - the passing of Singapore’s founding father, Mr Lee Kuan Yew on 23rd March 2015. Singaporeans and foreigners alike all came together to express their grief and paid tributes during the oneweek mourning period. Everyone bid their final goodbye, on 29th March 2015. A group of 100 Jamiyah officials, volunteers and residents of Jamiyah’s Welfare Homes also did not want to miss out the chance of bidding their farewells. With thousands of others who stood along the route of the funeral procession, Jamiyah’s congregates stood by the roadside adjacent to the Singapore Conference Hall as early as 8am. And the heavy downpour definitely did not deter them from waiting to catch 12 Voice of Islam the last glimpse of Mr Lee. It was a solemn moment as the casket drove by, with many waving the national flag while others could be heard shouting “Thank you Mr Lee Kuan Yew” and “Majulah Singapura”. Dr H M Saleem, Vice-President I of Jamiyah summed it all up, “We are here to thank the great leader whose contribution for the growth and development of Singapore is matchless. “We are here to thank the great leader whose contribution for the growth and development of Singapore is matchless.” – Dr H M Saleem to the overall development of the local Malay Muslim organisations such as Jamiyah. He will be remembered by each and every Singaporeans for making Singapore what it is today, occupying a pride of place amongst the nations,” mentioned Dr H M Saleem, VicePresident I. Jamiyah Singapore hopes that Mr Lee’s dedication, commitment and persistent struggles to build the nation, will forever be emulated by the future generations. He has also contributed significantly Jamiyah’s congregates bid farewell to the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew for the last time Special Tribute to Lee Kuan Yew oct – dec Issue • 2015 Up Close & Personal With Our Founding Father Amidst the final farewells by everyone in Singapore, Jamiyah Kindergarten (JK) children did not miss the opportunity to do so as well in their own way. The little angels made a trip to the museum to bid their final goodbye to the late founding father of this nation. Educational outings have always been a part of the school curriculum in JK. The kindergarten believes field trips help to improve the critical thinking skills and enable students to think outside the box. Furthermore, it also helps students to relate what they have learnt in classroom, to that of their environment. Hence, on 21st April, Mdm Absah Adam who is the Acting Principal of JK, brought 35 kindergarten 2 students to the National Museum of Singapore. There, not only they paid tribute to the late Mr Lee but they also got the opportunity to know him better at a memorial exhibition that chronicled his life and political career. The students took an interactive tour which showcased items and posters featuring Mr Lee during his glorious days. They were also fortunate to have gotten the chance to see the famous red box which Mr Lee used as a briefcase to keep his speeches, documents and reading materials. “I want to work hard and be like Mr Lee Kuan Yew!” exclaimed six-year old Shaik Ismail enthusiastically. “The younger generation probably have no idea who the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew is. Through this exhibition, I hope that the students will be inspired by his life and his work,” said Mdm Absah Adam. Children from Jamiyah Kindergarten , with Principal, Mdm Absah Adam (left) visited the National Museum of Singapore that held a tribute for the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew Voice of Islam 13 oct – dec Issue • 2015 Features Iftar With Friends To most non-muslims, the word “iftar” would be rather foreign. An iftar is a meal served during Ramadhan to break the day’s fast. In accordance to the teachings of our beloved Prophet Muhammad, Muslims are encouraged to start their iftar with dates or plain water. During Ramadhan, muslims would not only restrain themselves from eating and drinking from dawn until dusk, they would also consciously up their good deeds. One such deed is – to invite and share food with neighbours, families and especially the less fortunate. The spiritual reward for charitable giving is considered to be especially significant during the fasting month. With so much benefits to gain from iftar, Jamiyah Singapore was honoured to host its annual ‘Iftar with Friends’ event, on 6th July 2015. The event which took place at Al-Malik Faisal Hall, Jamiyah HQ saw more than 500 guests. Among the guests were esteemed ambassadors members of foreign diplomatic corps, community leaders, supporters, donors and beneficiaries. The significant event was graced by Minister K Shanmugam, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Law as the Guest of Honour. Minister Shanmugam together with the guests started the iftar with dates soon after the call for dawn prayer was heard. “I hope everyone here continues to support one another, just as Jamiyah has done to deepen our inter-racial harmony, to continue helping our needy and to support the less fortunate in achieving progress.” – Minister K Shanmugam Iftar with Friends is an annual event organised by Jamiyah Singapore where community leaders and ambassadors of multi-racial and faiths unite as a mean to strengthen the friendship 14 Voice of Islam Features oct – dec Issue • 2015 In his speech, Minister Shanmugam praised Jamiyah Singapore for touching many hearts and uplifted many lives for more than 80 years. “I hope everyone here continues to support one another, just as Jamiyah has done to deepen our inter-racial harmony, to continue helping our needy and to support the less fortunate in achieving progress,” he added. 190 beneficiaries, who were referred by People’s Association, MESRA and Jamiyah Welfare Department received Ramadhan food hampers at the event. Mr K Shanmugam, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Law (third from left) exchanged words with Dr D. Kishan, one of the part-time doctors of Jamiyah Singapore’s Free Medical Clinic Did You Know? • • • • Ramadhan is the 9th month on the Islamic calendar. During Ramadhan, Muslim fasts by abstaining from food, drink and other pleasures from dawn to dusk. Pregnant women, people who are mentally or physically ill and children are excused from fasting during Ramadhan. Zakat, a mandatory giving of charity, is an important part in Ramadhan, as the rewards of charity are considered greater during this month. • The end of Ramadhan is marked by Eid ul Fitr, a festival to celebrate the end of a month of fasting. It is considered a time of reverence, to praise Allah for helping them get through Ramadhan. Voice of Islam 15 oct – dec Issue • 2015 Features Konsert Amal Tiga Negara (Three-Nation Charity Concert) It was a night to remember, not only for the audience, but also for the performers like Indonesian band, Noah who performed their first show in Singapore eversince they changed their name On 24th May 2015, some 6,500 strong crowd gathered at the Resorts World Convention Centre, Sentosa, for a three-hour mega concert featuring popular entertainers such as Taufik Batisah, NOAH, Dato’ Jamal Abdillah, Bocey and Jihan Muse! These powerhouse artistes came from the three neighbouring countries – Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia. The charity concert organised by Jamiyah Singapore was majorly sponsored by COURTS. and “Menakluk Cinta”. The newly married singer also revealed that his wife was there to watch him and he was happy to be part of the charity initiative. Soon after, Dato’ Jamal Abdillah, dubbed as Malaysia’s King of Pop, took on the stage with his 80’s pop hits. Undoubtedly, Dato’ Jamal still has his charms despite all these years. The “makciks” were seen gleaming in absolute adoration, singing along to songs such as Gadis Melayu, Seroja, Azura and Aku Penghibur. It was the second time The family-friendly show kick-started with Singapore’s very own idol winner, Taufik Batisah, as he grooved while performing his famous song “#awakkatmane” (Where Are You). And if that was not enough, Taufik definitely stole everyone’s heart with his ballads such as “Usah Lepaskan” First Singapore Idol, Taufik Batisah got the momentum started with his upbeat performances 16 Voice of Islam Features oct – dec Issue • 2015 Dato’ Jamal performed for a charity concert by Jamiyah. He performed at a solo concert ‘Akustikasih Jamal Abdillah’, back in 2011. The crowd then broke into fits of laughter as they were entertained by Malaysian’s comedians, Bocey and Jihan Muse. The much awaited final performance was by Indonesia’s most notable rock band, NOAH. Noah’s lead singer, Ariel easily garnered the crowd’s attention as he performed their chart-topping hits all of which were from their current and previous ’Peterpan’ albums, before the band rebrand themselves as NOAH. The last time NOAH performed in Singapore was eight years ago. “It’s been a long time since we did anything for charity and we thought the concept of the concert was a great idea,” said Ariel. Ariel from NOAH, doing a solo performance Beyond the mega concert, some lucky fans, who were also customers of COURTS, got the golden opportunity to have an exclusive meet-and-greet session with Dato’ Jamal and NOAH at COURTS Megastore Tampines, a day prior to the concert. This concert would also have not been possible without the support of other generous donors including Lee Foundation. The audience were in fits of laughter at the spontaneous comedy-act by comedians, Bocey and Jihan Muse Malaysia’s legendary ballad singer, Dato’ Jamal Abdillah still has it as he serenaded the crowd with his strong vocals Voice of Islam 17 oct – dec Issue • 2015 Features Mr Lee Bock Guan Passes Away From left to right: The late Mr Lee Bock Guan with former President of Jamiyah, the late Haji Abu Bakar Maidin and former President of the Hindu Endowments Board, the late Mr V R Nathan had worked together to strengthen the harmony between people of different races and religion through community services The iconic symbol of interfaith harmony and philanthropy Mr Lee Bock Guan, President of the Singapore Buddhist Lodge (SBL) had passed away in the early hours of Saturday, 29th August 2015. Singapore Buddhist Lodge had been doing yeoman’s service for the poor and needy and for interfaith harmony since the pre-war days. The largesse and generosity was enhanced by Mr Lee Bock Guan when he was chosen to be the President of SBL. He had visited the Jamiyah Home for the Aged in Dec 1998 and realised that a large segment of the residents were Chinese. He was enthused by Jamiyah’s non parochial principle which characterised its policy for the entire gamut of educational and welfare institutions - transcending 18 Voice of Islam distinctions of race, religion or language. Former President of Jamiyah Singapore Almarhum Haji Abu Bakar Maidin, former Chairman of the Hindu Endowments Board the late Mr V R Nathan worked closely with Mr Lee Bock Guan and the three of them were together in initiating and responding positively to several social causes by way of donations and support. Mr Lee was in the forefront together with Haji Abu Bakar Maidin and Mr V.R.Nathan and other leaders of different faiths in raising funds and donating to victims of natural calamities in Indonesia, China, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and other places besides doing many more yeoman services to benefit the needy and disadvantaged sections of our Singapore society. In his condolence message Prof (Adj) Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar, President of Jamiyah Singapore mentioned: “We cannot forget the thousands of primary, secondary and tertiary students who were helped by the bursary awards granted by the Singapore Buddhist Lodge Education Foundation under the compassionate leadership of our magnanimous Mr Lee Bock Guan. He created a benchmark of love, compassion and sincerity for religious and community leaders of Singapore which we can emulate in serving the needy and the disadvantaged sections of our society. In his demise Singapore has lost yet another compassionate community leader.” Events oct – dec Issue • 2015 The Young For The Old They may be young. But children from Jamiyah Kindergarten (JK) proved that it is the heart that counts. The JK children had successfully raised some $1,200 for the elderly at Jamiyah Nursing Home (Darul Syifaa’). The fund raising effort which started a year ago, was initiated by teachers at the Kindergarten. To motivate the children, the teachers crafted a colourful donation box placed at the school. Everyday, the children, with the permission of their parents, would drop in some coins, or whatever that was left of their daily allowance. At such tender age, the children may not know the true meaning of ‘sadaqah’ (charity); however, their act have shown the traits of selflessness and their empathy for the elderly. In conjunction with SG50 and Hari Raya celebrations, this year, the 80 children visited the Darul Syifaa’ with their teachers and some parent volunteers to meet their elderly “friends”. The mood of the elderly residents at Darul Syifaa’ changed instantly when the children danced and sang for them. “The presence of the children have enlivened the mood of the elderly residents. We also hope that the kind gesture made by our children would warm their hearts,” said Mdm Absah. In addition to entertaining and spending the morning with the residents, JK hopes the initiative would help bridge the two generations together. At the end of their visit, JK presented a cheque donation to Darul Syifaa’. The children also presented a goody bag and a personalised card they made to each of the resident. With the success of the initiative, Darul Syifaa’ looks forward for more of such activity in its vicinity in the future. SG50 and Hari Raya celebration at Darul Syifa’ was made extra special this year with the presence of the children from Jamiyah Kindergarten who brightened the atmosphere Voice of Islam 19 oct – dec Issue • 2015 Events Happiness with Amocan Residents of Darul Syifaa’ had the opportunity to try the newly Halal certified canned food by Amoy can Amidst the festive Eid season, on 25 July 2015, residents of Darul Syifaa’ enjoyed a lunch treat by a leading food processing company, Amoy Canning. The food were prepared using the new Halal range of Amocan products. Mr Swaminathan commented, “The residents were surprised that the meals came from canned products. The food were so good that they could not tell they were readymade!” For the residents of Darul Syifaa’, it was a food galore with selection of local favourites such as Mutton Curry! “The food were so good that they could not tell they were readymade!” There to join the residents was Minister in Prime Minister’s Office and Adviser to West Coast Grassroots Organisations, Mr S Iswaran, and the Vice President III of Jamiyah, Dr Isa Hassan. Executive Director of Darul Syifaa’, 20 Voice of Islam – Mr Swaminathan But the gathering was not just about food! The residents were entertained by singing session and a magic show as well. Events oct – dec Issue • 2015 Hari Raya Celebration @ Singapore Christian Home For the first time, Jamiyah Singapore organised an Eid celebration for an aged Home beyond its own, this year. The Singapore Christian Home had approached Jamiyah for the event as part of its effort to ensure the Muslim residents were not left out during the festive season. and Executive Council member, Mr Mohd Noor Said. Dr Saleem said, “The Singapore Christian Home approached us with a very good intention. The initiative they made showed us that people of different race and faith can co-exist peacefully and work together to serve the needy.” The Eid celebration, held on 22 July 2015 at the Singapore Christian Home, was attended by some senior management officials from Jamiyah - Vice President 1, Dr H M Saleem, Vice President III, Dr Isa Hassan The necessary preparations were carried out by Jamiyah staff a couple of hours prior to the event. The hall of the Home was decorated with colourful Eid decors. The 15 elderly residents from the Homes were entertained by musician, Mr Jerry Murad who sang popular festive songs. The residents also participated in activities such as a game of Bingo and learning to make “ketupat” from colourful ribbons. For the residents, the best part of the celebration could very well be the lunch spread made up of Lontong, Ketupat, Rendang and Eid cookies. To most of them, it was the first time they enjoyed such treats after a long time. Gift hampers were distributed to all patients of Singapore Christian Home Voice of Islam 21 oct – dec Issue • 2015 Events Donated Beds from Switzerland The Ambassador of Switzerland, His Excellency Thomas Kupfer (centre) was given a tour of Darul Takrim to view the donated beds On 20th June 2015, Jamiyah Home for the Aged (Darul Takrim) received an additional 154 beds donated by a hospital in Switzerland. The donation was facilitated by the Rotary Club of Singapore. The Guest-of-Honour for the ceremony was the Ambassador of Switzerland, His Excellency Thomas Kupfer who came with his wife. Also there to receive the Switzerland ambassador were the President of Rotary Club, Mrs Perlita Trio; Chairman of Darul Takrim, Mr Ismail Shariff; Dr H M Saleem, VicePresident I, Jamiyah Singapore and 22 Voice of Islam Mr Mohd Noor Mohd Said, Council Member, Jamiyah Singapore. The group was given a tour of the Home. Mr Kupfer was heartened to see first hand that Darul Takrim caters to residents regardless of their race and religion. “Both Singapore and Switzerland has one thing in common, they are both a multicultural society. I am happy to see everyone donating and sharing with each other, for the better of the community,” said Mr Kupfer. “Both Singapore and Switzerland has one thing in common, they are both a multicultural society. I am happy to see everyone donating and sharing with each other, for the better of the community.” – H.E Thomas Kupfer Events oct – dec Issue • 2015 British High Commissioner @ Iftar It was His Excellency Mr Scott Wightman’s first time experiencing iftar in Singapore, since his appointment as British High Commissioner here, in May 2015. Also there to accompany Mr Wrightman were officials from the British High Commission Singapore. The warm welcome given by Jamiyah Halfway House (Darul Islah) to the entourage from the British High Commission was fit for very special guests indeed! Their arrival was accompanied by the sounds of “kompang” beats performed by some of the residents. Some 150 staff and residents of Darul Islah were also there to have iftar with the entourage. In his welcoming address, the Chairperson of Darul Islah, Dr Isa Hassan stressed on the longstanding relationship between the British High Commission and Jamiyah Singapore. Dr Isa also thanked the British High Commission for the continuous support which they has given to the organisation and the local community in general. In his speech, Mr Wrightman highlighted that the British Muslim community also observes Ramadhan and he noticed that Ramadhan promotes good values pertaining to community, family and charity among Muslims. However, on a lighter note the new British High Commissioner also revealed the reason he was looking forward to the iftar, “The opportunity to eat Singaporean food is also the reason why I am delighted to be here. I truly look forward to the wonderful iftar session.” A delightful briyani feast was served at the Iftar session. The British High Commission had collaborated with Jamiyah for two other events recently - the iconic London Routemaster GREATbranded bus and Coldstream Guardsmen. Both events were held in Jamiyah Children’s Home (Darul Ma’wa) to enable the residents to understand the British culture. The breaking of fast was merrier for the senior management of Jamiyah Singapore and invited guests with the presence of the British High Commisioner, His Excellency Mr Scott Wightman (fourth from left) and two other officials from the British High Commision Singapore Voice of Islam 23 oct – dec Issue • 2015 Events Generasi Muaz A Contest in Search of Singapore’s Emerging Da’i (Missionary) Runner-up, Syed Abdullah Matin B Syed Ali Al Habsi, brought home $2,000 Following in third place with $1,000 is Jamiyah’s own Assistant Dakwah Officer, Mr Muhammad Ismail Osman Mr Abdul Samad bin Ahmad, in fourth place, received $500 The winner of Generasi Muaz, Mr Adek Zuhaimei (centre) receiving his prize from Guest-of-Honour, Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Parliamentary Secretary for Ministry of Health and Ministry of Transport (left), and Prof (Adj) Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar, President of Jamiyah Singapore On 6 June 2015, for the first time ever Jamiyah Singapore organised a competition in search of Singapore’s da’i (missionary). The competition, ‘Generasi Muaz’ which took place at The Star Performing Arts Centre, Vista Exchange Green saw four finalists battled it out to be the winner with the song which best reflects Islam. The Guest-of-Honour, Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Parliamentary Secretary for Ministry of Health and Ministry of Transport applauded Jamiyah Singapore for its relentless efforts in improving the wellbeing of the ummah. Dr Faishal added “This programme truly is a noble effort that is highly 24 Voice of Islam appreciated by our government. Let us work together to maintain, consolidate and enrich the welfare of the Malay/ Muslim community that we loved. In this way, our community will be safer and exemplify ourselves as Muslims who are respected by people of other religions.” The winner was Mr Adek Zuhaimei Ismail, 37 years old who clinched the title with his interpretation of M. Nasir’s, ‘Kepadamu Kekasih’ (For you, my love). In Mr Adek’s version, ‘my love’ refers to Allah SWT. He received $3,000 and a pair of Islamic cruise tickets sponsored by Intratama Travel Consultant & Tours (M) Sdn Bhd. He will be representing Singapore at Astro’s reality program, ‘Pencetus Ummah’. The afternoon ended with the much-anticipated religious lectures, ‘Ramadhan: Family Matters’ by three international Islamic scholars - Shaykh Alaa Elsayed and Shaykh Musleh Khan, both from Canada, and Sister Haleh Banani from the United States. They presented the factors contributing to successful family from an Islamic perspective, especially in the context of Ramadhan. Events oct – dec Issue • 2015 Dialogue On MediShield Life On 16 May 2015, Jamiyah Singapore, Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS) and Pioneer Generation Joint Committee (PGJC) organised a dialogue session. The dialogues which was held at Jamiyah HQ itself, saw some 60 representatives of Malay Muslim Organisations (MMOs), Mosques and Malay Activity Executive Committees (MAECs) of various branches in Singapore coming together. The dialogue session aims to promote the newly introduced MediShield Life which offers benefits such as subsidised hospital bills and medical costs to citizens. The Guests of Honour for the dialogue included the Speaker of Parliament and Chairman of the PGJC Mdm Halimah Yacob, and Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Parliamentary Secretary for Ministry of Health and Ministry of Transport and Vice Chairman of PGJC. In her opening address, Mdm Halimah Yacob reiterated the importance of disseminating information pertaining to the MediShield Life which is a landmark benefit scheme announced by the Government for citizens and Permanent Residents. “In respect of the role of grassroots and community leaders, MMO’s, Mosque Management Committee and MESRA, it is important in helping to convince family members of the benefits of a particular scheme by helping to disseminate the information correctly,” she said. An insightful lecture on Health from Islamic Perspectives was also conducted by the Deputy Director of MUIS, Ustaz Dr Nazirudin Mohd Nasir. To ensure that the message was well delivered, a comedy skit on the importance of MediShield Life especially to the pioneer generation was even staged by veteran comedians Mr Husin Saaban and Mdm Zaleha Hamid. All participating organisations were presented with a Certificate of Appreciation as Ambassadors of MediShield Life, at the dialogue session. Speaker of Parliament and Chairman of the PGJC, Mdm Halimah Yacob (centre), and Parliamentary Secretary for Ministry of Health and Ministry of Transport and Vice Chairman of PGJC, Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal (right) were present to enlighten the audience with information regarding the Medishield Life scheme Voice of Islam 25 oct – dec Issue • 2015 Events Honouring Mothers’ Sacrifices 23rd Exemplary Mother Award 2015 “All that I am or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.” – Abraham Lincoln 26 Voice of Islam Events oct – dec Issue • 2015 EMA Fun Facts! In today’s era, mothers usually have to juggle between taking care of their families, managing their careers and aspirations. And despite all of these challenges, some still have time for community involvements. For that, against the backdrop of Mother’s Day celebration, Jamiyah Singapore launched its 23rd Exemplary Mother Award (EMA) 2015 - to recognise the sacrifices and strengths of all mothers, on 8th May 2015. “I have been fortunate to be able to listen to the stories of such strong, fearless mothers who go above and beyond their personal capacity for their families, for themselves and in some instances, the community. These are the mothers that chart the path and are the shining example for younger mothers,” addressed Mrs Claire Chiang, who has been part of the EMA panel of judges for the past years, in her speech at the event. Held at Al-Malik Faisal Hall, Jamiyah HQ, the event was attended by more than 200 guests among others various faith/community leaders, ambassadors, foreign dignitaries, partners of Exemplary Mother Award (EMA) 2015 – People’s Association and National Trade Union Congress (NTUC). Also there to grace the event was Dr Amy Khor, the Senior Minister of State for Ministry of Health and Ministry of Manpower. Jamiyah hopes the EMA continues to act as a platform to honour mothers for their dedication and sacrifice in bringing up their children. The nominations for EMA is opened to all mothers regardless of their race and religion. Mrs Claire Chiang who is the Senior Vice President for Banyan Tree Holdings is at the helm of the Panel of Judges for EMA 2015. The EMA 2015 Organising Committee received an overwhelming amount of nominations and has narrowed down its finalists to five after two competitive selection rounds. The winner will be announced during a high tea reception at Swissotel The Stamford, on 3rd October 2015. Minister of State for Ministry of Health and Ministry of Manpower, Dr Amy Khor (third from left), with one of Jamiyah Singapore’s pioneer volunteer, Mdm Zainab Khamis (centre), cut the cake in conjunction to Mother’s Day • The President’s Shield was first presented to Jamiyah Singapore in 1993 by the late former President, Mr Wee Kim Wee. • After completing its 12 rounds, a new shield was presented by former President, Mr S R Nathan. • The shields has since then seen 22 Exemplary Mothers honoured for their perseverance in enduring hardships and sacrifices in raising their children. • The Panel of Judges comprises of: Mdm Yu-Foo Yee Shoon – Advisor (Former Minister of State, Justice of the Peace) Ms Claire Chiang – Chairperson (Senior VP, Banyan Tree Holdings) Dr Della Lee (Founder, DS Lee Foundation) Dr Bibi Jan Ayyub BBM (School Counsellor) Mdm Mary Hoe Tan (Director, Hoe Tan Pte Ltd) Mrs Laura Hwang (Immediate Past President, Singapore Council of Women Organizations) Mdm Sheila Durgude (Director, Modern Montessori International Pte Ltd) Mrs Sarojini Padmanathan (COO, Singapore Indian Development Association) Ms Joanna Portilla PBM (Chairman, Women’s Integration Network, People’s Association) Mdm Jenny Yeo (Remisier, OCBC Securities) Voice of Islam 27 oct – dec Issue • 2015 Family & Health Towards Becoming the Counselling Centre of Choice Fadzilah Abdul Rahman, Counsellor, Jamiyah Counselling Centre Since it was set-up in 2005, Jamiyah Counselling Centre (JCC) has undoubtedly come a long way. Its objectives and goals are about saving marriages and to provide counselling to couples and families. To do so, JCC provides a holistic and comprehensive range of services including secular counselling as well as counselling based on syariah laws and procedures, therapeutic and educational services in a culturally sensitive and safe environment. While helping couples to overcome their marital problems, JCC counsellors are always on the lookout to better understand family and divorce-related issues which exist in today’s society. This, would in turn enable the counsellors to fine-tune their approach to better help more couples and families who are facing marital problems. Although JCC has always aim to be a source of support and assistance to married couples and families in dealing with their challenges in the 21st century, it ultimately wants to be the Counselling Centre of Choice in Serving the Community by this year. Book an appointment with Jamiyah Counselling Centre via email jcc_admin@jamiyah.org.sg or call 6743 1211 ext. 123. 28 Voice of Islam Jamiyah Counselling Centre Discussion Topics • Couples and relationship theory • Family system theory • The proc ess of divorc e • Pre-divorce or deliberation stage • Anger, Anxiety, Trust • Legal divorc e or litigation stage • Ec onomic c onc erns • Custody c onc erns • Negative reconstruction or spousal identity • Transition stage • Post divorc e stage • Getting stuc k • Psychological influences on the legal divorc e proc ess • Spousal differences in rate of emotional divorc e • Shifts in role expec tations • Emotional involvement • Clients hope for justic e • Applying Islamic perspective in dealing with marriage c rises • Syariah Law Family & Health oct – dec Issue • 2015 Cleansing Our Heart Farhana Aziz, Communications Officer, Jamiyah Singapore As human beings, we face many challenges just to stay on the right path. Most of the times we are consumed by our emotions such as anger, jealousy and hatred. These emotions usually come from the heart which will affect our mind, behaviour towards others and eventually our outlook in life. So to live happily, we should cleanse our heart from such negative emotions. Make ourself understand that we have a purpose in life. Fill our heart with love, compassion and sincerity. Make our intentions clear “The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended.” – Sahih Bukhari In Islam, having a good character and performing good deeds are important. We must bear in mind that all our deeds are going to come before us, which are being recorded and will be shown to us on the Day of Judgement. The criteria of acceptance for our deeds are based purely on our intentions – whether we are doing it for the sake of the Almighty or for our loved ones. By making a firm intention in our hearts and seeking refuge from Syaitan, this helps us in doing our deeds with excellence. Our head and heart has to be firmly rooted wholeheartedly when doing something, so as to please Allah (glorified and exalted be He). Our time in duniyaa is only temporary; let us do something worthy while we are here. Seek forgiveness everyday Never procrastinate “Turn your people in repentance in Allah and beg pardon of Him. I turn to Him in repentance a hundred times a day.” – Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings Allah be upon him) Adjourning the act of doing good deeds is like that of selling your religious commitment for worldly gain. Never allow any actions of good deed delayed. Procrastination is syaitan’s best personality. The moment a good thought comes to mind, just do it and make this du’aa: By performing good deeds, we may erase some of the minor bad ones we have done. Often times, we plan to do something good but never got the chance to be able to portray it. This inability to perform good deeds even though we intend to do them but are unable to do so, is because of our previous sins that we may have committed knowingly and unknowingly. By integrating istighfar (seeking forgiveness) into our daily dhikr (remembrance), Insya Allah we can reach closer to Him. Help others “There is no heart that is not between two of the Fingers of the Most Merciful. If He wills, He guides it and if He wills, He sends it astray.” – Ibn Majah Encourage others to do good so that they too will be rewarded equivalent to anyone who practices that good action. Do not let your heart deviate into the superficial dreams of duniyaa, but pray for protection from the Almighty so that he will create boundaries for you from falling astray. Insya Allah, some good deeds will continue to be rewarded even after we have passed away. “O Allah, I take refuge in You from anxiety and sorrow, weakness and laziness, miserliness and cowardice, the burden of debts and from being overpowered by men.” – Bukhari Insya Allah, the Almighty will see your greatest intentions as a form of pure sincerity and will be repaid well in the Hereafter. The formula for success “Fear Allah wherever you are and follow up a bad deed with a good one and it will wipe it out, and behave well towards people.” – Tirmidhi By putting in that extra effort, we can eventually turn our good intentions into action. Start by putting aside some money for charity whenever we are heading to the mosque. Make du’aa for the sick that hopefully things will get better in time for them. A small act of kindness can make a big difference. It is these little efforts that we can do in our everyday lives that will accumulate to greater good deeds. Voice of Islam 29 oct – dec Issue • 2015 Education Jamiyah Childcare Centre Expands It was good news for parents and would-be parents residing around Ang Mo Kio Ave 6. On 1 August 2015, Jamiyah Childcare Centre (JCCC) expanded its centre to make way to new infant care services and programmes. The new centre, Bay 3 is able to cater up to nine infants between 2 to 17 months old, and 27 children from 18 months to 6 years old. Bedecked with a citrusy palette, candy coloured furnishings which include a mini ball-pit and equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, Bay 3 is definitely a children magnet. With the new centre, JCCC aims to provide a holistic approach in helping with children’s growth and development. There are even spa treatments and massages to pamper the babies who join the centre! “The baby spa and massage would stimulate their senses and develop their motor skills. Based on our research and trainings, infants who were sent for baby spas and massages start walking earlier than the average infants,” explained JCCC Principal, Mdm Faridah Ajis. The launch was officiated by the Guest of Honour, Mr Seng Han Thong, Member of Parliament for Ang Mo Kio GRC. Also there at the event were senior management officials from Jamiyah Singapore - President of Jamiyah Singapore, Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar; Vice President 1, Dr H M Saleem and Vice President 2, Mr Mohd Yunos Mohd Shariff. The existing Bay 1 and Bay 2 offer childcare services and kindergarten programmes. The Guest-of-Honour, Member of Parliament for Ang Mo Kio GRC, Mr Seng Han Tong (centre), officiated the launch of the JCCC new centre, Bay 3 Jamiyah childcare centre Blk 124, Ang Mo Kio Ave 6 #01-4055, Singapore 560124 Tel: (65) 6457 4458 Fax: (65) 6453 0758 Email: jccc@jamiyah.org.sg 30 Voice of Islam Education oct – dec Issue • 2015 The SPARK recognition lists GCDC as the first Malay/Muslim child centre in Singapore to receive the accreditation A Spark for GCDC 1 July 2015 could be marked as one of the best years for Jamiyah Singapore’s Global Childcare Development Centre (GCDC). The education centre has successfully attained the Singapore Pre-school Accreditation Framework (SPARK), thus making it the first Malay/Muslim childcare centre in Singapore to ever achieve the recognition. SPARK is an accreditation by the Ministry of Education (MOE) that highlights the quality of preschool providers, focusing on the values implemented towards the development of their students. “Our centre went through several assessments for example, prior to attaining the accreditation, every educator here and even myself were taught how to use the Quality Rating Scale (QRS),” shared the Manager of GCDC, Mdm Nor Jehan Mohd Salleh. It was all about hard work. The team at GCDC including Mdm Nor Jehan herself ensured that they met all the seven criteria required to attain the accreditation, which include staff management and curriculum. GCDC prides itself on its unique Community Involvement Program. The program encourages students to give back to the society and help the needy. They would visit door-todoor and distribute food hampers to the less fortunate. For President of Jamiyah Singapore, Prof (Adj) Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar the Sparks accreditation achieved by GCDC is just the first step. Dr Mohd Hasbi explained, “Our main priority now is to try and achieve SPARK for the rest of our childcare centres and kindergarten.” Jamiyah Singapore congratulates all the staff at GCDC for their achievement! Voice of Islam 31 oct – dec Issue • 2015 Education The Molly Bus Programme Instilling The Love of Reading Among Children Rahimah Beevi, Vice Principal, Global Child Development Centre The reading habit should come naturally among children. That is what the Global Child Development Centre (GCDC) hopes to instil in all the children under its care. The centre believes exposing children to reading at an early age would encourage them to develop the interest earlier. To do so, GCDC has incorporated essential reading activities in its school’s curriculum, among them – storytelling. To bring the effort to the next level, GCDC has also collaborated with National Library Board (NLB) on a project known simply as Mini-Molly. Mini-molly - is actually a mobile library on wheels. A bus ferrying The children of GCDC enjoys storytelling sessions 32 Voice of Islam more than 1500 story books pays visits to schools around the island. The books available range from fiction to non-fiction. Among the children who benefit from the project are GCDC’s K1 and K2 children. The children are always looking forward to borrow the story books every month. “I feel happy about the mini molly library because the books are nice,” said Haziq, a K2 student. Not wanting to be left out, his classmate Deashikaa added, “I can choose whatever books I want. I like to choose wild animals, pets and sea creatures.” The mobile library is able to accommodate 12 students at any one time. For the GCDC teachers, they would use these story books to conduct ad hoc storytelling sessions to their children. To the working parents at GCDC, the collaboration between NLB and the centre is greatly welcomed. Ms. Moon Koh who is a mother of a K2 student sums it all. “This service allows my son, Zhen Wen to choose books that is of interest to him easily,” she concluded. “To learn to read is to light a fire; every syllable that is spelled out is a spark.” – Victor Hugo, Les Miserables Beyond Borders oct – dec Issue • 2015 The 7 Session of Prince Naif International Award Ceremony th wJamiyah Singapore Prof (Adjunct) Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar with many other Islamic Organizations leaders from all over the worlds attended the ceremony of handing over Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz Al Saud International Awards to its winners which was patronized and attended by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud himself on Wednesday evening 15 Ramadan 1436H corresponding to 2 July 2015 at Taiba University in AlMadinah Al-Munawwarah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The awards came in 3 categories, they are as follows: 1. Prince Naif Award for Sunnah Nabawiyah (Prophetic Sayings and Traditions) and Contemporary Islamic Studies, 2. Prince Naif Appreciation Award for Sunnah Nabawiyyah 3. Prince Naif Contest Award for Memorization of Sunnah Nabawiyah. The ceremony organized by the general secretariat of the award in Madinah was also attended by the Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Naif, Deputy Premier and Minister of Home Affairs, Deputy Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Defence, Prince Saud Bin Naif, Governor of the Eastern Province and head of the higher commission of the award, Dr. Azzam Al-Dakhil, Minister of Education, and Dr Saed Al-Orabi Al-Harthi, advisor to the Minister of Interior and secretary general of the award. Recipients of Prince Naif International Awards were Dr Abul Qassim Muhammad Abu Shamah Najah, Dr Ahmad Muhammad Fakeer, Dr Mubarak Lamin AlHassan, Dr Ziyad Abid Al-Mashoukhi and Dr Adnan Mustafa Khatatibah. Dr Azzam Al-Dhakhil, during his address stressed that the objective of this award is to promote the scientific research, to raise the spirit of competition and the study of contemporary issues and to highlight the virtues of Islam and getting closer links between scientists, researchers and thinkers. Prof (Adj) Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar, President of Jamiyah Singapore (fourth from left) was among the invited Islamic world leaders Voice of Islam 33 oct – dec Issue • 2015 Beyond Borders International Conference on Islam and CounterTerrorism in Makkah Jamiyah Singapore several prominent leaders of Muslim organisations all over the world came together for the International Conference on Islam and Counter Terrorism which was held early this year. The conference which took place on 03-06/05/1436 corresponding to 22-25/02/2015, at Makkah Al-Mukarrama was organized by Rabitah Al-Alam Al-Islami (Muslim World League, MWL) under the aegis of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud. The inauguration ceremony by HRH Prince Khalid Al-Faisal AlSaud, Governor of Makkah Region took place three days earlier prior to the commencement of the conference itself. In his opening address, Prince Khalid among others, conveyed the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ hope of refuting suspicions and falsehoods against Islam and its civilization; and its efforts in countering terrorism, extremism and fanaticism that are happening today. Prince Khalid also urged the learned participants to tackle all forms of terrorism. The call for action by Prince Khalid was also echoed by His 34 Voice of Islam Eminence Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bin Abdullah Al-Sheikh, the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, and President of the Rabitah’s Supreme Council. Sheikh Abdul Aziz called the participants to focus their efforts in addressing the present phenomenon of terrorism and extremism. his religion, his blood, his intellect, his money and his honor. This includes all forms of intimidation, abuse, threats and unjustified killing. It includes any type of banditry, any violent or threatening actions to conduct criminal schemes individually or collectively. The President of Jamiyah Singapore, Prof (Adj) Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar was among the privileged participants present at the conference. These, aim at causing terror and intimidation; to harm people or put their lives, freedom, security and situations at risk. There are also additional forms of terrorism, such as harm to the environment, or any damage to public and private properties; exposing any national or natural resources to danger.” An exhibition was also held in conjunction with the conference. The exhibition among others, highlighted the efforts by the Saudi Kingdom and MWL in fighting terrorism and extremism. During the conference, participants discussed following issues: the the 1. What is Terrorism? The participants agreed that the definition by the Islamic Fiqh Council of MWL in 1992 was the most inclusive. “Terrorism is the unlawful aggression perpetrated by individuals, groups, states, in acts of transgression on man; 2. Causes of Terrorism Following their discussion, the participants drew a list of reasons and among those which made it to the list include: • Religious ideology, misconception of jihad, sectarian intolerance social, administrative and economic reasons. • Shortcomings in social and economic development programs to meet the needs of the society. Unemployment and poverty are on the rise, and there is Beyond Borders oct – dec Issue • 2015 Prof (Adj) Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar (second from right) at the international Conference on Islam and Counter Terrorism at Makkah Al-Mukarrama • • • an absence of cultural justice in many Muslim countries. The social institutions lack the drive to deal with bad social phenomena. In the absence of this line of defense, negative media influence filled the void. These have led to intellect extremism and deviant behavior. Many Muslim communities lack the drive to protect human rights and deal with employment and judicature matters fairly. The communities have failed to secure a decent life for the poor, the vulnerable, and the disadvantaged. Under the pretext of freedom of expression, the easy access to social media and the constant abuses thrown at Muslim prophets have led to retaliations which are far from legal and legitimate. The laws protecting the freedom of expression and their abusers have also contributed to the increasing acts of retaliation. • Due to their innocence and gullibility, youths are easily misled by extreme ideologies and become the victims of religious extremists. 3. Effects of Terrorism There is no doubt terrorism has negative impacts on Islam and the Muslims in general. The following are the worst case scenario that have been identified: • Tarnish the image of Islam in the eyes of the world, resulting in the stereotype linking Islam to terrorism and violence. • Lead to the stereotype of Islam to terrorism and violence creates doubts among many Muslim children about their religion and its values. • Weakened the unity and security of many Islamic countries and communities which in turn divides the social fabric of the countries. This will enable foreign countries to interfere with their internal affairs in the pretext of bringing stability. • Any efforts for Da’wa have been disrupted as Islamic preachers begin to lose sight on their priorities. Instead of putting their efforts in useful endeavors they started defending Islam and the rights of Muslims. Charitable work take a backseat, and the trust in Islamic charities dwindled. Harassment and crackdown on Muslims ensued. The conference also forwarded their recommendations to counteract the negative impacts of terrorism. The recommendations were addressed to the Muslim leaders, scholars, youths, and the world in general. Voice of Islam 35 oct – dec Issue • 2015 Beyond Borders Compassion and Brotherhood in Islam Methodology and Message Prof (Adj) Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar, President, Jamiyah Singapore Engaging in inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue has never been more pertinent before as it is today due to globalisation. Open and sustained dialogue, as well as the respect for the freedom of expression and religious beliefs are fundamental to our endeavour to promote a culture of peace. Singapore’s approach towards communal harmony and efforts to promote dialogue comprises of legislative measures against racial or religious intolerance. It is henceforth notwithstanding any diversity of racial and religious relations in Singapore today without a good level of inter-religious tolerance and respect. This is no mean feat and is a result of concerted efforts of the Singapore Government and its people over the past three decades. A Presidential Council on Religious Harmony was also formed under the Act to advise the Government on matters affecting the maintenance of religious harmony in Singapore. In 2003, the Declaration of Religious Harmony was issued by national bodies of all mainstream religious groups in Singapore to affirm the importance and commitment towards religious harmony. This comprises of religious representatives that further enhances our efforts in promoting inter-religious harmony. More recently in 2006, the Community Engagement Programme, an overarching governmental effort to foster unity and resilience among various communities and religious groups was established. It is a programme that brings together stakeholders from various organisations, businesses and institutions to take up the responsibility of building social resilience and communal harmony. To maintain the trust and understanding among different The symposium in Cambodia saw leaders from Islamic Organisations from all around the world discuss the issue of inter-religious tolerance 36 Voice of Islam Beyond Borders religious communities require a spirit of give and take. When respecting others, it ensures that every religious group is assured of the fair treatment in all aspects of life. Such a pragmatic and responsible approach has worked for Singapore, seeing the society working together as partners towards equality and harmony. Jamiyah Singapore – Its Role and Contributions in Promoting Understanding of Islam and the Muslim Community One of Jamiyah Singapore’s key pillars is the spread of Islam through dakwah activities that promotes religious harmony. Jamiyah has a long tradition of doing our part in promoting interfaith harmony through its multifarious programmes. The founder, Moulana Abdul Aleem Siddique, was well respected and accepted for his scholarship on Islam and other faiths, and for promoting the message of peace and harmony. Jamiyah actively organises religious seminars with the participation of Muslim and other NGOs. The seminars act as a platform for promoting peace and harmony. Such seminars are organised along with International Islamic Forum for Dialogue (Saudi Arabia) and oct – dec Issue • 2015 local Muslim and Non-Muslim organisations. Jamiyah has close networks with organisations of other faiths in Singapore which include Singapore Buddhist Lodge, Hindu Endowments Board, Singapore Catholic Archdiocese, Soka Association Singapore, Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints, Loyang Tua Pek Kong Temple and other various mosques, temples and churches. races and faiths, to help others to understand and know more about Islam. The contributions received for the late Mr Haji Abu Bakar Maidin deserves a special mention of its own. It was under his presidency that Jamiyah launched several initiatives and programmes that focused specifically on spreading the message of a peaceful Islam. Currently, Jamiyah manages around 20 different service projects that address the needs of the disadvantaged sections of the society. These include children’s home, home for the aged destitute, nursing home, halfway house for recovering drug addicts, counselling centre, education centres, women and family department, dakwah, community engagement programmes and many more. All these projects serve Singaporeans and others regardless of race or faith. It acts as a platform to showcase the beauty of Islam and the Muslims, while meeting the needs of the less endowed. Here in Singapore, we are very fortunate to enjoy peace and harmony in our multi-racial and multi-religious society. This nation was built where people of all race and religions live together in peace, with a strong spirit of unity and harmony. However, let us not forget that we did not reach this happy state of affairs by chance. Just like how Rome was not built in a day, the peace that Singapore enjoys today is through the result of many years of patient effort. Sustaining Singapore’s racial harmony is a continuous journey that every Singaporean is fully committed to. It is with respect, tolerance and acceptance that continues to become a core belief amongst our people, as what we recognise and truly value. The community service mission of Jamiyah has drawn support from philanthropists, business houses and others belonging to different Looking Forward Voice of Islam 37 oct – dec Issue • 2015 Beyond Borders A Multi-Religious Society in Secular Singapore Prof (Adj) Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar, President, Jamiyah Singapore The President of Jamiyah Singapore, Prof (Adj) Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar was one of privileged few who was invited to make a presentation at the Twenty-First Annual International Law and Religion Symposium. The symposium which was organised by the International Centre for Law and Religion Studies, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah USA, was held in October 2014. The Voice of Islam shares with you Dr Mohd Hasbi’s presentation at the symposium. Religion in Singapore is characterised by a diversity of religious beliefs and practices due to its diverse ethnic mix of people origination from various countries. Singapore, being the world’s most religiously diverse nation, sees 83% of citizens and permanent residents professing religious faith with Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Taoism and Hinduism which made up the major religions. However, it is a practice to have certain restrictions on religious freedom in Singapore, as laws and policies are imposed to restrict the rights in some circumstances. For example, publications and public discussions on religious issues are generally censored, along with negative or inflammatory portrayals of any religion. The government does not tolerate speech or actions that could adversely affect racial or religious harmony. As such, the restriction on freedom of religion is an important reflection of Singapore’s secularism. It is modelled to ‘protect the state from religion’, 38 Voice of Islam further showing how Singapore government’s steadfastness in insisting on secularism and the challenges surrounding it, in the pursuit towards allowing freedom of religion in Singapore. The Singapore government also influences religious practices through the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act. This was done as a response to actions that the government viewed as threats to religious harmony. This includes aggressive and ‘insensitive’ proselytizing and ‘the mixing of religion and politics’. With this established act, it empowers restraining orders against leaders and members of religious groups to prevent them from carrying out any political activities, such as creating ‘ill will’ between religious groups, or carrying out subversive activities. Constitutional Provisions or Religious Practices in Singapore Diversity in Singapore is made up of racial and religious relations that is generally stable and strong, with a good level of inter-religious tolerance. This is the result of the concerted efforts of Singapore Government and its people, over the past three decades. There are other provisions in the Constitution that protects religious freedom, prohibiting discrimination against Singapore Citizens, on the ground of, among others, religion in any law. The constitutional rights of religious freedom in Singapore operates within the structure of public order. Laws such as the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act was established in 1990, with an aim to preserve social order. Eventually, the Singapore Government has clearly demonstrated its neutrality by soliciting views from citizens, including religious groups. The need for Singapore’s secularism provides with a framework that ultimately promotes neutrality and evenhandedness. oct – dec Issue • 2015 Photo Diary Photo Diary CEO of Sheng Siong, Mr Lim Hock hamper DISTRIBUTION AT DARUL ISLAH Member of Parliament, Mr Zainal Sapari gave out the hampers to the needy 40 Voice of Islam Photo Diary oct – dec Issue • 2015 SHENG SIONG CARES Chee, and officials spent time with residents of Darul Syifa’ SARKASI’S VISIT TO DARUL MA’WA The children of Darul Ma’wa had the opportunity to learn batik painting from the master SALAM LEBARAN 2015 Officials of Jamiyah Singapore take a break for a night of interaction with fun and games Voice of Islam 41 oct – dec Issue • 2015 Dakwah ﺃﻧﺪﻱ ﻋﺒﺪ ﺍﻟﻘﺎﺩﺭ ﺃﻧﺪﻱ ﻛﺘﺎ:ﺇﻋﺪﺍﺩ 42 Voice of Islam