PDF - Jamiyah Singapore
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PDF - Jamiyah Singapore
JAMIYAH SINGAPORE l i c e n c e no 1 2 5 / 0 1 / 20 1 3 | Feb rua ry /Ma rch 2 0 1 3 /Rabiulawal/ Rabiulakhir 1434H THE COVER STORY INSPIRATIONS & ASPIRATIONS ISESCO & JAMIYAH HOLD 3-DAY INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR Professor (Adjunct) Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar President Jamiyah Singapore INSIDE VOI N O: 1 2 0 1 3 Islam VOICE OF SUARA VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 ISESCO & JAMIYAH THE NEW TEAM IN Hold 3-Day International Seminar JAMIYAH Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts & Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs EXEMPLARY MOTHER Award Presentation Ceremony ...an d m ore 1 VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 2 COVER STORY 06 VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 ISESCO Conference This issue, the spotlight is on the ISESCO Conference where 50 delegates from some 28 countries focused on the challenges faced by Muslim NGOs in community service CONTENTS FEATURE 08 The New Team In Jamiyah 10 Capacity Building Has Fast Become A Major Topic Among Non Governmental Organizations. As the President of Jamiyah Singapore, Professor (Adjunct) Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar is determined to build on the inspiration of the pioneers of Jamiyah in expanding Jamiyah’s outreach and establishing it as a forward looking organization 13 28 Dr Isa Hassan analyses the role of non-governmental organizations in capacity building 21 Celebrating Volunteerism 31 41 On The Prophet’s daughter, Fatimah Az-Zahra Radiallahuta’ala Anha Volunteers and their sacrifices and dedication were applauded at this event held at Darul Ma’wa Responsibility Of The Youth In Promoting The Values Of Citizenship, Development And Dialogue Held at the headquarters of Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) in Rabat, Morocco from 19-21 December 2012 TRAINING 14 Overseas Fellowship Attachment Training for The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Prime Minister’s Office, Brunei Darussalam conducted at Jamiyah Halfway House WOMEN 15 Exemplary Mother Award Presentation Ceremony 18 held at the Swissotel the Stamford where President Jamiyah, Professor (Adjunct) Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar commended the finalists of the ceremony for being shining examples for other mothers INTERFAITH 13 Roses of Peace was organized by the Malay Muslim students from tertiary institutions in Singapore in collaboration with Jamiyah Singapore and SimplyIslam where roses were distributed whilst raising awareness about the true teachings of Islam 21 PHOTO DIARY 34 Photo Diary A photo montage capturing momentous events in Jamiyah in the year 2012 3 VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 QURBAN 2012 25 The Ritual Of Qurban 1433H/2012 Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Transport was present at the Qurban and Aqiqah held on 27th October 2012 CONTENTS EDUCATION 17 Dr Muhammad Ariff Ahmad Malay Studies Endowment @ NTU initiative to give an opportunity to those who are passionate in pursuing Malay studies 18 Learning Minds Giving Hearts 28 Memorandum of Understanding Signing Ceremony was the theme of the Jamiyah Early Childhood Education Centres Graduation Concert and Exhibition between Jamiyah Singapore, University College Islam Melaka & The Quran Academy, Canada @ JAMIYAH 22 Launch of Knowledge Garden @ Darul Ma’wa 24 Singapore America Soccer Ex-change “Empowering Girls Through Sports” Soccer Clinic organized by the Community in Bloom Garden City Fund (GCF) and cheque presentation by The Ascott Limited DA’WAH 26 45 47 Nuzulul Quran organized by Jamiyah Singapore International Fatwa Conference In Jakarta An International Conference on ‘Fatwa’ held from 24-26 December 2012 organized by Rabitah Al-Alam Al-Islami [Muslim World League] in cooperation with the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs Maulidur Rasul COUNSELLING 32 42 50 4 Second Marriage It’s Premium And Challenges. Look before you leap Editorial Board Editor AZLINA ISMAIL Editorial Board Members DR H.M. SALEEM ZAINUDDIN ISMAIL MOHD HOSNI ABDUL MALIK AZEEMAH MUSTAFA MOHAMED ASHIK Contributors DR ISA HASSAN MUSTAFFA MARICAN ANDI ABDUL KADIR ANDI KITTA MD NOOR BIN MD SAID SULAIMAN JEEM Designers SYAZWANI SYAFAWATI NOOR HIDAYAH Periodical Magazine Published by : Muslim Missionary Society Singapore (JAMIYAH) 31 Lorong 12 Geylang Singapore 399006 Tel: +65 6743 1211 Fax: +65 6745 0610 Email: [email protected] Website: www.jamiyah.org.sg Printed by Multiprint Services JAMIYAH SINGAPORE EDITORIAL EDITORIAL VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 ON THE COVER The many delegates from Muslim NGOs of the different countries in the Asia and Pacific region shared their expertise and knowledge when they came together at the Islamic Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ISESCO) seminar in October 2012. ISESCO and Jamiyah Singapore in co-operation with Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, State of Kuwait, International Islamic Charitable Organisation Kuwait organized this 3-day seminar to share resources and knowledge for the betterment of communities. Assalamu’alaikum wr wb In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. Alhamdulillah, the Voice of Islam magazine remains committed to Jamiyah’s mission to serve the nation and mankind. In that we will continue to strive and reach out to our readers to enlighten and inform Jamiyah’s donors and stakeholders about our service programmes for the different sections in society; from the needy and poor through our welfare programmes, to our education upliftment programmes which reach out to the community with services in childcare, student care and student services to the multifarious community engagement programmes for the betterment of society. The cover story in this issue highlights the 3-day seminar organized by the Islamic Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ISESCO) and Jamiyah Singapore in co-operation with Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, State of Kuwait, International Islamic Charitable Organisation Kuwait, where the Muslim NonGovernmental Organisations (NGOs) from the different countries came together to share resources and knowledge for the betterment of communities. The community will continue to face challenges and we need to rally our efforts and plans to tackle these challenges head on. A lead story in this issue highlights the new team in Jamiyah Singapore who, with a fresh outlook and a quiet confidence in our well wishers, partners and the community’s support is determined to strengthen our resources and continue with our outreach and service programmes in Education, Social and Welfare. Certainly, we will continue to spread the universal message of peace and love that Islam brings as we explore in the pages of history the sterling examples of Muslim women such as the prophet’s daughter, Sayyidah Fatimah azZahra r.a. and venerate mothers, the pillars of family, the community and society in our annual Exemplary Mother Award celebrations. We value the belief and confidence that we have been given and Jamiyah Singapore will advance to fulfil the responsibility entrusted to us by our supporters and shall continue in our efforts to uplift society and help build an outstanding community, Insha’Allah. VOI 5 VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 COVER STO R Y Opening of the seminar L to R: Professor (Adjunct) Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar, Mr Abdel Illah Benarafah, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim and Mr Abu Bakar Maidin H.E. Dr. Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri Director General, Islamic Scientific, Educational and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) I S E SCO & JA MIY A H “ T Another challenge that our Muslim NGOs face would be to attract the youths in our community to actively participate, give back and volunteer their services. “ 6 hold 3- d ay Inte r natio nal S e m ina r he Islamic Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ISESCO) and Jamiyah Singapore in co-operation with Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, State of Kuwait, International Islamic Charitable Organization Kuwait, held a 3-day International Seminar on Muslim NGOs in Community Service: Challenges and Opportunities, which took place at Jamiyah Singapore. The Official Opening of the seminar was held on Friday, 19th October 2012 and the Guest-Of-Honour for the event was Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts & Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs who said that the seminar was a good platform for Muslim NGOs to come together to discuss issues, challenges and opportunities although the participants came from different countries, all had a common mission towards the betterment of communities and nations. He remarked that although there was an encouraging climate in Singapore for NGOs to play their role to serve social causes, there were also challenges and issues that they face. One example would be financial sustainability. Thus it was important that Muslim NGOs in Singapore focus on working out long term financial sustainability plans. He said that the wealth of knowledge and experience of well-established organizations such as Jamiyah Singapore could be valuable for other NGOs to learn and suitably adopt from. Another challenge that our Muslim NGOs face would be to attract the youths in our community to actively participate, ‘give back’ and volunteer their services. President Jamiyah, Professor (Adjunct) Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar in his Welcome Address highlighted that these seminar series hosted by Jamiyah Singapore in collaboration with ISESCO have facilitated and nurtured a culture of moderation and openness in our relationship with the multi-racial and multi-religious communities. Thus, the sharing of experiences and best practices in community relations was made possible. The papers presented at the seminars were circulated as valuable reading materials to community leaders. VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 C OV E R S T ORY Dr Abdel Illah Benarafah’s address on behalf of H.E Dr Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri at the 8 meeting of leaders of ISLAMIC & CULTURAL ASSOCIATION AT JAMIYAH These are some points I want to share with you at the official opening session of our meeting, so that we can achieve good results. Equal dialogue among religions and civilizations must become a key priority for states, international organizations and NGOs. The ultimate purpose of dialogue is to safeguard shared human values and preserve the principles of peace, human rights, tolerance, citizenship and education. In this regard, there is need for closer proximity and improved communication between nations and societies based on the understanding of the universally shared religious values of compassion, solidarity and mutual respect. “ We should stress the need for exploring new approaches to achieve alliance of civilizations and dialogue among cultures, as well as new opportunities for cooperation between States, building on the means and possibilities offered by culture, arts, heritage, and all forms of cultural expressions of peoples and nations. The objective is to find VOI common global cultural patterns that will serve as a basis to overcome tight linguistic and ethnic barriers, enhance interaction and communication, promote the principles of brotherhood and peace, and prevent all forms of fanaticism and extremism. “ “ SEMINAR HIGHLIGHTS The Keynote Address was delivered by Datuk Dr Mohamed Ghazali Bin Md Noor, Pro-tem Chairman, Alumni Islamic Development Bank (IDB) while ISESCO Representative, Dr Abdel Illah Benarafa, Expert, Manuscript and Cultural Diversity Divison, Directorate of Culture and Communication delivered his speech to over 50 delegates from some 28 countries including China, Korea, Japan, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Cambodia, Australia, Timor Leste, Philippines, Albania, Germany, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, London, Malaysia, Morocco, Spain, Myanmar, Switzerland, Vietnam, London, Timor Leste and Egypt. Ambassadors of various countries and local interfaith groups were also present to witness the event. VOI “ Dr Mohd Hasbi stressed the significance of this year’s seminar as it focused on Muslim NGOs in community service and the challenges that they faced in carrying out their mission of serving the community. Muslim NGOs in Singapore have evolved just as Jamiyah Singapore has, into an inclusive organization with a service mission that extends beyond focusing mainly on faith based activities to playing a strategic role in increasing public awareness and participation to community development, and in the process, covering people of all faiths and races. He also felt that it was important for NGOs to leverage their resources and skills through collaboration and fostering networking for the benefit of the community. 7 COVER STORY VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 FEA TUR E THE NEW TEAM AT THE HELM Professor (Adjunct) Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar, President of Jamiyah Singapore and his new team of office holders are determined to build on the inspiration of the pioneers of Jamiyah Singapore in expanding Jamiyah’s outreach and establishing the organization as a forward looking organization. Taking a macro perspective, Dr Mohd Hasbi has laid out some of his plans to optimize efforts to increase the availability and utilization of services through direct intervention and interaction with groups and organizations, locally and internationally. Inspired by a model that is the visionary Haji Abu Bakar Maidin, the former President of Jamiyah Singapore, Dr Mohd Hasbi mooted the idea of a Jamiyah Singapore of the future, one that is rooted in excellence of service and innovative in ideas and plans. With strong support from a revitalized team and with a target and focus, Dr Mohd President, Professor (Adjunct) Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar, (centre). On his left: Dr H.M. Saleem, Vice-President I, Secretary General, Mr Khalid Hassan, Asst. Secretary General, Mr Mohd Hosni Abdul Malik and on his right: Vice-President III, Dr Isa Hassan, Vice-President II, Mr Mohd Yunos Mohd Shariff and Director, Human Resource, Mr Mohd Noor Said. 8 VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 FEA T URE “ miyah that JaT s e v e i l e SI ION ib b O s a P r H e r t t D PED er n a be is now i better EQUIP aft E and PERIENC Diatives t and EXup several iningapore i g S n i e sett ceiving th d (SQC) and re y Class Awar siness Qualitts Jamiyah Bu ke on for i l unit, to ta new Schoo llenges of the the cha economy “ Hasbi who was elected President of Jamiyah Singapore at the 66th Annual General Meeting of Jamiyah held on 8th September 2012, aims to make that vision a reality. Dr Hasbi believes that Jamiyah is now in a better position and better equipped and experienced after setting up several initiatives to take on the new challenges faced by the community and society. Together with a new team consisting of key office holders, Dr H.M. Saleem, Vice-President I, Mr Mohd Yunos Mohd Shariff, Vice-President II and Dr Isa Hassan, Vice-President III and a new team of Executive Council members, Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar sets out his plans to strengthen the financial resilience of the organization, consolidating ongoing service programmes and further enhancing networking with local, regional and international NGOs. One such expansion plan is Jamiyah’s focus on education to cater to the increasing demand for Islamic studies in Singapore. Jamiyah responds to this need with a comprehensive plan for the establishment of Jamiyah Muslim College. Registering a big jump in enrolment figures of students in Islamic education in Jamiyah - from primary school to the weekend madrasah and diploma programs – this swift response is certainly pertinent. With a larger focus that goes beyond Singapore’s shores, Jamiyah’s collaborations with institutions from neighbouring countries such as the Diploma in Shariah program and Diploma Tahfiz Usuluddin Wal Qiraat offered in collaboration with the Kolej University Islam Melaka (KUIM) and niche programmes with institutions such as the Quran Academy in Canada, Jamiyah is poised for expansion in its service programs in Education. Another area that he will be focusing to realize is the development of a one-stop service center that combines a variety of services under one roof, including counseling, legal and medical clinics and food distribution services. In setting high standards of professionalism to ensure that the needs of the underprivileged are being met in particular, the idea is to enhance the quality of life and uplift them to become independent and selfsufficient. One of the agenda of the new team headed by Dr Mohd Hasbi is to accomplish large scale participation of youths in the various projects and services to the community and nation. He believes that the involvement of youths in Education, Welfare for the community and networking is the leap that will bring Jamiyah to its next lap of reaching out to the community. His hopes and aspirations is that with careful plans for capacity building, the collective efforts will translate a pulsating Jamiyah, more attuned to the needs of the community now and in the future. VOI 9 LIFESTYLE VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 FEA TUR E AS non governmental organizations play increasingly important roles in our society, it becomes even more critical for them to perform effectively. In response, managers of non governmental organizations have demonstrated a growing interest in management practices and principles that will help them build high-performing organizations, rather than just strong programs. Traditional foundations and venture philanthropists have also professed a new commitment to investing in the organizational capacity of the non governmental organizations that they fund. Defining Capacity Building There are a variety of definitions for capacity building. Perhaps the most fundamental definition is “actions that improve nonprofit effectiveness”. Other discussions about capacity building refer to the concept as actions that enhance a non governmental organization’s ability to work towards its mission. In this paper, we define capacity building as “the ability of nonprofit organizations to fulfill their missions in an effective manner”. Many nonprofit organizations are small and possess limited resources, particularly when measured against the challenges and critical issues that they address. The push 10 CAPACITY BUILDING A MAJOR TOPIC AMONG NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS. By Dr Isa Hassan, Vice President III, Jamiyah Singapore to link indicators of capacity to overall performance is critical to strengthening the sector. A Model For Non governmental Organisations’ Capacity Building Determining an organization’s capacity-building needs is not a simple or clear-cut process, in part, because no one has established what characteristics actually make an effective organization. The existing literature provides no easy formula for building organization capacity or achieving favourable outcomes. Instead, the model presented in this paper can serve as a guide in the development of intervention strategies. We are advocating a common framework for analyzing and assessing potential pathways for addressing the capacity needs of the non governmental organizations. It consists of five components that are commonly found in all organizations and intermediary structures: vision and mission, leadership, resources, outreach and products and services. These five factors are interrelated and mutually dependent on one another. As a system, each factor reinforces and bolsters the other factors in the model. It is unlikely, however, that all five factors are equally present in any particular organization. Some groups may emphasize one factor over another, but a healthy mix of these five components is necessary for an organization to survive and thrive. Each factor, discussed more fully below, can be viewed as a possible intervention point for enhancing organizational capacity. ART VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 (1) Vision & Mission An organization’s vision and mission provide a good starting point for assessing its capacity and needs. They not only reflect the types of programmes and services offered by the organization, but also affect the other components of the capacity-building model. For example, the vision and mission of an organization will influence its ability to attract and retain leaders who share its goals. The leaders, in turn, will be influential in setting, maintaining, or redirecting the mission of the organization. Although vision and mission statements are meant to have enduring qualities, they need to be reviewed and possibly revised from time to time. A re-evaluation or re-dedication to the organization’s vision and mission are important first steps in answering the question, “Build capacity for what?” (2) FEA T URE Leadership Strong and effective leadership is the lynchpin of the system. Leadership for non governmental organizations may come from many sources, including professional staff, board members, and volunteers. While leadership is an essential ingredient for an effective organization, it is difficult to define and capture. Leaders motivate others and create action. They envision and articulate the organization’s goals and establish the systems and mechanisms to achieve those goals. Strong leadership can make the difference between success and failure in implementing programs and services. Leaders have a strong sense of ownership in the work of their non governmental organization and set standards for organizational performance. “ We are advocating a common framework for analyzing and assessing potential pathways for addressing the capacity needs of the non governmental organizations. “ Identifying and developing new leadership is akin to the sustainable development process. Without an eye towards the future, the present leadership runs the risk of becoming outdated, obsolete, and depleted. Not only must new leaders with new ideas and energy be brought into an organization from time to time to stimulate and invigorate the work, but also current leaders should be aware of the need to mentor the next generation of leaders. (3) Resources Resources are an essential and critical component of the system. They can affect the organization’s ability to carry out its mission, attract competent leadership, and get its work and message out to the community. Although resources 11 VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 FEA TUR E do not necessarily have to be extensive, they do have to be well managed. Bringing organizational capacity up to scale to deliver essential services and programs is one of the continual challenges of the non governmental organizations sector. (4) Outreach An organization can have a vital mission, good leadership, and sufficient resources, but unless it is known in the community, its impact will be limited. Outreach is an essential element for strengthening and extending the work of community-based organizations. “ Leaders have a strong sense of ownership in the work of their non governmental organization and set standards for organizational performance. Identifying and developing new leadership is akin to the sustainable development process. “ 12 Outreach is the mechanism for building a base of support. Even groups that offer confidential services, such as family planning services or suicide prevention hotlines, must engage in some type of outreach to let people know what programs and services they offer. Increased networking and greater outreach mean access to more people. The more people who know about the organization and its work, the more opportunity there is to attract people to the organization as board members, staff, volunteers, clients, or supporters. Conclusion (5) The sustainable development literature, in particular, provides important insights into the capacitybuilding profess. Like the changing ecosystem, capacity building is neither a one-time fix nor a permanent solution. As community needs and environments change over time, the need to revisit and redefine the question “capacity for what?” becomes dynamic force. If done well, this repeated cycle promotes a healthy community environment in which to address current needs and prepare for future generations. VOI Products & Services The persistent call for non governmental organizations to demonstrate that their products and services are making a difference to society and that they are effectively using their resources heightens the need to measure and evaluate these products and services. Funders and community leaders want to know how well a program is working and what it has accomplished. Non governmental organizations are much more adept at measuring outputs than outcomes and are only beginning to explore how to develop outcome measures. The community indicators movement is one effort aimed at assessing community outcomes. The movement sprang from a need for communities to have a way to measure their overall health and quality of life and document changes over time. Indicators provide communities with benchmarks by which they can gauge their progress and can cover a broad range of issues. New requirements by government and other funders have increased the pressure on nonprofit organizations to improve performance and develop measurable outcomes. When confronted with pressures to improve many things at the same time, a nonprofit organization with limited resources is likely to ignore these pressures and do nothing. How the question “Building capacity for what?” is addressed will depend on the values that are brought to the table and the lens that is used to guide the process. There is no right or wrong answer. Instead, it rests on the needs that are identified in the community, the resources that can be mustered, the political will that can be tapped, and the sustained vision of leaders and community residents to accomplish the goals. REFERENCES Community Development For NGOs, A Compendium of Papers Presented at the Workshop held in Singapore (2001), published by Jamiyah Singapore. 75 Years of Jamiyah Singapore (2007), published by Jamiyah Singapore. Boris, Elizabeth T. 1999. “The Nonprofit Sector in the 1990s.” In Philanthropy and the Nonprofit Sector, edited by Charles T. Clotfelter and Thomas Ehrlich. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. Fort A.L. 1999 Want sustainability? Build capacity: A Framework and tool for measuring Progress. Presentation to the Global Health Council’s Global Health, Poverty and Development Annual Conference. Smillie, Ian and Hailey, John (2000) Managing For Change: Leadership, Strategy and Management in Asian NGOs. VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 Distributing Roses of Peace I NT FEA ERFA T URE ITH O ver 180 students from the Tertiary Student Organizations distributed more than 3,000 roses for free to the public on Saturday, 10 November 2012 to spread the message of goodwill, love and peace. Mr Zainal Sapari (2nd from left) giving out the certificate of appreciation to one of the student volunteers. On his right Mr Mohd Irsyad and standing from left Professor (Adjunct) Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar and Mr Feisal Marican This event, Roses of Peace was jointly organized by Jamiyah Singapore, SimplyIslam and the Malay Muslim students from Singapore Management University (SMU), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore Institute of Management (SIM), Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Singapore Polytechnic, Temasek Polytechnic and Nanyang Polytechnic. Each rosebud contained the message of peace and love of the blessed Prophet Muhammad and others such as Jesus, Confucius and Buddha. This event is especially important in the context of multi-racial and multi-religious Singapore while raising awareness about the true teachings of Islam. This effort is similar to the ones in the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Norway, Australia, Egypt, Sweden and Germany. President Jamiyah Singapore, Professor (Adjunct) Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar, said he is supportive of the initiative undertaken by the Muslim student that there will be understanding between the different racial and religious groups. The students distributed roses at eight locations in Orchard Road, City Hall, Raffles Place, Pasir Ris, Tampines and Bishan starting from 2 pm. leaders and students at various institutions of higher learning because the project aims to strengthen racial and religious harmony in the country and this, he believes will help Singaporeans and others residing in this country to continue to live in peace and harmony. He also mentioned at the press conference held earlier that efforts should be intensified to ensure the harmonious way of life that we are currently practicing will continue, and Mr Zainal Sapari, Member of Parliament, Pasir-Ris Punggol GRC was the Guest-of-Honour at the Appreciation Dinner later that day held at Jamiyah Headquarters. VOI Volunteers to spread the message of goodwill, love and peace 13 VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 TRA INING l Bureau (NCB), o tr n o C cs ti co ar N e se ent Training For Th m h ac tt A ip sh miyah Halfway Hou Ja w t lo A el ed F ct s du ea on rs C ve O unei Darussalam ffice, Br Prime Minister’s O On 5th October 2012, in a media briefing at Jamiyah Singapore, President Jamiyah, Professor (Adjunct) Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar and senior officials welcomed a group from the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Prime Minister’s Office, Brunei Darussalam, who had completed a 2-week Overseas Fellowship attachment and 88 hours training programme conducted at Jamiyah Halfway House, Darul Islah from 24th September 2012 to 7th October 2012. Dr Mohd Hasbi thanked the NCB for giving Jamiyah an opportunity to be a part of the programme and expressed his hope that this would be a start to more of such collaborations. 14 He expressed his thanks to Mr Shariff Yatim, Executive Director, Jamiyah Halfway House for his management of the programme and Mr Abdul Manaf Haji Lampoh, Chief Narcotics Officer and head of delegation, Mr Isradi Haji Lamat, Narcotics Officer and Professor (Adjunct) Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar giving a all the Rakan Harmoni guests token to Mr Abdul Manaf Haji Lampoh for their contribution to the better the areas in the field of substance abuse and success of the programme. human relationships. He added that the challenges Haji Abdul Manaf Haji Lampoh facing recovering addicts would be great but he shared their experiences of the hoped that the programme would help them in training programme whilst also their road to recovery. The programme, according thanking Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu to Mr Shariff Yatim, was done by simulating a real Bakar and Mr Shariff Yatim for Halfway House environment and facilitating the providing the opportunity to understanding of the needs and case management the NCB Brunei to be involved concept of how Jamiyah runs a Halfway House in the experiential training Community programme. programme that has enabled the participants to understand The session ended with an exchange of mementos. VOI VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 Exemplary Mother Award W OMEN Presentation Ceremony 2012 The Exemplary Mother Competition started in 1993 when the Wee Kim Wee Shield was presented to Jamiyah by the former President, the late Dr. Wee Kim Wee. From 1993 to 2004, twelve mothers were honoured consecutively for their perseverance in enduring hardships and their sacrifices in raising their children. They toiled throughout the early years of their life to provide a better future for their children, in terms of education and well-being. The Wee Kim Wee Shield completed its 12 rounds in 2004. In May 2004, the then President S R Nathan presented a new Shield to Jamiyah to continue honouring exemplary mothers for another twelve years. At the suggestion of the former President, the criteria for selection of the Exemplary Mother will include her contribution towards community service in addition to her ability to balance career and family. Winner Mrs Mubarak Begum w/o Mohamed Siddiqe Minister Chan Chun Sing with Professor (Adjunct) Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar and Dr H M Saleem On 21st October 2012 Mrs Mubarak Begum w/o Mohamed Siddiqe and mother of four children was selected winner of the Exemplary Mother Award 2012, organised by Jamiyah Singapore in a ceremony held at the Swissotel The Stamford. President Jamiyah, Professor (Adjunct) Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar in his speech at the event, commended mothers whom he felt have proved to be “more than capable and are pillars of family, the community and society”. He expressed how the mother selected for the award and the runners up are indeed role models in our society. Thus mothers and mothers-to-be should emulate their shining examples. Dr Mohd Hasbi also thanked the Guest of Honour Minister Chan Chun 15 VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 WOM EN Sing, Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, for his kind and gracious presence at the occasion. From a final group of five finalists that included Mdm Go Soei Hiok, Mdm Habibah Binte Tamby, Mdm Noreha Binte Daud and Mdm Rose Bte Ismail, Mrs Mubarak Begum emerged triumphant to clinch the title of Exemplary Mother 2012 and received the President’s Shield, $5000 cash and certificate from the Guest of Honour. For Mrs Mubarak Begum, when her children began their tertiary education, the family felt the financial constraints and could not afford to pay their fees in time. She wanted to look for a job but could not because she only had an ‘O’ level certificate and no working experience. Over the years, she took a course in Certificate for Pre-school Teaching in Tamil conducted by the Ministry of Education, and with the Certificate she was able to get a job as a Tamil Language Pre-School teacher in 2010. For a larger part of her life, she had to learn to cook in large quantities for a mosque and helped to distribute alms on Islamic festivals. By the age of twenty five, she was serving the He expressed how the mother selected for the award and the runners up are indeed role models in our society. Thus mothers and mothers-to-be should emulate their shining examples. Dr Mohd Hasbi also thanked the Guest of Honour Minister Chan Chun Sing, Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, for his kind and gracious presence at the occasion. family’s annual contributions to the congregation called Khanqah Khairiyah which donates charitably to orphanages in Indonesia. Every year, she single-handedly cooked for the events of the congregation and followed them on trips to Indonesia. In 1997 her husband was involved in a major highway accident in Indonesia causing his disability for months. Mrs Mubarak Begum’s willingness to learn and contribute to her household was a key factor in her growth as a mother. Being displaced from her family at a tender age when she came to Singapore from India, it was her dedication to her family that charmed the judges and the jury panel of the Exemplary Mother Award 2012. Jamiyah’s annual Exemplary Mother awards is an event that identifies and glorifies mothers who are the pillars in their families, who play a crucial role in transmitting eternal and virtuous values to their children. This annual event celebrates mothers who have made the ultimate sacrifices to raise their children against trying personal circumstances and at the same time balancing their household and career responsibilities while giving their free time for volunteering and community service. VOI From left to right: Professor (Adjunct) Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar, Minister Chan Chun Sing, Mdm Rose Binte Ismail, Mdm Noreha Binti Daud, Exemplary Mother 2012, Mrs Mubarak Begum, Mdm Habibah Binte Tamby, Mdm Haryani Ismail, Mrs Mary Hoe-Tan, Mdm Saidah Mohamed, Mdm Go Soei Hiok, Dr Bibi Jan Ayyub, Dr Dhakshayani Kishan and Dr Anamah Tan. 16 VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 E D UC A T I ON AN ENDOWMENT DEDICATED TO MALAY STUDIES @ NTU BECOMES A REALITY - DR MUHAMMAD ARIFF AHMAD MALAY STUDIES ENDOWMENT @ NTU At the initiative of a group of ethusiasts in Malay studies, arts and culture from the ASAS 50 (the Association for Malay Literary Writers of the 50’s) spearheaded by Associate Professor Dr Hadijah Rahmat, Deputy Head, Asian Languages & Culture, Academic Group, NIE/ NTU, an endowment known as “Dr Muhammad Ariff Ahmad Malay Studies Endowment @ NTU’’ will soon become a reality. Aimed at giving an opportunity to those who are keen and passionate in pursuing their studies in these fields regardless of their ethnic background, the endowment will contribute towards Singapore’s vision of becoming a culturally vibrant society and enhancing Singapore’s position and connectivity to the Malay world whilst helping the students pursuing the said studies deepen their knowledge. Dr Muhammad Ariff Ahmad is a prominent figure in the Malay community of Singapore. Fondly called as ‘Guru Kita’ from his teaching days @ the Teachers Training College, he is an icon who had won many accolades including the highly acclaimed cultural medallion given by the Singapore Government and the title ‘Pendita - the Sage’ conferred upon him by Majlis Pusat. Cikgu Ariff was a lecturer and Head of Malay Studies at the Teachers Training College which later became National Institute of Education (NIE). Now NIE is placed under the auspices of NTU, the successor of the Nanyang University. Tuan Haji Abu Bakar Maidin, the Chairman of the its fundraising committee said that The Malays must first show that we treasure our cultural heritage. All the efforts of Cikgu Ariff symbolises this. If we take the matter lightly, then what kind of signal are we sending to others? Haji Abu Bakar is highly respected and a veteran in fund-raising. When chairing the Education and Trust Fund (ETF), he managed to solicit the highest donations from the muslim and Asst Secretary of the committee, non-Muslim community raising Mr Mohd Noor Said, added that anyone keen to contribute towards $11 million. this Endowment fund may do so As the Chairman of the Fundraising by calling the Secretariat at Tel No Committee, Haji Abu Bakar’s 67431211 dedication in serving the community had made him the obvious choice HOW TO CONTRIBUTE: for this onerous but noble task. The Send a crossed cheque in the name Secretary of the committee, Haji of ‘NTU’ and forward it to Jamiyah Mohd Raman Daud added that Headquarters at No 31 Lorong it will be organizing a number of 12 Geylang, Singapore 399006 for activities to create awareness to the submission to NTU. Please write public of the Endowment including at the back of the cheque ‘MAS publicity targeted at the Non- Malay/ Fund’ and provide your identity card number for tax-exemption Muslims. purposes. VOI 17 VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 EDUCATIO N Jamiyah Early Childhood E d uc a t i o n C e n t r e s GRADUATION CONCERT AND EXHIBITION 2012 J amiyah early childhood education centres held its graduation ceremony on Sunday, 2nd December 2012 at Woodlands Regional Library Auditorium. The students were from the graduating classes of Jamiyah Kindergarten, Jamiyah Childcare Centre and Global Child Development Centre. The theme for the Graduation was ‘Learning Minds Giving Hearts’ and in conjunction with that, an exhibition was put up to highlight the children’s involvement in community service. From an early age, the students at Jamiyah’s early childhood education centres have been exposed to community service programmes through collaborations with other Jamiyah centres 18 as well as external contacts and partners. The theme that resonated throughout the event and concert was on the importance of community service and how it enriches one’s life. VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 E D UC A T I ON Mr Vikram Nair admiring the exhibition A colourful performance Professor (Adjunct) Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar, President, Jamiyah Singapore, in his opening speech thanked the Guest-of-Honour, Mr Vikram Nair, Member of Parliament, Sembawang GRC for kindly gracing the occasion. to upgrade their qualifications and improving on the educational aids through the MSF’s technological grants. Explaining Jamiyah’s multidimensional educational program with focus on the holistic development of children, Dr Mohd Hasbi elaborated on Jamiyah’s early childhood education’s goals to enable children to be “more ready” for primary school education. Jamiyah has also been investing in both the capacity and capability building of our early childhood personnel. Emphasizing on the importance of early childhood in the development of the mental functions of a child, including the emergence of the abilities and skills in areas such as language, motor skills, psychological, cognitive and learning to include the nature of the environment to which a child is exposed to, Dr Mohd Hasbi also acknowledged studies that showed early childhood as a major input in a child’s formal education. Mr Vikram Nair said in his address that he understood He spoke on the importance of the main message of the Quality Promotion and Good celebrations as Practices in early childhood care ‘serving as one’. Jamiyah and education and mentioned not only emphasized how several schemes have been their teachers but also on introduced by the Ministry of Social values and community service and Family Development (MSF) in its education centres to enhance the quality of childcare as well. He spoke about how in Singapore such as raising the parents and teachers play a minimum qualifications of teachers, vital role in ensuring that children scholarships for childcare teachers receive a good early childhood and grants for non-profit childcare education as the early start is crucial operators. Many voluntary welfare and will have an impact on their organizations including Jamiyah future. have been benefiting from these grants by sending our teaching staff It was certainly a proud moment not just for the graduating students and their parents but also for their teachers and Principals. About 60 children proudly received their certificates at the event. VOI Guest of Honour, Mr Vikram Nair and President, Professor (Adjunct) Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar with a graduand 19 VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 FEA TUR E V CEL EBR ATING OLUNTEERISM Jamiyah Singapore applauded the efforts of about 350 volunteers in an event ‘Celebrating Volunteerism’, held at Jamiyah Children’s Home (Darul Ma’wa) on Saturday, 24th November 2012 from 2:30 pm with the Guest-of-Honour, Assoc Prof Fatimah Abdul Lateef, Member of Parliament, Marine Parade GRC & Advisor, Marine Parade GRC GRO. Guest of Honour, Assoc. Prof Fatimah Abdul Lateef presenting a plaque to a volunteer, Dr Dohadwala Kutubuddin for his dedication & spirit of volunteerism whilst President Professor (Adjunct) Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar and VP II Mohd Yunos Sharif looks on 20 VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 President Jamiyah, Professor (Adjunct) Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar in his speech to about 350 volunteers, acknowledged the celebration as a mark of the spirit of volunteerism and enthusiasm of Jamiyah’s volunteers, their admirable spirit of service and their wide-ranging efforts to promote the mission and goals of Jamiyah. Volunteerism is an important resource and a valuable strategic asset, and this initiative has been assisting Jamiyah in building its capacity to serve the people. FEA T URE Guest of Honour and volunteers. From left Cikgu Saripah Kasmani, Assoc. Prof Fatimah Abdul Lateef, Hajjah Rogayah Hj Yunos, Professor (Adjunct) Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar and Dr Dohadwala Kutubuddin Dr Mohd Hasbi assured that volunteer opportunities at Jamiyah shall continue to expand in the coming years, and the process for managing volunteer work is becoming more formalized. Jamiyah will therefore leverage on the specialized skills and talents of our volunteers to provide greater impact on both the success and the challenges of the charitable works of Jamiyah. Eleven volunteers were honoured for their distinctive and devoted service to Jamiyah and received a plaque, parker pen and certificate as a mark of appreciation for their selfless contribution towards Jamiyah’s community service endeavours. They were Cikgu Saripah Kasmani, Hajjah Rogayah Hj Yunos, Dr Dohadwala Kutubuddin, Hj Abdul Aziz Bin Adnan, Ustaz Isa Mohd, Mr Abdul Wahab bin Hassan, Mdm Siti Julihana Ridzwan, Mdm Jamaliah Bte Abu, Ms Mimi Aisyah Binte Azias, Mr Mohd Shariff Bin Mohd Yatim and Mdm Samsina Hairon. Some of the longest serving volunteers such as Cikgu Saripah Kasmani, Mdm Hajjah Rogayah Hj Yunos and Dr Dohadwala Kutubuddin dedicated some 30 to 40 years of devoted service and went the extra mile in dedicating their time to serve the community which was the reason to show our appreciation in honour of their outstanding service and for championing the cause of serving and helping the community. As verbalized by Cikgu Saripah Kasmani, volunteers are the backbone of any organization because without them, it would be difficult to carry out the programmes of the organization. She also mentioned that she hoped the younger, more active volunteers would step forward to take the places of the older ones and refresh the spirit of volunteerism in Jamiyah. Dr Dohadwala Kutubuddin volunteered his services to Jamiyah’s medical clinic with his late father’s advice to “help others to the best of one’s abilities”. He has volunteered in Jamiyah since 1975. May Allah SWT bless all of our volunteers including those who had left us and also bless our founders, past leaders, committees and donors for their contributions towards Jamiyah. VOI 21 VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 @ J A M IYAH From left, Mr Tony Soh, Dr H M Saleem and Dr Leong Chee Chiew Jamiyah Children’s Home (Darul Ma’wa) was chosen as one of the first voluntary welfare organizations to participate in a programme organized by the Community in Bloom Garden City Fund (GCF). The GCF is a charity under the auspices of the National Parks Board (Nparks). A garden of their own! CHEQUE PRESENTATION By The Ascott Limited and Launch of Knowledge Garden @Darul Ma’wa 22 VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 @ JA MI Y A H Under the programme, Darul Ma’wa receives $18,000 from corporate sponsor, the Ascott Limited, to launch a ‘Knowledge Garden’ on the grounds of the Jamiyah Children’s Home in Guillemard Crescent. The cheque presentation ceremony was held at Darul Ma’wa on Thursday, 6th December 2012 where the cheque was presented by Chief Corporate Officer, The Ascott Limited, Mr Tony Soh to Dr Leong Chee Chiew, Deputy CEO, National Parks Board and Dr H.M. Saleem, Vice-President I, Jamiyah Singapore. programmes such as these help to bring together community members from diverse backgrounds as well as inculcate the love of nature. Children of Darul Ma’wa will not only be involved in planting and tending the garden, but will also help to contribute ideas on the types of trees they intend to plant. Among the herbs and vegetables that will be grown are eggplant, pepper, lemon grass, pandan and spinach. Vice President I Jamiyah, Dr. H. M. Saleem, said such gardens can educate children about food sources and to foster a sense of ownership. He believes that a great deal of knowledge can be learned and positive values can be inculcated to children through the Knowledge Garden. VOI Launched in 2003, the GCF aims to encourage the community to express their personal stake in sustaining the Garden City. While the government will continue to fund basic green infrastructure, the GCF works in partnership with individuals and corporations to support and sustain specific Garden City initiatives. Through these community partnerships Nparks aim to preserve the beauty and heritage of Singapore’s natural environment and to sustain the Garden City for the benefit of the future generations. Dr Leong Chee Chiew said the programme aims to strengthen community ties by farming activities. According to Dr Leong, “ Volunteers hard at wo rk! Children of Darul Ma’wa will not only be involved in planting and tending the garden, but will also help to contribute ideas on the types of trees they intend to plant. Among the herbs and vegetables that will be grown are eggplant, pepper, lemon grass, pandan and spinach. “ 23 VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 @ J A M IYAH The Singapore America Soccer Ex-Change “EMP OW E R ING GIR L S T HR O UG H S P O R T S ” Soccer Clinic At Darul Ma’wa On Friday, 7th December 2012 Four former U.S. national soccer players, Janine Szpara, Anna Shortt, Karen Willoughby and Val Henderson spent their Friday, 7th December 2012 at Jamiyah Children’s Home (Darul Ma’wa) conducting a soccer clinic for the residents as part of a community outreach programme. The Singapore America Soccer Exchange is part of the U.S. Embassy’s broader sports diplomacy initiative and is a part of a community outreach programme to foster greater mutual understanding between the youth of the United States and Singapore. The soccer clinic thrilled 50 boys and 35 girls from Darul Ma’wa who were given football tips by the four U.S. national soccer players. VOI 24 VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 QURB A N 2 0 1 2 THE RITUAL OF QURBAN 1433H/2012 Professor (Adjunct) Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar, President Jamiyah welcomed Associate Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Transport to Darul Islah on 27th October 2012 to witness Jamiyah’s Qurban and Aqiqah. Left to right: Dr H M Saleem, Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim and Professor (Adjunct) Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal said that he was pleased with the positive attitude of Muslims in Singapore despite the challenges they faced in conducting the Qurban this year due to the supply and the new regulations that has been put in place by the relevant authorities. Jamiyah has established standard procedures in the planning, organizing and execution of Qurban operations. The procedure outline is applicable to all persons in-charge of transporting, handling and slaughtering of sheep and goats including the processing of meat at Jamiyah. These are in line with the animals welfare standard develop by the world organisation for animal health (OIE). The issuing of the “special Slaughtered Permit” issued by AVA has allowed Jamiyah to continue to organize this yearly Qurban service for the community. Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal spoke at Darul Islah during the distribution of Qurban meat and expressed how thankful he was that Singaporeans are able to be open and adapt to the challenges that they faced and how he felt that these challenges should be regarded as an opportunity for Muslims to continue to develop. A total of 172 sheep were slaughtered at Jamiyah’s Qurban this year. VOI 25 VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 Quran DA ’W AH NUZULUL Seramai lapan qari-qariah dari dalam dan luar negeri telah menggemakan Dewan Solat Masjid Sultan dengan suarasuara bacaan al Quran mereka di Majlis menyambut peristiwa Nuzulul Quran anjuran Jamiyah. Kemerduan suara dan pengalaman bertahun-tahun qari dari Mesir, Sheikh Mohd Mostafa Mohd Ali Al Sharkawi, kemerduan taranum juara Tilawah al Quran Antarabangsa 2012, Encik Muhammad Anuar bin Ghazali (Malaysia) dan kelunakan alunan suara juara keduanya, Qariah Cik Rahmawati Bakri Hunawa (Indonesia) cukup menyemarak dan memikat hati ramai pendengarnya. Hajah Che’ Minah binti Che’ Awang 26 Demikian juga dengan lenggokan dan tarikan suara qari Raden Harmoko bin Baharuddin, pemenang ketiga Tilawah Antarabanga 2012 (Indonesia). Qariah Hajah Che’ Aminah binti Haji Che’ Awang (Malaysia) tidak kurang hebatnya dibandingkan dengan dua qari tersebut. Tiga qari-qariah juara kebangsaan Singapura juga tidak kurang hebatnya memperdengarkan tilawah mereka di majlis itu. Mereka ialah Encik Muhammad Zul Fadli bin Abdul Razak, Juara Kebangsaan (2012), qariah Azizah Solihin, juara kebangsaan (2012) dan Encik Muhammad Ismail Osman, juara kebangsaan (2003). Kehebatan dan kesungguhan bacaan mereka amat mempesonakan hingga para hadirin tidak menyedari majlis yang bermula jam 10.00 pagi itu telah berlangsung selama tiga jam setengah. Ramai qari-qariah yang menghadiri majlis itu gembira dan berterima kasih kepada penganjur majlis kerana memperkenalkan qariqariah yang telah memperdengarkan gaya-gaya bacaan mereka yang menarik dan boleh diteladani. Sementara itu, dalam tausiahnya, Ustaz Ahmad Dahari, menekankan bahawa kitab suci al Quran itu, yang menjadi panduan hidup umat Islam “tidak sahaja untuk dibaca, malah perlu dihayati, dipelajari kandungannya dan dijadikan motivasi kehidupan umat Islam”. Muhammad Anuar bin Ghazali Muhammad Zul Fadli bin Abdul Razak VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 DA’WAH Dahari juga menyentuh terjemahan al Quran telah dilakukan dalam berbagai bahasa di dunia. “Sayangnya kita tidak terjemahkan al Quran dalam kehidupan kita.” Beliau mengingatkan bagaimana kita hendak menyelesaikan berbagai jawapan dalam pelbagai permasalahan “andai kita tidak memabaca apa lagi memahami al Quran.” “ Azizah Solihin Beliau gembira dan mengalu-alukan pihak penganjur Jamiyah yang telah berusaha mengundang qari-qariah terkenal itu “demi menyemarakkan peristiwa sambutan Nuzulul Quran dan memberi peluang kepada qari-qariah mengikutinya.” Di samping itu juga, mereka yang sedang belajar al Quran akan tertarik untuk menjadi qari-qariah yang baik, meskipun tidak sebaik dan sehebat para qari-qariah yang diundang itu. Beliau juga menganjurkan supaya umat Islam berpegang teguh dan berusaha mengamalkan ajaran-ajaran al Quran “supaya kita tidak lagi dihina, dipandang rendah dan martabat Islam dapat dipertingkat.” Menurutnya, selagi kita tidak kembali kepada al Quran, maka kita akan selamanya menjadi masyarakat hina dan mundur. Beliau kurang memahami usaha sesetengah pihak yang gemar mewakafkan al Quran “kerana meskipun tujuannya itu baik, tetapi apalah ertinya kalau ia cuma untuk disimpan – tidak dibaca dan tidak dipelajari isinya – yang akhirnya akan menjadi sasaran lipas dan tikus.” Demikian juga dengan sesetengah masjid yang mempunyai banyak kitab suci al Quran itu tetapi jarang dibacanya malah umumnya dijadikan hiasan. Muhammad Ismail Osman Beliau mengingatkan bahawa umat Islam tidak akan menjadi umat terkebelakang andai mereka telah benar-benar menjadikan al Quran sebagai panduan dan motivasi kehidupan. Allah dan rasul-Nya telah memberi jaminan keselamatan dan kejayaan kepada umat Islam di dunia dan di akhirat seandainya mereka Rahmawati Bakri Hunawa berpandukan hidup mereka dengan al Beliau mengingatkan kita supaya Quran, beliau menegaskan. VOI usah bersikap menjauhi al Quran. – Sulaiman Jeem. Ini kerana sikap seperti itu akan mematikan lampu dalam kehidupan kita. Andai kita bersikap demikian, bagaimana kita dapat berjalan dengan betul dalam gelap. Ustaz Ahmad Beliau juga menganjurkan supaya umat Islam berpegang teguh dan berusaha mengamalkan ajaran-ajaran al Quran “supaya kita tidak lagi dihina, dipandang rendah dan martabat Islam dapat dipertingkat. “ 27 VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 EDUCATIO N MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING SIGNING CEREMONY JAMIYAH SINGAPORE, UNIVERSITY COLLEGE ISLAM MELAKA & THE QURAN ACADEMY, CANADA Left to right: Mr Yunos Shariff, Professor (Adjunct) Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar, Mdm Halimah Yacob, Mr Abu Bakar Maidin Signatories L to R: Imam Umar Farooq, Director of The Quran Academy, Mdm Nora Rustham, Director of Jamiyah Education Centre and Mr Noor Jefri Abdul Wahab, Academic Director, University College Islam Melaka 28 VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 E D UC A T I ON I n an important ceremony on Saturday, 13th October 2012, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Jamiyah Singapore, University College Islam Melaka and the Quran Academy at the Al-Malik Faisal Hall, Jamiyah Headquarters. The Guest-of-Honour for the event was Mdm Halimah Yacob, Minister of State, Ministry of Community Development, Youth & Sports. This is part of Jamiyah’s ongoing efforts to enhance the quality of our services aiming at world class systems. Jamiyah Education Centre (JEC) introduced a number of new religious education programmes which is a result of the collaboration and synergy of three organizations that is Jamiyah Singapore and University College Islam Melaka (KUIM) which resulted in the joint programmes ‘Diploma Tahfiz wal Qiraat’ and ‘Diploma Usuluddin’. The programmes by Jamiyah Singapore and The Quran Academy, Canada which consisted ‘Learn to Read the Quran In 48 Hours’ targeted at adults and ‘Little Huffaz’, for children aged between four and six years were also launched. In his speech, President Jamiyah, Professor (Adjunct) Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar, said he hoped that the increase in the programmes offered for Islamic education will prove beneficial and that it can form a generation of Muslims who make the Quran and Sunnah as GPS (global positioning system) to determine the course of our lives in this world. Guests at the signing ceremony Unique Director of the Quran Academy, Imam Umar Farooq Dogar, said the program is unique because it introduces fluency of the Quran at an early stage, unlike other methods such as ‘muqaddam’ or ‘Iqra’ that is popular here. So far, a total of 30 asatizahs (teachers) has exclusive and intensive training for two weeks with Imam Umar in order to equip themselves with the skills to teach the Quran according to the methods taught by the academy. VOI Professor (Adjunct) Dr Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar presenting a token of appreciation to Mdm Halimah Yacob 29 VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 FEA TUR E B lessed be that symbol of honor; Pious Batool, our Prophet’s daughter; Pious, pure and women’s leader Sayyidah Fatimah az-Zahra Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anha was the fourth daughter of the Holy Prophet SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam and Sayyidah Khadija Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anha. “Zahra” (having gleaming and luminous face), “Batool” (aloof from the worldly pleasures) and “Tahira” (chaste and modest) are among her exalted titles. She was an unusually sensitive child of her age. When she was five, she heard that her father had announced his Prophethood. Her mother Sayyidah Khadija Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anha explained to her what the responsibilities of a Prophet are. Sayyidah Fatimah Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anha became more closely attached to her father and felt a deep and abiding love for him. She used to accompany him through the narrow streets of Makkatul 30 Mukarrama, visiting the Ka’bah or attending the secret meetings of the early Muslims who had embraced Islam and pledged allegiance to her father. Once, she accompanied her father to the Masjid al-Haram. Sayyiduna Rasoolullah SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam began to pray in front of the Ka’bah. A group of Quraysh chiefs gathered around the Holy Prophet SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam. Uqbah bin Abi Mu’ayt brought the entrails of a slaughtered animal and threw it on the shoulders of the Beloved Habeeb SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam. Sayyidah Fatimah Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anha, a ten year old girl, went up to her father and removed the filth. Then, in a firm and angry voice she lashed out against Abu Jahl and his colleagues. They could not utter a single word. After the demise of her mother, Sayyidah Khadija Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anha, she felt that she had to give even greater support to her father. She devoted herself to looking after his needs. She was so engrossed in her father’s service that people started calling her “Umm Abiha”, the mother of her father. The Holy Prophet SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam had a special love for Sayyidah Fatimah Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anha. Sayyiduna Miswar bin Makhramah Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anha reported that the Holy Prophet SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam said: “My daughter is part of me. He who disturbs her in fact disturbs me and he who offends her offends me.” [Sahih alBukhari, Fadail Sahabah Hadith 3767] The Holy Prophet SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam also said: “The best women in the entire world are four: Mariyam (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anha) daughter of Imran and Aasiya (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anha) the wife of Pharaoh and Khadija (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anha) Mother of the Believers and Fatimah (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anha), daughter of Muhammad SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam.” [Mustadrak al-Hakim, Vol. 4, Page 262, Hadith 4745] Sayyidah Fatimah (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anha) thus acquired a place of love and esteem in the Beloved Nabi’s SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam heart that was only occupied by his wife Sayyidah Khadija (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anha). She was given the title of “Zahra” which means “The Resplendent One”. That was because of her beaming face, which seemed to radiate light. She was also called “Batool” because of her purity and asceticism. She spent most of her time in the recitation of the Holy Quraan, performing Salaah and doing other acts of Ibadah. Sayyidah Ayesha (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anha) said: “I have not seen any one of Allah’s SubHanahu wa Ta’ala creation resemble the Messenger of Allah SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam more in speech, conversation and manner of sitting VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 FEA T URE Sayyidah Fatimah (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anha) learnt from her father the manners and gentle speech. She was kind to the poor. She often gave her food to the needy preferring herself to remain hungry. She had no inclination towards the materialistic world. She had no craving for the ornaments of this world or the luxuries and comforts of life. Sayyidah Fatimah (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anha) was married to Sayyiduna Ali (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anha) at the beginning of the second year after the Hijra. She was nineteen-years-old and Sayyiduna Ali Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anha was about twenty-one. The Holy Prophet SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam himself performed the Nikah. On her marriage, Sayyiduna Rasoolullah SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam is said to have presented Sayyidah Fatimah (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anha) and Sayyiduna Ali (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anha) with a wooden bed intertwined with palm leaves, a velvet coverlet, a leather cushion filled with the leaves of a plant, a sheepskin, a pot, a water-skin and a quern (A primitive handoperated mill for grinding grain). One day Sayyiduna Ali (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anha) asked her to go to her father and ask for a servant. Sayyidah Fatimah (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anha )came to the Holy Prophet SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam. The Holy Prophet SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam said: “Shall I not tell you of something better than that which you asked of me? I am telling you the words, which Jibra’eel Alaihis Salam has told me. You should say Subhan-Allah (Glory be to Allah SubHanuhu wa Ta’ala) 33 times, Al-HamduLillah (Praise be to Allah SubHanuhu wa Ta’ala) 33 times and Allahu Akbar (Allah SubHanuhu wa Ta’ala is Great) 34 times.” [Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 5362] This is called “TASBEEH-EFATIMAH” and brings blessings upon the person who regularly recites it. VOI FATIMAH AZ-ZAHRA RADI ALLAHU TA’ALA than Fatimah Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anha. When the Holy Prophet SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam saw her approaching, he would welcome her, stand up and kiss her, take her by the hand and sit her down in the place where he was sitting.” [al-Adab al-Mufrad, Page 406, Hadith 421] The Holy Prophet SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam also said: “ The best women in the entire world are four: The Virgin Mariyam Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anha daughter of Imran and Aasiya Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anha the wife of Pharaoh and Khadija Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anha Mother of the Believers and Fatimah Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anha, daughter of Muhammad SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam.” [Mustadrak al-Hakim, Vol. 4, Page 262, Hadith 4745] 31 VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 COUN S ELLING SE CO ND M AR R IAGE It’s Premium And Challenges LO O K B EFO R E Y O U L EAP Mr Mohamed Mustafa Marican Jamiyah Caunselling Department divorced person to engage in serious soul searching before remarrying. They should contemplate what will be done differently so that the next marriage will be more enduring and lasting. However not all second marriages originate from divorce. There will be others who have a second marriage due to the death of one’s spouse. This scenario often poses other challenges. The remaining spouse may wrestle with various emotions when contemplating a new marriage. This uneasiness can affect one’s ability to remarry even years after the death. S econd marriages are becoming a common phenomenon here in Singapore especially amongst the Malay Muslim community. With the very high percentage of couple filing for divorce due to one reason or another, many divorcees find new happiness and solitudes by taking second chances at love and remarriage. A significant number of people enter a second or a “ rebound” marriage without giving it much thought and deliberation. They do not seem to allow for sufficient time to recover from their first divorce or to get their priorities straight before taking their vows again. Mostly they enter into the second marriage for the wrong reasons, not having internalized the lessons of their past experience. As such they are liable to repeat their mistakes and making them susceptible to similar conflicts and perhaps another broken marriage. Some of these second marriages even take place immediately upon the expiry of the mandatory “iddah” period upon officially being divorce. Does it make sense for someone who has failed to marry again? It may be wise to give this question some thought as it is generally true that it takes two to tango and only one to stop it. Break-up or divorce is hardly the exclusive fault of one partner. Thus it is advisable for any 32 It thus can be easily imagined if two divorcees are put together under one roof and one or both of the partners were to bring along their children from their previous marriages. Some problems, issues and tensions are bound to arise from this congregation of two different sets of families. In most instances, if these blended families are not handled well, the marriage may eventually fall apart and parties will end up blaming each other for their failure to live up to each other’s expectations. VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 We can categorized the step families into two types :1. Step family which includes children from one parent only 2. Step family which includes children from both couples It is noted that the more complex the blended family structures are, the more difficulties and challenges that they will face. Every step family has a different set of experiences and struggles. However, it is very important to examine one’s relationship before deciding to get married again. Many couple rush into their second marriage without giving their new and fragile relationship much thought and time to develop. Many couple also fail to realize that it is easy to get married but harder to maintain especially if the children of one or both of the couple are living together with them. Children from either of the couple may not be happy or excited about their parents’ new relationship and marriage as much as the parents are. Children may need more time and space to process and make transition to the new family life. Getting married again and finding new love is an exciting time of anticipation and joy. It is also a time to blend two lives again and not to make the same mistake one makes during the first marriage. It is going to be challenging and in most instances mind boggling. This will be mainly due to the unresolved hurts and unshared histories to resentful stepkids and bitter ex-spouses from both sides of the new couple. C OUNS E L L I NG There can be many obstacles to couples in search of happiness the second time around . The reasons why they want to get married may be the same reason why they think about leaving their partner because what first attracts us can later annoy us to pieces. To be happily married and successful for the second time around, couples firstly need to un-learn the bad habits they learned in their first marriage and to learn new and positive habits that will ensure that the new relationship will continuously develop and mature. One of the prime factors affecting the break-up of a second marriage is that there is probably a less bonding force holding the marriage together for example, children. Most couple from second marriages do not have common children to bind them together. Perhaps “for the sake of the kids” factor could hold them together for a while but not for long. In addition, because the couple do not have children in common, the element of family is not as central as it is in their first marriage. Relationships too can become increasingly tangled and complicated over time as more and more individuals join the ever expanding family such as other relatives and their acquaintances. However there are also many other people who learn the lessons of their first divorce and move on to a happy, long second marriage. VOI 33 VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 PHOTO D IAR Y PHOTO DIARY 2012 PROJ EC T L E N D - A- HA N D C ERTIFIC AT E PR E SE N TAT ION C EREMON Y TOUCH OF HARMONY (SR I L ANKA) 34 VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 P HOT O D I A RY 6 4 t h AN N UA L HONG BAO S DI ST R I BU T ION C EREMON Y I SL AM IC FI NANCE SE M I NAR ORGANI Z E D BY ASSO CIAT ION OF M U SL I M L AW Y E R S SI NGAP ORE T I L AWA H AL QUR AN 35 VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 PHOTO D IAR Y PHOTO DIARY 2012 JA M I YA H ’ S H U M A N I TA R IA N M I SSION TO CAM B ODIA REG IONA L T R A I N I NG @ DHA KA , BA NG L ADE SH ORG A N I ZE D B Y ISES C O, I IC O A N D BA NG L ADE SH NAT IONA L C OMMIS SION F OR UN ES C O 36 VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 P HOT O D I A RY M AJLI S HAFL AH M AULI DUR R ASUL CE LE BR AT ION 37 VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 PHOTO D IAR Y PHOTO DIARY 8 0 T H 38 2012 ANNI VE RSARY CE LE BR AT IONS VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 P HOT O D I A RY EX EMPL ARY AWA R D MOT H E R L E A R N AL QUR AN I N 4 8 HOURST R A I N T H E T R A I N E R S 39 VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 PHOTO D IAR Y PHOTO D A R U L M A’ WA C A R N I VA L DIARY C HA R I T Y EDUC AT ION C E N T R E C A REER FA I R 40 2012 VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 FEA T URE RESPONSIBILIT Y OF THE YOUTH IN PROMOTING THE VALUES OF CITIZENSHIP, DEVELOPMENT AND DIALOGUE Held at the headquarters of Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) in Rabat, Morocco from 19-21 December 2012 Jamiyah Singapore was invited by the ’Value of citizenship and the Alliance of Civilizations’ to a conference in Rabat with the theme of “The responsibility of the Youth in promoting values of citizenship, development and dialogue” which was held in the headquarters of ISESCO in Rabat from 19 to 21 December 2012. The conference was chaired by Dr Mustafa Zabakh, the general coordinator of the conference and was attended by numerous invited guests including organization leaders, professionals and academicians from various countries. The Conference was officially opened by the Prime Minister of Morocco, Mr Abdelilah Benkirane Representing Jamiyah Singapore, Mr Mohamad Hosni Abdul Malik, the Assistant Secretary General of Jamiyah Singapore, presented a Mr Mohamad Hosni Abdul Malik and The Director General of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), Dr Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri paper entitled “Youth and Dialogue Among Cultures, Civilizations and Religions”. The paper talks about the Youth Programs initiated by Jamiyah Singapore which includes ‘Project Lend a Hand’, an educational project that helps low performing under- privileged youths with their PSLE preparation and the Touch of Harmony Program which helps to develop skills and attributes such as leadership, public speaking, team dynamics while pursuing the goal of spreading inter-religious, interracial peace and harmony. Mr Mohamad Hosni stressed the importance of inter – religious harmony among youth for sustainable peace towards the future. The paper provided guidelines through activities that advocate durable peace and harmony globally between cultures, faith and race. The presentation was well received by the participants with numerous proposals for collaboration with Jamiyah in youth projects in the future. VOI 41 VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 42 VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 43 VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 DA ’W AH ஹாஜிேஜஎசாலி 44 VOI தஎதாளமஇதழாளஹாஜிேஜஎசாலிஅவக ஹாஜிேஜஎசாலி ஹாஜிேஜஎசாலி சிகதகவெதாடமகைலகஅைமசிெமசதகஉச ஹாஜிேஜஎசாலி தஎதாளமஇதழாளஹாஜிேஜஎசாலிஅவக ஹாஜிேஜஎசாலி ஹாஜிேஜஎசாலி தஎதாளமஇதழாளஹாஜிேஜஎசாலிஅவக தஎதாளமஇதழாளஹாஜிேஜஎசாலிஅவக வதானகலாசாரபதகஇமாதஅதிபடாடேடானடா சிகதகவெதாடமகைலகஅைமசிெமசதகஉச தஎதாளமஇதழாளஹாஜிேஜஎசாலிஅவக சிகதகவெதாடமகைலகஅைமசிெமசதகஉச சிகதகவெதாடமகைலகஅைமசிெமசதகஉச தஎதாளமஇதழாளஹாஜிேஜஎசாலிஅவக அவகளாவழகபடஎதாளேஜஎசாலிஅவக வதானகலாசாரபதகஇமாதஅதிபடாடேடானடா சிகதகவெதாடமகைலகஅைமசிெமசதகஉச வதானகலாசாரபதகஇமாதஅதிபடாடேடானடா ஜமியாவநவாக வதானகலாசாரபதகஇமாதஅதிபடாடேடானடா அவகளாவழகபடஎதாளேஜஎசாலிஅவக சிகதகவெதாடமகைலகஅைமசிெமசதகஉச வதானகலாசாரபதகஇமாதஅதிபடாடேடானடா அவகளாவழகபடஎதாளேஜஎசாலிஅவக அவகளாவழகபடஎதாளேஜஎசாலிஅவக ஜமியாவநவாக அவகளாவழகபடஎதாளேஜஎசாலிஅவக ஜமியாவநவாக வதானகலாசாரபதகஇமாதஅதிபடாடேடானடா ஜமியாவநவாக ஜமியாவநவாக அவகளாவழகபடஎதாளேஜஎசாலிஅவக ஜமியாவநவாக VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 DA’WAH INTERNATIONAL FATWA CONFERENCE In Jakarta An International Conference on ‘Fatwa’ held from 24-26 December 2012 organized by Rabitah Al-Alam Al-Islami [Muslim World League] in cooperation with the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs at Hotel Borobudur Jakarta was attended by Jamiyah Singapore’s representatives namely Dr Isa Hassan, Vice President III and Ustaz Andi Abdul Kadir Andi Kitta, Senior Arabic Translator / Counsellor. temporal needs). Making Islam sholihun li kulli zaman wa makan, is not easy, especially if associated with a fatwa. Therefore, each of parties involved in the process of making a fatwa should keep the centrality of revelation. At the same time, the Minister said they also need to make sure he was free from self-interests. Minister added that Sharia as the fundamental expression of the revelation, is often In an address on the occasion, influenced by the thought. Secretary General of Rabitah AlAlam Al-Islami, Dr. Abdullah bin However, the fatwas of the scholars still Abdul-Mohsen Al-Turki highlighted maintain the relationship between the the great importance of Fatwa in Islam challenge of modernizing the legacy for the lives of Muslims and explained of the past. Because the arguments that in the light of the evolution of always refer to the Qur’an, the information and communication Sunnah, and classical texts, without technology and the proliferation of the intervention of the influence of Right to left: Prof. Dr. H. Muhammadiyah Amin and Dr Mohammad Nur Samad both from the Ministry of Republic of Indonesia followed by Ustaz Andi Abdul Kadir Andi Kitta and Dr Isa Hassan from Jamiyah Singapore and Pehing Orang Kaya Hj Suhaimi bin Pehin Dato Hj Jaya from Brunei Darussalam satellite broadcasting, fatwa is facing interpretation problems and needs rationalization to ensure it remains well-protected from distortions. On the other hand, Minister of Religious Affairs, Suryadharma Ali confirmed that fatwas can make “Islam solihun li kulli zaman wa makan” (Islam is relevant according to the spatio- European thought. On top of those mentioned above, those present at the opening ceremony included the Minister for People’s Welfare, His Excellency Mr Agung Laksono who represents the President of the Republic of Indonesia prominent scholars, intellectuals, lawyers, and media observers from several countries. The Minister hoped that this conference does not merely become a means to exchange ideas between participants, but also to build a unified concept and the views of the participants in dealing with various problems or issues related to Islamic sensitivities and crucial developments in various countries. Minister also hoped that the conference would help to promote a synergistic cooperation of the scholars’ fatwas and Muslim communities around the world to share and strengthen the role of the institution of fatwa in their respective countries. At the closing ceremony of the conference, participants emphasized the status of scholars and their great responsibility to guide people to the correct path and 45 VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 DA ’W AH teachings of the Prophets. They came out with the following resolutions: 1.Care and attention by Muslims in various parts of the world at the official and popular level of fatwa which aims to explain the ruling of God from the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger, peace be upon him and what Shariah scholars agreed upon. The Muftis shall keep away from what may raise conflict and division among Muslims and 5. To raise awareness among Muslims through various media on the importance of fatwa in controlling the process of life and the urgent need to adhere to the ethics of fatwa and seeking fatwa. 6.To facilitate access to Muftis, knowledge of fatwas and disseminate broadly information of Fatwa centers in cities and counties in various Islamic countries. 7.To translate decisions of El-Majami 10.To hold this International Conference every two years as a forum where Islamic scholars and muftis could meet together in cooperation and coordination between the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs and Rabitah AlAlam Al-Islami wherein the theme will consist of Islamic affairs and fatwa issues. 11.To establish a forum or Islamic jurisprudential council of countries 7th from left, His Excellency Dr. Abdullah bin Abdul-Mohsen Al-Turki, Secretary General of Rabitah Al-Alam Al-Islami, on His Excellency Mr Agung Laksono, Minister for People’s Welfare, Republic of Indonesia followed with the Indonesian Minister of Religious Affairs, His Excellency Mr Suryadharma Ali. Dr Isa Hassan, Vice President III Jamiyah Singapore (extreme left) thus distort the image of Islam. 2. Emphasising on the Fatwa Charter issued within the World Conference on Fatwa in Makkah Al-Mukarramah which consist of three chapters and to translate this charter into various world languages and make it part of curriculum to be studied by students at Islamic universities. 3.The urgent need to ensure Islamic unity and to maximize the usage of masajid, colleges and the interests of ummah and rejection of any disunity and means leading to it. 4.To deepen constructive dialogue and respect scholars and preachers and to be careful of excommunicating (takfir), exclusion (tafsiq) and violence. 46 El-Fiqhiya (Jurisprudential Councils) and to disseminate them through various means of communication, including media websites, which was launched at this conference. 8.To form a dedicated team from the Ministry and Rabitah to study the advisory (ifta) status in Southeast Asia and other problems facing the muftis and how to resolve them. 9.To hold annual training sessions of muftis and those who like to further the enhancement of fatwa in Southeast Asia in collaboration between Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Muslim World League. in Southeast Asia based in the Republic of Indonesia to look into public issues and whatever found in the lives of tragedy-struck Muslims of cataclysms and find appropriate solutions in cooperation with Islamic Jurisprudential Council of Rabitah Al-Alam Al-Islami and ElMajami El-Fiqhiya (Jurisprudential councils), Fatwa Boards and other Jurisprudential institutions to exchange experiences, resolutions and decisions issued. VOI - Ustaz Andi Abdul Kadir Andi Kitta. VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 DA’WAH MAULIDUR RASUL Hari Khamis 12 hari bulan Rabiulawal tahun ini 1434 Hijrah, jatuh pada 24 January 2013 Masehi. Tarikh ini sangat diperingati oleh sekelian kaum Muslimin Muslimat di seluruh dunia, untuk mengenangkan kembali sejarah kelahiran Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. lahir dari Keturunan Quraisy dan telah diputerakan di Makkah, pada hari Isnin, 12 Rabiulawal (20 April 571M). Ibu baginda, iaitu Aminah binti Wahab, adalah anak perempuan kepada Wahab bin Abdul Manaf dari keluarga Zahrah. Ayahnya, Abdullah, ialah anak kepada Abdul Muthalib. Keturunannya bersusur galur dari Nabi Ismail, anak kepada Nabi Ibrahim kira-kira dalam keturunan keempat puluh. kita “Akidah menjadi asas bagi membentuk akhlak Islam. Akhlak Islam adalah berasaskan akidah yang sejahtera. “ Ayahnya telah meninggal sebelum kelahiran baginda. Sementara ibunya meninggal ketika baginda berusia kirakira enam tahun, menjadikannya seorang anak yatim piatu. Menurut tradisi keluarga atasan Mekah, Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. telah dipelihara oleh seorang ibu angkat ia itu ibu susu:wanita yang menyusukan baginda, yang bernama Halimahtus Sa’adiah, di kampung halamannya di pergunungan selama beberapa tahun. Dalam tahun-tahun itu, baginda telah dibawa ke Makkah untuk mengunjungi ibunya. Setelah ibunya meninggal, baginda dijaga oleh datuknya, Abdul Muthalib. Apabila datuknya meninggal, baginda dijaga oleh bapa saudaranya, Abu Talib. Ketika inilah baginda sering kali membantu mengembala kambing-kambing bapa saudaranya di sekitar Mekah dan kerap menemani bapa saudaranya dalam urusan perdagangan ke Syam (Syria). Sejak kecil, baginda tidak pernah menyembah berhala dan tidak pernah terlibat dengan kehidupan sosial arab jahiliyyah yang merosakkan dan penuh kekufuran Sewaktu Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. berumur 40 tahun, baginda telah menerima wahyu yang pertama daripada Allah menerusi malaikat Jibril ketika sedang berada di Gua Hira. Tiga tahun setelah kejadian itu, baginda mula berdakwah secara terbuka kepada penduduk Makkah dengan mengatakan “Tuhan itu Esa” dan hendaklah menyerahkan diri sepenuhnya kepada Allah dan menerima Islam sebagai satu cara hidup yang hanya diterima Allah. 47 VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 DA ’W AH Rasulullah s.a.w. merupakan Nabi terakhir yang diutus oleh Allah s.w.t. dan setiap tahun pada hari tersebut, masyarakat Islam sejagat akan mengadakan majlis memperingati kelahiran Nabi Muhammad s.a.w dengan menganjurkan acara-acara seperti perarakan, ceramah, bacaan berzanji dan sebagainya. Terutusnya Rasulullah s.a.w. merupakan satu nikmat hidayah dan Rahmatan lil ‘alamin, kepada sekelian, yang terselamat daripada cengkaman jahiliah dan terhindar dari kekufuran. Dengan kelahiran Nabi Muhammad s.a.w., umat pada zamannya, terselamat daripada amalan-amalan yang tidak munasabah. Dalam apabila seluruh masyarakat Islam di seluruh dunia, meraikan dan memperingati keputeraan Rasulullah s.a.w. setiap tahun, terfikirkah oleh kita sama ada kita telah meneladani dan melaksanakan perkara-perkara yang telah diwasiatkan oleh baginda s.a.w. dalam kehidupan seharian. 48 Oleh kerana itu apabila tiba tarikh untuk memperingati hari ulangtahun Kelahiran Nabi Muhammad. s.a.w. diharapkan ia akan menyedarkan kita tentang tuntutan-tuntutan agama Islam, dalam pada kita hidup berkeluarga dan bermasyarakat. Di samping kita memperingati hari ulang-tahun kelahiran Rasulullah s.a.w., marilah sama-sama kita hayati segala wasiat, peringatan, dan meneladani setiap budi pekerti Rasulullah s.a.w. yang boleh diterapkan dalam kehidupan seharihari. Akidah kita menjadi asas bagi membentuk akhlak Islam. akhlak Islam adalah berasaskan akidah yang sejahtera. Akhlak Islam itu adalah dengan mengamalkan ibadah yang menepati dan berlanjutan. Ummat Islam diperintahkan supaya mendirikan solat, sama ada yang wajib atau sunat, dan diharapkan dapat menghalang perbuatan mungkar. Selain daripada itu kita disuruh menunaikan zakat, yang dapat mensucikan rohani dan harta, serta berpuasa wajib dan sunat kerana ia dapat menyemaikan ketakwaan. Akhlak seseorang hamba itu dapat dimantapkan dengan menambahkan ibadah-ibadah sunat. Sebagai tanda cinta dan kasih kepada Rasulullah s.a.w., kita lanjutkanlah dan laksanakan segala sunnah Nabi s.a.w., dalam kehidupan sehari-hari. Tujuh amalan sunnah yang sering dilakukan oleh Nabi s.a.w. ialah solat malam, solat berjemaah, membaca al-Qur’an, solat duha, beristighfar, berwudhu’ dan bersedekah. Allah s.w.t. mengurniakan banyak kelebihan dan keistimewaan, kepada sesiapa yang dapat mengadakan atau menghadiri majlis-majlis Maulidur Rasul. Keberkatan mengadakan Majlis Maulud itu bukan sahaja didapati oleh orang yang mengadakan majlis itu, tetapi seluruh ahli rumah atau orang yang tinggal di tempat itu turut mendapat keberkatannya. Orang yang menganjurkan Majlis Maulud Nabi, akan beroleh keberkatan, malah semua anggota keluarga akan juga menerima keberkahannya. VOI VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 DA’WAH VOI 49 VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 الدعوية ونشاطاتها بسنغافورة اإلسالمية ونشاطاتها الدعوية بسنغافورة اإلسالمية الدعوة مجعية الدعوة مجعية واالجتماعية والتعليمية والتعليمية واالجتماعية اخلريية يف جماالت اخلرييةيف جماالت إعداد: إعداد: أندي كتا أندي عبد القادر أندي كتا األستاذ أندي عبد القادراألستاذ طالبالةادلة طالب الدكتوراه جباعة ادلدنة الدكتوراه جباعة ادلدنة الةادلة السالم هلل رب الةادلني و ادلبةوثوالسالم على ادلبةوث علىوالصالة الةادلني الصالة ورب احلمد هلل سةاسةغريتقوم غري إنرحبةهذهوغري رحبة وغري سةاسة تقوم اجلمةة وللةلم إن هذه اجلمةةوللةلم الةيبالطةبني وعلىد آله للةادلني األعني رمحمد الةيب سةدنا زل األعني وعلى آله الطةبني سةدنا زلم الدنن بطرق تةالةماحلةةف اإلسالعي تةالةم الدنن اإلسالعي احلةةف بطرق أساس نشر على أساس نشر على أمجةني ،أعا صحابه الكرام أصحابهبةدالك..ر،ام أمجةني ،أعا بةد،.. الطاهرنن و أنشطتها و التةلةمة اكزها ر وع اخلرين ورها د خالل عن سلتلف سلتلف عن خالل دورها اخلرين وعراكزها التةلةمة وأنشطتها نثلجى إخ ادلسلمشلاأن نر عةتصمنينرى إخوانه عةتصمني صدروانهادلسلم أن ا نثلج صدر فإنه . اخلرين و االجتماعة و الدعون الدعون واالجتماعة واخلرين . عتةاضدنن دنةهم عتةاضدنن دنةهم على خدع خدع نةملون علىادلتني، نةملون اهلل تني ،حببل الت ز وعا كانت حةث نق ر ع اجلمةة اسم تبلور قد و وقد تبلور اسم اجلمةة عرنق حةث كانت وعازالت جاءت هبا ى نشر ادلبادئ رسال اليت جاءت هبا رسال اإلنسانة اإلنسانةنشراليتادلبادئ عتةاونني على شةار هذه اإلسالعي يف تةلب دورا الدنن اإلسالعي يف هذه الدننيف إحةاء شةارحةونا إحةاء دورا حةونا يف تةلب للةاس اإلسالم س كاف ﴿ : ﴿ كاف: أنولأسسها عبد 93م الشةخ عبد الشةخعام الةلمانةعام عةذ93أن مأسسها الدول) الةلمانة عةذ الد .) (﴾ . (﴾ عشهوراعنبالأجل سفريكانادلتوول عشهورا بال سفري ادلتوول عن أجل الصدنق و الةلةم الصدنق وكانالةلةم اإلسالعة اجلمةةات وادلراكز اجلمةةاتيفوادلراكز اإلسالعة يف ادلةظمات و م ادلةظمات وإن قةام السالم( )3حةث حاول عن ()3 سلتلف دول على جوالته خالل السالم حةث حاول عن خالل جوالته على دول سلتلف البلدانأقلةات تةةشيف فةها البلدان اليت اليت تةةش فةها أقلةات والسةما يف الةامل، والسةماأحناء إندونةسةاالدعوة وسةغافورة تفةةل يف آسةا عسلمحو،ذلا،و حيقق اف الةاس وسةغافورة تفةةل الدعوة إندونةسةاحنو عالةزنا لإلسالمحنو عالةزنايف آسةا لإلسالمعصاحل كثرية كثريةذلا ،حيقق عصاحل حو التفاف الةاس باحلكم عرنقوادلوعظ ادلشكالت بطرنق سلمة ع ادلشكالتكثري عن اإلسالعة كثري عن ادلسلمنييفو حل بةائهم ،وونسهم علةئ باحلكم وادلوعظ علةئ سلمة اإلسالعةرنق بطرنق ونسهم يف حل أبةائهم، بةةهم التو احلةةف، احلسةو . اصل احلةةف،اصلوحيقق بةةهم الت وحيقق اهلل أتباع دنن تباع دنناليتاهللتواجه احلسة . أعمال الرب ةاون ووادلؤازرة أوضحه اهلل وللدعوة إىل اهلل سبحانه ادلسلمني يف أعمال الرب يفرة بني ادلسلمنيادلؤاز التكافلبنيوالتةاون و وتةاىليف طرنق أوضحه اهلل يف وتةاىلإىلطراهللنق سبحانه وللدعوة ﴿ اخلري، و الكرمي صلى وحبةبةا زلمد كتابه الةزنز لةبةه الكرمي ... علةه زلمد صلى اهلل علةه سةدنا اهللوحبةبةا سةدنازنز لةبةه كتابه الة ) (﴾... ونةزز وحدهتم) ( ، ونةززانتماءهم ونقوي انتماءهم وحدهتم ،ونقويوسلم ﴿ ﴾... وسلم﴿ الم .إىل أع اإلسالم . الدعوة أناإلسالعة بسةغافورةاإلسالعة بسةغافورة مجةة الدعوة ك أن مجةة والشك )5(﴾ فةنب سبحانه ()5 ﴾ فةنب سبحانه مجاهري ادلختصر قلب بـامسها سةغافورة سةغافورة بـامسها ادلختصر مجاهري يف قلب ادلشهورة الفهم عةهاج الةلم تكز على نشاطاهتا عةهاج الدعوة ن السةغافورن يفوتةاىل أن نشاطاهتا اهتمام يف السةغافورن اهتمام التةقلالةلم والفهم والتةقل تكزوعلى الدعوةو نر وتةاىلر أن احلكوع احلكوع نالت جمعية" قد نالت " وقد عةذ الظاهرة التةلةمة برزوت هذه االجتماعةو .وقد استةةاب توحةد الدعوة يف استةةاب برزت هذه و الظاهرة االجتماعة . مة و اخلرين وتةاىل اهلل سبحانه وتةاىل سبحانه توحةد عقاصد اهللالدعوة يف عةذ عقاصد و الوزركاءو ال فخاعنو رئةس السةد زيلارهاكوان وعلىللةاس يف ادلرغب وحتقةقوعلى الةبودن له وحده وحتقةقسابق سابقرئةس الوزراء ال ان نو السةد يل اع أن األسلوب ادلرغب للةاس يف األسلوبوحده الةبودن له ) 3 ( أغسطس غافورة يف 3 أغسطسحيمل 991يف م 3واآلن سةغافورة جلمهورن 991م( )3واآلن للدعاة ضرب اهلل حيملإىل دنن اإلسالم الدخول ضرب اهلل عثال للدعاة عثالوقد اإلسالم ، وقد دنن الدخول ،إىل الةاصح للدول عةصب .الوزنر الةاصح للدول . وسلم، زلمد اهلل الةيب صلى عبد اهلل بشخص الةيب زلمد بن صلى اهلل علةه وسلم، علةه اهلل بن عبد بشخص سبأ )2 ( :33 القرآن .سبأ 2 :33 50 FEATURE VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 MA L A Y WE MUST Reflect The Mercy UNTO THE UNIVERSE The Mercy unto the Universe Muhammad bin Abdullah peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, taught us to promote peace and justice in the best way possible, acceptable to both our minds and our hearts. But equally ignorant of inner spirituality of a human are both the perpetrators of calumnies against Islam and those who go around destroying flora, fauna and the lives of innocent humans. Meanwhile the overwhelming majority of practising Muslims are calling upon Rabbal ‘ Aalameen , the Lord-Cherisher of the Universe and everything within it and also praying repeatedly the prayer for Peace indeed World Peace. Allahumma antassalam Wa minkassalam Tabarakta Yazaljalali wal ikram “ O Allah You are Peace Peace comes from You Hallowed are You Lord of Infinite Majesty and Bounty” 51 VOICE OF SUARA JAMIYAH SINGAPORE l i c e n c e no 1 2 5 / 0 1 / 2 0 1 3 | Feb rua ry /Ma rch 2 0 1 3 /Rabiulawal/ Rabiulakhir 1434H 52 VOI N O: 1 2 0 1 3 Islam VOICE OF ISLAM FEBRUARY/MARCH ISSUE 2013 INSPIRATIONS & ASPIRATIONS