ARS Newsletter Issue 4 | December 2018

ISSUE 4

DECEMBER 2018

ARS NEWSLETTER

From left to right: Mufti Dr Fatris Bakaram, Mr Esa Hsien Masood, Mr Abdul Razak Maricar and Dr Dr Albakri Ahmad

THIS ISSUE: Kepentingan keharmonian kaum dan agama Can we exchange greetings and gifts with people of other faiths?

Singapore's Religious Harmony Laws will have to be updated

Muis to get new Chief Executive from 1 January 2019 Source :The Straits Times Click here to read more

Mr Esa Masood will be appointed as the Chief Executive of Muis with effect from 1 January 2019. He will take over from Mr Abdul Razak Hassan Maricar, who will be retiring from the Public Service on 31 December 2018.

Mr Esa, 39, is currently the Deputy Chief Executive of Muis. He has held leadership appointments in various organisations, including the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Education and Early Childhood Development Agency.

Kepentingan keharmonian kaum dan agama Source : Lianhe Zanbao

Lianhe Zaobao melaporkan surat oleh Zhou Dongquan yang menyampaikan bahawa Akta Penyelenggaraan Keharmonian Agama mesti seiring dengan masa untuk menjaga keharmonian kaum dan agama di Singapura.

Penulis berpendapat bahawa Kerajaan menyedari lebih banyak langkah dan tindak balas yang perlu diambil untuk mencegah pertelingkahan pertikaian etnik dan agama, akibat peristiwa di Timur Tengah, dan panggilan perang atau tindakan pengganas oleh golongan radikal.

Beliau mencadangkan agar Singapura boleh menggunakan acara sukan sebagai wadah interaktif bagi etnik yang berbeza untuk menubuhkan persahabatan dan penyiaran langsung pertandingan Piala Dunia di kelab komuniti. Beliau berkata undang-undang itu tidak mencukupi, kerana pemimpin agama dan masyarakat dan rakyat harus bekerjasama untuk membina Singapura yang bersatu padu.

ACM’s three new galleries feature Islam, Christian and ancient ritual artefacts Source :Berita Harian

Three new galleries at the Asian Civilisation Museum (ACM) which opens on 1 December will feature Islam, Christian and ancient ritual artefacts.

With the theme Faith and Belief, the galleries depict how religions and faith spread in Asia.

ACM’s Director of Museum Mr Kennie Ting said Southeast Asia consists of diverse religions and it is an area that plays a pivotal role in marine time trade as well as the spread of religions throughout Asia.

DECEMBER 2018, ISSUE 4

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Singapore's Religious Harmony Laws will have to be updated

Source :Berita Harian

Berita Harian reported on Muis50 lecture entitled “Islam’s Universal Values for Humanity” by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, attended by some 600 audience which included ministers, religious scholars, interfaith leaders and asatizah.

In his lecture, Shaykh Hamza stressed how in Islam, allegiance to one’s state is a virtue.

He shared that in the Quran, Islam promotes its followers to abide by the rules of the state that one lives in, irrespective if they are Muslim, secular or states that follow other traditions.

He said “The allegiance in Islam is a spiritual allegiance, and that the idea of not being a faithful citizen to a state is completely false.

In fact, Islam encourages one to respect the laws of the state he/she lives in. This is not modernism but the traditional understanding of Islam.”

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Download Contemporary Irsyad Series copy today via http://bit.ly/LICISDownload or simply click here

Can we exchange greetings and gifts with people of other faiths?

In extending our raḥmah towards our nonMuslims friends, we are encouraged to share food, exchange gift and wish each other good will. As for wishing them on their festive seasons, it is not an act that is prohibited in Islam. Those who call against Muslims from wishing their non-Muslims friends a joyous celebration on their religious festivals generally warn that such practices may render one to commit shirk or actof disbelief that may render one’s faith to be nullified. Such viewpoints are incorrect.

One does not profess nor subscribe to the belief of the other religious communities by merely wishing them well on their religious or traditional festivals. Congratulatory expressions on the celebration of other faiths are meant to cement better social relationship among Muslim and nonMuslims. It is not about agreeing to the religious doctrines or subscribing to the otherfaith’s creed and belief system.

Contemporary scholars such as Shaykh Abdallah bin Bayyah and the Mufti of Wilayah Persekutuan, Datuk Seri Dr Zulkifli Mohamadal-Bakri, also hold the same views on the issue.

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As for wishing them on their festive seasons, it is not an act that is prohibited in Islam.

- Office of the mufti Contemporary Irsyad Series

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Kadi, Deputy Kadi can help build strong families for the community Source :Berita Mediacorp Click here to read more

Minister Masagos Zulkifli said in his address at the appreciation ceremony for Kadis that they played an important role in guiding couples on building strong marriages and families in the community.

He added that couples could reap the benefits through their advice and sharing of their opinions. Minister Masagos also encouraged the wouldbe-married couples to attend marriage courses.

Minister Masagos also said that ROMM, MSF, and M3 will support the deputy Kadi in preparing the Islamic couples to build a strong family.

He added that a strong family would come from a strong marriage and this would be the pillar of the generations in the future. There were a total of five Kadi and 27 Deputy Kadi in Singapore.

Have you attended CPE courses?

Recent finding shows that 30% of our Asatizah have not attended any CPE courses.

Asatizah without sufficient CPE credits (30 hours for Tier 1 and 10 hours for Tier 2) and/ or valid reasons (pursuing studies, above 65 years) will not have their ARS licence renewed.

4,000

3,000

2,000

1,000

0

Yet to attend CPE courses

Attended CPE courses

For more information on ARS credit hours, you may contact ars@muis.gov.sg

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JOBÂ OPPORTUNITIES

DECEMBER 2018, ISSUE 4

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JOBÂ OPPORTUNITIES

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JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Al-Amin Education Pte. Ltd. (Tampines) PART-TIME ASATIZAH Able to speak Arabic Experience in pre-school teaching Minimum GCE O-Level (Teaching of IRK, Lesson plans, Time table) Portfolio, Concert Teaching, Parent Teacher Meeting Preparation of Teaching Materials Preparation of Worksheets

info@alamin.edu.sg 6786 0042

Own a registered IECP and hiring?

Submit the job opening information to www.tinyurl.com/job-ars or send your poster to iecp@muis.gov.sg DECEMBER 2018, ISSUE 4

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DESIGN & CONTENT ARS Office

EDITOR Ustaz Muhammad Haniff Hassan

Ustazah Sukarti Asmoin

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