MUIS' mission is to broaden and deepen the Singaporean Muslim Community's understanding and practice of Islam. It advises the President of Singapore on all matters relating to Islam in Singapore. Mosques are also important to the Muslim community as a meeting place and a place of study.
MUIS' mission is to broaden and deepen the Singaporean Muslim Community's understanding and practice of Islam. It advises the President of Singapore on all matters relating to Islam in Singapore. Mosques are also important to the Muslim community as a meeting place and a place of study.
MUIS' mission is to broaden and deepen the Singaporean Muslim Community's understanding and practice of Islam. It advises the President of Singapore on all matters relating to Islam in Singapore. Mosques are also important to the Muslim community as a meeting place and a place of study.
“halal” certification and while Muslim women have the
“daʼwah”(missionary) activities option to pray at home or in the – Construction and mosque. If the women choose administration of mosques to go to a mosque, they pray in – Administration of a separate wing from the men. “madrasahs” (Islamic schools) Some Muslim women choose not Islamist terrorism is often and Islamic education to wear a headscarf (“hijab” or in the news, and itʼs news – Issuance of “fatwas” “tudong”) all the time but they that is not restricted to just (religious rulings) are required to wear it for prayer Iraq and the Middle East or – Provision of financial relief in reverence to God, just as Afghanistan. to poor and needy Muslims most men also cover their heads By Sister Wendy Ooi, fsp – Provision of developmental with a prayer cap (“kopiah” or In recent weeks, we have grants to organizations “songkok”). been told that some Muslim Every mosque has a direction- doctors and engineers had niche in one of its walls to planted bombs in Britain with indicate the direction of Mecca. the intent to kill large numbers Muslims worship in a mosque Most mosques have elaborate of people, and even in (“masjid” in Arabic). The primary domes, minarets, and prayer purpose of the mosque is to serve halls that often reflect Arabic Singapore a lawyer has been as a place of prayer but mosques architecture. detained for terrorist activities. are also important to the Muslim The Pakistani Government community as a meeting place has had to storm a mosque and a place of study. in Islamabad which had been There are about 70 mosques One of the biggest feasts Muslims in Singapore today. celebrate is “Iid Al-Fitri” (also seized by Islamist militants. Before 1968, all the known as Hari Raya Puasa), Who are these people and mosques in Singapore were which marks the end of the what groups do they belong set up by the local Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. They to? Find out with Sister communities themselves. When start their celebration by praying Wendy Ooi, fsp MUIS was established, it took in the mosque in the morning and responsibility for the building and follow on with visiting elders, administration of new mosques. relatives and friends. Although the overall supervision On “Id Al-Adha” (Hari of post-1968 mosques comes Raya Haji) Muslims recall the WAHHABISM IS A movement under MUIS, there are sacrifice of Ishmael, the son of named after Muhammad Ibn mosques that are run by other Abraham. (In the Bible, Issac Abd al Wahhab (1703–1792). It organizations such as the Muslim was sacrificed.) To commemorate started in Saudi Arabia and is the Trust Fund Association. this event, Muslims sacrifice dominant form of Islam also in Mosques are managed and goat, sheep, cattle or camel and Qatar and, recently, Western Iraq maintained by their respective distribute the meat to the poor, and Pakistan. (It should be noted committees. These committees friends and family. This feast however that there exists also engage in fundraising projects coincides with the pilgrimage to in these countries many non- and are appointed by MUIS. Mecca during the second week of extremist, peaceful Muslims.) Muslim workers in Singapore the 12th lunar month. The term Wahhabi is rarely Singapore on all matters relating also contribute monthly from Other Islamic feasts include used by members of this group to Islam in Singapore, oversees their CPF to the Mosque Building Muhammadʼs birthday and the today. They prefer the term “Salafi”. MAJLIS UGAMA ISLAM the interests of Singaporeʼs and Mendaki Fund which has anniversary of the day Muslims Wahhabi or Salafi theology Singapura (MUIS), or the Muslim community, and helped build new mosques in believe Muhammad had a advocates a puritanical and Islamic Religious Council of promotes religious, social, satellite towns. miraculous journey to Jerusalem legalistic stance in matters of Singapore, was set up in 1968, educational, economic and In the 1980s the World Muslim and ascended to heaven. faith and religious practice. when the Administration of cultural activities according League based in Saudi Arabia Wahhabis see themselves as Muslim Law Act (AMLA) came to the principles and traditions also contributed a significant a movement to restore Islam into effect. of Islam. sum of money to various from what they perceive to MUISʼ mission is to broaden The principal functions mosques in Singapore through Sufism is a mystical form of be innovations, superstitions, and deepen the Singaporean of MUIS are: Jamiyah Singapore, the Muslim Islam adopted by some Muslims deviances, heresies and idolatries. Muslim Communityʼs – Administration of missionary society of Singapore. within both the Sunni and Shiʼite Muhammad Ibn Abd al- understanding and practice of “zakat” (almsgiving), “wakaf” Muslim men gather each groups. Sufis generally believe Wahhab was known to have used Islam. It advises the President of (endowment), pilgrimage affairs, Friday to pray in a mosque that following the Islamic law force and even put fellow Muslims is only the first step on the path to the sword in the attempt to to perfect submission. They enforce his own interpretation focus on the internal or more of Islam. Consequently, it is spiritual aspects of Islam, such believed, his own brother, as perfecting oneʼs faith and Sulayman Ibn Abd al-Wahab, an subduing oneʼs own ego. elite Sunni scholar, rejected him. THERE ARE TWO major of Muhammad. They were known leading to disputes, which a Since its foundation, about denominations of Muslims as Sunnis. “Sunni” is derived from respected leader, the mufti, can 200 years ago, the Wahhabis have – Sunni and Shiʼite. The two the Arab word for followers and offer advice on. The mufti in been rejected by the rest of the groups share essential beliefs but means “followers of the prophet”. Singapore is Syed Isa Semait. Muslim world as their extremist have sharp political differences. Sunni Islam is the larger Large Shiʼite communities are The teaching of Islam emphasizes views are contradictory to Islam, Their split arose in the early denomination comprising 85 found in Iran, Iraq, Lebanon and respect and goodwill towards which is a religion of peace and days of Islam over differences percent of Muslims. Within the Bahrain. The Shiʼites have a more different races and religions. In moderation. Both the Al-Qaeda regarding Muhammadʼs Sunni denomination are four centralized and hierarchical clergy the Qurʼan, Christians and Jews and Taliban have their roots in successors as “caliph” (leader). schools – Maliki, Shafiʼi, Hanafi, than the Sunnis. All practising are referred to as “ahl al-kitab” Wahhabism. One group believed that the and Hanbali. Every one of the four Shiites nominally observe the (people of the book) but, more leadership should remain within accept the validity of the others. advice of an “ayatollah” (a top specifically, in Arabic, the word Muhammadʼs family, and that Sunni Islam is less centralized cleric) on Islamic law. “Ayatollah” “ahl” refers to family. True leaders are spiritually, not than Shiʼite Islam. In most means “sign of God”. Muslims thus have a high respect Al-Qaeda is the name given to an politically, chosen. They were countries a “mufti” (a scholar Generally, in most countries, for Christians and Jews. international alliance of militant known as the Shiat-Ali, or “partisans and interpreter of the law) is Shiʼite and Sunni Muslims live in Service to humanity is seen as Islamist organizations established of Ali”, after the prophetʼs cousin appointed to give advice to harmony and pray together in the service to God with no distinction in 1988 by Osama bin Laden. He and son-in-law Ali, whom they Muslims based on the “sharia” same mosques, like in Singapore. between men since God makes oversees the movementʼs finances favoured as caliph. In time, they (Islamic law). This is useful as Most Muslims would agree that the no distinction in showing his and, with Ayman al-Zawahiri, came to be known as Shiʼites. not all Muslims understand the current civil war between the two kindness to all mankind. Prophet provides ideological and strategic Another group accepted the Qurʼan in its original Arabic denominations in Iraq is a political Muhammad is quoted as saying, guidance. legitimacy of the caliphate of Abu and they might interpret matters struggle between extremists “Be kind and God will show Al-Qaedaʼs objectives Bakr, a close confidant and disciple differently in specific situations, rather than a religious struggle. kindness to you.” include the elimination of foreign