ARS Newsletter | Issue 49

ARS NewsLetter

FALAK GALLERY LAUNCHED

The newly inaugurated Falak Gallery at Darussalam Mosque is now open to the community, allowing them to explore and learn more about Singapore's longstanding tradition of using astronomical calculations to determine the Islamic Hijri calendar since 1974.

This gallery not only showcases this unique approach but also sheds light on the rich history of Islamic scholarship in Singapore. It highlights the extensive knowledge possessed by local scholars and falak experts who have played a crucial role in accurately and consistently determining key Islamic dates.

Earlier this year, the Office of the Mufti published an e-book titled 'Navigating Tradition and Science - Singapore's Approach in Determining the Hijri Calendar,' which is available via go.gov.sg/falak-sg This publication aims to further deepen our understanding and appreciation of Islam while instilling confidence in our religious practices.

By providing access to the Falak Gallery and publishing the e-book, we aspire to foster a greater appreciation and comprehension of Islam within our community.

The gallery is open throughout the mosque's operation hours and will be permanent. But the display of the manuscripts by the late Kyai Zuhri will only last until the end of July understanding of the Islamic calendar and its significance, and contribute to the overall growth of religious knowledge and cultural understanding in Singapore

These initiatives serve to strengthen our

LISTEN TO THE FALAK FORUM HERE

WATCH SNIPPETS OF THE EVENT HERE

1O PERKARA YANG ANDA PERLU TAHU DARI AMANAT MUFTI

Pejabat Mufti Mei lalu telah menganjurkan acara tahunan Asatizah Hari Raya bersama Mufti di Temasek Club.

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Bersedia dengan cabaran-cabaran mendatang yang menjejas Singapura dengan keadaan geopolitik dan ekonomi dunia yang tidak menentu. Ini sekaligus berkemungkinan memberi kesan kepada kehidupan beragama di pelbagai peringkat

Dalam amanah ilmiah, penting bagi kita untuk membincangkan dan mempertimbangkan isu-isu yang dihadapi dari pelbagai sudut serta waqiknya sebelum kita mendidik dan membimbing masyarakat.

Cabaran masa kini tidak hanya melibatkan penyampaian asasasas agama, tetapi juga melibatkan cara kita mentafsirkan dan mengaplikasikannya dalam konteks yang berbeza dan mencabar. Inilah yang dikenali sebagai kompleksiti, kepelbagaian, dan keterikatan.

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Mengambil teladan dari asatizah mapan seperti Ustaz

Pasuni Maulan, Ustaz Hasbi Hassan, dan Al-Marhum Ustaz Hj Ali

Mohamed yang menghargai dan memahami konteks dan realiti kita di Singapura, kerumitannya dan keterikakatan sesuatu isu.

Yakin dengan keputusan dan pendekatan Ulama Singapura dalam penentuan anak bulan. Imam Al-Subki, seorang Ulama kurun 8 Hijri di dalam kitabnya menyebutkan

bahawa kiraan Hisab bersifat hampir kepada keyakinan (Qarīb Min Al-Yaqīn). Beliau berpendapat sekiranya seseorang

mendakwa melihat anak bulan akan tetapi kiraan hisab menetapkan sebaliknya, maka penyaksian tersebut dipersoalkan.

"Mereka tidak mudah melatah atau menjatuhkan sesuatu hukum. Mereka memikirkan sesuatu masalah dengan amat teliti, berani untuk membuat keputusan yang sukar dan mencari huraian yang mungkin tidak popular. Mereka juga tidak goyah pendirian, tidak mudah berubah kerana tekanan dari pihak luaran atau sentimen masyarakat." 6

Muis giat dalam perbincangan berkenaan isu LGBT dan telah berbincang dengan lebih 200 asatizah berkenaan isu ini. Pejabat

Mufti telah menyatakan dengan jelas di dalam Irsyad bahawa

Islam melarang segala bentuk hubungan seksual selain dari

suami dan isteri, termasuk semua jenis hubungan homoseksual.

"Yang bukan hitam atau putih bukan hukumnya, tetapi dalam cara dan pendekatan menangani pelbagai isu sosial berkaitan LGBT ini di dalam masyarakat dan negara."

Jika Allah S.W.T. berpesan

kepada Nabi Musa A.S. dan Nabi Haron A.S.

untuk berbicara dengan Fir’aun yang

mengaku dirinya tuhan, dengan cara

lembut, apatah lagi perbicaraan dan

dakwah kita kepada individu yang

sedang merana jiwanya dengan keimanan

dan agama yang mereka akur bercanggah

dengan keinginan atau identiti seksualitinya.

Mufti Dr Nazirudin Nasir

Amanat Mufti 2023

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Program Kajian dalam Penyelidikan Masyarakat Islam

Gemilang (RPCS) telah memulai penyelidikan tentang isu-isu

yang mencabar dan mendatang ini. Muis menyambut baik

penyertaan para asatizah sebagai zamil dalam program

penyelidikan ini

Muis terus komited untuk memperkukuh institusi

Asatizah. Antaranya menerusi program Continuing Professional

Education (CPE) bagi para Asatizah

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Ustaz Dr Izal Mustafa dilantik sebagai

Timbalan Mufti Ketiga demi menguatkan lagi

kepimpinan keagamaan di Muis dan Pejabat

Mufti.

Mufti gembira melihat pencapaian asatizah Singapura yang

terus mempertingkatkan diri dan mengharumkan nama

Singapura di mata dunia antaranya Ustaz Irwan Hadi Shuhaimy, Ustazah Dr Siti Nur 'Alaniah Binte Abdul Wahid, Ustaz Dr Mohammad Yusri Yubhi Bin Md Yusoff, Ustaz Sadid Abdul Latif, Ustazah Widadul Wahidah dan ramai lagi

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU SAY LGBT IS HARAM ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA

My ARS recognition will be cancelled

All religious teachers are free to reiterate this religious position (that Islam forbids any forms of unlawful sexual relationship and union)

Asatizah should address socio-religious issues, including LGBT issues, with wisdom, kindness, compassion and mercy.

Let us exercise care to avoid actions which may cause disharmony or ill feelings towards others for their beliefs or orientations.

This is in line with key principles in The Shariah, which places great importance on human dignity, respect and peace.

USTAZ DR IZAL MUSTAFA APPOINTED AS THIRD DEPUTY MUFTI

Our religious leadership recognises that the issues we collectively face today are increasingly multi-dimensional and complex While we will constantly face changes that are rapidly evolving, it remains important that we continue to strengthen our religious leadership and institutions which serve as the critical pillars of guidance for the community

Hence, we are pleased to announce that the Office of the Mufti has appointed Ustaz Dr Izal Mustafa Kamar as Deputy Mufti With over a decade of service, Ustaz Dr Izal has been heavily involved in the development of religious policy and supported the development of several key fatwas

Ustaz Dr lzal will serve in his new role alongside Ustaz Dr Mohd Murat and Ustaz Dr Mohammad Hannan. With this rejuvenation of religious leadership, the Office of the Mufti strengthens its efforts to extensively engage with the community and various stakeholders in shaping guidance and initiatives that are relevant and effective.

Wakaf Masyarakat Singapura (WMS) or Singapore Community Wakaf is an Islamic community endowment fund. It was introduced in June 2020 to fund the future needs of the Singapore Muslim community and its institutions in a sustainable manner.

WMS also aims to reignite the legacy of wakaf started by our forefathers and local philanthropists Since the 1800s, they have bequeathed land and properties for the benefit of the wider community, planting seeds for the long-term funding of religious institutions and the poor in Singapore.

Today, our economic landscape has evolved, and bequeathing land and properties for charitable purposes have become increasingly difficult. WMS was created to make wakaf viable for the community and allow more to create their own legacy for the community and generations forward.

As an Islamic endowment fund, WMS will provide a long-term sustainable source of funding and support, in areas not supported by any existing structured community funds. At present, existing community funds – such as Zakat, ad-hoc donations to mosques and madrasahs and Mosque Building and Mendaki Funds (MBMF) – support the day-to-day and shortterm needs of our community. Despite these funds, our institutions still need to carry out ad-hoc fundraising to cover funding shortfalls

WMS will generate sustainable income in a robust financial model. It will pool together contributions from institutions, corporations and community members to form the WMS Corpus (principal amount).

The Corpus will be kept intact and invested in Shariah-compliant Investment Products to generate income until the end of time Only the net income earned will be channelled towards WMS beneficiaries.

As a wakaf instrument, WMS is vested and administered by the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (Islamic Religious Council of Singapore) under the Administration of Muslim Law Act, as the sole trustee.

IS GELATIN HALAL?

As we look into the ingredients of irresistible gummy sweets, we may find gelatine on the list of ingredients. However, does that automatically make it non-halal for us to consume? or is there further deliberation for us to assess and consider?

Have you ever had cravings to chew some gummy candies?

Have you ever had a gummy bear on the shelf, staring at you, waiting to be adopted through the cashier counter?

First, let’s understand what gelatine/gelatin is. Gelatine/gelatin is a commonly used ingredient in food products, such as gummy candies, marshmallows, desserts and even capsules in products like supplements. It is used as a gelling, emulsifying and/or stabilising agent to provide good texture in the final product

Typically, gelatine/gelatin is extracted from the collagen of the bones and skin of animals through various processes like grinding, hydrolysis, extraction etc

DAKWAH, PENDAPAT UMUM DAN PERUBAHAN SOSIAL

Dakwah ialah usaha untuk mencetus perubahan, sama ada perubahan dari kejahilan kepada kefahaman Islam atau dari kebaikan kepada yang lebih baik lagi.

Di dalam istilah tradisi dakwah, ia dinamakan ‘tajdid’ (pembaharuan) dan juga ‘islah’ (pembaikan) sebagaimana yang difirmankan oleh Allah taala yang bermaksud, “Aku hanya ingin melakukan ‘islah’ (perbaikan) mengikut kemampuanku” (Hud: 88)

Ayat ini adalah kata-kata Nabi Syuaib a s kepada kaumnya. Nabi Syuaib, di sini, mewakili para pendakwah dan ‘islah’ merupakan tugas yang hendak dilakukan.

Mengenai tajdid pula, Nabi s.a.w ada bersabda yang bermaksud, “Sesungguhnya Allah taala mengutuskan untuk umat ini setiap seratus tahun orang-orang yang akan melakukan ‘tajdid’ (pembaharuan) agama ini (daripada segala penyimpangan) ” (Riwayat Abu Daud dan Al-Hakim)

Ustaz Dr Muhammad Haniff Hassan

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

ISSUE 49

CONTENT

ARS Office

ARS Secretariat Office of Mufti EDITOR

Ustazah Dr Sukarti Asmoin

ARS NEWSLETTER IS A PUBLICATION OF

info@muis.gov.sg