Organizers: Youths of Darul Arqam (YODA) and Darul Arqam Singapore

Date, Time & Venue: 28th September 2013, 2pm-5pm, Masjid Sultan Auditorium.

Motion: Cultural and Religious Diversity in Singapore is Tolerated But Not Celebrated.

Teams:

Praxis – Proposition (Winners)

1) Noor Hanisah

2) Siti Nur Atiqah (Best Speaker)

3) Nur Zahirah

4) Muhammad Haziq

5) Munira (Reserve)

NUS 1 – Opposition

1) Abdul Hakeem

2) Nur Abidah

3) Nazihah Husna

4) Nurul Huda Atiqa

5) Nadiah Aqilah (Reserve)

Chairperson: Abu Sufyan

Adjudicators:

1) Sim Khadijah Bte Mohamed – Assistant Registrar with The Supreme Court (Chief Adjudicator)

2) Ustaz Saif-ur-Rahman

3) Dr Albakri Ahmad – Dean of MUIS Academy

4) Guy Ghazali – Lawyer with Tan, Rajah & Cheah

5) Hyder Gulam – Qualified Lawyer and Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing

Team Praxis is the Grand Champions

Team Praxis emerged as Grand Champions of the Singapore Muslim Youth Debate 2013 after deservedly beating Team NUS 1.

Being the more confident side, Team Praxis laid out their points and arguments in a clear and concise manner as opposed to Team NUS 1 who seemed unable to gain any sort of momentum throughout the Debate Round.

What stood out for Team Praxis though was their debunking of Team NUS 1’s arguments in the Rebuttal Round. Dr Albakri Ahmad, Dean of MUIS Academy, agreed:

“They are very good at rebuttal, I think they won when they rebutted the arguments of the opposition but generally it was a very close match,” he said.

Siti Nur Atiqah of Team Praxis bagged the Best Speaker award for the Grand Finals, completing a hat trick of Best Speaker awards throughout the entire competition.

Chief Adjudicator Sim Khadijah Binte Mohamed described her as someone who “did embody a lot of very good debating and advocacy skills” and was very sharp at attacking the heart of the arguments and coming up with the best rebuttals.

The Debate

Team Praxis, arguing for the motion “Cultural and Religious Diversity in Singapore is Tolerated But Not Celebrated”, centered and solidified their stand based on the lack of trust Singaporeans have towards the different religious and cultural practices.

They used clear examples such as the negative perception of local Muslims after the September 11 attack, widespread disagreement over foreign worker dorms being built in neighborhoods and open discrimination in online platforms to further cement their position.

On the other hand, opposition Team NUS 1 built their stand around various government initiatives for diversity and events such as the Chingay Parade and Pink Dot.

Unfortunately for Team NUS 1, Team Praxis were able to rebut and tear down their examples by explaining that efforts at embracing diversity are only present on the executive level of the country but not in the public at large.

Team Praxis also pointed out that Singaporeans are generally still conservative, especially towards issues such as homosexuality and that events such as Pink Dot were attended by only a tiny fraction of the community.

The Singapore Muslim Youth Debate 2013

The fourth run of the annual Muslim Youth Debate organized by the Youths of Darul Arqam, now renamed as the Singapore Muslim Youth Debate, saw an auditorium fully packed with supporters, participants and families.

Also present was Mr Muhd Faiz Edwin Ignatious M, President of Darul Arqam, Mr Ridzuan Wu, Deputy President of Darul Arqam and Mr Ariff Sultan, Vice President of Darul Arqam’s Da’wah Division.

The Singapore Muslim Youth Debate, first started in 2010, was set up to encourage youths to come together to discuss and debate various contemporary issues affecting the community.

“It is an excellent platform for youths to do research and reading but also to keep abreast with the issues that they are currently facing,” said Dr Albakri Ahmad. “And it is an exemplary method of getting the youth to be engaging, to participate and organize events like this on this scale.”

Most of the participants of this year’s competition were first time debaters. Abdul Hakeem of Team NUS 1 said that his whole team had no prior debating experience when they entered the completion, not expecting that they would be able to reach the finals.

For Muhammad Haziq of Team Praxis, which claimed the title of Grand Champions, it was also his first time debating.

“None of us were part of Team Praxis (last year)… In my team only one of them had prior debating experience,” he said.

Regarding his team’s strategy throughout the competition, Haziq said that they would dissect the key terms of the motion, explore the definitions, lie out the perimeter of debate and then assign their roles.

“We will elaborate on each other’s points so the next time we meet up we’ll critic on each others points. So technically before the debate we’ll have a debate between ourselves first so we’ll manage to cover up most of our flaws before hand,” he said.

The competition’s overall-in-charge Miss Nur Hani Nasir, who was also in charge last year, explained that the universities’ participation this time round helped inject more challenge into the competition.

“Especially if you look at it as a university versus a madrasah and a madrasah student is as young as 15-years-old against the 22 to 23-year-old students (from universities). So it’s a big challenge for them,” she said.

There was feedback that the competition’s wide age range of 15-25 would present a disadvantage to teams with younger participants who are mostly from Madrasahs. Addressing this, Miss Nur Hani explained that the younger Madrasah students would have teachers to guide them through their research and have their school’s support while the university teams are mostly on their own.

Regarding improvements for next year, Miss Nur Hani said that the team would look into further improving and refining the motions of debate and possibly, the judging system, “Because now the adjudicators go by vote but we have some feedback on why don’t you go by point system? Definitely we’ll take that into consideration but we may or may not adopt that.”

What: Rediscovering the Fatihah

Where: Sunctec City Convention Center

Who: Ustazh Nouman Ali Khan

When: 7 September 2013

By: Bayyinah Institute (USA) and Youth Alive Discourse (MUIS)

For any avid follower of Ustazh Nouman Ali Khan who has been voraciously reading his articles and watching his talks and videos over the past few years, Ustazh’s three-hour lecture at the Suntec City Convention Center would have been a rather monumental moment.

Consequently, it was no surprise then that when I arrived at the venue, half an hour before registration ended, I was met by a 300m long queue of participants, some of whom had been here for the past hour. The predominantly young crowd boasted familiar faces, participants whom I had previously met at other talks organized by Youth Alive Discourse, and unsurprisingly the ladies easily usurped the gents in numbers yet again.

Depths of the Qur’an

Anyone who has watched his lectures would also know that Ustazh is exceptional when it comes to going through Tafseer. The Tafseer lecture, which was conjointly organized by MUIS’ Youth Alive Discourse along with the Bayyinah Institute, entitled “Rediscovering the Fatihah”, unpacked each line of the first Surah in the Quran.

Ustazh detailed the perfection within each syllable of the Surah, voyaged with us through the multiple meanings of each word, unpacked the syntax and grammar of each verse and even the very structure of the Surah – finally arriving at the ultimate conclusion that the opener to the guiding text of the world’s largest growing religion encapsulates inimitable perfection and symmetry  – a product only of Divine craft.

If there is one thing you had taken away from the lecture it would be that there is so much more depth to every single line in the Quran. It would be both simplistic and over-ambitious for any of us to lay claim to having understood the meaning of the Quran from reading it simply because, too much has been lost in translation.

Imagine the amount of time and dedication it would take to even begin understanding the Quran in its most basic form if the 6 lines of the Fatihah took a 3 hour lecture (and I suspect Ustazh was already tailoring all he had to say to the running time).

Perhaps another point that stood out was that the miracle of the Quran lay far beyond the meaning you derive at first read. Linguistic and metalinguistic analysis, cross-referencing with Hadiths and a detailed exploration of even why a word was used as a noun as opposed to a verb reveals a multi-faceted, multi-layered text where all the layers and facets meet in confluence to communicate a simple message but in the most elegantly poetic of ways.

And whats that simple single message? According to Ustazh, the Quran can be summed up in one sentence:

“That we are but servants, and Allah is master.”

That being said, the opener to the Quran, which is also the first complete surah to be revealed, zooms right into the heart of its meaning. The servant-master relationship between us and Allah swt is a cornerstone of the Surah and in 7 lyrical lines, the parameters of this relationship is communicated to us.

“The most beautiful Surah of the Quran is the first complete Surah given to Rasulullah (peace be upon him)” – Ustazh Nouman Ali Khan.

Themes of Surah al-Fatihah

The Fatihah is built upon the themes, Action and Knowledge. The Surah begins with knowledge and ends with Action (as I will elaborate later). At the beginning we are introduced to Allah, and our relationship with Him and we conclude with the supplication to turn our knowledge into actions. The Surah also concludes with us asking Allah to prevent us from being of those who know yet act wrongly (Maghdub) and from those who do not know better and as a result act wrongly (daal).

The thematic analysis of the Surah reveals a symmetry, which is further illustrated when we break the Surah up into three key parts. The first, talks of Allah (his introduction), the second refers to our relationship with him (the agreement that He is Master and we are slave) and lastly, is our own supplication for us.

Grammatically, the first part uses Nouns which are inherently permanent thereby matching Allah’s embodiment of infinity, while the second part is written with both Nouns and Verbs (a representation of Allah’s permanence and our impermanence) and the conclusion, written in Verb which alludes to tenses and consequently an impermanence that our temporal nature embodies.

These two examples of symmetry that can be fleshed out in a reading of the Fatihah is just a couple of the many dichotomies that it illustrates including the balance between Praise & Thanks, Hope & Responsibility and Knowledge & Action.

Information-Heavy

Ustazh used a lot of stories, metaphors and allegories which made his 3-hour lecture easy to understand. He packed the talk with heaps of information that many of us have overlooked and taken for granted, highlighted the many miracles embedded within the 7 lines of the Surah and revealed the universality of the themes in something that was revealed centuries ago.

Personally, Ustazh talk was one that struck me as very informative and “meaty”. At the same time, the rigor with which he examined the Tafseer called for an audience which was already privy to at the very least a moderate understanding of not only the Fatihah, but more importantly, a well-rounded understanding of the faith itself.

Ustazh’s talk was largely underscored by the balance between Mercy and Justice; a dichotomy which I felt required more time and attention.

Coming from a society whose early education in Islam was one that was built upon the “Haram/Halal” or “mis-whack” school of thought, I personally wished that Ustazh had looped back to Allah’s unquantifiable, infinite, expansive mercy after we spoke of Justice (punishment, rather) instead of ending on that note.

Or perhaps, we all needed that reminder.

Tafseer of the Fatihah

The rest of this article dives into the Tafseer of the Fatihah and through it I hope you will gain a better understanding of the discussions aforementioned and also at the very least a glimmer of the wonderful lecture delivered by Ustazh Nouman Ali Khan.

Most of us would be most familiar with the following translation of the Fatihah:

Al Fatihah

Al hamdu lillaahi rabbil ‘alameen

1. All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists).

Ar-Rahman ar-Raheem

2. The Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

Maaliki yaumid Deen

3. The Only Owner (and the Only Ruling Judge) of the Day of Recompense (i.e. the Day of Resurrection)

Iyyaaka na’abudu wa iyyaaka nasta’een

4. You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything).

Ihdinas siraatal mustaqeem

5. Guide us to the Straight Way

Siraatal ladheena an ‘amta’ alaihim,

6. The Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace,

Ghairil maghduubi’ alaihim waladaaleen

7. Not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger (such as the Jews), nor of those who went astray (such as the Christians).

Al hamdu 


-          The word “hamd” has two meanings – both “thanks” and “to praise”.  We would notice that thanks could exist without praise, just as we could be praising something without thanking anyone for it. Unlike the word Syukr, hamd is not a reaction to something, as we would say “Thank You” as a reaction to something that has been said or happened to us. Instead of being reactionary, hamd is actually a declaration (an active rather than re-active word).

Also, instead of using the word “and” between Thanks and Praise, Allah swt specifically chooses to use a word that encapsulates both meanings. This results in “Alhamdulillah” being more than a statement, but a mindset too. It forces us to declare the reality that everything is from Allah swt and that we should always be thankful for it. In that same vein, it forces us to don an attitude also grounded in humility by never taking praise for anything.

-          Being a noun as opposed to a verb, “hamd” earns two other qualities – that it is permanent as it is without tense, and that it doesn’t require a Subject (like a verb would), suggesting on a metalinguistic level that “Alhamdulillah” is a declaration and attitude which awkwardly translates to “Infinite and timeless praise and Infinite and timeless thanks is always due to Allah swt”

lillaahi

-          as opposed to “lillahilhamd” as we would say in the Takbir, (which translates to ONLY Allah), “Alhamdulillah” does not make that declaration. Not because it isn’t true but because it insinuates that the knowledge that there is only one Lord would already be imbibed within the monotheic Muslim.

rabbil

-          The word “Rab” translates to “Lord” however it simultaneously explicates the qualities of this Lord: That He is the 1. Owner (inversely I would own nothing) 2. He Is the Ensurer of Growth 3. Gives Gifts (to us) 4. Completely Independent and that 5. He has Full Authority.

-          In this closing of the first sentence of the verse, we are introduced to the crux of our existence, that Allah is our Rab who owns us, gives us gifts, ensures our growth, upon whom we are completely dependant as only He has full authority, making us His abd or slave.

alameen

-          Alameen translates a meaning beyond all the worlds (or the dimensions as we know it of the Djinn and our own for example) to “all the nations”, “all the worlds of people”. This statement insinuates more than the one message that we get that he was and has always been ruling and sustaining all words, but also that all nations and dimensions are equal and deserve respect – an education we all could do with.

Ar-Rahman ar-Raheem

-          Rahman and Raheem both refer to specifically extreme love, care, concern and mercy.

-          Rahman: Refers to an immediate but temporary love, care, concern and mercy. This alludes to the fact that in that moment of recitation we are recipients of the extreme love, care, concern and mercy but at the same time we must not take advantage of it as being temporary, it can be taken away too.

-          Rahim alludes to the same set of characteristics however instead of being temporary and immediate it denotes that it is one that is permanent and not necessarily immediate.

-          Put together, the cousin of Rasulullah (peace be upon him), Ibn Abbas, said “Rahman is for the Duniya and Raheem for Akhirah”. The completeness, SubhanAllah!

Maaliki yaumid Deen

-          Juxtaposed with the previous verse on love and mercy, this verse reminds us that at the end of the day we will still face Allah swt’s Justice and that we should not take advantage of the Rahmah and Raheem we receive.

-          Ust Khan used the allegory of a master-slave to explain this: There was once a master who drew a line on the floor using chalk and told the slave that he could do whatever he desired behind this line – but never to cross the line. The slave followed his orders for years and one day, he fell down with one leg over the line by accident.

Immediately he got up and looked around, finding his master sitting at the porch looking at him. The slave dusted himself off and continued with his business before the chalk line as he always did. The next day, he pretended to fall down with both legs beyond the line. He did the same thing and the unflinching master didn’t seem bothered.

Subsequently the slave began walking on the chalk line, and then walking over it and soon enough he was wandering beyond the line. His master, again seemed unbothered, only smiled acknowledging the slave. One day, the master called the slave and asked him, “do you remember I told you not to cross the line?”, laughingly the slave replied that he did – thinking that it was no matter since he had crossed over it for so long. And at that moment, the master pulled out a record detailing the exact number of times to slave had blatantly disobeyed him.

And that allegory is a microcosm of all our realities that we too, one day will be called to account for all our mistakes and wrongdoings by our master, Allah. Ust rounded off the story with one take-away that, “ don’t think you can take advantage of all the Rahmah and Raheem you have received, because you may be disqualified from it”.

Iyyaaka na’abudu

-          We are making a claim that we are Allah’s abd, his slave. And in doing so, we surrender that He knows best.

-          Being a slave means that we live by our Master’s rule and if we are actively involved in the haram and we claim this, we are being hypocritical.

wa iyyaaka nasta’een

-          We are seeking His help in being his slave.

-          The root word, Istinana, suggests the seeking of help as we are actively doing something. This suggests that we can only seek Allah’s help to be better slaves if we help ourselves first.

-          Looking at the syntax of the entire verse, we realize that our first declaration is to Allah (that we are His slave) and the second half is for ourselves (that we require His help)

Ihdina

-          dina refers to guidance. Grammatically, it specifically refers to help for a collective, where we see the Surah switch from individual to collective – instead of asking Allah to help “me” we seek his help for “us”.

-          Interestingly, instead of asking Allah for Knowledge, we seek his Guidance – a crucial difference as again we are declaring that we need Him to give us the strength, commitment and will to do the right thing in addition to merely knowing what is the right thing to do.

-          We are not just asking for mere direction, rather, guidance to and through the straight path, all the way till its end.

siraatal

- “Sirat” implies a wide, straight, dangerous and long path. This connotes that it is a path on which many people can travel on, an extension of the movement to a collective desire as opposed to the individual prayer.

mustaqeem

-          Implies rising as opposed to traveling straight. The connotation of rising upwards suggests two things:

-          That we are going to a more lofty realm of Allah

-          And like climbing a mountain, a greater ascent only means a greater and worse fall. Which is why we ask for His guidance for all of us as we ascend on a dangerous, long, wide path towards Him, and protection as we proceed through till our journey’s completion.

Siraatal ladheena an ‘amta’ alaihim,

-          The past tense is used here to suggest that it is not a path upon which Allah will shower his Mercy but has already paved with grace and mercy. By asking for this we are asking the Almighty to place us upon a path of guaranteed favor.

Ghairil maghduubi’ alaihim

-          “Maghdub” being a noun instead of a verb, suggests it is permanent and infinite. The people in this phrase are those who had knowledge yet chose to ignore guidance. We are asking Allah to prevent us from being from these people upon whom Anger (not JUST His Anger) has been directed to, an Anger which is bound by permanency which in turn means that this Anger is one that never ceases.

waladaaleen

-          “daal” refers to those who are Lost: we are completing our supplication to be relieved of being from those who know yet disobey and those whom disobey from ignorance.

Farah Bawany
Farah is an undergraduate at the National University of Singapore, studying Communications and New Media. She aspires to be a change-maker, ground-breaker, time-shifting, paradise-seeker.

As individuals we can be different in many ways, from our personalities to our preferences to our physical appearances. But there is one universal and fundamental element that has been encoded into our DNA. It’s the one thing we all have in common and that is the desire to be happy.

Everybody wants to be happy. Even Aristotle believed so when he claimed, “Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence.”

That’s a lot of pressure, Mr. Aristotle. But what is happiness? What does it mean to be happy or unhappy?

Happiness is subjective. What we may not realise is that when we think we are pursuing happiness, we are actually trying to create the conditions for happiness according to our understanding of it. Some chase fame and recognition, wealth, and physical attractiveness while believing these things will bring them success and happiness.

However, the reality is, it isn’t happiness they’re really seeking but a sense of validation, power and influence. While these things can be understood as basic human emotional needs they can also be things that feed our ego.

Many of us have a misconception that the way to be happy is to constantly fulfil our egos’ desires but it has been proven that feeling gratitude and expressing gratitude (verbally and physically) releases endorphins into our brains thus making us feel more optimistic about life.

According to the article ‘10 Easy Things That Will Make You Happier’ ,a study done by the Journal of Happiness discovered that writing ‘thank you’ notes “increased the participants’ happiness and life satisfaction, while decreasing depressive symptoms”.

“Recent scientific research has begun to indicate that positive emotions, such as gratitude and love, have beneficial effects on health. They do so by strengthening and enhancing the immune system, which enables the body to resist disease and recover more quickly from illness, through the release of endorphins into the bloodstream. Endorphins are the body’s natural painkillers… they stimulate dilation of the blood vessels, which leads to a relaxed heart.” Attitudes of Gratitude, M.J. Ryan

 Practicing Gratitude

 “We’re a nation hungry for more joy: Because we’re starving from a lack of gratitude.” ― Brené Brown

 Practicing gratitude is an important aspect of the Muslim faith. To practice gratitude is to first and foremost, recognise or appreciate a gift. It also means to literally practice being grateful and make a habit out of it by expressing thanks for blessings and blessings in disguise.  It has been said that to have iman (faith and certainty in God) is to practice sabr (patience, steadfastness) and shukr (thankfulness).

In several verses of the Holy Qur’an, Allah (swt) has divided people into two categories: grateful and ungrateful.

“And We had certainly given Luqman wisdom [and said], “Be grateful to Allah.” And whoever is grateful is grateful for [the benefit of] himself. And whoever is ungrateful – then indeed, Allah is Free of need and Praiseworthy.” {31:12}

God has described the disbeliever as someone who is ungrateful or kufr (one who conceals the truth) because the True Source of all blessings is God, the Creator and Sustainer of the Earth and Universes. He is the Most Merciful and Benevolent. To be ungrateful is to conceal or deny this fact.

Gratitude towards Allah (subhanahu wa taala)

Gratitude in itself is life-transforming but to have gratitude toward one’s Creator is the most life-transforming human condition. Human beings are in a constant quest of understanding themselves and their lives. To finally know and understand where you came from, and not just in terms of biological and cultural background, but also how life came to be and what its true purpose is, that’s when a person finally comes to terms with who they are in this world and universe.

“Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.” {2:156}

God created us and gave us life. Everything else is an added bonus. Feeling entitled to more egocentric things due to the desire to perpetually please ourselves is a symptom of self-worship and ingratitude.  If we were to count His favours upon us we would never be able to. Reflect on Surah ar-Rahman: Which of the favors of your Lord would you deny?

 If you disbelieve [are ungrateful], then surely Allah is Self-sufficient above all need of you; and He does not like ungratefulness in His servants; and if you are grateful, He is pleased with you; and no bearer of burden shall bear the burden of another; then to your Lord is your return, then will He inform you of what you did; surely He is Cognizant of what is in the breasts.{39:7}

Having said that, Allah (swt) doesn’t need our gratitude but we need to recognise His blessings because thankfulness is our bridge to Him. When we don’t recognise the Bestower of gifts and blessings the impact is on our psyche and society more than anything else.

And be sure that dunya (worldly life) will distract and seduce us with its superficial glitter and shine. Knowing the power of gratitude and how it will greatly and positively impact our lives, Shaytan has promised to try his best to make us heedless of God’s blessings. That is why it is recommended for us to recite the 3 Qul’s regularly as a way of seeking Allah’s guidance and protection.

“Then I will come to them from before them and from behind them and on their right and on their left, and You will not find most of them grateful [to You].” {7:17}

Gratitude towards Allah creations

“He who does not thank people is not thankful to Allah.” – Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him {Ahmad, Tirmidhi}

To be thankful towards others is a sign of good character. In fact, it is through God’s revelation in the Holy Qur’an that we know the status of parents, and the elderly in general, is very high.

 “And We have enjoined upon man [care] for his parents. His mother carried him, [increasing her] in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years. Be grateful to Me and to your parents; to Me is the [final] destination.” {31:14}

However, apart from our parents we must also express thanks and gratitude towards our spouses, siblings, relatives, friends and anyone who has been kind towards us, regardless of their faith. Finding reasons to appreciate one another regardless of differences with the intention of pleasing Allah (swt) and creating a harmonious social environment is a noble deed.

After all, we can’t run away from the fact that humans are social beings and a large part of our survival and well-being, personally and collectively, depends on how well we are able to get along with others.

Finding Gratitude in Tough Times

“When Allah desires good for someone, He tries him with hardships.” – Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him {Bukhari}

It’s not easy to remain patient and grateful to Allah (swt) when hardship falls upon us. That’s when our iman and trust in Allah are truly tested. How did Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), Prophet Ayub (as), Asiya, Maryam and Aisha (may Allah be pleased with them) respond to trials? They turned to Him.

The key to getting through tough times is to be grateful for everything, even the trial itself for it is a means of attaining goodness in this life and the hereafter.  Gratitude is an attitude and we tend to have the wrong attitude towards life and hardships due to the excessive love of the worldly life.

God repeatedly reminds us in the Holy Qur’an,

“But you prefer the worldly life, while the Hereafter is better and more enduring.” {87: 16-17}

Say, “The enjoyment of this world is little, and the Hereafter is better for he who fears Allah. And injustice will not be done to you, [even] as much as a thread [inside a date seed].” {4:77}

The hereafter is better! Paradise is better than dunya so strive for it! Don’t make this worldly life your only concern because that leads to heedlessness of our true purpose in life, which is to worship Allah through prayer, sincerity, steadfastness and good actions.

 “He Who created Death and Life, that He may try which of you is best in deed: and He is the Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving.” {67:2}

Benefits of Gratitude

Many psychological studies have discovered that positive thinking can have a tremendous impact on individuals by building their skills, boosting their health and improving their productivity. This correlates with what Allah (swt) has told us in the Holy Qur’an,

“And [remember] when your Lord proclaimed, ‘If you are grateful, I will surely increase you; but if you deny, indeed, My punishment is severe.’ “{14:7}

Scholars have explained that when Allah said “I will increase you” He has not specified in what way He will do so and therefore the possibilities are endless. SubhanaAllah. Just as studies have proven, a person’s entire livelihood can improve by cultivating positive thoughts, and this includes being grateful towards Allah (swt) and His creations.

The second part of the verse is daunting but it also reflects what studies have said about negative thinking. People who have a negative attitude towards life create undesirable results for themselves.

“Whatever benefit comes to you (O man!), it is from Allah, and whatever misfortune befalls you, it is from yourself…” {4:79}

Sometimes God gives us hardship by allowing us to feel the consequences of our wrongdoings as a wake-up call but it is also a means of giving us relief in other ways, in this life and/or in the hereafter.

 “Verily, with hardship there is relief.” {94:5}

 The amazing thing about gratitude is that it is the easiest and quickest way towards happiness but it also takes us a long way in life and beautifies our journey towards Him.

If you haven’t already, start practicing gratitude today. In fact, start right now. Ask yourself, “When was the last time I felt gratitude and what was I grateful for?”

Shahirah Elaiza Wan Hassan
Shahirah Elaiza is a Communication Studies graduate who is currently living in New Zealand. She is a modern-day Muslimah who is always rediscovering the true meaning of Islam and what it means to believe in God. In her spare time, Shahirah enjoys travelling and blogging about Islam, fashion and her latest adventures on her personal blog, Colours of My Life.

About a week ago, in the midst of raging hijab debates and raucous Halloween debaucheries, The Real Singapore, a local alternative news website, did something rather strange and wholly unnecessary. It decided to publish an article, written by a Muslim man, on his disdain for male circumcision. This was more trick than treat.

To be honest, The Real Singapore is often guilty of the downright bizarre, though not the kind often associated with jack-o-lanterns and creepy costumes. But I suppose in wanting to attract a countercultural audience, they sometimes have to feature opinions which are very much opposed to the mainstream. An article on how circumcision is vile and barbaric, and not an obligation in Islam because no Quranic injunction exists to support it, is undoubtedly right up their alley.

Unfortunately, this particular writer seemed not to understand that Islam does not allow for the cherrypicking of laws to suit one’s motives and feelings. Yes, there may be a difference of opinion with regards to some laws (the permissibility of music comes to mind), but the vast majority of laws are clear and unambiguous.

As a Muslim, one is obligated to follow these laws, and not simply cast them aside on a whim. In Surah Al-Baqarah, Allah commands the believers to “enter into Islam completely”. Interestingly, in that same verse (208), they are warned “not to follow in the footsteps of Satan”, for he is, to believers, a “clear enemy”.

Is circumcision commanded in the Quran? No, it isn’t (and that’s perhaps the only thing the writer and I agree upon). But Islamic law is derived from several sources, not just the Quran, though it is regarded as the primary source. The Sunnah (sayings and teachings) of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) also serves as guidance when deciding how to behave as a Muslim.

In this regard, Muslim men are circumcised because the Prophet Muhammad himself was circumcised and is reported to have said “Five things are part of fitrah (natural disposition of man): circumcision, shaving the pubic hair, trimming the moustache, cutting the nails and removing hair from the armpits”. (Sahih)

Naysayers who claim that following the Quran alone is enough fail to understand that the Quran itself exhorts Muslims to follow the examples of the prophets (peace be upon them all), and that to obey Allah means to obey His Messenger. How does one obey the Messenger if he or she discards the Sunnah?

So if you’ve read this wanting to know if circumcision can and should be discarded as an archaic tradition with no place in the modern world, the plain and simple answer is no. Well, not for Muslim men anyway. But don’t take it from me. Walk over to your nearby mosque or Islamic centre and ask a local alim. Email him. Sign up for one of his classes. There are many in Singapore today, even though we may not be a Muslim country.

Get Islamic Knowledge from the Right Sources

Just don’t take your knowledge of Islam from the World Wide Web. In today’s day and age, just about anybody can give you a half-baked ‘fatwa’, without having to spell out his name, let alone his credentials. Don’t learn about Islam from The Real Singapore.

Know that just like any other body of knowledge, there needs to be rigorous, authentic scholarship to determine what gets admitted and discarded from the canon of Islam. This is especially important when one considers what is at risk: the innovation and distortion of the Shariah, which ultimately leads to two phenomena, a refashioning of Islam to please the senses of the liberal democratic world and a hugely splintered faith, with a billion differing schools of thought. The symptoms of these two are already evident, for anybody who cares to look deeper into the crisis facing Islam today.

As such, not anybody can interpret the Quran and the Sunnah. In Abdul Hakim Murad’s Understanding the Four Madhabs, it is clearly listed the conditions that allow someone to claim the right to ijtihad (independent, scholarly reasoning leading to the formulation and codification of Islamic law). These conditions are, among others, mastery of Arabic language, a profound knowledge of the Quran and Sunnah, knowledge of the specialised disciplines of hadith, and knowledge of the views of the Companions, Followers and the great Imams.

To use an oft-quoted analogy, if we don’t subscribe to fly-by-night quacks for medical advice out of fear of the irreversible damage to our physical bodies, how can we be guilty of not doing the same in matters of religion? Taking instruction on religious rulings from just about anybody can result in untold harm on our eternal souls.

This medical analogy can also be used to clear up a long-standing misconception. Islam does not believe in circumcision because of its health benefits, numerous they may be in scientific literature. After all, as Muslims we do not consider science as the ultimate arbiter of truth. Rather, the Quran and Sunnah guides us to what truth is. As such, we are unlikely to be affected by what scientific research has to say about circumcision, negative or otherwise.

Nevertheless, we do not denounce science, or in this case, medicine, entirely. We know of its untold benefits in the modern era. In fact, on the issue of circumcision, a medical opinion, from a genuine doctor of course, can be used to overrule a religious obligation. For instance, if the doctor performing the circumcision feels the patient is at risk of haemorrhaging, or is perhaps too old or weak to undergo the procedure, then the obligation to be circumcised is waived. Some scholars have even said that the obligation is also waived if the person fears the procedure.

So, speaking hypothetically, if the Muslim man who wrote the article bashing circumcision were to explain to his future son the procedure of being circumcised, and if for some reason the son did not feel safe to undergo such a procedure, then, technically, the son wouldn’t have to. And it would not make him any less of a Muslim. Judging from experience though I don’t think any self-respecting seven-year-old kid would pass off that once-in-a-lifetime chance to feel like a tough hero.

However, I fear that there will be parents like the writer who insist that the religious obligation for circumcision is nothing but a fallacy, and in doing so would have already made a decision on behalf of their sons. How ironic, to dismiss such obligations on the basis of them being dogma, while espousing no less rigid an ideology.

By Shahnawaz Abdul Hamid

The writer blogs at www.hayatshah.com. 

Event Review: Islamic Finance Services Conference (ISFC) 2013

Date of Event: 1 October 2013

Venue: Orchard Hotel Singapore

Time: 8:30am – 5:00pm

Organisers: Gulf Asia Shariah Compliant Investments Association (GASCIA), Singapore Business Federation, Singapore Malay Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Like a fish out of the water, I was baffled with all the Islamic Financing jargons being tossed around in the Islamic Finance Services Conference (ISFC).  Only vaguely aware of the existence of Islamic banks in Singapore, what was being discussed was entirely foreign to me so I had to google the terms to understand what was going on.

For those who are unaware, the main difference between Islamic banking system and conventional banking system is the existence of usury.

As it was mentioned in the Holy Quran:

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In addition, in the Islamic system, Real Asset is a product and money is a means of exchange whereas for the conventional system, money is a product other than being a means of exchange and store of value.
The event commenced with a Keynote Address by Mr Zainul Abidin Rasheed (Adviser to GASCIA; Singapore Ambassador to Kuwait) who stated the importance of collaboration between Malaysia and Singapore in achieving a shared vision of a global Islamic Finance (IF) industry. He also mentioned how Islamic banks can serve as alternatives to financing.

After the introduction, there was a panel dialogue titled ‘Building an Islamic Finance Ecosystem’. Here, the speakers discussed on the difference between Malaysia’s highly developed Islamic financing ecosystem and Singapore’s which is still in its infancy stage. Mr Arshad Ismail, executive Vice President and Head of Business Development Maybank Islamic, stressed upon the fact that much time and resources are needed to fine tune the ecosystem to make it robust and how support and guidance from the authorities can help to expand the industry further.

Mr Nik Mohamed Din Nik Musa[1], and Mr Nazmi Camalxaman[2], expounded on ‘Markets, Products and Opportunities’. Mr Nik Mohamed Din focused on Malaysia’s IF industry. He talked about the two different ways on how the islamic banks can co-exist with the conventional banks which are: a dual financial system (Malaysia, Kuwait, Qatar) whereby both banks exists in two separate entities, and another which has both banks embedded within the same system (Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey).

He acknowledges the strong progress in the banking, takaful and capital market and how the Malaysia’s sukuk market has world-class infrastructure. Mr Nazmi, on other hand, stresses upon the need  of Singapore to create a niche in the IF industry and to use Malaysia’s asset management model as a blueprint. He asserted that it is also important to clear misconceptions of Islamic finance to the mass.

The next topic was on ‘Islamic Finance Human Capital Needs, Issues and Solutions’.  The much needed talents for the future of IF industry was deliberated by Dr Mohamed Akram Laldin [3] and Dr. Mohamed Eskandar Shah Mohamed Rasid[4].

It was noted that there is a shortage of shari’ah trained scholars in the IF industry and how a comprehensive talent development program is needed to promote standards and accreditation of IF industry. One way of tackling this issue is by capitalizing on the ranking of Singapore’s local institutions as Malaysian universities are struggling.

Thereafter, a panel dialogue session titled ‘The Roles, Responsibilities and Challenges of Shariah Scholars’ was held. As some of the industry players are not well-versed on IF, scholars are needed. Here, Dr Ashraf Mohd Hashim[5] emphasized on shari’ah governance which can help to ensure 1) strict shari’ah compliant 2) instilling public confidence 3) promote financial stability. A product cannot be claimed as shari’ah compliant unless it is backed up with scholar supervision.

After a hearty lunch, Mr Raja Mohamad [6]gave a talk on shari’ah-compliant funds which are funds that fulfills investors Shari’ah fulfillment as advised by independent Shari’ah advisory panel or Shari’ah mandate. Mr Raja also mentioned the differences between shari’ah-based products and shari’ah-compliant products. One of the differences is that a shari’ah-based product emphasises on the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah whereas a shari’ah-compliant product emphasises on jurisprudence.

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The audience is then broken up into 3 groups. Each group will be diverted to a different room where different topics are explored which are: ‘Fatwas and Scholar Responsibilities’, ‘Shariah Compliant Business and Benefits’ and ‘Selling IF Products: Approaches and Challenges’.

A short networking session then ensued, followed by a Panel Dialogue Session titled ‘Challenges and Opportunities for Islamic Finance Service Providers in Singapore and the Potential for Collaboration with Malaysia’. Mr Ian Yeo[7] states the need of the IF Industry to get more publicity from the media to increase awareness, educate the mass and convince them of the importance of islamic banking. What is most interesting was the challenge of integrating Islamic Banking with Gen Y which was brought up by Mr Jasani Abdullah[8]. He underlines that with mobile and internet banking, it is important that the IF industry figures out how to make Islamic Banking more friendly for the younger clients.

When asked about how the conference benefited Marhamah Senewi, a student from Madrasah Al-Junied Al-Islamiyah, she said, “it re-emphasised what I learnt from my IF education from school and how it is being used by the IF industry.”

Unsure of the Islamic Banking Industry, I sought someone to explain if our local IF industry has a chance for further growth. “Definitely,” Haji Razli Ramli[9] agreed, “There is a growing demand. Singapore has the potential to expand and it has good financial infrastructure. If Singapore and Malaysia were to work together, we have a chance to be dominant in the global IF industry.”

Being an inaugural event, one of the GASCIA organisers, Mr Adzfar Alami, hopes that the event will be held annually. “ Its very heartening to see a lot of people signing up and it won’t be surprising if the demand for such conferences will continue. There will definitely be discussions in holding the next one as well.

After the end of the conference, there was definitely a diffusion of IF knowledge to my mind. I learnt many interesting things and I pray that Islamic Banking will be recognized one day in Singapore as a reputable alternative of banking.

Nur Hidayah Murad
Hidayah is a student of School of Film and Media Studies at Ngee Ann Polytechnic undertaking a Diploma in Mass Communications.

The issue of the hijab (the headscarf worn by Muslim women, also known as the tudung in Malay) in Singaporean workplaces became an issue of debate recently, thanks to a popular online petition calling for its acceptance at the workplace. But why the controversy?

‘The Tudung Issue’

The issue came to prominence in 2002, when four Malay-Muslim parents sent their daughters to school wearing the tudung. The girls were suspended for not adhering to the school uniform, and where schools previously had the leeway to permit amendments to their own uniforms on religious grounds, the issue came under the purview of the Ministry of Education, which enforced stricter regulations on uniforms in the interest of keeping government schools secular. The case sparked a flurry of discussions, arguing both for and against the acceptance of headscarves.

It recently resurfaced when during a forum discussing survey results on racial and religious attitudes, the question came up as to why hospitals did not permit nurses to wear the hijab. Former Nominated Member of Parliament Zulkifli Baharudin responded by saying that while it may be permitted eventually, Muslims should not expect others to always accommodate their religious practices.

Subsequently an online petition called for 20,000 signatures to support the cause of hijabs in the workplace, quickly garnering support from thousands who ‘signed’ it. As the petition was reaching its goal, it was suddenly closed and taken down without any notice.

The petition generated a lot of discussion, even provoking accusations of astroturfing. Debate was often heated, and even the views of former Mufti Shaykh Syed Isa Semait were criticised, leading to the current Mufti Dr Fatris Bakaram penning a lengthy note on Facebook asking for those advocating the hijab to behave more civilly.

Grievances stem from the less than satisfactory resolution to the case of the school girls in 2002, as well as perceived marginalisation of the Muslim community such as curbs on madrasah education and the exclusion of Muslims from ‘sensitive’ military positions.

The government’s position is not wholly indefensible. There are sanitary considerations for nurses should they be permitted to wear the hijab, and allowing the hijab in the uniformed services may lead to different religious groups demanding that their own dress be accepted, leading to a lack of uniformity across the board.

Integration may not seem to be an issue, given that most Singaporeans would encounter hijab-wearing women on a daily basis. However, a quick glance at the comments section of any article on the current hijab issue reveals a lack of understanding of the issue among non-Muslims, and a belief that Muslims are being unreasonable in their requests. While these may be the viewpoints of a vocal minority, it stands that there are legitimate concerns about integration.

The Obligation to Cover

In Islam, women are required to cover their bodies, excluding their hands and faces (and feet in some opinions). Like the daily prayers or fasting during Ramadan, this is a religious obligation. Though some may choose not to wear the hijab for personal reasons, it remains obligatory and not complying is considered a sinful act. Men are also required to dress modestly, and clothing must cover one’s body at least from the navel to the knee.

The widespread wearing of the hijab is a fairly recent phenomenon in this region and a generation ago it would have been rare to find any Muslim woman wearing it regularly. One of the reasons for its widespread adoption is the increase in religiosity thanks to greater access to religious information.

Despite the belief that the hijab is a ‘burden’ enforced upon Muslim women, many do so of their own accord. There is rarely coercion to wear it and it is not uncommon to find families where the mother wears the hijab but her daughter does not (or vice versa).

Fair Employment

It should be recognised that hijab-wearing women are generally accepted in the workplace, as can be seen in many offices around Singapore. Nevertheless, it is widely known that the hijab is not accepted in many lines of work, including nursing, hospitality, and uniformed groups such as the police, civil defence and armed forces. In the case of nursing, this creates the strange contradiction where female Muslim doctors are permitted to wear the hijab whereas their counterparts in nursing are not.

The Tripartite Alliance of Fair Employment Practices recently reported that 1 out of 5 complaints it received related to race, language and religion. While the report does not specifically identify the hijab as a cause for discrimination among employers, there is an account of religious discrimination faced by a Muslim woman. Wearing the hijab would surely have only aggravated her situation.

The call for greater acceptance of the hijab in the workplace is not a rallying cry for the Islamisation of Singapore. Muslims by and large live in harmony with non-Muslim neighbours, colleagues and peers. Greater recognition of the hijab would in fact encourage better integration among Singaporeans through a better understanding of the beliefs and practices of different communities.

Acceptance of the hijab would also increase employment by encouraging greater participation of Muslim women in the workforce, without forcing them to choose between practicing their religion and earning a livelihood.

Moving Forward

Other developed countries permit the hijab, even in the police and military, and workplace discrimination against hijab-clad employees has resulted in lawsuits. Even in Singapore, hijab-clad women are prominent members of parliament and executive directors of renowned research institutes. It seems archaic for multi-cultural, modern Singapore to permit discrimination against Muslim women in the workplace. This is especially so given that Article 15 (1) of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore states “Every person has the right to profess and practise his religion and to propagate it.”

In light of its importance to society as a whole, the issue of permitting the hijab in workplaces must be advocated not only by Muslim religious scholars, community leaders and organisations, but also by civil society groups and activists from all walks of life. Only then can we truthfully say that we are in fact ‘one united people, regardless of race, language or religion’.

Comments from government officials have been conciliatory so far; possibly indicating that acceptance of the hijab will come sooner rather than later. PERGAS has formed a committee to handle the issue, and the Malay-Muslim MPs have sat down with the major Malay-Muslim bodies to discuss solutions. Some may be cynical, but I believe there is reason to be optimistic and that all this points towards a favourable outcome for hijab-wearing women and their employment options in the near future, God-willing.

Further Reading

• The hijab issue & social media: Defending dignity by stepping on it? (English translation) |Mufti Dr Fatris Bakaram

Ahmad Zhaki Abdullah
Ahmad Zhaki holds a degree in English Literature from the University of London. He is a full-time executive at a local research institute and a part-time writer.

Date, Time & Venue: 22/10/2013, 8-10pm, Simply Islam

Organiser: Simply Islam

Speaker: Dr Bilal Hassam

• UMA Global Ltd – Director
• National Health Service – Doctor
• The Leaf Network – Co-Founder & Executive Member
• Muslim Community Fund – Trustee

I really had a hard time writing this review. To sum up, even in a few or a multitude of words would never do justice to the profound journey that Dr Bilal Hassam had brought us through in his lecture. This journey, as most complex ideas go, was packaged in such a simple yet perfect scenario – A car ride.

“Check your mirrors.”

Most drivers reading this would understand. Checking the rear view and side mirrors are some of the most important things to do before driving (besides switching the engine on of course!). As important as it is to be able see and be aware of what is behind us, it is equally as important that we be aware of where we came from.

As Muslims, we belong to a legacy that can only be described as majestic. Starting from the trials suffered by Prophet Muhammad (S) and his Sahabah (companions), then to the great expansion and dominance of the Muslim Empire started by the Righteous Caliphs.

And not forgetting the many great innovators, scientists, inventors, scholars and visionaries that had helped our society be what it is today.

Unfortunately, we are now victims of many distractions, influences, malice and ignorance that have made us forget this legacy that we have.

We should realise and understand that we belong to this great civilisation and that we have as much potential and ability to achieve whatever they did. Only then can we pick ourselves up and carry on the work to improve human civilisation.

In simpler terms, Dr Hassam shared with us a story of a lion cub that was separated from his pack and ended up following a group of ostriches. As time passed, the lion cub started to talk, act and think like an ostrich, believing itself to be one. It was only when he was discovered by his pack and brought to the river to look at his own reflection that he realised that he is a lion all along.

The message behind this simple yet incredible story is that we, like the lion cub, have been influenced so much by foreign ideas and perceptions that we start to thinking that we belong to such. It is only when we take a good hard look at ourselves and rediscover our roots that we can see the fallacy of our previous mindset.

“Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the men of old; seek what they sought” – Matsu Basho.

Following the paths of our predecessors though is not to simply emulate their every footstep. We have to understand that their dreams far outweighed their achievements. The only way to equal or to surpass them is to dream as they dreamt, aspire as they aspired and strive as they had strove.

“The dials, buttons, pedals and whatever that is happening in front.”

The steering wheel, the foot pedals, the gear stick and the other gadgets in the car. These instruments help take us where we want to go. Likewise, we have to take note of our resources, strengths and skill sets in order to fully utilise them.

Being aware of whatever that is happening in front of us will help us make the appropriate changes and alterations that we need. Rampaging through every obstacle in our journey would not only slow us down but will cause harm to ourselves and those around us.

“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That’s why it is called the ‘present’” – Oogway, Kung Fu Panda (2008).

It is only now, in the present, that we can do the things that we want and achieve what we aspire. It is not enough to dream and aspire if we won’t start anything now.

It is also impractical to dwell on the mistakes and missed opportunities of that had passed because it is history. We can only achieve great things if we seize the present and use it for all it’s worth.

Dr Hassam said that it’s no use hoping to be rich to be able to give sadaqah (alms) if we aren’t giving sadaqah right now. A person will remain the same whether he or she is rich or not. We should start doing something now in order to change ourselves for the better.

Of course, we should never forget our best and most important resource, Allah SWT. He is the one who made us, placed us here and guided us to the Truth that is Islam. He is the one who inspired us with the realisation that we are capable of achieving greatness.

The best way to do anything and everything is to put one’s full and unwavering trust in Him. Because no matter the outcome, it will only happen with the infinite Wisdom of The Almighty, The Most Wise.

Dr Hassam shared another incredible story to illustrate putting one’s faith in Allah SWT.

There was a muslimah who decided to don the hijab (headscarf). Starting out all pumped up and excited, the heat, stuffiness and people’s reactions started to affect her by midday. While in class, she realised that her hijab looked a little haphazard and asked her teacher for permission to adjust it outside.

However, for whatever reason that only Allah SWT knows, her teacher refused.

Disappointed, the muslimah made a small and simple dua (supplication) to Allah SWT – to make it easy for her to please Him. Almost immediately, all the boys in the class stood up and went out of the class. They told her that they would wait outside while she fixes her hijab.

Such is the power of having absolute faith in Allah SWT in any situation.

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“What is your destination?”

Every journey needs a destination. And every destination needs a well-planned route leading up to it.

Are we living our lives based on a planned route and destination? Or are we just stumbling along to whatever comes next, as though we’re driving blind in the middle of a storm?

It is important to know what we want to achieve. Only with a solid goal would we be able to chart our path accordingly and not be distracted along the way.

An example of an extraordinary Muslim who achieved his goal is the Turkish Sultan Mehmed Al-Fatih. After reading the hadith about the blessings bestowed upon the Muslim king and army that would conquer Constantinople (Istanbul), he made it his one goal to fulfil the prophecy.

By the Will of Allah SWT, he eventually conquered Constantinople for the Muslims.

Sometimes, the journey towards fulfilling our aspirations may be the one that bears the most fruit, even if we don’t end up reaching our goal.

Take the example of Abu Ayyub Al-Ansari, a Sahabah who joined every single military campaign that he could in order to be part of the army to conquer Constantinople. Although he passed on before the actual conquest, his participation in the many battles for the Muslim state greatly helped with its expansion.

And by the Grace of Allah, he was buried near the walls of Constantinople. A tomb and a mosque were also built in his honour.

We should start contemplating on the direction that we are currently heading. Are we happy with how we are? What do we really want to do?

It is possible for us to change our directions. It is difficult yes, but we shouldn’t be afraid to dream the impossible. Our fellow Muslim ancestors dreamt the impossible and just look at what they achieved.

“There are people with a hundred times less than what you have but will achieve a hundred times more than what you will ever achieve.”

What then is our excuse for not achieving as much as these people? What will we do if all the resources are available to us? – These are the questions that we Muslims have to ask ourselves.

Lastly, we can strive our hardest, put in the most effort and work tirelessly. But we should never ever forget that great things happen not because of us but because of Allah’s SWT Greatness. Everything happens by His Will, whether we like it or not and whether we want it or not.

It is of utmost importance for every Muslim to understand that.

So make the intention to do something different, something practical and do it now! And leave the rest to Allah SWT.

Muhammad Ilham Othman
An aspiring writer currently studying Journalism and Media Studies. One who is also constantly trying to better himself for Allah SWT.

With a unique and cutting-edge concept, AVAIL Beauty Sdn Bhd caters to the feminine needs of women in this region with its range of FC Bio Sanitary Pads. The Malaysian brand seeks to address common issues faced by women who use ordinary sanitary pads. It fuses a blend of safe herbal and natural ingredients such as peppermint and mai fang stone which prevent vaginal infections. The product also leaves out potentially harmful materials such as chlorine and dioxin.

Research shows that approximately 70 percent of women suffer from itchiness and heat rashes during their menstrual period. Personal hygiene and choosing suitable sanitary pads are of utmost concern to women. To avoid causing rashes and further complications, FC Bio Sanitary Pad is composed of three different layers. The surface layer is made of 100 percent cotton, while the middle layer contains Super Absorbent Polymer (S.A.P) particles that are highly absorbent. The bottom layer is ventilated to prevent heat rash.

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However, pregnant women should refrain from using FC Bio Sanitary Pads as each individual faces a unique set of symptoms and health concerns. Also, women may notice dark discharge after their menstruation has ended as the brand claims to help remove blood clots and bloodstains along the uterus, hence the darker discharge. FC Bio Sanitary Pads also claim to relieve dysmenorrhea upon regular usage, though the eventual result varies according to individual.

When compared to other similar products in the market, it is observed that most pads and tampons are chlorine-bleached and contains a huge amount of rayon, which is effectively, also bleached to make it fully-absorbent. Chlorine in sanitary products may contain dioxin which disrupts hormonal functions. Although pads do not come in direct contact with the internal vaginal wall, chemicals may still enter the bloodstream through contact with the external mucosa.

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FC Bio Sanitary Pads are effective at getting the job done while keeping you clean and safe. However, it all boils down to personal preference. It is recommended that you read packaging carefully to find out which types of sanitary pads are suitable for you and most importantly, what ingredients were used in the production of the sanitary pads. You may decide to choose unbleached pads made from safe materials, such as 100 percent certified organic cotton, in this case, FC Bio Sanitary Pads.

Disclaimer: All advice may not be construed as medical advice or instruction and is not meant to replace the advice of your medical practitioner. Information has been compiled from the author’s personal experiences and own research into multiple existing public references and previously published scientific studies. While all care is taken, information is not warranted as accurate.

Nawira Baig
Nawira is a Mass Communication graduate from Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s School of Film & Media Studies, and is currently pursuing a degree in psychology. She has a newfound passion-being a hijabi.