When the end of Ramadan approaches, Muslims everywhere get ready for the celebration of the festival of Eid ul Fitr, known in this region as Hari Raya Puasa or Hari Raya Aidilfitri. One of the more interesting things about how Raya is celebrated, as the festival is commonly known, is that celebrations stretch for the entire month of Shawal.

This often means a month of visiting and feasting after the month of fasting in Ramadan, which might seem to negate the entire experience of fasting but hey, that’s how we roll. Of course, the ‘real’ reason behind visiting is the strengthening of silatalrahim, the bonds between family and friends. Food just happens to be part of that equation.

As a child, let’s just say I was not a fan of Hari Raya visiting. I wasn’t a big eater, and green packets (filled with money and given to children, as is the practice here) were not big enough an incentive for me to appreciate being dragged all over Singapore for a month to visit relatives I barely knew. I was not a very sociable kid, in case that wasn’t very clear. I would like to think that I’ve changed since then, but I’m sure many of my relatives still know me as the kid who never talked and who refused to go into people’s houses.

It wasn’t all doom and gloom though, as I enjoyed visiting my late maternal grandparents house and playing with my cousins. Our grandparents house was always the first stop after the mosque on the first day of Shawal, and Hari Raya was really never quite the same after they passed on.

As a married man though, the tables were turned on me. I was shocked that my wife’s family’s Raya celebrations didn’t involve visiting and being visited by dozens of extended family members virtually every day over the course of four weeks. It wasn’t that they didn’t do visiting or were not close knit, just that it was a very different experience from what I was used to.

Having a child also made me appreciate how difficult it must have been for my parents when I was younger to be dragging my brother and me around in the back of a car from house to house, with one crying whenever he had to actually go into somebody’s home (yes that was me).

Married life also introduced me to the whole phenomenon of “balik kampung”, as in our second year of marriage we headed back to my mother-in-law’s hometown in Johore, Malaysia. It wasn’t quite the rice-planting, cow-milking experience that this city boy expected, but playing with fireworks in the middle of a rubber plantation is a far cry from the hectic hubbub of the Geylang Serai bazaar that most Singaporeans would be used to.

Of course, I hope my spiritual relationship with Eid has changed as well. Having my knowledge of Islam deepen over the years, I now look forward to the month of Ramadan, understanding its spiritual significance beyond just avoiding eating and drinking during the day. I never quite achieve all of my religious ‘goals’ for the month, but I hope that whatever little I do manage to accomplish is done with sincerity and that Allah accepts it.

I love hearing the Eid takbir, both resounding from the radio as I break my fast on the last day of Ramadan, and at the mosque as I attend Eid prayers in the morning, as a reminder of the greatness of God and His transcendent Oneness. I appreciate going to the mosque for prayers in the morning, repeating the Eid takbir along with the jama’ah, listening to the khutbah (Eid khutbahs are always the best) and shaking hands and hugging my Muslim brethren as though I’ve known them for years.

And as my parents grow older, I find the traditional practice of asking for their forgiveness on the morning of the first of Shawal more meaningful, as I know that my time with them is limited, and going through what they go through I appreciate their sacrifices more.

Here’s wishing everybody a blessed Eid. May Allah accept all our good deeds and allow us to revisit the month of Ramadan once again next year.

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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.

The cycle is familiar enough to most, if not all of us. Something vaguely controversial happens. Muslims organise an event to educate other Muslims on the etiquette of touching dogs. A deceased non-Muslim politician is lauded in the Friday khutbah. Muslim celebrities are featured as ambassadors for a gay pride event.

The controversy goes viral on the internet. Shared on Facebook, retweeted on Twitter, and screen-captured to be posted on Instagram and circulated through Whatsapp group chats. Clickbait websites jump on the issue and spread it even further, fanning the flames of controversy. Everybody looks for somebody to blame.

And yet, for all the outrage generated, nothing changes. People get angry, get into heated debates online with strangers, then the outrage dies down and nothing gets resolved. In a few days time, another controversy arises, people jump on the issue and the whole cycle starts itself once again. Could it be, perhaps, that internet outrage resolves very little, if anything at all?

This isn’t unique to the Muslim community, of course. It seems like access to a computer and a keyboard (or more likely a smartphone these days) is enough to drive people of all races, religions and political affiliations frothing at the mouth over the smallest matters. My concern is that Muslims need to follow the example of the Prophet, peace be upon him, and in doing so hold themselves to a higher standard of good character.

Enjoining the good?

Among Muslims at least, a lot of outrage is justified as falling under the principle of amar ma’ruf nahi mungkar (enjoining the good and forbidding the evil). Yet it’s strange that enjoining the good somehow often involves being harsh to others, cursing others with vulgarities, and displaying the complete opposite of the admirable character that we are supposed to be calling others to.

I personally know someone whose comment on every single ‘controversial’ story is an expletive. Words such as ‘lapdog’, ‘apologist’, and ‘liberal’ get hurled at politicians, community leaders, and even scholars. Worse still, on occasion those who do not agree are questioned on the sincerity of their beliefs, and labeled as munafiq or even worse, kafir. For Muslims, do you want to stand before God on Yawmul Qiyamah and attest that you called another Muslim a kafir?

I am not suggesting that we abandon our principles or sit idly by while wrongdoing occurs. We need to be concerned about sin and crimes, whether within or outside of the Muslim ummah, and this concern should translate into action where possible. Rather, I am hoping that our responses are measured, carefully considered and for the greater good rather than for the sake of scoring likes and reposts. Hurling insults is not sophisticated political critique.

Becoming the Ummah of Mercy

As Muslims, we are taught to begin everything with the basmala, the invocation that states that our actions are performed in the name of Allah, the Beneficent and the Merciful. Our Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, is described by Allah in the Qur’an as a mercy to the worlds. And if our Lord is the All Merciful, and our Prophet is the prophet of mercy, then surely as believers we need to be the ummah of mercy.

We need to look upon others through the lens of mercy and assume the best of others, even if they seem to be doing wrong. And if they need to be corrected, advised or stopped from doing an action, we need to first understand that we are ourselves are sinners and no better than anybody else. From that, we should then accept that any advice we dish out should first be directed to ourselves.

If we feel the need to shame others for whatever sins they’ve committed, what happens when the tables turn and our own sins and shortcomings are exposed?

The Prophet himself said that he was sent to perfect character, and his own character was described by his wife Ai’sha as the Qur’an. Imagine that, his character is compared to the eternal Word of God, and we as his community are called upon to emulate him. I think that alone should make all of us evaluate ourselves and our conduct and see how far we have to go to live up to this ideal of mercy and good character.

The Solution: Going Offline?

Perhaps the answer is in taking things offline and conversing face to face with those whom we have disagreements with. The medium of social networks, blogs and online forums are useful, inasmuch as they provide an easy avenue for us to communicate with others who are far away or whom we may not necessarily encounter in everyday life.

Yet, a profile photo cannot display the emotions one has when speaking from the heart. A status update does not convey the nuance of one’s speech, or the warmth present in a heart to heart conversation. We might be able to send someone an angry tweet thanks to the relative anonymity of the internet, but modesty might require that we present our views in a far more agreeable manner when meeting someone in person. Shaykh AbdulKarim Yahya put it best in a recent Facebook post.

Let us all step back and evaluate all of our interactions with our fellow human beings, online or otherwise, according to the Prophetic Model. I’m sure most of us would find some room for improvement.

Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari (May Allah be pleased with him) reported,

“I asked the Messenger of Allah, “Who is the most excellent among the Muslims?”

He said, “One from whose tongue and hands the other Muslims are secure.””

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

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Ahmad Zhaki
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.

We managed to ask Ustaz Salleh, Principal of SimplyIslam Weekend Islamic School, some questions about the popular course that he has taught since 2009 called Prophetic Healing. He also has 10 years of experience in the field.

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How has knowledge of Prophetic Healing benefited you? 

I have to say the knowledge of Thibb Nabawi or Prophetic Healing is absolutely beneficial for me and my family. I can make some simple remedies to treat common ailments, I can perform Hijamah for my wife, I can make a simple mixture of honey and herbs to eliminate mucus and phlegm.

For Muslims, it is essential to have at least basic knowledge of Thibb Nabawi because of the practicality, simplicity and above all, because it is a legacy that our Beloved Prophet salallahu alaihi wasallam left us.

Do jinn possession still happen these days? 

There is a very thin line between jinn possession and mental issues. Most cases that I have attended are mental related issues like depression, schizophrenia, stress and many more which they failed to diagnose earlier, so most people easily jump to the conclusion that these symptoms are caused by Jinn. Living in a first world country like Singapore is undeniably stressful, the competition is fierce, I believe that is the cause of rising mental related issues in Singapore.

I don’t deny that there are genuine cases where the patients are disturbed by the spiritual beings. And it is not helping that our community still believe and goes to bomoh seeking help from them.

I sincerely believe that the key to solve this issue is knowledge and education. By having proper knowledge and education, one will be able to judge better and find proper solutions for his/her problems.

Some people think the old ones are just being superstitious when they talk about the Evil Eye. What has the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam said about this and how can we protect ourselves from it? 

The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam said in a hadith related by Imam Muslim in his Sahih from Ibn Abbas: “The Eye is true, and could anything precede the divine decree, it would be the Eye”. The fact that our community loves spiritual/horror myths and legends, I was amazed by their lack of knowledge and understanding in this important matter.

There are numerous hadith on The Eye and the way to treat it. There are many ways to protect ourselves from The Eye,according to Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyya in his famous work, Thibb Nabawi, one can protect himself from the Eye by remembering God (Dhikr) and reciting Al-Qur’an.

In the era of social media, we are exposing ourselves to the possibility of getting the Eye by posting our pictures online. If you ask me whether it is possible for someone to be affected just by having their pictures online, the answer is yes. To find out how, join me in the next Prophetic Healing course. Therefore, we have to increase our ‘amal by reciting Al-Qur’an and Dhikr, inshaAllah we will be protected.

The younger generation are probably unaware of hijamah or cupping. Could you tell us a bit about this practice and the benefits of it?

It is reported by Anas ibn Malik in the Sunan of Ibn Majah that the Messenger of God said: “On the night of my journey to Heaven, I did not pass by any group of people but they said: “O Muhammad! Order your community to practice cupping!”

In another Hadith, narrated by Imam Al-Bukhari and Imam Muslim: The Messenger of God said: “The best treatment you have is cupping”.

I’m not an expert on healing but having spent the past year (stubbornly) crouching at the bottom of pits and then slowly clawing my way out (and some months wondering what the point is since falling back down seemed to happen often), I think I’ve earned some street cred to say this: YOU WILL GET THROUGH THIS.

I know of people currently going through some dark times and heartbreak so listen up:

1) Allah does not hate you.

He’s not torturing you or punishing you for your past sins or to teach you a lesson (even though you will learn a lot through this process). Hardships are surprisingly common in life but humans like to take things personally. Everyone goes through confusing, heart-wrenching times. Tests fall on us like rain – equally. (Ok maybe not such a good analogy if you live in the desert so maybe I’ll liken tests to sunrays instead.)

Basically, you will not be immuned. Allah didn’t single you out for some deed you did. You’re not that special, and He’s not vengeful or calculative. “Oh you said a bad word, I’m going to send someone to break your heart.” NOPE. That is not Him! He loves you very much. Believe it!

2) “Time heals all wounds” is only partially true.

Time will do its magic but you also need to put in effort into your health and healing (emotional, physical, mental, spiritual).

3) Counselling rocks.

Please put aside any reservations you have about counselling and reach out. Those people are trained to help you and trust me, they know their stuff. Mental and emotional health are super important guys!

4) People are not medicine.

Please don’t use people as distractions or punching bags or emotional sponges. Your friends and family are crucial support networks and are very willing to be there for you so lean on them and let them love you through your dark times, but they are not responsible for taking away your pain. You are responsible. (But please reach out!)

5) Exercise.

When you are down in the dumps, you just want to stay in bed and not see people and not eat (or over-eat) but exercise actually gives you natural happy drugs called endorphins. Isn’t that great?! Even when tears are streaming down your face, just do like 10 burpees or something. You will feel bloody ridiculous but also slightly better and you might even laugh. So yay! Laughter is great. Laughter is awesome. Now go for a walk!

6) There is this thing called a Safe Space.

Allow nobody but the closest and dearest into your safe space. And everyone else can sit outside this safe igloo and their words and judgment will just hit the igloo and bounce back (or whatever). Sometimes it may seep through and some people might slip into your safe space but be very possessive of who you let in.

When you say No to some people, you are saying Yes to taking care of yourself. You don’t need 50 people in there, just enough to remind you that you deserve kindness and that you are loved and that they will call you out on your nonsense when you are behaving as such.

7) Self-love and self-care is hard to do.

Especially for people on the spiritual path, we’ve learnt to live with guilt and shame and remorse. It’s considered praiseworthy to think of yourself as the worst person in the world and the most sinful and if only one person will go to Hell, that you would be that ONE CURSED FELLOW! But there’s a time for this and there’s a time for that.

When you are already miserable and depressed, you don’t need to beat yourself up even more! Now is the time to think of God’s mercy and focus on the kindness of others and treat yourself kindly too. You can go back to thinking of yourself as the worst in creation when you’re in a mentally and emotionally stable state but until then, love yourself out of the rut!

8) Pray fervently and often and through tears and at all times and for people who hurt you and people you have hurt and those you miss and love, and ask others to pray for you. But don’t just pray and not do steps 1 to 7!! (PS: salawat and Dua an-Nasiri are amazing heart-cure supplements.)

I pray that you will find comfort in prayer, strength in friends and family, that you never lose hope in Allah and in general human kindness and that even though nights can be the worst and feel so freaking long, the sun will come up again and the heavy darkness on your chest will go away and you will smile and laugh again. I promise. And inshaAllah you will thank God for all He’s given and all that He’s taken.

ps: Baby and cat videos doesn’t hurt too! And ice-cream! And waffles!

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Ameera Begum
Ameera is the Editor of Muzlimbuzz.sg, a chronic reader and a news junkie.

Alhamdulillah the blessed first 10 days of Zulhijjah are upon us. We are living in the days in which the Prophet ﷺ said, “There are no days in which good deeds are more beloved to Allah than these days.” Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said that standing in one of these nights in prayer is equal to standing in prayer on Lailatul Qadr!

Make no mistake. We are not in normal days. We shouldn’t be spending these days like they are even though we aren’t travelling to Makkah or Madinah and busying ourselves with the rituals of Hajj. Right here, right now, in hazy Singapore, our good deeds are being rewarded by 700 times.

We have been taught by our Prophet ﷺ that we should increase in Tasbih (SubhanAllah), Tahmid (Alhamdulillah), Tahlil (La ilaha ila Allah) and Takbir (Allahu Akbar) in these days. Glorifying Allah and remembering Him is incumbent upon us on all days but when special days like these arrive, it is a special invitation to Allah for us to really grab hold of ourselves and disrupt our routines, slow down and use the time to realign once more. Such moments do not come by often but Allah is so Kind to space them out throughout the year. After the crowd-favourite month of Ramadan, the first 10 days of Zulhijjah comes next. After this, we can look forward to the day of Ashura, 10th of Muharram and then the blessed month of Rajab. So it’s not true that we should only count down to Ramadan because Allah has placed special mercies and unique experiences throughout the year for us to come near to Him.

As Prophet Muhammad ﷺ says, Hajj is Arafah, meaning the pinnacle of all the Hajj rituals falls on 9th Zulhijjah when pilgrims converge on the plains of Arafah.

Unlike doing the tawaf or sa’ie, where there are actual things to do and look out for, on the 9th of Zulhijjah, pilgrims leave Mina, arrive at Arafah, listen to the sermon and then they are obligated to simply remain in retreat at Arafah till sunset.

There is no day better in the sight of Allah than the Day of Arafah. On this day Allah descends to the nearest heaven in a manner that suits His Majesty, and He is proud of His slaves on the earth and says to those in heaven, “Look at My servants. They have come from far and near, with hair disheveled and faces covered with dust, to seek My mercy, even though they have not seen My chastisement. Far more people are freed from the Hellfire on the Day of Arafah than on any other day.” (Abu Ya’la, Ibn Khzayma, al-Bazzar and Ibn Hibban)

Abu Ad-Darda reported that the Prophet ﷺ said, “On no other day does the Satan feel so belittled, humiliated, and angry as he does on the Day of Arafah.” The reason for this is the mercy of Allah that descends this day and the forgiveness that He grants to people for major sins.

The linguistic meaning of Arafah also means “to know”. When we are disconnected from our normal routines, wearing something not of our usual clothes (in ihram), being in a place we rarely go to (the plains of Arafah) and surrounded by hundreds of thousands of pilgrims all engaged in a festivity of fervent prayer and devotion, it is a physical, visual and spiritual experience. It is unlike anything we have ever witnessed. On this day, we have a heightened awareness of our neediness and weakness and the ultimate Source of Power and Mercy is Allah Himself. Just as we stand in the scorching sun with nothing but our sins and hope, we reflect on the impending Day of Judgment at the field of Mahsyar when we are burdened by fear of our measly deeds and grave sins and how none can enter jannah except by His Mercy.

Even if we may be in Singapore in our jeans and stuck in the train, our hearts and souls are not bound by physical space. If we choose to sit and reflect on our neediness and God’s Vast Kindness and Mercy, then perhaps we too can experience a small portion of what the pilgrims on Arafah are experiencing.

If we only decide to carve out a space and time in our busy schedules to also fervently pray and engage in devotions on the Day of Arafah, then who can say Allah’s Endless Mercy will not also touch us?

While the pilgrims repeat the talbiyah “Labbayk Allahumma labbayk, labbayk kala sharikalaka labbayk!”
“At Your Service, Our Lord, here I am! At Your Service, no partner have You, here I am!”, we can also immerse ourselves in it’s essence and meaning while here. In our jobs and our marriages and our daily going and coming, in our pain and fatigue, troubles and problems, we can also use all our experiences and mundane routines to reaffirm and uphold the foundation of our existence here: that of servant in service of a Great Generous Lord.

“Fasting on the day of ‘Arafah is expiation for two years, the year preceding it and the year following it.” says the Prophet ﷺ.

May Allah grant us good health and tawfiq to fast on the Day of Arafah and perhaps the days leading to it, and gift us with obedience and the barakah of time to devote ourselves to His Service and Remembrance in these blessed days and all the days of our short life.

A highly recommended sunnah in Zulhijjah is to perform the Qurban or Udhiyya. Please watch this short video on the Merits of Zulhijjah and Qurban by Shaykh Ahmad Saad al-Azhari and you can participate in SimplyIslam’s Qurban Project here: http://qurban.eventbrite.sg

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Ameera Begum
Ameera is the Editor of Muzlimbuzz.sg, a chronic reader and a news junkie.

Nicole L is quickly becoming a household name as her petition to MUIS and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs,Yacoob Ibrahim, entitled ‘Stop the mass animal slaughter in Singapore during Korban’, gains traction on social media and elsewhere. The controversy has also fueled many knee jerk responses that range from belligerent name-calling online, to a blatantly tit-for-tat move in the penning of a petition entitled ‘Ban Hungry Ghost Festival’.

These responses are inherently problematic for several reasons; they can be outright insensitive and hurtful to others (and unislamic) and are counter-productive since they inadvertently endorse and legitimize Nicole’s account of how Korban is carried out in Singapore without any clarification. Let us not morph into Incredible Hulk keyboard warriors, and instead keep with the Prophetic spirit of mercy, tolerance and patience when we respond to Nicole’s petition and the likes.

The petition provided a sound theological account explaining that the Korban honors the willingness of Prophet Abraham to sacrifice his son as an act of submission to God’s command. As the Quranic parable goes, God then intervened, through angel Jibra’il (Gabriel) and informs the Prophet that his sacrificed had already been accepted. In celebration of this incident, Muslims slaughter animals after which the meat is divided into three parts; the family retains one third of the share, a third is given to relatives, friends and neighbors and the remaining third to the poor and needy.

She went on to explain her grouses with the Korban and this can be broken down into three parts, which I will address below.

1. Who slaughters the animals.

‘But the act of slaughtering the… and letting donors (whom bought the sheep to donate to their respective Mosques) slit the throats of the sheep (who might be inexperienced and thus needed a few times to do it right) is cruelty in itself.’

Contrary to what Nicole posits here, the only individuals certified and taught by the AVA, Agri-food and Veterinary Authority Singapore, are allowed to partake in the slaughter of animals to ensure that the animals do not suffer at the hands of the inexperienced.

2. Who witnesses the slaughter.

‘stop mass slaughtering of animals, especially not in front of children… or open for public view’

On the contrary, Korban is not open for public view but is done behind cordoned of area, and only respective persons who have purchased an animal may witness the slaughter with his family. One can only assume that parents who choose to bring their children to witness the Korban, will explain its religious significance, from the Prophetic parable to values such as Charity as well as the fact that the methods employed during the slaughter are not inhumane, rather, is the only means of slaughter that prevents suffering on the part of the animal, which brings me to Nicole’s next point.

3. The slaughter.

‘But it is really cruel when animals were killed side by side, where they were held down by many humans and they could witness the death and sound of other animals being killed..

Nepal has the same festival whereby over 250k animals were killed in a single day, yet they have since ban it. Let us head towards a more compassionate future where mass animal sacrifice in Mosques can be abolished.’

Islam necessitates that Muslims consume only ‘Halal’ or permissible meat which mandates that the animal be killed by hand by a means known as Zabiha. The animal’s throat is slit with a surgically sharp knife, which immediately cuts its windpipe along with key blood vessels running through its throat. This method prevents animals from suffering indefinitely as they die almost immediately due to the drop of blood pressure in the head. Jews too practice an identical method of slaughter in which the Sochet, or the slaughterer, carries out the same technique, rendering the meat Kosher and permissible for Jews to consume. Muslims too are permitted to consume Kosher meat.

In a slaughterhouse catering to non-Halal meat, various methods are used to kill animals from electrical stunning, asphyxiation with poisonous gases, captive bolt pistols where an animal is shot multiple times in its head and through conventional firearm or exsanguinations where an animal has a stick inserted into its chest or throat and left to bleed till dead. These means are not permitted in Islam solely because animals do not experience instantaneous death and consequently suffer for a long time.

While many animals are electrically stunned before these methods are carried out, let us remember that this merely knocks animals unconscious but they are very much alive to the pain that they will then experience in some times very slow deaths and sometimes, because the animal is left paralyzed, they are left to die slowly when they are presumed dead upon slaughter.

Nicole’s comparison to Nepal’s Ghadimi festival is also very problematic, primarily because the buffalos in those festivals are decapitated with a blow to the back of the neck by devotees who receive no training in any means that may lessen the animal’s suffering.

Islamic law that details the method of slaughter also contains information on how an animal must be treated kindly in its lifetime, prohibiting cruelty to animals in death, as well as in life. Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings be upon him) described God’s punishment of a woman who was sent to Hell because she kept a cat locked up, neither feeding it or setting it free to feed itself (Saheeh, Al-bukhari). On another occasion, the Prophet saw an animal that had been branded on its face and said, ‘Has it not reached you that I have cursed the one who brands an animal’s face or hits it on its face?’ (Abu Dawud, Sahih Muslim).

That being said, I do hope fellow Muslims in Singapore do not hark at such petitions or make it an opportunity to hurt others. Rather, treat it as an opportunity for inclusive, open dialogue – something we all desperately and urgently need in an age of rampant misinformation.

An oft-recalled story goes that a Jewish woman in Mecca would throw garbage on the doorstep of the Prophet (Peace and Blessings be upon him) in defiance of his message, and one day she fell sick and could not throw the garbage, so the Prophet (peace be upon him) visited her. Then it is said that she was so amazed at his character that she realized his prophet-hood and accepted Islam.

I do hope we can embody these teachings as much as we can in our dealings with one another. Also, I pray that God grants us ease when being merciful to one another and loosens our tongues only to say what may be beneficial for everyone.

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Editor’s Note: A young man named Mohksin B Mohd Rashid posted on Facebook his intention to invite Nicole L to Alkaff Mosque and due to the many shares it got, it finally reached her. They eventually met and after the meet, Mohksin posted Nicole’s message to him on his Facebook. You can read the post in full by clicking here. Alhamdulillah, despite the ugliness that arose, this event has a happy ending. In Nicole’s own words: “This is the first time I have seen the Muslims community opening up to talk about their culture and religion in great details (sic). It’s really eye-opening, so please do so more often. I sincerely think it can help to close the gap between different races/religions.”
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Farah Bawany
Farah is a Teaching Assistant in NUS, who wants to spend her life simply, laughing heartily and loving deeply.

A Child in Need

The Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wasallam said, “The best house of Muslims is one where an orphan is cared for’’. We cannot change their past but we can do something about their present, and their future. By providing them with care and love that they, as a human being deserve, a whole new world of hope and opportunity awaits them.

Some children in Singapore do not have a safe home to grow up in or parents to care for them. These children could have been abused, neglected or abandoned. In other cases, their parents are unable to care for them due to health or social issues.

Where possible, the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) will place these children in foster homes as a temporary arrangement until they can be reunited with their families.

Changing lives: Fostering a child

“It was heart wrenching for me when I saw these children not getting the care and love that they deserve,” says Foster Mother, Mdm Rasniti, 37 years old, who has been caring for an 8-year old boy for the past 7 years.

She happened to chance upon an article in the newspaper about a child who had been abandoned in a dustbin. That story made her decide to help vulnerable children in order to change their lives for the better. While finding out how she could contribute, Mdm Rasniti learnt about the Fostering Scheme and immediately applied to become a foster parent as the objectives of the scheme echoed the same goals she had in mind for the children.

“Children need our love in order to be nurtured well and regardless of the differences in race, language or religion, we should lend a helping hand, it will change their life,” says young Foster Mother, Mdm Roszalita, 34 years, who is currently caring for a 2-year old boy.

“Islam has always stressed the importance of helping the poor and needy people. One can always give charity and love to the child by opening up your home to them – this is something which is priceless,” says Mdm Roszalita.

Since its inception in 1956, the Scheme has provided more than 5000 children with alternative care arrangement. Foster parents allow these children to be able to grow in an environment that allows them to reach their full potential that would not be possible if they remained in their original circumstances.

If you love and want to help children in need, here is what you should know about fostering a child in Singapore:

1. Is fostering the same as adoption?

Fostering is not adoption. Adoption is a legal process where an adopted child assumes the rights of a natural child and the family would have to bear the same responsibilities as they would for their own children. However, foster children keep their own identity and continue to be a legal child of his/her parents.

2. Do I have to pay for the child’s expenses?

Foster parents receive a monthly allowance of $936 for each child they foster. The allowance covers the cost of basic necessities such as food, clothing, education, transportation and pocket money. If the child has special needs, the monthly allowance is raised to $1114. 

3. What types of support does MSF provide for foster parents?

Training is provided for foster parents, and there is an emergency 24-hour hotline provided to all foster parents. Foster Parents can also contact a Foster Care Officer directly for help and support. In addition, there are also other medical and infant/childcare subsidies in place. In caring for foster children, foster parents are not left alone. MSF has a support network in place to assist all foster parents.

4. Is there a criteria for people wishing to apply as foster parents?

Foster parents should meet the basic criteria highlighted below:

1. Residents of Singapore
2. At least 25 years of age
3. Medically fit to care for children
4. Preferably married couples
5. Preferably experienced in caring for and living with children, with strong parenting skills and commitment to the well-being of the child

If you can offer a child a home and encouragement for a brighter and more secure future, please call MSF at 6354-8799 or visit www.msf.gov.sg/fostering to find out more.

Ustadh Usama Canon embraced Islam in 1996 and was an early student of Shaykh Hamza Yusuf under the then-Zaytuna Institute (together with others such as Mustafa Davis and Shaykh Yahya Rhodus) before continuing his study of the traditional Islamic sciences with some of the foremost scholars across Africa and the Middle East.

Ustadh Usama is the founding director of the Ta’leef Collective. Originally formed in 2002 as part of the outreach programme for the Zaytuna Institute, Ta’leef became an independent body in 2005. It is now a non-profit organisation based in California that aims to provide a healthy, culturally relevant understanding of Islam, serving not only converts but also Muslim youth who find themselves alienated from the religion.

A man of many hats, Ustadh Usama also serves as a Muslim Chaplain for Muslim prison inmates under the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, as well as a spiritual advisor for the Chicago-based Inner City Muslim Action Network (IMAN), in addition to the many speaking and teaching engagements he has worldwide. Ustadh Usama is also one of the founders, together with Ta’leef Collective projects coordinator Micah Anderson, of Oudimentary, a company dealing in traditional incense and perfumes.

A popular and engaging speaker, Ustadh Usama Canon is no stranger to these shores, having been to Singapore several times to speak and teach at various events, including most recently in 2011 for Darul Arqam’s Love Retreat and SimplyIslam’s Journey to Ihsan- A Seekers’ Retreat .

Besides issues affecting converts to Islam and Muslim prison inmates, one of Ustadh Usama’s primary areas of concern is the youth and ensuring that religion remains both accessible and relevant to them. Aside from his work with the Ta’leef Collective to engage disenfranchised Muslim young adults, he has spoken at and conducted workshops for youth across the United States and the world for organisations such as SimplyIslam, SeekersGuidance, the Risala Foundation, and others.

Ustadh Usama has also spoken on a variety of issues affecting the Muslim community in Reflections, a series of short videos directed by Mustafa Davis, filmmaker and co-founder of Ta’leef Collective.

Always conducting his talks with both humility and humour, Ustadh Usama Canon marries a knowledge of the traditional sciences of Islam with an engagement with the day to day concerns of the average Muslim, ensuring his talks and lessons are both relevant and grounded in deep spirituality. His talks are not to be missed.

Upcoming Events in Singapore

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 training institute and a part-time writer.

On 21st February 2016, Habib Kadhim Jaafar as-Saggaf concluded his last night for this visit in Singapore with an electrifying mawlid with the Singapore Haqqani Ensemble at SimplyIslam, 152 Still Road.

Habib Kadhim during the Mahallul Qiyam

Habib Kadhim attracted over 250 people to the premises, filling the whole hall with men, women, children and the elderly. The Singapore Haqqani Ensemble recited the Mawlid ad-Diba’ie, interspersing it with various qasaaid in praise of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. It was very apt then that Habib Kadhim’s ensuing advice to the crowd was on the greatness of sending prayers (salawat) upon Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

Habib Kadhim speaking in Arabic and SimplyIslam’s staff & Arabic translator, Ustadh Abid as-Salah translating into English.

Here are some notes from his sharing last night:

If we had tongues numbering the number of hair we have and all the tongues are praising and being thankful for the Prophet ﷺ , it will not be enough for the ni’mah (gift) of the Prophet ﷺ.

In a qasidah, there’s a line that goes, “Khairal bariyya, nazra ilayya” “O best of creation, cast your glance on me”. One gaze/glance from the Prophet ﷺ  will lift you up in spiritual stations more than 1000 years of worship would.

Without us asking for this glance/gaze, he will send us these gazes by virtue of his mercy ﷺ

One of the greatest blessings for us is that we are from his ummah (community) and receiving the most beautiful aspects of his mercy.

To preserve these blessings upon us, we have to just thank Allah for them. Like in the Qur’an it says, “If you are grateful, I will give you more.”

If we leave such majalis (gatherings) that remember the Prophet ﷺ , gradually the love for the Prophet will leave our hearts, nauzubillah (may Allah save us from this).

A mark of a weakness of a Muslim in his love for the Prophet ﷺ is when he says salaam to the Prophet ﷺ during the tahiyat  without presence/in heedlessness.

The pious, righteous, the ulama’ and the awliya’ are in, and feeling the presence of the Prophet ﷺ at all times.

Believers who are sincere in their love for him do not forget the grants and the presence of the Prophet ﷺ.

Sultanah Zubaydiyah, a lady from the 9th century in Yemen was known for her abundance of zikr and salawat. She was blessed with a vision of the Prophet ﷺ in her dream based on her numerous salawat. She saw that someone told her that her da’wah is accepted by Allah, so ask for whatever she wants. She consulted her teacher and was told, the greatest thing you can ask for is to see the Prophet ﷺ  in this life before the next.

Divine gifts are not restricted to time, place or gender. When Allah, the Malikul Mulk (Owner of the Kingdom), wants to give, He will give.

Why are these gatherings to remember the Prophet ﷺ  important? Because they attach and link the hearts to the Prophet ﷺ . And the gaze/glance of the Prophet ﷺ will land on those who remember him ﷺ.

Allah raises and purify us by the virtue of the salawat of Prophet ﷺ.

The easiest and shortest way to the Prophet ﷺ  is to make salawat.

How amazing is this matter? Allah sent salawat first then He tells us to send salawat. And when we send salawat, Allah sends 50 salawat upon US for one salawat we send to the Prophet ﷺ . This is the abundant gift from the Greatest Giver.

If all of mankind from Nabi Adam alayhi-salaam until the last man at the end of time were to send salawat on the Prophet ﷺ , the amount is not even a fraction of the salawat done by the angels in the first heaven. Then what about the 2nd, 3rd, 4th heaven and so forth?

There are angels in the planets, stars and moons making salawat on the Prophet ﷺ and we cannot imagine the number of angels nor the number of salawat being made.

One salawat from Allah on us is more than a million years worth of our worship. The Companion Ubayy bin Ka’b said he would spend all his du’a in salawat on the Prophet ﷺ.

Ubayy bin Ka’ab said “I once told the Messenger of God, (upon whom be peace and blessings of God The Exalted) ‘O Messenger of God, I invoke much. What portion should I offer salutations upon you?’

The Prophet replied, “However much you wish.”

To this I asked, “A fourth?”

He said, “If you wish, but should you increase the number, it will be better for you.”

I then asked, “A third?”

He said, “If you wish, but should you increase the number, it is still better for you.”

I then asked, “A half?”

He said, “If you wish, but should you increase the number, it is still better for you.”

I then said, “Indeed in my invocation, I shall make all of my prayers upon you!”

To this, the Messenger of God replied, “If you do that you will be freed from anxiety and all your wrongs pardoned.” [Hadith, recorded by Tirmidhi]

This is why we make salawat: we have needs and requests from Allah, and by virtue of our salawat, all our needs and requests will be met. The greatest channel and most beautiful medium IS our prayers upon the Prophet ﷺ.

No one knows the reward of the person who does salawat except Allah.

The Muslim continuously make praises until his heart will receive mercy from the Prophet ﷺ.

Remembering the Prophet ﷺ  is in reality remembering Allah.

May we keep our tongues moist with salawat, our hearts alive by being thankful for the gift of the Prophet ﷺ and be granted many more opportunities to be in gatherings that remember the Prophet ﷺ. And may Allah grant Habib Kadhim and all our teachers long and healthy lives so that we may benefit from their counsel and rectify our states. Ameen!

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Ameera Begum
Ameera is the Editor of Muzlimbuzz.sg, a chronic reader and a news junkie.

Po and friends return, making us laugh and go “Woahhhh!” at Shifu’s and Master Oogway’s wisdom. Don’t worry, no spoilers ahead!

I’ll be frank. I’ve been a fan of the Kung Fu Panda movies since the first one came out in 2008. Po is clumsy, unabashedly adorable, and all-round lovable. The humour is side-splitting, the action scenes thrilling and the wisdom of the Kung Fu Masters mind-blowing.

Here’s some of my favourite quotes from Master Oogway from the first movie:

I admit, I’m not alone in my love for the Kung Fu Panda movies. SimplyIslam made this poster shortly after the first movie!

Click here for source of Master Oogway’s picture.

Click here for source of Master Oogway’s picture.

8 years and 3 movies later, the Kung Fu Panda movies are still as enjoyable to watch and continues to drop some deep wisdom bombs!

Wisdom #1

In one scene, Shifu is surrounded by walls of scrolls as he tries to find something about Kai (the bad guy in the 3rd movie). In his frustration and urgency, he says, “There’s so much wisdom in here, I can’t find anything!”. -mic drop-

SimplyIslam recently started a campaign called #FindCredibleTeachers. In the past few years, we’ve found that the easy access to Islamic books and Shaykh Google makes some people think that you can learn Islam without a teacher. You increasingly hear of someone quoting a short YouTube video online of an unknown bearded man speaking Arabic to justify why this or that thing is haram.

Muzlimbuzz wrote on this phenomena too:
1. Tips for the Newly Religious
2. 4 Refutations to Anti-Hadith Arguments

Our religion’s tradition of seeking knowledge is noble and indispensable. Scholars are revered for their years of study, reflection, spiritual training and wisdom. Their advice is so needed today in the chaos of self-made ‘teachers’ and books-and-internet-only Muslims. Had the Qur’an been enough to teach the people about our religion, then Allah wouldn’t have sent the beautiful Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wasallam as His Messenger and Example.

This is not to say that our religion is inaccessible, but that scholars have their positions because they have earned it. And the rest of us should behave as students and leave legal rulings and judgments to those who have the capacity to do so. And we most definitely must stay away from committing takfir on others and assigning people to Hellfire like we own it. We must connect ourselves to a credible teacher who can clarify our doubts, not add to it. Teachers who can increase us in our obedience and love to Allah and Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wasallam and better our relationships with our parents and neighbours, not increase us in our hatred of others who hold different beliefs and understanding.

May Allah guide us to credible teachers who will teach us His religion the way He intended it, in the spirit of love, mercy and tolerance that Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wasallam taught his Companions. Ameen!

Wisdom #2

In the previous 2 movies, Po comes to a realisation about something confusing that Master Oogway or Shifu says much, much later. This movie is no different. (No worries, still no spoilers for KF3!)

In Kung Fu Panda 1, Po, after being told he is the Dragon Warrior, opens the Dragon Scroll which is supposed to hold ‘limitless power’ only to find that the scroll was a blank, shiny surface. Po, who never believed he was the Dragon Warrior in the first place, thinks the whole thing is a joke and goes fuming to his father’s noodle shop. At this point, Po’s father, Mr Ping decides to tell Po the secret ingredient to his noodles: nothing.

Po: “Huh?”

Father: “You heard me. Nothing! There is no secret ingredient!”

Po: “Wait, wait, it’s just plain old Noodle Soup? You don’t add some kind of special sauce or something?”

Father: “Don’t have to, to make something special, you just have to believe it’s special.”

There are several interpretations to the emptiness of the blank scroll:

1. The Dragon Warrior does not need ‘limitless power’ from an external source as he can find it in himself.
2. Or as his father says, Po does not need validation from the scroll, he only needs to believe he is the Dragon Warrior.
3. The scroll is empty because in reality, there is no Self. (Woaaahhh)

Towards the end of the movie, Po says something along the lines of how he can’t understand what Master Oogway or Shifu says sometimes. I know that feeling so well. In a particularly distressing moment in my life, I had asked for some clarity from my Shaykh. I wanted a ‘Yes’ or a ‘No’. Instead, I got a “If your heart is open to it, go ahead.” WHAT.

It’s not that our Sufi Masters want to be purposely enigmatic, mysterious or downright confusing. It’s because their minds and souls are clear and pure and they see things from a different perspective from us normal folk who still struggle with our nafs. Often, I begin to understand what they meant a long time later as more things in life unfolds. (There are still some pending confusion.)

This reminded me of a particular Sufi story. A great saint had said to the people, “The God you worship is under my feet!”. Enraged and convinced that he had committed a sacrilegious offence, the people and the ruler ordered that he be killed. Hundreds of years passed and a new ruler dreamt of this saint who informed him of what happened. When he awoke, he rushed to the spot that the saint had uttered those words and ordered his soldiers to dig it. They found two cauldrons full of gold. The saint meant that the people only claimed to worship God but were devoted to and worshipped wealth (the gold in the cauldron) instead.

It’s also reflective of the exchanges between Sayyidina Musa and Sayyidina Khidr in Surah al-Kahf. Sayyidina Khidr, who the Qur’an described as “on whom We have bestowed Mercy from Ourselves and whom We had taught knowledge from Our own presence”, ilm-ladunni, Divine Knowledge (Surah al-Kahf 18:65) insists, “You will not be able to have patience with me!” (Surah al-Kahf 18:67) when Sayyidina Musa asked that he be taught from Sayyidina Khidr.

We then read of instances when Sayyidina Khidr does things that baffles Sayyidina Musa, such as wrecking a boat, killing a young man and then repairing a wall in a town without asking for compensation. (Feel free to refer to Surah al-Kahf for the verses.) All these instances would baffle any of us as it goes against the grain of normalcy and logic. And yet, Sayyidina Khidr explained his actions later on and they turned out to be full of wisdom.

Life is full of such instances and we trust that everything that happens has Divine Wisdom and does not escape Allah’s Knowledge. And that’s pretty darn comforting even in the most confusing of times.

Wisdom #3

Another favourite scene of mine was this exchange between Po and Shifu:

Shifu: Mastering chi requires mastery of self. Oogway sat alone in a cave for thirty years, asking one question: who am I? Who am I? I’m lucky if I get five minutes before you interrupt…

Po: Aw, so now I have to sit alone in a cave for thirty years?

Shifu: Eventually. After you master teaching.

Po: Teaching? There’s no way I’m ever gonna be like you!

Shifu: I’m not trying to turn you into me; I’m trying to turn you into you.

This was an eerily similar statement to that which was said by the late Shaykh Nazim an-Naqshbandi, “I do not change anyone, I do not add to anyone. I only pass on Divine Knowledge. I give from you to you, from within yourself. I make connections.”

It was also said that Sayyidina Ali said, “O man, the cure to your ailment is within you and you do not know; and your pain is also from you but you do not see. Do you suppose that you are only a small body, while the universe is within you?”

It also goes back to the old-age journey of self-discovery. Po comes to peace with and finally answers the “Who am I?” question in the movie (lucky panda!) but for many of us, we try on many masks and shed different layers until we are finally comfortable in our own skin. We study tasawwuf and learn about characteristics of the nafs and struggle every day to be a better version of ourselves, and not pretend to be someone else or what we are not.

Jalaluddin Rumi also says, “Everyone has been made for some particular work, and the desire for that work has been put in every heart.” 

May we be true to ourselves, trust the process and #FindCredibleTeachers in our journey back to God.

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Ameera Begum
Ameera is the Editor of Muzlimbuzz.sg, a chronic reader and a news junkie.

Syrian refugees fleeing the conflict in their country needs to walk thousands of miles to safety. They pass through Turkey to reach Greece, Macedonia, Serbia and some even to Germany.

This perilous journey that millions of refugees undertake is the inspiration behind Ustadh Muhammad Zahid’s initiative to raise $32,000 by walking 32 kilometres on his 32nd birthday this coming 14 March 2016.

A humanitarian worker and beloved teacher to many in Singapore, Ustadh Zahid has been involved in many fundraising and humanitarian work in several countries. He has also personally been to Gevgelija, a town at the border of Greece to provide winter necessities for the Syrian refugees coming through.

Source: Facebook page of Ustadh Zahid

“Their journey is long, they have to face challenges like the biting cold and sleeping uncomfortably. Sometimes their shoes give way and sometimes they lack food,” Ustadh Zahid says.

During his 32km walk, Ustadh Zahid intends to share his experiences meeting with the Syrian refugees, and to raise awareness about their plight and especially their journey.

The fundraiser is called #MakeTheWalk and will run for 7 days towards 14 March 2016. The donations will be given to BAPA Relief, a local organisation that does humanitarian work.

On his Facebook page, Ustadh Zahid explains how you can help:

1. Share the story and hashtag
2. Share the page and hashtag
3. Donate any amount individually
4. Donate any amount in groups
5. I will be conducting the walk alone however, if you would like to initiate your own fundraising initiative, contact us for collaboration opportunities!

Powered by: Muslim Youth Forum Singapore
Official Beneficiary: BAPA Relief of bapa.org.sg

How to Donate:

1. Cash, Nets and Cheque payments at:
Kembangan Court, No.5 Jalan Masjid #01-15 Singapore 418924
Tel: 62787750
Mon – Fri: 10am – 6pm
Sat n Sun: 10am – 4pm

We wish him all the best and hope he meets and exceeds the amount inshaAllah!

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Ameera Begum
Ameera is the Editor of MuzlimBuzz.sg, a chronic reader and a news junkie.

I used to have a job that required three hours of commuting everyday. I would wake up in the morning, have my morning coffee, shower, get dressed, pray Subh and immediately go out. This often meant leaving while it was still dark out for one and a half hours of waiting for buses, transferring to the train, and then taking another bus to my workplace just to be able to make it to work in time. It didn’t help that the trains were often packed by the time I got in, resulting in 45 minutes of standing every morning, and another 45 minutes of standing in the evening.

And just in case you’re wondering, I did not enjoy the job very much. The work seemed like it would be interesting at first, but fatigue set in pretty quickly and I did not like the level of micro-management and bureaucracy involved with even the most menial of tasks.

My wife and I had our son while I was working there. He was of course a bundle of joy, but the long hours of working and commuting took its toll. My son fell sick pretty often during his first year, and my wife and I had to alternate taking time off work to take care of him when he was ill. And it really didn’t help to hear my boss, who did not have children, say that this was a mother’s job and suggest I not take so much time off to watch my sick baby.

Given all that, obviously there was some relief when I left that job.

And yet, looking back, not everything was bad.

The long commute was a boon in a lot of ways, allowing me to perform my daily wird, and read, and listen to educational podcasts. I started reciting a regular litany during my time there, and it was the hours I spent travelling every day that gave me the space to be able to do so.

Even now that I have a dedicated prayer area at work, I miss taking my wudhu in the disabled washrooms and searching the stairwells for a quiet spot to pray.

Once in a while I got to take the time to visit the graves of my beloved grandparents, as well as those of the awliyah buried there.

With my weekends and evenings mostly free (especially before having a child) I was able to start seriously attending classes of ilm, and I managed to make some advances in my religious knowledge during that time. I’m not saying that I know very much now, but I knew even less before.

And I realise that a lot of what allowed me to grow spiritually was the struggle. Having the right intentions and constantly struggling against the worst inclinations of the self and the situations I was in to try to move in whatever little way towards Allah.

Now that I have another job that I enjoy, I find that the struggle hasn’t gotten easier, it’s just changed.

Erratic working hours make it challenging to balance my responsibilities, as a husband and a father, a son, an employee, and ultimately as a slave of God.

I struggle to find the time to go to work, and then come home and do the chores, and take care of my son, and spend time with my wife, all while staying true to my obligations to my Lord.

It’s exhausting; physically, mentally and spiritually, and most times I feel like I fail these tests I’m facing, falling flat on my face before heedlessness and sin.

But then, I try to find the solace in the struggle. I try to beat back the dunya, to swim against the tide of exhaustion and distractions. I try to find meaning and intention even in the profane, to find worship in work, and paradise in cleaning the kitchen and mopping the floor and changing my son’s diapers.

And I know these are #firstworldproblems. Others struggle with their faith amidst war and strife, and while on the receiving end of abuse and Islamophobia.

It’s not easy but it isn’t meant to be easy. This life is meant to be a struggle, to see the challenges of this life as a mercy from Allah to allow us to elevate our stations as we persevere in our good deeds in spite of the perils and distractions of this worldly life.

Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Ash-Sharh, verse 6, “Indeed, with hardship comes ease“.

As believers we need to have faith that Allah’s promise is true. If not in this life, then in the next.

“God is with the broken-hearted. When your heart breaks, it’s a good thing – the breaking of the heart is what opens it up to the light of Allah. The dunya is designed to break your heart, so crush it.”

Shaykh Hamza Yusuf

Abu Adam
Abu Adam is a regular contributor to Muzlimbuzz.

Of course you don’t have to if you don’t want to, but here’s some suggestions that has made my Instagram scrolling worthwhile.

1 – @TheTudungTraveller
Atikah Amalina has over 8000 followers and while she calls herself The Tudung Traveller, she posts way more than just her solo travels and the people she meets. What I find most worthwhile about her posts is her courage to be vulnerable, her encouragement for people (women and otherwise) to believe in themselves, be kind to everyone and letting people know that while everyday is a struggle, it is a worthy one. She’s also been featured on radio and does speaking engagements, while being a full-time teacher!

2 – @FadhilahWahid 

Fadhilah Wahid used to contribute to MuzlimBuzz.sg once upon a time! She’s also a web designer and a committed student of the traditional Islamic sciences. Most of all, she’s a story-teller. Her posts about God, the Prophet, teachers, fellow strugglers on the path, are all relatable and she brings a new dimension to the teachings of the religion. Having her on your feed gives you a regular dosage of not just beautiful pictures, but equally beautiful things to reflect on for the day or the week!

3 – @MakkahMadinah_24h

Well, this account obviously isn’t run by Singaporeans but it was the account that helped to lessen my post-Umrah blues. Umrah is a life-changing experience. You feel like a whole new person when you are face-to-face with the awe-inspiring Kaabah and when you return to Singapore and feel so far away from Makkah, having a visual reminder of photos of Makkah on your Instagram feed brings you back to the days you wept like a baby amongst thousands other pilgrims, and for me at least, reminds me my Umrah was real, Kaabah is real, God is real, and that makes my problems that much more bearable to handle.

4 – @Madinah_photos

Of course, this account also helped lessen my post-Umrah blues. There are no words to describe being in the City of the Beloved ﷺ. It’s something like serenity and calmness, and you feel like you’ve never been worried in your life, and that there’s no reason to be worried every again (until you leave beautiful, beautiful Madinah and realize that oops, I can and do worry again!). Also, each time a picture of Madinah comes up on my feed, I read the salawat so double points to halalifying my Instagram scrolling!

5 – @fahmy213

This account has an exquisite array of sunrise/sunset pictures that makes you wonder if he’s based in Singapore (he is) because how does he get such beautiful shots so regularly? Then you realize it’s because most of us are too busy to even LOOK at the sky, much less notice it’s beauty. Besides his sunrise/sunset shots (which are usually accompanied by equally captivating captions from different scholars and teachers), he also takes pictures of scholars in different gatherings and classes like the above. The scholars that he has shot before are Habib Kadhim as-Saqqaf, Shaykh Ninowy, Shaykh Afeefuddin al-Jilani, Shaykh Hisham Kabbani, Habib Umar al-Hafidh, Shaykh Mohammed Aslam, Habib Umar al-Hamid al-Jilani, Shaykh Ahmad Saad, Habib Ali Zaenal Abidin and many others.

6 – @havehalalwiltravel

Have Halal Will Travel says that they do the ‘difficult’ job of travelling on your behalf and doing research on where to eat and shop so that you don’t have to! It’s a useful feed (and has an accompanying blog) to really help in your vacation-planning. Also, research says that the joy you experience when planning a holiday is more than the actual holiday itself. So start planning!

7 – @halalfoodhunt + @thehalalfoodblog

How can a list of Singapore-anything be bereft of food?! And because one is not enough, here’s two related accounts you can follow. You don’t have a cap on how many accounts to follow right, so why not follow both? I’m not sure they require any more explanation other than they do food reviews, give you ideas on where to eat next (or avoid), and even which halal home-bakers to order your cakes from!

8 – @simplyislamsg

SimplyIslam is a household name by now with Singaporean Muslims. More than just posting quotes and reminders like the above, they also have a live feed of their many events, public lectures and in-house discussions, and also updates on upcoming courses and classes. (Also I’m not paid to say this.) (Well, my salary is from Simplyslam but my boss didn’t tell me to include this in the post.)(For the purposes of transparency, I do run the Instagram account.)(Follow us please?)

9 – @raihan_borhan

Like @fahmy213, this account also has beautiful pictures with amazing quotes and poetry from saints and scholars. It’s so uplifting when you scroll past pictures of food, retail shops, new fashion wear etc and then one of their posts comes up and it takes you out from the depths of dunya, even if for a little bit.

10 – @zahidzin

Ustaz Zahid (the one on the left) aka the muse behind #DiaryTokKadi is one of those young and dynamic Ustaz who can really connect with …. everyone! But more importantly, the segment of the community that is actually active on social media especially Instagram which are the youth. He humanises the role of an Ustaz but manages to infuse beneficial reminders and thought-provoking content in his postings. He also shares his ongoing classes and speaking engagements so you don’t miss them!

11 – @suaidahsalim
Ustazah Suaidah Salim’s posts gives you a glimpse into the life of an ustazah who juggles motherhood and running her own centre where she teaches the Qur’an and other subjects.

12 – @Sufilive

This account is run by the students of Shaykh Hisham Kabbani, a world-renowned scholar and leader of the Naqshbandi Sufi Order. If you need a spiritual boost at any time of the day, Sufilive is right there to give it to you. The account shares teachings from Shaykh Hisham Kabbani and Shaykh Nazim Haqqani and also a live feed of where the former is currently at giving spiritual counsel and holding gatherings of remembrance and lectures etc. One wonders where he gets his energy from at that age mashaAllah.

13 – @muwasala

Just as @Sufilive shares the teachings of the Naqsbandi Sufi Order, @Muwasala is a portal for the scholarly teachings of the blessed tradition of Hadramawt and the Habaaibs. They regularly share advices from the Habaaibs and litanies and spiritual practices.

14 – @OfficeofMuftiSG

One might think that the Office of The Mufti’s account is as serious as it sounds. But this is the kind of posts they have! They also regularly ask for queries so that they can answer them for you. Thumbs up to them for being engaging and serving the community!

This obviously isn’t an exhaustive list but what are some of your favourite Instagram accounts? Let us know!

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Ameera Begum
Ameera is the Editor of MuzlimBuzz.sg, a chronic reader and a news junkie.

It’s only Tuesday but we’ve already gotten 2 great news this week mashaAllah!

The first: Ustazah Nurul Izzah Khamsani clinched the top prize in the International Musabaqah Tilawah Al Quran competition recently and will be representing Singapore on the world stage next month.

Ustazah Nurul Izzah was the first runner-up for 8 consecutive years before winning it this year. Can you say determination??

Photo credit: Berita Harian. Click for the article on their site.

Our second great news this week is this: Saiyidah Aisyah has become the first ever Singaporean rower to qualify for the Olympics!

I first knew about the 28-year-old in 2013 when she was featured in a now-defunct website called Kita.sg. Since then, I’ve seen her come up on my social media more often as friends of friends of friends shared about her training and efforts in the SEA Games, Asian Games etc.

Photo credit: Berita Harian (Click for their article.)

Both women teach us that the success you see today comes from years of training, sacrifice and struggle.

Weekly reflection: What is the one thing you really want to achieve in this life? What are you doing every single day to get yourself closer to that goal?

May Allah bless them and grant them success in this life and the next!

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Ameera Begum
Ameera is the Editor of Muzlimbuzz.sg, a chronic reader and a news junkie.

Gender relations is one of the most misunderstood and abused topics in our communities. We often curtail the rights of women and shame and blame both men and women in its name.

But how did the Prophet ﷺ train the Companions [God be pleased with them] when it came to making gender relations mistakes in the greatest community?

A beautiful woman used to pray in the masjid of the Prophet ﷺ. There were no physical barriers and some of the men would go to the front rows to ensure they wouldn’t look towards her. “Others would pray in the last row and would look underneath their armpits to see her. Because of this act, God revealed, “Verily We know the eager among you to be first, and verily We know the eager among you to be behind,” (Qur’an 15:24) [Tirmithi- classified Sahih by Albani].

From this narration, we learn that the young men who lived in the very city and attended the very masjid of the Prophet of God ﷺ slipped and checked a sister out…in the masjid. And yet what did the Prophet ﷺ do about it?

Did he create a wall between the men and women’s sections? Nope. Did he prohibit women from going to the mosque, lest they “tempt the men” who attend? No. In fact, he ﷺ did the exact opposite and commanded that women not be stopped from going to the Houses of God [Muslim].

And as a methodology, instead of blaming and shaming men or women for making a mistake, he ﷺ trained his community to keep themselves in check. He taught them personal responsibility and professional interaction with one another.

Women: Not a Source of Temptation

Take the example of the Prophet’s ﷺ cousin Al-Fadl, who was checking out a beautiful woman who came to ask the Prophet [p] a question during the days of Hajj. The Prophet caught Al-Fadl checking her out and instead of yelling at her, he turned towards Al-Fadl, caught his chin and turned his face [Bukhari].

Look at how the Prophet ﷺ trains Al-Fadl to be a responsible young man. He does not shame him. And more importantly, he does not utter words that would make Al-Fadl believe that the source of the problem was the existence of the woman. On the contrary, he gently turns Al-Fadl’s face away, teaching him that he is the one who needs to be responsible for his actions.

The Prophet ﷺ also does not curse the woman’s existence; he doesn’t scold her for catching his cousin’s gaze or command her to find a male relative to ask the question on her behalf. She was wearing hijab without covering her face and yet the Prophet [p] did not command her to cover her face lest another man be tempted by her beauty even though she caught Al-Fadl’s gaze. He [p] simply facilitated for her to be able to ask a question without being checked out in a respectful, accessible, comfortable environment.

This doesn’t mean if a woman wants to wear niqab and feels it is an obligation or more rewarding, that she should not do so. It also doesn’t mean if a man or woman doesn’t want to interact even with an actual reason and with modest Islamic guidelines, they must. May God reward them all greatly for their personal striving for His sake. Each person’s personal preferences should be respected. But those personal preferences should not be what makes policies that effect an entire community if that isn’t what’s most effective for that community.

Prophetic Wisdom & Example

In another example, a male companion kissed a woman, so he came to the Prophet [s] seeking help. God revealed this verse, ‘And perform the prayers, between the two ends of the day and in some hours of the night. Verily, the good deeds efface the evil deeds,’ (11:114). The man asked the Messenger of God ﷺ if the revelation of this verse applied only to his situation. The Messenger of God responded, ‘It applies to all my ummah.’” [Bukhari]

This incident teaches us that the way that God, our Creator, our Loving Sustainer, taught us to deal with slipping by connecting back with Him. When we mess up, we should regret it, ask for God’s forgiveness, resolve not to slip into it again and make up for it by doing good deeds. And if we do slip again? Start the cycle of asking for forgiveness over. We are going to make mistakes as individuals and as a community. When we do, come back to God. His door is always open.

Once a young man came to the Prophet ﷺ requesting permission to have sex outside of marriage. Like, would you ever feel comfortable asking a Shaykh for permission for that? Look at how accessible the Prophet [s] was and how comfortable people felt around him!

The Prophet ﷺ asked the man a series of questions. “Would you like it for your mom?” He ﷺ continued to ask if this man would like it for his daughter, sister or other female relatives. The man continually responded in the negative, intellectually convinced by the logical argument of the Prophet ﷺ. Finally, the Prophet placed his blessed hand on the man and prayed to God, “Dear God! May you forgive his sins, purify his heart and make him chaste.” [al-Hakim].

Respectful Interaction

We need to learn to be like the Prophet ﷺ when it comes to dealing with discussions on sex. Sex is such a taboo topic in our community, yet many in our community hook up on the regular. On the flip side, some folks are so terrified sometimes of even having a conversation with someone of the opposite sex within our faith community because it’s made to be so hypersexualized and awkward that it’s impossible to be anything but uncomfortably robotic. But then at work, it seems super easy to connect with coworkers who aren’t Muslim. We’ve made one another afraid of our own brothers and sisters in faith.

Part of the problem is we often teach complete isolation instead of respectful, kind, professional interaction. There is a time for brotherly and sisterly separation and a time for professional integration. We often shame and blame and guilt instead of providing spaces for discussions and solutions when mistakes are made. The Prophet ﷺ clearly provided guidance for when his companions made mistakes as well as mentorship to help them make the right decisions from the beginning. He was open to even the most intimate conversations in public settings because he knew that was a critical source of education. In our families and communities, we must have open, honest conversations; Islam doesn’t make learning taboo.

But even with some members in his community making a mistake and going all the way outside of marriage, the Prophet ﷺ did not ban men and women from working together and interacting with one another. Instead, he taught the men and women in his community to work together with proper guidelines, professionally and respectfully, with the warmth of true brotherhood and sisterhood. [Read “10 Guidelines for Gender Relations in Islam” here.]

Most of the examples I have chosen with regards to gender-relation scenarios explicitly mentioned men as those who acted upon or wanted to act upon their desires, but the same applies to women.
Ladies are often put under the bus when it comes to talking about women’s sexual desires, minimizing the reality that many women do in fact have strong urges and fight themselves not to act upon them or not to take that second glance.

Women and men alike can learn from the lives of those living in the society of the Prophet ﷺ and actualize the concepts of self-responsibility, continual connection with God and intellectual and spiritual strength to overcome desires or repent and turn to Him continuously when falling.

The companions [God be pleased with them] actualized a Qur’anic axiom describing gender interactions. It is the very one we must continue to work towards:

“The believing men and believing women are allies of one another. They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and establish prayer and give zakah and obey God and His Messenger. Those – God will have mercy upon them. Indeed, God is Exalted in Might and Wise.” [9:71]

Men and women need one another. We need to support each other to ensure our communities thrive. The Qur’an describes us as ‘allies.’ Not as those who are constantly pointing fingers at one another and tearing each other down and apart. We’re allies who got one another’s backs. Let’s work to actualize that description.

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This post was taken from Ustadha Maryam Amir’s Facebook post.

In this invigorating talk, Shaykh Ahmad Saad links the events during al-Isra’ wal Mi’raj, the Miraculous Night Journey and Heavenly Ascent, to the mission of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ for humanity. Please watch the full lecture below or read the following excerpts:

When we celebrate something, we are giving new life to the event and we have to move beyond just retelling the story but to look for the lessons and meanings in them. Every day we meet new people and experience new things but we don’t remember all of these or celebrate them. Only those that leave a mark in our lives or have something significant becomes something to be celebrated.

As years pass, we grow in our understanding of the Qur’an, and in our understanding of the life events of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

The people around the Prophet could not believe that a human being could travel to Baitulmaqdis and return within a night. They had asked him, “We have a caravan coming back from the Levant, did you see it?”. The Prophet ﷺ told them that the caravan would arrive on a certain day (calculating their distance) and that the caravan was led by a dark grey camel. He ﷺ also told them about a certain event that happened with the water and the saddle.

When the caravan did eventually return on the day the Prophet told them it would and they verified that the leader of the caravan was led by a dark grey camel and the events with the water and the saddle were true, they were still in complete denial. They had turned their God-given gift, the mind, into an idol.

Lecture “The Miraculous Night Journey and Heavenly Ascent: The Prophetic Mission for Humanity” by Shaykh Ahmad Saad on 15 May 2015 at Singapore Management University, Mochtar Riady Auditorium, organised by SimplyIslam.sg and the SMU Muslim Society.

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The Purpose of Grief & Pain

As we all know, the momentous event came in what was known as the Year of Grief. Prophet Muhammad was dealt with very harsh blows – he lost his beloved wife, Sayyidatina Khadijah, and his dear uncle, Abu Talib. Shaykh Ahmad Saad said that this was Allah’s way to prepare Prophet Muhammad for their meeting. In the same way, sometimes Allah takes away some great things from you in order to free up that space so that you may focus on what truly matters: Him.

Ibn Atha’illah as-Sakandari says, “The arrival of tribulations is the time of celebration for the seekers.” Seekers know that when trouble comes, it is the beginning of an opening.

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Watch the lecture above to find out about what notes the Prophet took during the Isra’ wal-Mi’raj and how it helped to shape him as a Prophet and what it did for his mission for when he went back to earth.

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We provide taxi providers to and from the French Airport to the 34.841 municipalities of France. Below is a list of the most well-liked destinations from the place passengers guide our taxi companies majority of times. Have used th3 services twice and should say i’m actually happy with proper from booking until finish of Trip. Everyone concerned may be very polite, helpful and professional. Of course, if you take a taxi from Denfert-Rochereau in south Paris to the comparatively nearby Orly Airport, you will pay on the lower end of the size. If you had been to take a taxi all the way in which from South Paris to Roissy-Charles de Gaulle Airport nicely north of town, expect a a lot larger rate.

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