Friday, May 23, 2008

Another Racist Blogger Arrested

Why are there still racists? Because such ignorant people will always be around.

Acting on a complaint, the police arrested that racist and it is reassuring that some action is taken, and that they didn't just ignore the whole complaint. I presume they would take action on any racist regardless of her or his ethnicity.

Nevertheless, what is appropriate action now after the supposed arrest? Should that blogger be jailed, fined, issued a stern warning or do community service? Which is the action that is most beneficial to society and that blogger at the same time, without turning him more antagonistic towards other races and blaming them for the predicament he is in now somehow?

I think it should be community service as it is his chance to make things right.

Monday, May 12, 2008

Response to Islam in Singapore : Where to from here ?

Unfortunately, the comments section of this is deactivated and so I decided to post my comments here:
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I don’t quite get Dr Alwi’s rhetoric of Singapore’s by attempting to either dilute or modify Islam in order to integrate its Muslim community. As Singaporeans, we should just continue to practice Islam as it is and stop harboring thoughts that others are trying to impede our practices.

First of all, “Islam does not concentrate on filling men’s minds with philosophical ideas, or on excessive dream-like spirituality, or on physical training and perfection, or on self-serving materialistic philosophies such as exist nowadays. The personality of the Muslim is perfectly integrated and balanced, and no aspect of it is overtaken by others, as happens in other societies where man is brought up under imperfect manmade systems which all too often are governed by selfish desires, reprehensible innovations or deviant ideas.”

Secondly all Muslims are supposed to be on good terms with their neighbors, regardless of their religious practices and there isn’t a need to dilute the Islamic practices. “With his neighbor, the true Muslim is an example of good treatment and consideration of others’ feelings and sensitivities. He puts up with mistreatment and turns a blind eye to his neighbor’s faults while taking care not to commit any such errors himself. He always adopts the Islamic attitude whereby treating neighbors well was made a basic principle of Islam, so much so that the Prophet thought that Jibrail would make his neighbor his heir. Therefore he never does anything bad to his neighbor, nor does he fail in his duty towards him; rather, he does not spare any effort to do favors for his neighbor, without expecting any favors, reward or thanks in return.”

Muslims do not unjustly accuse others of ‘fisq’ or ‘kufr’ and should be modest at all times. Nothing can restore the health and authenticity of the Muslim identity except a sincere return to the eternal way of Allah and a deep understanding of the mission with which the Muslim has been entrusted. This will enable the Muslims to fulfill their duty of conveying this message to mankind, after they have adopted it for themselves as an ideology and way of life.

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References:
http://www.crescentlife.com/articles/islam/ideal_muslim.htm