The AMLA Amendments - Association of Muslim Professionals

Focus
KARYAWAN
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treatment and justice practised are also consonant with the
religion. In the case of secular laws that contradict Islamic norms,
such as permissibility of betting and consumption of liquor, the
position is that these rules do not oblige Muslims to follow and
we have the choice not to accept them.
For a Muslim in Singapore, his identity gives him the anchor or
foundation to relate to what is truly Islamic both in faith and
practice and encourages a healthy association with Muslims
elsewhere while deeply rooted to the ethos of the Singaporean
society. He should judge events in the world, especially those
affecting Muslims, through the lenses of universal principles
of justice, sense of fairness and objectivity – virtues of his own
Islamic faith. By the same token, if he discovers through these
same lenses that Muslims in certain situations or events are
subjected to injustice or harm, he should respond in a manner
appropriate to the challenge and this calls for objectivity,
sometimes creativity, and in accordance with the rule of law of
the country he resides in.
The Next Challenge
Prominent scholar Abdullah Saeed observes a positive trend in
that minority Muslims are active participants in their societies
and contribute to Islamic scholarship. They are at the forefront of
the rethinking and rejuvenation agenda in Islam’s journey to find
its right of place in modern society. For Singaporean Muslims,
through our consistent and active involvement over the years,
we have developed strong institutions that are highly regarded.
Examples are our internal management of Islamic affairs and coexistence
of the Syariah Court and secular legal system.
Our next challenge is to instill dynamism in our participation in
the national process to influence the destiny and future of the
country. We would have arrived the day when pious Muslims are
highly respected for their commitment to their religion and their
unwavering care and concern extended to their fellow citizens,
and when their efforts and dedication to ensure the well-being
of Singapore is regarded with the highest esteem.
Another dimension of integration is the issue of political or
national and religious identities. These identities sometimes
collide or run into tension, especially for minority communities
given the strong “indigenous” pulls. Another cause for such
tension is the perceived incompatibility between a construct
that transcends territorial boundaries and that of a nation-state
and its attendant obligations of citizenry.
Needless to say, many disputes in the world affecting Muslims
are the result of this tension, for example, Muslims in Germany
and other European states where there is a strong push for
assimilation with the status quo. The key question here is can the
identities co-exist and Muslims live in harmony with their fellow
citizens in these countries
Although our circumstances as Muslims in Singapore are
different and our experience with co-existence in a multireligious
society has been quite successful thus far, we remain
cautiously optimistic for the future. In more ways than one, we
in Singapore have demonstrated that we can be good Muslims
and good citizens at the same time.
However, identity, whether national or religious, is constantly
evolving and the external environment and conditions of society
have an influence on the dynamic inter-play of the various forces
that shape identity. Ultimately it is about winning the hearts
and minds of Muslims and non-Muslims alike in this sustained
journey towards co-existence and a shared destiny.
Yusof Sulaiman is the Centre Director of the Centre for
Research on Islamic and Malay Affairs (RIMA), the research
arm of the Association of Muslim Professionals (AMP). The
views expressed are his own.
© Association of Muslim Professionals
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