TANBIH (Warning) : A concerned Brother's complaint regarding "Liberal Islam" in Singapore.

.

As-salaamu 'alaykum,

.

Below is the letter sent by a concerned brother to the Minister, to warn us of certain groups, a 'think-tank' outfit, trying to promote deviant ideas and champion their cause in Singapore - whereas they have already been 'exposed' in Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. Why has Singapore Muslims been kept unaware? And amazingly, these personalities were known to be regularly invited here to give talks. La hau-la wa laa quw-wata il-la billaah!

.

It seems that writtings from these people are mainly directed to attract the so-called 'elite' intellectuals amongst Muslims in Singapore. Now, it seem that this is being promoted by the mainstream Malay newspaper that enjoy a monopoly over Malay readership.

.

These "Liberal" groups and individuals have been condemned as deviants, where Fatwa issued against many of them e.g. in Indonesia, Brunei, Egypt etc. The general Muslim masses may still be unaware of this, therefore his letter is a timely warning. Beware!

.

May Allah s.w.t. reward him with khayr and be pleased (Redha) with his endeavor and struggle to uphold the spirit as enjoined by Allah s.w.t.:

.

وَلۡتَكُن مِّنكُمۡ أُمَّةٌ۬ يَدۡعُونَ إِلَى ٱلۡخَيۡرِ وَيَأۡمُرُونَ بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِ وَيَنۡهَوۡنَ عَنِ ٱلۡمُنكَرِ‌ۚ وَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُفۡلِحُونَ

.

وَلَا تَكُونُواْ كَٱلَّذِينَ تَفَرَّقُواْ وَٱخۡتَلَفُواْ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا جَآءَهُمُ ٱلۡبَيِّنَـٰتُ‌ۚ وَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ لَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ۬

.

"Let there arise out of you a band of people inviting to all that is good, enjoining what is right, and forbidding what is wrong; they are the ones to attain felicity. Be not like those who are divided amongst themselves and fall into disputations after receiving Clear signs; for them is a dreadful penalty.― "

(Qur'an: Aali 'Imran: 3: 104-105)

Below is the letter:

.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Official Complaint - About Berita Harian's Promotion of Liberal Islam

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

15 September 2009


Dr Yaacob Ibrahim
Honourable Minister for the Environment and Water Resources
Republic of Singapore

cc Mr Alami Musa
President
Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura



Assalamu'alaikum Warahmatullah


Dear Dr Yaacob


I received an email yesterday from Bro Mohd Yazid Munajat, pertaining about Berita Harian's promotion of a publication by a local group of educated Singaporean Muslims.


Please see below for the email, and please see attached for the article inBerita Harian and the list of its members.


So I went to check out his complaint by visiting the website of this group http://www.thereadinggroup.sg/ and I find great truth in his accusation.


At http://www.thereadinggroup.sg/recommended_readings.htm section, we can see clearly that this group promotes the writings of, among others, Amina Wadud, Nurcholish Madjid, Harun Nasution, Nasr Abu Zayd and Khaled Abou ElFadl.


These individuals are either confirmed deviants or suspect in their understanding of Islam.


Amina Wadud, as we all know, openly challenged the instructions of Allah and His Messenger by promoting the idea of a female imam in a mixed congregation. Nurcholish Madjid was indisputedly one of the leaders of the deviant Liberal Islam movement in Indonesia, where he once taught that Iblis was showing the highest level of iman by refusing to bow down to Adam, and he married off his own daughter to a non-Muslim man.


Harun Nasution was and Khaled Abou El Fadl is Muktazilites.Not to mention of course some other questionable personalities and reading materials promoted by this group.


And further at http://www.thereadinggroup.sg/links.htm section, the group openly promotes the websites or blogs of Liberal Islam's personalities such as Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur) , Azyumardi Azra ; Luthfi Assyaukanie and Masdar F. Mas'udi. Similarly at this section, the group provides the links to such organisations as Jaringan Islam Emansipatoris, Jaringan Islam Liberal, Komunitas Utan Kayu, Lib for All Foundation and Yayasan Wakaf Paramadina.

The fact that Berita Harian has promoted this group does not surprise me. Indeed, rather lately, Berita Harian has been promoting Liberal Islam ideas. It seems that Berita Harian is moving from merely misrepresenting Islam to now championing religious deviancy outright.


Why has Berita Harian offered a platform to this group ? Didn't the journalist who wrote the article checked out this group before doing his write-up ?


As the Minister in charge of Muslim Affairs, where do you stand in this matter ?


I suggest that the relevant authorities be it yourself, your colleagues consisting of the Muslim MPs and / or MUIS get in touch with this group at info@thereadinggroup.sg and start a dialogue with its members.


This is not a trivial matter which can be ignored, to be swept under the political carpet.


I hereby assert that this is an official complaint on my part as a Muslim citizen of Singapore to you Sir as the Minister of State Incharge of MuslimAffairs.


May Allah azzawajalla protects us and the generations that come after us from deviating from the right path of Islam.


Wassalam


Faris Osman Abdat

Blk 18 Eunos Crescent
#02-2893
Singapore 400018

.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

End of Letter

----------------------------------

.

Letter posted with the permission of writer.

.

May Allah s.w.t. keep us in the True faith:

اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْنَا هَادِيْنَا مُهْتَديْن

غَيْرَضَالِّيْنَ وَلاَ مُضِلِّيْن

اَللَّهُمَّ أهْدِنَا بِهُدَاك

وَجعَلْنَامِمَّنْ يُسَا رِعُ فِي رِضَاك

وَلاَ تُوَلِّنَا وَلِّيًا سِوَك

وَلاَ تَجْعَلْنَا مِمَّنْ خَالَفَ أَمْرَكَ وَعَصَاك

وَحَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيْل

وَلاَحَوْلَ وَلاَ قُوَّةَ إِلاَ باللَّهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيْم

وَصَلّى اللَّهُ عَلَى سَيْدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَلَى آلِهِ وصَحْبِهِ وَسَلّم

O Allah! Make us to be people who guide (others) and who are (always) Guided (by Your Guidance) .
Not of those who are astray and who lead people astray.
O Allah! Guide us all with Your Guidance.
And make us people who hasten towards what pleases You.

And do not let us be protected (by others) except
only with Your Protection (as our Guardian).
And do not make us to be of those who differ from
Your command and are disobedient towards You.

And sufficient is Allah for us, for He is the Best Protector.
And there is no power nor strength except with Allah
The Most High, the Most Esteem.

And salutations of Allah and Peace be upon our
Leader Muhammad, and upon His household
and Companions .

.

--------------------------------------------------------

SOME EXCERPTS FROM A FORUM ORGANIZED IN MALAYSIA

WARNING OF DANGER OF "ISLAM LIBERAL"

( IN MALAY )

---------------------------------------------------------

. (To see all, follow all relevant link of the Seminar on You-Tube)

---------------------------------

FROM INDONESIA

-----------------------------------

(To see all, follow relevant links on You-Tube)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------