By Ruhie Jamshaid
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| Sultan Masjid, Singapore |
The little island nation of Singapore is
renowned to be a modern, urban ‘lion-city’. It is often recognized as the
commercial heart of Asia. The levels of cleanliness and law and order found in
this nation are somewhat legendary, with many cities, such as Dubai, Bahrain
and Shanghai, modeling after it.
However, beyond the glitz and glamour of the
heart of the far East, lies a nation that is admired for its sense of respect
for all religions and races. A myriad of races from the Chinese to Malays and
Indians live side by side on the island, practicing their religions. Needless
to say, Islam, too, is practiced freely and widely in Singapore!
In fact, growing up in such a multicultural
country as Singapore, I had the opportunity to learn about my religion from my
Malay and Arab friends. Somehow, the religion of Islam and my culture as a
Pakistani were often separate entities. Hence, I got a chance to study my
religion for what it is, beyond cultural influences.
One of the most wonderful things about being a
Muslim in Singapore is celebrating Ramadan. This holy month is always very
special here. It is a common practice to go to the Masjid for Taraweeh prayers
as a family. Every locality, or rather housing estate, has a mosque, although
the volume of the Adhans has to be controlled for the sake of not disturbing
non-Muslim residents. Iftar is organized in all the mosques for all and sundry.
It is common to find people of such varied nationalities as Moroccons,
Bangladeshis, Indonesians and the local Singaporean Malays sitting side by side
and breaking their fasts. Taraweeh prayers are conducted with Tahleels and
Dhikr sessions.
My family and I cherish the opportunity to go
to the mosque for Taraweeh prayers. It is an opportunity for us to meet other
Muslims and for our children to be aware of the spirit of Islam in a community.
As many Muslims are foreigners, with only a few family members in Singapore,
Eid-ul-Fitr prayers also offer an opportunity to connect with the Muslim
community.
The Chinese Muslim community of Singapore,
though small in number, is also an interesting aspect of the Muslim community
found here. While they practice Islam, they also embrace certain Chinese
cultural practices, such as the celebration of the Chinese New Year and the
Mid-Autumn Festival. Ms. Mah, a Chinese Muslim, states: “We are basically all
Chinese, except that we practice Islam. For instance, we avoid pork, which is
often the preferred meat in Chinese households!” Many Chinese Muslims in
Singapore have either embraced Islam through marriage and adoption, or their
families are of Hui or Uyghur descent, having moved to Singapore from China in
the 1920s.
It is quite easy to practice Islam in most
areas of life in Singapore. Though there may not be special rooms allocated for
Salah in most workplaces, it is typical for employers to make allowances for
you to go to a quiet corner such as a staircase area or your own office cubicle
to pray. Halal food is also easily available with most fast food restaurants
being Halal. Wearing Hijab at workplaces can be an issue but in daily life, it
is common to find Muslim ladies donning the Hijab at market places and
restaurants.
Generally, Islam is seldom viewed suspiciously
in Singapore. Therefore, the freedom to practice one’s religion without fear of
being ostracized makes it all the worthwhile to be a Muslim in Singapore.
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