OVER the years, some Muslims in Singapura blame Yaacob Ibrahim for the hijab ban.
They assume that Yaacob’s personal belief is a major reason for our Muslim sisters not being allowed to wear hijab in school and in several professions.
Some of them look towards Masagos Zulkifli as a potential saviour.
Masagos comes from a religious family and is seen to be more Islamic than Yaacob.
When Masagos Zulkifli became a Minister of Environment, some of these Muslims were happy.
They were hopeful that it is another step towards Masagos becoming Minister in charge of Muslim Affairs and helping to remove the discrimination against Muslims.
What many do not realise is that it does not matter how Masagos used to be.
It does not matter if he used to be religious (or is still religious in his personal life).
When someone joins the PAP, they adopt and accept the PAP’s values.
They will be socialised to the PAP’s views, norms and goals.
They will speak the language that the PAP expect them to.
Take the hijab ban for example.
Last night, Masagos justified the ban by equating it with gay sex ( in defending the ban, he said the government not only disallow the hijab but also gay sex).
He then claimed “we have remained as a harmonious society not because every community is given its rights, but because each community has sacrificed something that is very precious to them for the sake of that harmony.”
The question of course, is why would the wearing of hijab affect harmony?
The PAP claim to be the best party in managing interracial relations.
Yet after more than 50 years in power, the harmony they claim to have built can be destroyed because some Muslim women wear hijab?
And coming from a Muslim Minister who is supposed to believe that the hijab is a religious obligation…
he prioritizes his party’s ban over Allah’s commands?
Masagos is a classic example of a politician who has been socialised by his party.
It does not matter how you were prior to joining the PAP.
It does not matter whether you pray, fast, go to haj in your personal lives.
When you join a party that is based on racism and Islamophobia…
You will speak, think and behave like them too.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official views of, and should not be attributed to, Isma or Ismaweb.
It is not good to judge others based on your own personal judgement. We should be thankful for the religious harmony we have in Singapore. Wisdom and Hidayah comes from Allah. May Allah SWT keep us all on the true path of Islam.
The truth is money and position over rides religious beliefs
Ingenious of the minister to equate the hijab to homosexuality.
It doesnt matter. Every country should follow their leader. If u r not happy with our leaders decision, u can always leave to Malaysia or Indonesia.
@Muslim sunni, dont talk rubbish
Blame no one but ourselves. The majority muslims vote for those in power. In the world there are muslim & modified muslim. Over here we have muslim & political muslim. Wallahu a’lam.
Maka seharusnya kita sebagai umat Nabi Muhammad sallallahu alaihi’wasalam memiliki rasa cinta dan sayang juga sesama umat. Bukan saling melontarkan kata-kata kesat lagi kasar tatkala berbalah antara kita, samada kerana isu-isu agama yang dipertikaikan, ataupun kerana sebab-sebab lain. Ia bukanlah satu sikap dan adab yang diajarkan Nabi Muhammad sallallahu alaihi’wasalam.
Semoga Allah subhanallah huta’ala mengurniakan kepada kita taufiq untuk menjadikan Nabi Muhammad sallallahu alaihi’wasalam sebagai contoh teladan buat diri kita. Semoga kita dikurniakan kemampuan untuk menjalankan segala tanggungjawab terhadap Allah subhanallah huta’ala dan terhadap sekalian hamba-hambaNya dengan terbaik mungkin.