Daily Lessons from Life 28 January 2011 - Less Strict to Religious Teaching?

"MM Lee's comments about S'pore Muslims "unfair": PERDAUS - 28 January 2011 CNA

SINGAPORE : Local association of Muslim scholars, PERDAUS, has described the comments made by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew on Singaporean Muslims as "unfair and unacceptable".

In a statement, the association said Mr Lee's call for Singaporean Muslims to be "less strict" in their practice of Islam was akin to calling Muslims to compromise on their faith.

Mr Lee made the comment in his recently published book "Hard Truths to Keep Singapore Going".

PERDAUS said it regrets the minister mentor's perceptions of the state of the Muslim community in his book.

It added that it disagrees that the perceptions are "hard truths" in today's context.

The association said the Muslim community in Singapore actively promotes communal harmony, in line with Islam's emphasis on harmonious living in a multi-racial society.

But alongside these efforts, PERDAUS added that Muslims must still uphold key teachings of Islam.

It said integration will be a never-ending challenge for Singapore, and promoting harmony is an obligation for everyone, especially Singapore's leaders.

PERDAUS is a voluntary welfare organisation focusing on community development and education."

MM Lee did said he has to be truthful to be meaningful when discussing this topic. So, 'less strict' is the question the Muslim scholars need to ponder.

As it is, there are different shades of teaching of religious holy scripts or books or texts the various relgions in the world. So, we need to understand what did MM Lee had in mind when he said: 'less strict'?

Lessons for me are:

1. in a multi-racial, multi-lingual and multi-religious society, the 'strictest' form of religion cannot be practiced without creating tension, friction and ultimately uncontrolled conflict between the different religions!;

2. when one is 'strict' to the teaching, one probably CANNOT function very well in the normal human world as the normal human world is so full of failings, defects, and imperfection. e.g. can a Mulsim eat with someone who are having foods that are considered 'impure'? can someone said something that is offensive to the Muslims but not so in any other languages or religions? For the 'purist' nothing that deviate from the so-called Teaching by the Religious Leaders who supposedly know their religious teaching is acceptable. Hence, the non-believers will have to 'tolerate' and understand MORE instead of the other way round! This won't work in the long term;

3. it is interesting to note that the NGO had spoken and disagreed with MM Lee's thoughts. The unfortunate thing is that the rebuttal or explanation was not very well thought-out and properly rehearsed. The argument or point of view expressed by PERDAUS is not very comprehensive. I even doubted if they had truly understood what had been said by MM Lee!! This is the disappointing part and dangerous. The Muslim scholars better understand what are given and what need to be earned!

Seamless integration will require mammoth sacrifices by ALL religious believers involved! Compromise is indeed the best way. Contrary to what had been said by PERDAUS that 'less strict' is not good!!

May peace and harmony last forever in Singapore.