Gujarat: Slain Dalit woman thought withdrawing Atrocity case could tarnish image of family & Dalits, says son Singapore’s approach is “premised on the faithful observance of international law, especially the independence and sovereignty of nation-states,” said political analyst and Singapore Management University (SMU) associate law professor Eugene Tan. But it has also condemned the rising death toll in Gaza, with the foreign ministry saying on Friday that it was “deeply concerned” about the humanitarian situation in the besieged enclave where more than 13,000 people have been killed since Israel’s bombardment began.

a) Congregational prayers: Islam has made performing the prayer in congregation one of the most important duties of a Muslim. Abdullah Ibn Umar narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Prayer in congregation is better than prayer performed individually by 27 degrees.” (Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim). In addition, prayer performed in larger congregations and more distant masjids carries more reward. b) Entering and leaving the masjid: When going to the masjid, one is encouraged to proceed with calmness and humility. He should make supplications on his way. One of the supplications the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, used to make was: “In the name of Allah, I put my trust in Allah. There is no power or strength except with Allah.” (Related by Abu Dawud, Al-Tirmidhi and Al-Nasa’i). When entering the masjid, one should begin with the right foot first and say: “Oh Allah, forgive me my sins and open for me the doors of Your mercy.” Similarly, when leaving the masjid, he should step out with the left foot first and say: “O Allah, forgive me my sins and open for me the doors of Your bounty.” More and more, people want to show their solidarity with the people of Palestine, who are going through such unspeakable horrors on a daily basis. Singaporeans need an outlet to demonstrate safely, legally and powerfully,” Azira said. Tawheed is the essence of Islam and the mainspring of its strength. All other laws, beliefs and commands of Islam stand firm on this foundation. Take it away, and there is nothing left of Islam. Singapore’s “friend to all” approach to foreign policy appears to have allowed it to establish longstanding good relations with both Palestine and Israel. Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (left) and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim agreed they would not allow the Israel-Gaza war to affect the bilateral relationship [File: How Hwee Young/Pool via Reuters]We make the excuse that it is not within our ability or power while we forget that the aayah actually obligates us to the utmost of our human capacity. It is a proof upon the slave (al-’abd) for the necessity of expending maximum effort and capacity to perform all moral obligations. All who seek excuse from performing legal and moral obligations look at the relief in the aayah for those who are incapable, but they are blind to what it obligates up to one’s capacity. The Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat, represented by Salahuddin from 1984 to 2004 and by Asaduddin since, is estimated to have a 60 per cent Muslim population. Seven of the eight Assembly segments that constitute this Lok Sabha seat are represented by the AIMIM, with the remaining Goshamahal seat being the only one that the BJP won in the state in the 2018 polls. Children are leaders of the future and the bearers of Islam to posterity, and they must not be denied the blessings of the masjid which nurtures the Muslim mind. Islam pays utmost attention to the proper bringing of children, such that the virtuous Islamic morals and character are instilled in them at tender age. Usually, the formative years of the child are the most vital in shaping his future personality. Parents should therefore allow their children (male and female) to accompany them to the masjid so that they get used to the Islamic acts of worship and grow up with obedience to Allah. By Tawheed we achieve salvation from Eternal punishment in the Hereafter, right guidance in this world, and forgiveness for sins. Allah states in the Qur’an: Verily Allah does not forgive associating partners with Him (Shirk) however He forgives all other sins as He pleases. (Qur’an 4:48). The Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: The worshipper’s right on Allah is that He will not punish those who worship none besides Him [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] Azira applied for a permit to organise a rally at the Speakers’ Corner and found that “interest exploded”, with 740 people registering their interest to attend in less than a day. She also released a petition for Singaporeans to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, drafted in consultation with local political observer Walid J Abdullah. As of November 20, it had 26,280 signatures.

Pointing to the idea of a garrison state, Singapore still has a “fortress-like” mentality that persists today, especially as a Chinese-majority nation surrounded by larger mostly-Muslim countries, which might “create a certain degree of tension”. Han added that the ability to be together in a physical space can “also be incredibly powerful in helping people process the devastation we’re seeing in the news every single day.” Expressing disappointment at the rejection of her application, Azira said she was not surprised, given Singapore is “generally quite risk-averse as a nation, and I understand the desire to avoid any situation that could potentially spiral out of hand”. My hunch is that the current situation is a lot more sensitive and emotive than in 2014, and it involves terrorist acts by Hamas,” Tan said. “I would say it is more a case of not importing foreign issues that will only create social divisions.” f) Distracting other people in the masjid: The Muslim, while in prayer is in private conversation with his Lord. It is therefore not permissible to distract him in any way. Disturbing someone praying even with audible recitation of the Qur’an is discouraged. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, heard people reciting the Qur’an aloud while others were praying and he said: “Verily, each one of you is in private conversation with his Lord. So, you should not disturb each other. And you are not to raise your voices against each other in the recitation.” (Related by Abu Dawud, Al-Nasa’i, Al-Bayhaqi, and Al-Hakim).

Protests make for good social media posts and rabble-rousing but will not move the needle on the conflict,” he said. Singapore received help from Israel post-independence and buys some weapons from the country [File: Joseph Nair/AP Photo] Humanitarian assistance Still, unlike many countries around the world, there have been no public protests in favour of either the Palestinians or Israel in Singapore. Our understanding of religious texts and rules of Islamic Law (Shari’ah) sometimes causes us to seek to free ourselves from necessary duties and responsibilities and lean toward neglect, abandonment, and seeking excuses for ourselves. When we read the words of the Most High: Allah burdens not any soul (person) beyond its scope [Surah Al-Baqarah 286], we attempt to interpret the aayah as a licence to refrain from being burdened with obligations so we use it when we are asked to perform any particular task. Tawheed is the only reason for the world’s creation. And I created not the Jinns and Men except that they should worship Me. (Qur’an 51:56) By declaring sincere belief in Tawheed, a disbeliever will become a Muslim. Conversely, a Muslim will become a disbeliever (kaafir) if he rejects any aspect of it.

The masjid occupies a prominent place in Islam because prayer is the second most important pillar of Islam and the masjid is where it is performed. In fact, the word masjid is derived from the word for prostrate: Sajada. The masjid symbolises Islamic monotheism and the unity of the Muslim ummah. When the call to prayer is made five times a day, the community comes together in the congregational prayer and all Muslims regardless of their race, colour, social, and economic status stand before their Lord in response to His call to prosperity. The masjid has certain functions and etiquette which must be taken into consideration when attending it: In contrast, SMU’s Tan argues that the authorities’ move was prudent because of the potential for such actions to “detrimentally affect our hard-earned social cohesion and harmony”.

The Islamic Shari’ah permits women to attend the masjid to benefit from the lectures, sermons, and lessons offered there. However, it is preferable for them to pray in their houses. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Do not prevent your women from coming to the masjid, but their houses are better for them.” (Related by abu Dawud). In another hadith, he said: “If the wife of one of you asks permission to go to the masjid, he must not prevent her.” (Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim). In the current polls, the AIMIM has thrown its hat in the ring in nine seats. Apart from the usual seven, the AIMIM has also fielded candidates in the Jubilee Hills and Rajendranagar constituencies, which come under the Greater Hyderabad region. Singapore – with a mostly ethnic Chinese population but also with a sizeable ethnic Malay-Muslim minority as well as ethnic Indians – has long prioritised preserving social cohesion and religious harmony.