This entry might be a little controversial.. but before i proceed, watch the following video on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EBiei21-C8
It's a video of a hassidic reggae singer Matisyahu, a Jew.. (don't ask me what hassidic is, because i've absolutely no idea..)
This by no means imply that I approve of music or deem music as permissible. Nay, i hold the scholarly view that music is haram (prohibited).
But the point that I'd like to bring up here is how a religious Jew like Matisyahu, with his thick beard, can be easily accepted by people and society..
However, if a Muslim were to keep a beard, he'll be deemed as a terrorist, or a radical at the very least..
We saw this in the first few years after 9/11.. Even Sikhs became a target of hatred due to their beard and turban..
Not forgetting my personal experience in polytechnic.. there were several times when I heard Chinese teens exclaiming, "hey, it's the terrorist.." or "hey, i just saw the terrorist" (and when his friends asked where, he pointed out to my direction, "there" and there was no one around except me..)
Even until now, i do receive some stares or glares (they are surprised or shocked i supposed).. especially if i were to wear a Muslim dress with a cap (like what Pakistani Muslims would wear)..
In such clothing, the Chinese drink vendor would pass by me at the hawker centre without taking my order of drink.. as though i was invisible.. but if i were to wear normal shirt and trousers, he'd take my order..
Even an MP seemed to avoid looking at me (when i'm in such clothing) despite me greeting her.. (hey.. she knows my dad quite well, so isn't it polite for me to just say hi to her?)
Why the stereotype/phobia?
There doesn't seem to be quite a clear answer.. after 6 years, several efforts have been done to clear the misconceptions that Muslims are terrorists..
I do feel that this Islamophobia in Singapore is slowly subsiding.. and hopefully it'll continue to subside..
Whereas for me, i continue doing my part by portraying that Muslims are friendly and sociable.. Walking past people with a smile, being polite, courteous, and so on..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EBiei21-C8
It's a video of a hassidic reggae singer Matisyahu, a Jew.. (don't ask me what hassidic is, because i've absolutely no idea..)
This by no means imply that I approve of music or deem music as permissible. Nay, i hold the scholarly view that music is haram (prohibited).
But the point that I'd like to bring up here is how a religious Jew like Matisyahu, with his thick beard, can be easily accepted by people and society..
However, if a Muslim were to keep a beard, he'll be deemed as a terrorist, or a radical at the very least..
We saw this in the first few years after 9/11.. Even Sikhs became a target of hatred due to their beard and turban..
Not forgetting my personal experience in polytechnic.. there were several times when I heard Chinese teens exclaiming, "hey, it's the terrorist.." or "hey, i just saw the terrorist" (and when his friends asked where, he pointed out to my direction, "there" and there was no one around except me..)
Even until now, i do receive some stares or glares (they are surprised or shocked i supposed).. especially if i were to wear a Muslim dress with a cap (like what Pakistani Muslims would wear)..
In such clothing, the Chinese drink vendor would pass by me at the hawker centre without taking my order of drink.. as though i was invisible.. but if i were to wear normal shirt and trousers, he'd take my order..
Even an MP seemed to avoid looking at me (when i'm in such clothing) despite me greeting her.. (hey.. she knows my dad quite well, so isn't it polite for me to just say hi to her?)
Why the stereotype/phobia?
There doesn't seem to be quite a clear answer.. after 6 years, several efforts have been done to clear the misconceptions that Muslims are terrorists..
I do feel that this Islamophobia in Singapore is slowly subsiding.. and hopefully it'll continue to subside..
Whereas for me, i continue doing my part by portraying that Muslims are friendly and sociable.. Walking past people with a smile, being polite, courteous, and so on..
5 comments:
Bismillaahir ra'hmanir rahiym.
As salaam 'alaykum wa ra'hmatullahi wabarakaatuh.
I'm baaAack...al'hamduwlillaah!
Gosh, just the very title caught me eyes...nyummy..."bearded Muslims"...whats wrong with these peeps?!
Me thinks them bearded Muslims brothers are most handsome...the beauty of the beard, al'hamduwlillaah!
Aaah...just look at our government... it's ok for a Sikh policemen [or other uniform occupation] to have beard but Muslim brothers are not allowed. What is the difference between a Sikh beard and a Muslim brother beard ,eh?
I gather the majority of Muslims in Spore are Malay so their beard would be really thin...perhaps not even beard but a mere goatie, eh but a Sikh definately have a thick full blown beard and they are allowed to keep them..WHY????
The problems lies is with all you Muslims brothers! You people [them beardless brother who even dare to call themselves ahlul-Sunnah ] who are not firm in upholding the sunnah and of course our forefathers who have never taken the sunnah of beard seriously and that's why it's harder on the younger generations!
Stop blaming others and hoping people will accept us...we don't need them to accept us, do we know? What we want is for Allaah to accept us.
"Hasbuna^Allaah wa ni'gmah wakiyl"...
What's important that Allaah accepts us and that what we do is for HIS pleasure. We do not seek the kufar pleasure.
"Samigna wa atogna"...
If they accept us fine and if they don't fine..al'hamduwlillaah.
Masha^Allaah, you think you brothers have it hard? What about us munaaqaaba[t] sisters?
Just bcoz I wearr the niqaab, [which I wear it for the pleasure of my Rabb] I've been called many names..from ninja, to Darth Vader, witch, and the worse part is my own kind the Muslims that called me names too..such as 'hantu'...go figure..I thought hantu is suppose to be in white! And I'm never in white!
Of course these days, I've been upgraded abit as someone else wife called as Mrs Usamaah...hehehe
so what? Do I care?
I just take these as test From my Rabb..nothing more nothing less...al'hamduwlillaah...next..heyit has be decreed by Allaah. For Allaah says:
"No kind of calamity can occur, except by the leave of Allaah. And if any one believes in Allaah, ((Allaah)) guides his heart (aright): for Allaah knows all things."
[At-Taghabun 64:11]
Masha^Allaah didn't you believe when Allaah said:
"Do people think
that they will be left alone
because they say: "We believe,"
and will not be tested. "
[Al-'Ankaboot 29:2-3]
"Verily We have created man into toil and struggle."
[ Al-Balad 90:4]
"So lose not heart, nor fall into despair: For ye must gain mastery if ye are true in Faith"
[ Al' Imran; 3: 139]
"Be sure We shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits (of your toil), but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere"
[Baqarah; 2: 155]
Abu Sa'id and Abu Hurayra radhian Allaahu anhuma reported that they heard Allah's Messenger (salallahu alayhi wasalam) as saying:
"Never a believer is stricken with discomfort, hardship or illness, grief or even with mental worry that his sins are not expiated for him."
[sahih al-Bukhari, Book 32, #6242]
As for me...beardie just making me weak in my knees!
oh ya.. let's not forget about the comparison between a Muslim and a Sikh..
Well, it's a well-known fact that it is obligatory for a Sikh to keep the beard..
Whereas for Muslims, people still take the statement of Muis that keeping the beard is only sunnah according to the Shafi'i madhhab.
This despite the fact that in al-Umm, Imam Shafi'i stated that shaving the beard is haram, thus making it wajib to keep the beard.
Wallahu a'lam
As salaam 'alaykum wa ra'hmatullaahi wa barakaatuh.
"Singaporeans claim to be living in a democratic society, in a harmony between different races and religions.."
Check out the "key word" there...it says "claim to be"...and that is all. Hey anybody could 'claim to be' anything, na'am? Either they do it or put it to practise is totally a different matter altogether. Such filthy liars are them kuffar!
"O you who believe!
Whoever from among you
turns back from his religion (Islam),
Allah will bring a people
whom HE will love
and they will love HIM;
humble towards Al-Muw^minuwn, stern towards Al-Kaafiruwn,
fighting in the Way of Allah,
and never afraid of the blame of the blamers.
That is the Grace of Allah
which HE bestows
on whom HE wills.
And Allah is AllSufficient
for HIS creatures' needs, AllKnower."
[Al-Maa^ida[t] 5:54]
MUIS??? Oh puhlezz don't talk to me about them. Sometimes I don't even know what they are there for ...honestly! They are just "puppets" and do "puppets" actually make their own decisions to "move about"?
No doubt I was born and bred in Singapore, it suffocates me just to be still living here.
And PERGAS? Aaaargh.... just the word, aggrivates me already!
Na'am, I was studying in PERGAS but I had to quit! Come to think about it, I didn't actually quit but PERGAS ended my course without informing me! They cheated me!No letter, no result slip, no certificate...nothing at all!
Insha^Allaah, come Judgement Day, I will seek justice infront of my Rabb!And that's a promise!
Come to think of it, it must be a blessing, al'hamduwlillaah. From day 1, I'm not really comfortable studying in PERGAS,...I mean they claim to be an Islamic Institute but they do not adhere to the Qur'an wa Sunnah.
Some of them Ustaz don't even spot a strand of hair under his chin???
Hadith - Bukhari 7:781, Narrated Ibn 'Umar {radhian Allaahu anhu}
Allah's Apostle {sallaahu 'alayhi wa sallaam} said,
"Cut the moustaches short and leave the beard (as it is)."
Hadith - Muslim, Narrated Abu Hurayrah {radhian Allaahu anhu}
The Messenger of Allah {sallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam} said:
"Trim closely the moustache, and grow beard, and thus act against the fire-worshippers."
Hadith - Bukhari 9:651, Narrated Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri {radhian Allahu anhu}
The Prophet {sallaahu 'alayhi wa sallaam} said,
"There will emerge from the East some people who will recite the Qur'an but it will not exceed their throats and who will go out of (renounce) the religion (Islam) as an arrow passes through the game, and they will never come back to it unless the arrow, comes back to the middle of the bow (by itself) (i.e., impossible)."
The people asked, "What will their signs be?"
He {sallaahu 'alayhi wa sallaam}said,
"Their sign will be the habit of shaving (of their beards)."
[Fateh Al-Bari, Page 322, Vol. 17th]
Sides, there are so much in the intermingling of the opposite gender, nastagfirullaah!
Look also at the sitting arrangements in the class... the Islamic way is that them sisters should be sitting behing the brothers or at least there should be a partition if they were sitting alongside.
I also quit the stupid PERGAS group, obvious they were encouraging some kind of youth activity which again include in the free mixing of the opposite gender... nastagfirullaah! What were they thinking??? Booking a place to Jahannum?
"The hypocrites, men and women,
are from one another,
they enjoin Al-Munkar,
and forbid from Al-Ma'gruf,
and they close their hands.
They have forgotten Allaah,
so HE has forgotten them.
Verily,
Al-Munaafiquwn are Al-Faasiquwn."
[A(l)-ttawba[t] 9:67]
"Verily, those who purchase
a small gain at the cost
of Allaah's Covenant
and their oaths,
they shall have no portion in
Al-Aakhira[t].
Neither will Allaah speak to
them,
nor look at them
on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them,
and they shall have a painful torment."
[Al-'Imraan 3:77]
You think I may met you at PERGAS? I doubt so [na'am, I do lower my gaze] As much as beardie makes me weak in ma knees, I dare not look at them, well for the obvious reason of course, I mean if my knees are weak I'm in soOo much trouble! Yikes!
Usually I take them stairs coz I hate being cramped up in the lifts with brothers and besides I used to be the first one in and the first one out in class so no "bumping" into no brothers!
Have you seen a 'munaaqaabat' there? When I was there, I don't see any munaaqaabat sister, felt kinda the odd out out.
Thought of continuing my course in PERDAUS or perhaps Jamiyah, heard they have similar course that I'm interested in taking.
Right now, I'm just studying in a few masjid, sort of to fill up the time till the next intake, insha^Allaah.
Back to the beard issue, I shouldn't care so much what people think of you or how they treat you as long as you know that you ONLY seek in Allaah's pleasure and it is the habit of ahlul-sunnah to spot a beard, al'hamduwlillaah.
Know that you have a scret admirer... hey I don't mean me! I'm sure there are other sisters who goes ga-ga over a beardie brother..lol..
Aaaaah, it is soOoo good to be a Muslimah, al'hamduwlillaah we're Muslims and insha^Allaah we'll die as Muslims!...amiyn yaa Allaah!
"O Allaah! May it be pleasing to YOU to put our feet upon the straight path!...amiyn yaa Allaah!"
"O Allaah! May it be pleasing to YOU to guide us to what is right for YOUR pleasure!...amiyn yaa Allaah!
"O Allaah! It is for me to supplicate, and for You to accept. This is my effort and my reliance is on You...amiyn yaa Allaah!"
PS: I really don't mind being called Mrs Usamaah [hey, 'usamaah' also means lion] and look at the lion beard...erm..I mean mane...lol!
Anyway, for all you beardies out there...do not lose heart if people treat you badly, You're the Lion...and the lion is King!
Thus this poem dedicated to all them ahlul sunnah who keep their chin warm with their beard!
THE BEAUTY OF THE BEARD!
"Glorified be He who beautifies women with long locks of hair
And Men with long beards
There is beauty in the beard
Aye, there is beauty in the beard!
When the lion roars all the animals submit
For the lion is the king of the jungle
The lion with its glorious mane
And a Muslim man grows his mane in pride
Showing the rest of humanity that he is to be respected
Can one imagine a lion without its mane?
Nay, thou canst not!
Then imagine a man without his beard
Woe to worldly women who mock the beards so!
Desiring husbands with clean shaven faces
Woe to women who mock the Prophets Sunnah
In the name of hygiene, neatness and smooth texture
Indeed the women of this world cannot like the beard
But she who wants Paradise adores the beard!
A beard is a gift given to man
Something only he can grow; a woman never can!
When he ponders, he gently strokes it;
When he eats, it stores food;
When he is with kids, they play with it adoringly;
When he is with his wife, she fondles it lovingly;
When the enemy see it, fear is struck in their hearts!
Ah! there is indeed beauty in the beard!
All the Prophets had beards - yes they did!
Muhammad had a beard - so big! so big!
All the companions had beards - o yes! o yes!
All the sages had beards - I know! I know!
All the wise have beards - tis true! tis true!
All the pious have beards - you see! you see!
All the Muslims have beards!? - if only! if only!
Who did not have beards? The kafirun!
Who had clean shaven faces? The kafirun!
Who grew their moustaches? The kafirun!
"And what did our Prophet order?" I here you ask
He ordered us to lengthen the beard and trim the moustache!
Lengthen the beard and trim the moustache!
What greater reason that this can there be
The fact that our Prophet told us to see
That we make ourselves appear to the world
As full bearded men with honour untold
O Muslim brother! Why do you desire to look like a woman
When your blessed facial hair is the differece between you and the opposite gender?
O poor Muslim brother! Why do you imitate the kafir
Instead of following the Prophet of Islam?
O silly Muslim sister! Why are you so blind?
Infatuated with Bollywood actors who have no mind!
O wretched sister! Are you not scared of your choice?
You would rather have a feminine monkey instead of an exalted manly ape!
So indeed I love my beard
And adore the curls and tangles
Which no oil, gel or superglue can ever straighten
My glorious long, curly, messy, fluffy beard!
The playhouse for kids;
The envy of Malaysian people
And the beloved of Allah!
I maybe rejected by worldly women because of this hair on my face
But who care! For my Mum loves it and she puts all such sisters to disgrace!
Be patient Muslim brothers, who shun the trendy look for a Prophetic pose
Paradise with the wide eyed Houris is our final abode!!!!!"
By Brother Tushar
Now, I hope that will put a smile on all you beardies out there!
Wa 'alaykum as-Salamu wa rahmatullah.
Wrong person then. I'm studying SPI at Irsyad.. There is a niqaaby there..
Yup, i understand what you mean about not being comfortable.. me too.. my first 2 yrs, a few of the ustazs already look at me like what..
A friend says my beard makes me look like a typical Sunnah person or Wahhabi.. haha.. perhaps because it's already a handful when i'm only 20 this yr..
Esp the mudirah of madrasah al-ma'arif.. i went to her house once for eid with friends from poly.. she asked me, "ni budak arabiah eh?" ish3.. i'm secular background seh...
Muis and pergas are our umara' and ulamaa'.. what to do.. personally, i give my support to the few sunnah ustazs teaching in pergas, the likes of ustaz masbur, ust hafiizh, ust fathurrahman and ust rahmat.
The other ustazs.. seringkali merepek benar apa yg mereka ajarkan..
'ala kulli hal, we should mix with the community, including pergas and muis.. as long as we don't compromise our principles as one who is upon the sunnah, upon the manhaj of the salaf..
because if we don't mix with them, how do we convey the sunnah to them?
Thanks for the sharing.. the hujjah and poem..
I've a secret admirer eh? hehe.. nak tahu juga.. mana tahu ada calon yg sesuai.. :P
Just kidding.. tgk budak2 kat pergas.. aduhai..
Budak2 madrasah sepenuh masa menghampakan.. apa lagi budak2 pergas.. bgmanalah masa depan umat islam singapura..
About your debarrment from pergas.. i dunno eh..
anyway ya ukhti, if u'd like to continue this discussion, be it on this matter or other matters, i think it'd be more appropriate if u drop me an email:
ibnshamsuddeen@yahoo.com.sg
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