<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>Orientation programme for imams from India
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><TR>2-day course helps them preach in ways suited to multicultural Singapore </TR><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Zakir Hussain
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Mr M.V. Mohamed Rafeeq (second from left) secretary of Bencoolen Mosque, chatting with participants in the Muis-run orientation programme, (from left) Mr Mohamed Ariff Kamal Batcha, Ustaz Abdul Kalyoom Sadhakathullah and Ustaz Iabal Ziaudeen. -- ST PHOTO: ALBERT SIM
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->BENCOOLEN Mosque imam Abdul Kaiyoom Sadhakathullah, 36, hails from Chennai in India.
He has worked here for two years, leading prayers, giving sermons and holding classes for the Tamil-speaking congregation.
But one question has kept cropping up in his mind: How do Muslim Singaporeans live with people of other races and religions, yet remain faithful to their beliefs while respecting people of other faiths?
He got a better understanding this week when he joined 17 fellow religious teachers from India for a new orientation programme run by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis).
The two-day programme aimed, in part, at helping them preach here in ways that are in keeping with Singapore's multicultural context.
The imams learnt about ongoing efforts to promote a progressive Muslim identity, met Mufti Syed Isa Semait, and gained an understanding of the work of the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG).
Several have now offered to help the RRG, which counsels Jemaah Islamiah detainees and those with extreme views.
'I learnt how important it is to impart the right understanding of Islam, including values like non-violence, from an early age,' said imam Abdul Kaiyoom, speaking in Tamil.
Foreign imams like him would have previously joined programmes held regularly for Singaporean religious teachers who return from studying abroad.
Those programmes began four years ago as part of efforts to prevent extremist leanings from taking root here.
But Muis felt that cultural differences between imams from India and others here - who are mostly Malay-Muslim teachers - merited separate programmes being run.
The imams from India are often hired on one- to two-year contracts, which can be renewed. They cater to about 60,000 Indian Muslims at seven mosques and several community organisations.
The mosques are located in the central area, where many migrants from India first settled in Singapore.
Despite the Indian Muslim community's history here, it has always been an uphill task getting local Tamil-speaking Muslims to be imams or religious teachers, community leaders say.
Mr M.V. Mohamed Rafeeq, secretary of Bencoolen Mosque, said the low pay of around $1,000 a month and the intensive study needed to be a religious teacher do not appeal to many locals.
'But we should still try to groom local religious teachers in the long term,' he said.
Veteran religious leader, Ustaz Mohd Ibrahim Mohd Kassim, 82, agreed.
He said some foreign imams rely on fatwas or rulings from India that may not be suited for Singapore or for modern-day circumstances.
These include relying on sightings of the moon instead of calculations to determine festival dates, or giving up interest earned from banks that could otherwise be used for charitable purposes.
'We can orientate them to our way of thinking,' he said.
Still, he pointed to a growing, if small, number of Indian Muslims interested in becoming religious leaders.
One of them is technical manager Mohamed Ariff Kamal Batcha, 34, who came from India in 2000 to work here after marrying a Singaporean. He is now studying to be a part-time religious teacher at a private Islamic school.
Said Mr Ariff, now a citizen and one of four locals attending the course with the 18 imams: 'We cannot deny that there is a gap in the imams' understanding of the local context, but this is something we can help bridge.' [email protected]
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><TR>2-day course helps them preach in ways suited to multicultural Singapore </TR><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Zakir Hussain
</TD></TR><!-- show image if available --><TR vAlign=bottom><TD width=330>
</TD><TD width=10>
Mr M.V. Mohamed Rafeeq (second from left) secretary of Bencoolen Mosque, chatting with participants in the Muis-run orientation programme, (from left) Mr Mohamed Ariff Kamal Batcha, Ustaz Abdul Kalyoom Sadhakathullah and Ustaz Iabal Ziaudeen. -- ST PHOTO: ALBERT SIM
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->BENCOOLEN Mosque imam Abdul Kaiyoom Sadhakathullah, 36, hails from Chennai in India.
He has worked here for two years, leading prayers, giving sermons and holding classes for the Tamil-speaking congregation.
But one question has kept cropping up in his mind: How do Muslim Singaporeans live with people of other races and religions, yet remain faithful to their beliefs while respecting people of other faiths?
He got a better understanding this week when he joined 17 fellow religious teachers from India for a new orientation programme run by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis).
The two-day programme aimed, in part, at helping them preach here in ways that are in keeping with Singapore's multicultural context.
The imams learnt about ongoing efforts to promote a progressive Muslim identity, met Mufti Syed Isa Semait, and gained an understanding of the work of the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG).
Several have now offered to help the RRG, which counsels Jemaah Islamiah detainees and those with extreme views.
'I learnt how important it is to impart the right understanding of Islam, including values like non-violence, from an early age,' said imam Abdul Kaiyoom, speaking in Tamil.
Foreign imams like him would have previously joined programmes held regularly for Singaporean religious teachers who return from studying abroad.
Those programmes began four years ago as part of efforts to prevent extremist leanings from taking root here.
But Muis felt that cultural differences between imams from India and others here - who are mostly Malay-Muslim teachers - merited separate programmes being run.
The imams from India are often hired on one- to two-year contracts, which can be renewed. They cater to about 60,000 Indian Muslims at seven mosques and several community organisations.
The mosques are located in the central area, where many migrants from India first settled in Singapore.
Despite the Indian Muslim community's history here, it has always been an uphill task getting local Tamil-speaking Muslims to be imams or religious teachers, community leaders say.
Mr M.V. Mohamed Rafeeq, secretary of Bencoolen Mosque, said the low pay of around $1,000 a month and the intensive study needed to be a religious teacher do not appeal to many locals.
'But we should still try to groom local religious teachers in the long term,' he said.
Veteran religious leader, Ustaz Mohd Ibrahim Mohd Kassim, 82, agreed.
He said some foreign imams rely on fatwas or rulings from India that may not be suited for Singapore or for modern-day circumstances.
These include relying on sightings of the moon instead of calculations to determine festival dates, or giving up interest earned from banks that could otherwise be used for charitable purposes.
'We can orientate them to our way of thinking,' he said.
Still, he pointed to a growing, if small, number of Indian Muslims interested in becoming religious leaders.
One of them is technical manager Mohamed Ariff Kamal Batcha, 34, who came from India in 2000 to work here after marrying a Singaporean. He is now studying to be a part-time religious teacher at a private Islamic school.
Said Mr Ariff, now a citizen and one of four locals attending the course with the 18 imams: 'We cannot deny that there is a gap in the imams' understanding of the local context, but this is something we can help bridge.' [email protected]
