:salam2:
Dear brothers & sisters in Islam,
The follwoing controversy (quoted below) is on the verge of causing some discontentment among Muslims in my country. I thought taht I should share with you and get your views.
Quote
Religious row over Chinese mosques
May 1, 07 7:38am Adjust font size:
A top religious official dismissed a request from Chinese community to build its own mosques fearing segregation of the country's Muslims.
The adviser to the Prime Minister, called on the government to disregard such requests as there were sufficient mosques in the country for all Muslims, the New Straits Times daily reported.
"If this is allowed by the authorities, I am afraid it will lead to disunity and segregate Muslims in the country," he said.
Hamid said the request by Chinese Muslims for their own mosques was unthinkable and carried wide political connotations.
"Now they want their own mosques, the next time around they will be asking for leaders to represent their ethnic groups," he said.
Danial Hakim Boey, a Chinese-Muslim who has been trying to build a Chinese mosque here, said the issue of building a mosque with Chinese architecture had been misinterpreted by the authorities.
"We just want a Chinese-designed mosque. There is no reason to have only Chinese going to the mosque, that is too partisan," Boey said.
"Islam is, after all, for everybody, so we can have any design and it should reflect the universality of the religion," he said.
Boey, a practising Muslim for 13 years, chairs the Malaysian Chinese Muslim Community in Selangor, where a majority of the country's 60,000 Chinese Muslims reside.
Boey pointed out that Indian Muslims in Malaysia had their own mosque buildings which reflected their culture.
"At the end of the day, we all pray in Arabic. We are not trying to change anything," he said.
Islam is for everybody
Boey said there was an underlying notion that Islam in Malaysia belonged to the Malays, who are defined as Muslims in the constitution.
"Islam is not a religion reserved for Arabs or just Malays, it is for everybody," he said.
"Confusion arises when some Muslims who lack understanding of Islam give a wrong interpretation," he added.
Boey's perception echoes that of an outspoken young Muslim cleric in Malaysia, who has said the Chinese should be allowed to build their own mosques and to preach in their own language.
"Malays assume they are the only pure Muslims, although Chinese Muslims may have stronger faith," Mohamad Asri Zainul Abidin was quoted by NST as saying in February this year.
Unquote
I feel strongly that such initiative by an ethnic group or community should be allowed. Having sucha mosque could help to ease anf facilitate new Chines reverts to congregate in a more conducive environment to lear Islam. And no one should conceive that such action is guided by political motive. As we are aware there are countless mosques around the world which has been built in unique designs suited to a particular community and serves as the place of worship for these people as the sermon are conducted in thoer native language thus fostering greater understanding of Islam.
Jazakllahukhair
Dear brothers & sisters in Islam,
The follwoing controversy (quoted below) is on the verge of causing some discontentment among Muslims in my country. I thought taht I should share with you and get your views.
Quote
Religious row over Chinese mosques
May 1, 07 7:38am Adjust font size:
A top religious official dismissed a request from Chinese community to build its own mosques fearing segregation of the country's Muslims.
The adviser to the Prime Minister, called on the government to disregard such requests as there were sufficient mosques in the country for all Muslims, the New Straits Times daily reported.
"If this is allowed by the authorities, I am afraid it will lead to disunity and segregate Muslims in the country," he said.
Hamid said the request by Chinese Muslims for their own mosques was unthinkable and carried wide political connotations.
"Now they want their own mosques, the next time around they will be asking for leaders to represent their ethnic groups," he said.
Danial Hakim Boey, a Chinese-Muslim who has been trying to build a Chinese mosque here, said the issue of building a mosque with Chinese architecture had been misinterpreted by the authorities.
"We just want a Chinese-designed mosque. There is no reason to have only Chinese going to the mosque, that is too partisan," Boey said.
"Islam is, after all, for everybody, so we can have any design and it should reflect the universality of the religion," he said.
Boey, a practising Muslim for 13 years, chairs the Malaysian Chinese Muslim Community in Selangor, where a majority of the country's 60,000 Chinese Muslims reside.
Boey pointed out that Indian Muslims in Malaysia had their own mosque buildings which reflected their culture.
"At the end of the day, we all pray in Arabic. We are not trying to change anything," he said.
Islam is for everybody
Boey said there was an underlying notion that Islam in Malaysia belonged to the Malays, who are defined as Muslims in the constitution.
"Islam is not a religion reserved for Arabs or just Malays, it is for everybody," he said.
"Confusion arises when some Muslims who lack understanding of Islam give a wrong interpretation," he added.
Boey's perception echoes that of an outspoken young Muslim cleric in Malaysia, who has said the Chinese should be allowed to build their own mosques and to preach in their own language.
"Malays assume they are the only pure Muslims, although Chinese Muslims may have stronger faith," Mohamad Asri Zainul Abidin was quoted by NST as saying in February this year.
Unquote
I feel strongly that such initiative by an ethnic group or community should be allowed. Having sucha mosque could help to ease anf facilitate new Chines reverts to congregate in a more conducive environment to lear Islam. And no one should conceive that such action is guided by political motive. As we are aware there are countless mosques around the world which has been built in unique designs suited to a particular community and serves as the place of worship for these people as the sermon are conducted in thoer native language thus fostering greater understanding of Islam.
Jazakllahukhair
