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Will Singaporean Muslims take up PM Goh's call to be“moderate Muslims”? Or is this a label they find problematic? Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong in his National Day Rally speech touched upon the need for “moderate Muslims”, a subject which is being debated in the Muslim community. Zuraidah Ibrahim, Straits Times' columnist, correctly said that Muslims are reluctant to be labelled as “moderate Muslims” if it means that they are defined as being less religious. The term “moderate Muslim”is also used in the United States to indicate support for the American foreign policy. The use of the label to further certain agendas has made many Muslims, including Singaporean Muslims, suspicious of it. There are other reasons why Muslims are reluctant to be called “moderate Muslims”. Firstly, it implies that there is a “radical (or extremist) Islam” which Muslims know does not exist. Secondly, describing “Islam” as “moderate” is tautological since they are one and the same. Islam itself is moderate because of the values it espouses. The Qur'an says: “Do not commit excess in your religion.” It also describes the ideal Muslim society as “Ummathan wasathan”, meaning, a society that adopts a middle path, not swerving to extremes. Many non-Muslims view the struggle between Muslims in Egypt, Turkey and many Muslim countries as one between “moderate Muslims” and “radical Muslims”. But the fact is, many Muslims around the world, not just in Singapore, view the struggle as being one between two extremes. So-called “moderate Muslims” who deny other Muslims the right to practise certain essentials of their religion are extremists in their own right since they do not practise democracy even as they claim to embrace modernity. At the other extreme are religious extremists who interpret religion so rigidly that they fail to be true to Islamic ideals. What about Singaporean Muslims? They want to take the “middle path” of Islam - they want to adapt to the times and embrace modernity while keeping the essentials of their faith. PM Goh has said he is not concerned with Muslims becoming more religious, but rather, with them becoming more rigid in interpreting Islam. In response, Singaporean Muslims hope when a non-Muslim tells them not to interpret Islam rigidly, they do not mean Muslims should forgo their basic religious duties. Muslims are also concerned that PM Goh's comment could be used as a pretext to be insensitive to a Muslim's religious needs if misinterpreted. Many Singaporean Muslims already believe that there is a gap in understanding of the important basic practises of their faith. One example is the tendency to regard the tudung as a symbol of repression and backwardness by non-Muslims. At a recent grassroots dialogue session, some non-Muslim MPs asked why Muslim women did not shake hands when this is common practise among Muslims worldwide, not least in predominantly Muslim South-east Asia. Even the increasing trend of non-Muslim food stall owners putting up the “No pork, no lard”notices to entice Muslim patrons shows they do not quite know the requirements of “halal” food. Some members of the Muslim community have voiced out that Muslim leaders need to do their part to educate the non-Muslim public about basic practises of Muslims which are often misunderstood even as they take up PM's call to steer the community away from extremism. Their sentiments are shared by many in the community. It means that they recognise that building inter-religious harmony takes mutual understanding and respect. In Islam, Muslims are asked to assess their daily realities and environment before making certain religious decisions. For instance, a Muslim minority is allowed to take a different position from a Muslim who is a majority in his country. The few Muslims who did not want to attend the grassroots function where alcohol was served showed that they lacked the religious knowledge to assess the context they are living in. So, it is clear that Muslim organisations and religious teachers need to step up efforts to help Muslims practise Islam correctly in a multi-religious, multi-racial setting. Like it or not, the “moderate Muslims” label is likely to stay because it is the easiest way for the world to tell Muslims apart from small minority of “bad Muslims” who stray from their religion. Singaporean Muslims have long been tolerant and moderate. So, terrorism or extremism will find few or no supporters. But leaders will need to be vigilant of the “strayers” or deviants who operate at the fringes of society. Wherever Muslims have failed to take the “middle path” and to pursue knowledge and excellence called upon by Islam, a pattern of decline has followed. So, the real challenge for Muslims today is to be true to Islam. And since the Islamic ideal is a community of excellence that is just, humane and rational, Singaporean Muslims stand firm in their belief that to be a good Muslim is to be a good Singaporean citizen. (The contributor is a freelance writer and consultant who has worked closely with the Muslim community for the last five years.)
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新加坡回教徒会不会响应吴作栋总理的号召选择温和路线？他们会不会觉得“中庸回教徒”这个字眼本身便不是那么明确？ 吴作栋总理在国庆群众大会演说中，提到本地回教徒需要采取中庸的态度。回教徒社群目前正在辩论这个课题。《海峡时报》专栏作者朱莱达·依布拉欣曾经正确地指出，如果作为“中庸回教徒”意味着其他回教徒会认为他们不够虔诚，回教徒将很不愿意接受这个标签。 在美国，“中庸回教徒”这个名称被用来表示支持美国外交政策。这个字眼也被用来促进其他议程，造成许多回教徒，包括新加坡回教徒，对它抱着怀疑的态度。 当然，还有其他原因造成回教徒不愿意被称为中庸分子。 第一、中庸和“极端主义回教”相对，然而回教徒都知道“极端主义回教”并不存在。 第二、形容回教为中庸是不必要的，回教所提倡的价值观显示它原本就是一个温和的宗教。例如，《可兰经》便告诫信徒不可诉诸暴行。它也形容理想的回教社会，是一个选择中庸路线避免极端的社会。 许多非回教徒认为回教徒在埃及、土耳其和其他回教国家的斗争，是“中庸回教徒”和“极端回教徒”之间的斗争。 事实是，不止是新加坡的回教徒，全球许多回教徒都视这为两个极端之间的斗争。 剥夺其他回教徒实践重要教义权力的一些所谓“中庸回教徒”的行为，本身便是极端主义的作法。他们虽然声称接受了现代化，行事的作风却毫不民主。 另外，也有一些宗教极端分子非常狭隘地诠释回教，完全不忠于回教真正追求的理想。 新加坡回教徒的看法如何呢？他们希望走“中间路线”—— 既能够与时并进跟上现代化，也能够保留回教的基本教义。 吴总理说他关注的不是我们的回教徒越来越虔诚，而是他们是否越来越倾向于狭隘地诠释回教教义。新加坡回教徒的反应是希望当一个非回教徒这样说时，并不是表示要他们放弃作为回教徒的基本责任和义务。 回教徒也担心，吴总理的谈话可以被一些人当成借口，故意忽视回教徒需要履行的宗教义务。 新加坡回教徒相信，对于一些重要和基本的回教宗教义务，人们并没有充分的了解。 例如，非回教徒倾向于把披头巾看成是被压迫和落后的象征。 不久前，在一个基层对话会上，一些非回教徒国会议员问，为什么回教徒妇女不和异性握手。其实，在世界各地的回教徒社群，尤其是回教徒居多的东南亚社会，这是回教徒妇女习以为常的作法。 越来越多的非回教徒熟食摊位展示“不含猪肉、猪油”的通告来吸引回教徒光顾，也显示他们不太了解什么是符合回教教义的食物。 一些回教徒提出，在他们接受吴总理的呼吁远离极端主义的同时，回教社群领袖也应该尽力教育非回教徒群众，认识一些回教徒需要履行，但却经常被误解的宗教义务。 这样的看法得到回教社群里很多人的认同。这显示他们明白建立一个宗教和谐的社会，信仰不同宗教的新加坡人需要互相了解和尊重。 回教教义要求回教徒在作出和宗教有关的决定前，先评估实际情况和环境。例如，属于少数民族的回教徒，可以作出和在另一个国家及属于多数民族的回教徒不同的决定。 一些回教基层领袖拒绝到某家卖酒的餐馆出席晚宴，显示他们缺乏应有的宗教知识来判断他们身处的环境。 很明显的，回教组织和回教教师需要多多努力，帮助回教徒在一个多元宗教和多元种族的社会，正确的履行他们的宗教义务。 不管我们喜欢与否，“中庸回教徒”这个标签将不会消失。因为这是分别一般回教徒和少数乖离回教的“不良回教徒”最容易的方法。 新加坡回教徒向来温和并具有包容性，恐怖主义或极端主义将难以在此找到支持者。但是，领袖们还是需要注意在社会边缘徘徊的“迷途羔羊”或离经叛道者。 每当回教徒舍弃“中间路线”，违反回教积极追求知识和创新的教义时，回教世界便会衰退。 回教徒今日面对的真正挑战是忠于回教教义。回教的理想社会是一个卓越、公平、仁爱和理性的社会。新加坡回教徒应该坚定立场，相信作为一个模范回教徒也就是作为一个好公民。 ·作者是一名自由撰稿人，也从事顾问工作，过去5年来一直活跃于回教徒社会。 叶琦保译。
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