Radicalisation And Extremism: Challenged
Synopsis:
The rise of the Islamic State (IS) and its reign of terror in the name of Islam has tarnished the peaceful image of the Islamic faith. Its proponents have attempted to ride on the bandwagon of 'jihad' and proclaiming themselves as a 'Caliphate' in their attempt to gain religious legitimacy. Their narrative of Islam is full of deception and fallacies.
This series of ADIL Knowledge Retreat will examine the roots as well as the manifestations of the extremist thoughts, and how this can be countered and categorically debunked. It will unveil IS’ radical ideology and its selectiveness in interpreting the religious texts and how their twisted understanding of Islam is religiously deceitful.
Speakers' Profiles:
Ustaz Dr Muhammad Haniff Hassan is a Research Fellow at S Rajaratnam School of International Studies. He holds a PhD and M.Sc. in Strategic Studies at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies (formerly known as the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies), Nanyang Technological University. He received his early education in Aljunied Islamic School. He then continued his tertiary education at the Faculty of Islamic Studies, National University of Malaysia, with honours in Shari'ah and Civil law. He is also active in social activities as a member of the Islamic Religious Council Appeal Board, Association of Islamic Religious Teachers and Scholars of Singapore (PERGAS), Management Committee of Irsyad Zuhri Islamic School and Asatizah Recognition Board. He writes extensively in Berita Harian (a local Malay newspaper) and has also published articles in The Straits Times. He has published eight books in his name, co-authored a monograph and helped publish two books for PERGAS and the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore. He has a personal blog at www.haniff.sg and a blog to counter Al-Qaeda violent ideology at http://counterideology2.wordpress.com.
Ustaz Mustazah Bin Bahari is an Associate Research Fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU). He attained his Masters in Quranic Sciences and Prophetic Traditions from the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in 2005. He obtained his Bachelor's Degree (Honours) in Shariah from Islamic University of Madinah in Saudi Arabia in 2000. Subsequently, he obtained a specialist diploma in Counselling Psychology from Lee Community College in Singapore. He is an active writer in the field of Hadith (Prophetic Traditions) and Haj (pilgrimage). His book, '40 Hadith untuk orang muda' (40 Hadiths for Youth) and '100 Hadith Kompilasi E-AHAD' (Compilation of 100 Hadiths) are still being used as the standard textbook for some mosque madrasahs (religious schools). He had launched a new hadith book, '40 Hadis Seruan Nabi Kepada Umatnya' (Compilation of 40 Hadiths for the Ummah).
Several of his Islamic pieces were published at a local Malay newspaper, Berita Harian. In the field of Hadith, he obtained several ijazah sanad (chain of transmission) for Kutub Sittah (collections of hadith) from Syria. He is an appointed resource person for Syariah Court Singapore. He was appointed as a member and advisor of Shariah Board for AEPim Investments, Securus Partners and Basil Property Trust, which manages Islamic Funds. He is also active in voluntary works. He is a member of the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG), a member of the Board of Visitors for Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and Islamic Council of Singapore (MUIS) Appeal Board.
Programme:
8.30am: Registration
9.00am: All to be seated
9.05am: Introduction
9.10am: Session I by Ustaz Dr Muhammad Haniff Hassan
10.10am: Refreshments
10.30am: Session II by Ustaz Mustazah Bahari
11.30am: Questions & Answers Session
12.30pm: Concluding Remarks
12.45pm: End of event
Free Admission!
Details for Registration:
| Venue | Language | Date | Time | Speakers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al-Ansar | English | (Sat) 8 Oct 2016 |
9.00am - 1.00pm | Ustaz Dr Muhammad Haniff Hassan Ustaz Mustazah Bahari |
Register |
*Limited seats available
Past Event: Muslims In Contemporary World
Synopsis:
Muslims in Singapore have lived peacefully with members of other faith communities for more than five decades of our nationhood. Singaporean Muslims take pride in the strides that we have achieved as a community in facing multiples challenges of the contemporary world. As we continue to strive in staying faithful to our religious values and fulfilling the demands of the modern society, we are often faced with new challenges that come along the way.
The threats of radicalism and terrorism propagated by minority few who claimed to be pursuing their ‘Islamic’ agenda, seek to influence the minds of our young. Through the promotion of their perverted version of Islam, they have been able to recruit and radicalize Muslims around the globe – and some are from Singapore. They led these people to doubt the compatibility of Islam with the contemporary world, and they promoted an exclusive and utopian political model that – in their skewed interpretation – is the only legitimate authority for the Muslim world.
This series of ADIL Knowledge Retreat will hence seek to discuss the following questions:
- What does it mean to be a Muslim in the contemporary world?
- How do we reconcile our religious values and fulfilling the needs of the modern society?
- How do we examine the roots as well as the manifestations of the extremist thoughts?
- How can we co-exist confidently in the existing economic and political system?
- How can we project the faith of Islam as a positive force for humanity?
Speakers' Profiles:
Ustaz Dr Nazirudin Mohd Nasir is currently Director Religious and Policy Development, Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS). He has recntly completed his D.Phil at St Cross College, Oxford, in the comparative study of the Abrahamic religions. His dissertation investigates the geneology of the concept, particularly in the works of the French Islamicist, Louis Massignon. Prior to that, he completed postgraduate work in comparative law at the School of Oriental and African Studies (MA with distinction), and the study of religion at Oxford (MSt). His first degree is in Islamic law from the Al-Azhar University, Cairo.
Ustaz Dr Mohamed Bin Ali is Assistant Professor at Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies (SRP) Programme, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. His areas of research include Islamic Jurisprudence, Islamist ideology, religious extremism, inter-religious relations and rehabilitation of Muslim extremists.Dr Mohamed obtained his Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Islamic Jurisprudence from Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt in 2002, Masters of Science (MSc) in International Relations at RSIS, NTU in 2007 and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Arab and Islamic Studies from the University of Exeter, United Kingdom in 2013. Prior to that, he studied Islam and Arabic language at Aljunied Islamic School in Singapore from 1990-1995. Dr Mohamed also graduated with a Specialist Diploma in Counseling Psychology from Academy of Certified Counselors, Singapore in 2006.