Singapore Government Press Release

Media Division, Ministry of Information and The Arts,

36th Storey, PSA Building, 460 Alexandra Road, Singapore 119963.

Tel: 3757794/5

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SPEECH BY MR ABDULLAH TARMUGI MINISTER FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND MINISTER-IN-CHARGE OF MUSLIM AFFAIRS AT THE UNITED INDIAN MUSLIM ASSOCIATION IFTAR MASJID BENCOOLEN, 39 BENCOOLEN STREET, SATURDAY 2 JAN 99 AT 6.45 PM

Assalamualaikum wr wb

Let me first thank the United Indian Muslim Association and Masjid Bencoolen MMB for inviting me to your Iftar.

As you are aware, fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam. It is during this time of the year when Muslims from all over the world fast from dawn to dusk. Inviting fellow Muslims to partake in Iftar is a hallmark of Muslim hospitality.

But our hospitality should go beyond this. Ramadan is also that period of the year when we pause to think of the less fortunate among us. Through fasting, we empathise with and feel the plight of the starving too. We learn humility, discipline and patience.

To help alleviate the hardship faced by the less fortunate within the community, zakat is collected annually. Zakat, the third pillar of Islam, is the obligatory charity that every Muslim should pay.

Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura or MUIS collects zakat from Muslims in Singapore and distributes it to the needy annually. Last year (1998), MUIS collected $8.9 million. MUIS disbursed the zakat collected accordingly to the 8 asnafs, including fisabilillah (Muslims or organisations that work towards the betterment of the community); fakir miskin (the poor and the needy); riqab (bursaries for the educational upliftment of Muslim students) and muallaf (converts). The bulk of the zakat ie $3 million or 37% were distributed under the fisabilillah category. They include aid to Islamic organisations, mosques and madrasahs, contribution to the Madrasah Fund; public education programme and dakwah activities, drug rehabilitation programmes; and aid to families affected by job retrenchment.

The month of Ramadan offers us an excellent opportunity to pay our dues to society through zakat. Even though Singapore is in the midst of an economic downturn, the less fortunate among us should not be forgotten. Therefore the more zakat collected, the more the needy will benefit. I am confident that despite the current economic crisis and cost-cutting measures introduced by the Government recently, Muslims in Singapore will continue to fulfill their religious obligations as far as paying zakat harta and zakat fitrah is concerned.

Let me take this opportunity to encourage all of you to perform our religious duties as required by our religion and to contribute generously to the less fortunate among us.

Ramadan allows us to ponder our activities and deeds in the past and seek forgiveness for what we did wrong. This is also the time of the year when the bond among fellow-Muslims gets stronger.

I urge that this spirit should be extended way beyond Ramadan. Muslims should be united and work for the betterment of our community and nation. Make a conscious effort to complement rather than undermine each other. Attend to the important tasks that benefit instead of dwelling and wasting time on trivial and petty matters and issues.

Let me conclude by wishing you a happy new year and Ramadan Mubarak.