I am pleased to be here this evening to commemorate the birthday of our beloved Prophet Muhammad. It is indeed very heartwarming that 13 Indian Muslim associations and 7 mosques have come together to organise this function.

Solidarity, co-operation and standing by one another – in good times and bad – are basic and important elements to realise our vision of a sound and progressive Muslim community in a cohesive Singapore. This is in line with Allah's exhortation in the glorious Al Qur'an (Surah Al Maidah) that we should work with one another in pursuit of virtue and heedfulness. I am also happy to see some younger well-educated local-born professionals growing in our midst as leaders. The introduction of new talent is critical for the survival and progress of our associations, as it is for any organisation. In the spirit of the Remaking Singapore, it is also timely to see how our associations can remain dynamic and relevant for the changing times.

I want to encourage all of us to continue to build on our partnerships with one another so that everyone and more benefit. The creation of partnerships is prevalent today across many sectors. If we look at the airline industry, we see that even the best airlines, have changed their mental models and created viable new partnerships so as to span more of the globe. In the banking, accounting and legal sectors, we see many merging so as to harness talent and critical mass, become stronger and more capable. The underlying principle is that such partnerships should bring greater value to the clients and stakeholders.

We should also continue to look beyond and work with national organisations to uplift the community. Some of our associations already link up well with Mendaki or Sinda. This is good. Education, skills upgrading, and the strengthening of families are critical areas which deserve all our support. They are vital to the progress of our community. If we come together, focus our energies to tackle these areas well, we will certainly make a long-term difference to the community and Singapore in general.

As we gather here today to remember our beloved Prophet, there are many lessons in his life and pursuits which I would urge all of us to ponder so as to derive meaning for our own lives here in a modern secular state in the 21^st century. For example, the Prophet has shown us that true fellowship with Allah is not about retreating or becoming a recluse. On the contrary, true saintliness is about getting involved in the affairs of the world as a worker, a businessman, a scientist, a doctor, a social worker, a sportsman, a wife or a husband, a son or a daughter. As the Prophet taught, true spirituality and morality lie in our fulfilling such roles as well as religious duties in this temporal life – honestly and to the best of our ability.

In Islam, and in the life of our Prophet, the use of knowledge is highly regarded. There are ample verses in the Holy Qur’an that speak about the importance of knowledge. Similarly, there are ample Hadith enjoining Muslims to pursue knowledge. These days we talk about the knowledge-based economy as the new paradigm of economic life. But today, I would like to touch upon the impact of knowledge on the community. I am confident that the pursuit of knowledge, as enjoined by our Prophet and our religion, is not an end in itself but a means towards something better. This is in fact a human condition. Discoverers of vaccines and cures for infectious diseases used their understanding of the diseases to find the necessary cures. Consequently, this led to healthier lives and longer life expectancy for man.

But I am baffled why with an understanding of the forces that can lead to social problems and malaise, our community is still bogged down by some social problems. If we understand that smoking is bad for us as it leads to lung disease, then why is it that our community still has many smokers, especially among our young? Studies have shown that children with a headstart, that is, they have been to pre-school, before going to primary schools, do better than kids that do not have such an exposure. This knowledge should drive us to make sure that every child goes to pre-school. The Malay MPs set up the Educational Trust Fund last year because we wanted to make sure that every Muslim child in Singapore has the opportunity to be school ready. But more needs to be done.

Community organisations should use the knowledge they have of the changing social trends and reinvent themselves to become relevant to these new demands. Community leaders should use the knowledge and understanding they have of social behaviour to influence the behaviour of their members and clients. Consider for example the challenge of uplifting the low-income families within our midst. We know that delinquency and dysfunctionality have their root causes in families with large number of children and the affordability of maintaining large families. But we also know that low income is not an impediment to good performance among the children. This understanding should guide us in shaping the right social behaviour among our low-income families so that they and their children will have a better future. Hence, I am encouraged by the example of Hj Pasuni Maulan, the Registrar of Muslim Marriages, who has taken upon himself to advise would be Muslim couples on the need to prepare for married life. He has seen the effects of marriages where the couples are ill-prepared and is determined to see that our divorce rates go down in the coming years.

Hence I would like encourage community leaders and organisations to reflect upon the changes that they can make to affect a more profound change within our community. With the knowledge and understanding of social trends and its impact on our community, our leaders are in the right position to bring about the necessary change within our community. This is the true Islamic spirit of using knowledge for the greater good of the community. And it is consistent with the mission of the Prophet when he set out to change human society and improve the overall human condition.

The Prophet is also a symbol of peace for the entire humanity. The true spirit and essence of Islam is to believe and practice peace. We must therefore ensure, through our words and deeds, that the message of peace and progress prevails. We must continue to guard against any encroachment of fear, suspicion or hatred under the guise of religion.

Here in Singapore, everyone enjoys the freedom to practise and profess his or her faith. The Declaration of Religious Harmony affirms the values that have helped to maintain religious harmony in Singapore. It reminds us to keep up our efforts to grow the common space. It urges us to develop stronger bonds across people of different religions. Representatives from the various religious groups have formed an Inter Religious Harmony Circle that would act as a consultation forum and guide efforts to promote the spirit of the Declaration. Racial and religious harmony is the foundation on which we have built this nation. Our associations and mosques can play an active part in this effort and help promote inter-racial and inter-religious confidence.

The Indian Muslim community could also look into working with MUIS to develop a corp of local Tamil-speaking religious teachers. Local religious teachers can better understand the unique social fabric of our multi-religious and multi-racial society. They can guide and work with the imams from India to understand the local situation and give religious guidance contextually.

It is also important that our young couples are adequately prepared for the noble bond of marriage. I am therefore heartened that with the help of Tamil Murasu’s Noor Mohamed Aziz, MUIS and SKML (Singapore Kadayanallur Muslim League) have joined hands to produce a book on marriage preparation targeted at Tamil-speaking Muslims. The book would be a useful guide in helping young couples think through marriage and family formation. Marriage is a life-long commitment and the family is the foundation of our society. Strong, vibrant families are fundamental for our community’s and Singapore’s success.

Last but not least, this peaceful and beautiful mosque in which we are congregated here today was built as early as 1827 and has a rich history to tell. Our forefathers came as far from India, China, Indonesia and the Arabian peninsula. They worked as labourers, artisans and petty traders but found respite in the early mosques and temples they built through community initiatives and self-help. We must remember, treasure and project the vision of those ancestors who decided to build Singapore as our homeland. We need this same spirit to help us succeed in forging a strong nation that celebrates unity in diversity.

* * * * * * * * *