Singapore - The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore - or MUIS - conferred on Saturday the MUIS Awards to three individuals for their outstanding contributions to the Singapore Muslim community and Singapore.
The award ceremony was held on Saturday morning at the Malay Heritage Centre.
Mosque activist Ibrahim Mohd Noor, and Mohamed Nasir Juri, a specialist resource for the Korban Committee, received the Jasa Bakti, or Meritorious Service Awards.
Community leader and inter-faith harmony proponent Syed Hassan Bin Mohamed Salim Alatas - was honoured with the highest award - the Jasa Cemerlang, or Excellent Service Award.
The Council also presented a cheque for S$100,000 to President SR Nathan for the money it raised for the President‘s Challenge.
MUIS President Mohd Alami Musa said Muslims in Singapore have a good balance between their Muslim identity and their Singaporean identity.
This, he said, was because Singapore Muslims practice Islam in an adaptive, moderate, progressive and inclusive manner.
For example, he said ‘by and large, the community accepts the new Fatwa - or religious ruling - on presumed consent for their inclusion into the Human Organ Transplant Act.
This shows that the community is prepared to be progressive by modifying their position based on changing context.
Just last week, mosque leaders decided to adopt new and creative approaches on how Islam should be taught to the young to suit their changing profiles.
Source: www.channelnewsasia.com (3 September 2007)