Singaporean community organiser Zaris Azira was feeling helpless watching the news about Gaza on her phone, when she came across a video of thousands of Malaysians chanting for Palestine in their football stadium. Protests were allowed in 2014 but this time, the government has talked of ‘heightened sensitivities’ [File: Wallace Woon/EPA] While we are aware of the politics involved in the conflict, our focus is on the most pressing humanitarian needs,” said Relief Singapore director Jonathan How. “We know the vulnerable may die of cold as winter approaches in a city that looks more like an earthquake zone. We hope that more people will step up to lend their support in this crisis.” Priyanka Chopra poses with Naomi Campbell, Chris Hemsworth at Abu Dhabi’s F1 Grand Prix. See photos

So, it was significant that at the 10th Singapore-Malaysia Leaders’ Retreat held on October 30, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim agreed that their different diplomatic positions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict should not affect the bilateral relationship, Rajanthran pointed out. In Yakutpura, 20-year-old Rufsana, who will be voting for the first time, points out another sentiment that is integral to the AIMIM’s winning streak. “Woh Muslimo ke liye teharte… Idhar koi dange fasaad nahi hote. Kisi to alag nahi dekhte (They stand up for Muslims. We do not have any riots. Nobody is discriminated against).” On social media, people have joined campaigns such as the #freewatermelontoday campaign or the #weargreenforpalestine movement. The true definition of al-war’a is doing that which is similar to and associated with the obligatory or the commendable, and abandoning what is similar to or associated with the forbidden or the detestable. In the Hadith related by An-Nu’maan Ibn Basheer that is mutafaqun ‘alaihi (agreed upon as authentic by Al-Bukhari and Muslim), the Prophet Of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: Verily the halaal is clear and the haraam is clear, and between the two are doubtful matters about which not many people know.

The masjid occupies a prominent place in Islam because prayer is the second most important pillar of Islam and the masjid is where it is performed. In fact, the word masjid is derived from the word for prostrate: Sajada. The masjid symbolises Islamic monotheism and the unity of the Muslim ummah. When the call to prayer is made five times a day, the community comes together in the congregational prayer and all Muslims regardless of their race, colour, social, and economic status stand before their Lord in response to His call to prosperity. The masjid has certain functions and etiquette which must be taken into consideration when attending it: This thin definition is applied by some to the degree that you will find those who apply abandonment of doing something for fear that it may possibly be detestable (makrooh) in Allah’s sight, harmful, or even leading to either. However they do not abandon not doing something for a particular reason! Meaning, that a person may be inclined to abandon things that may seem similar to what is detestable or forbidden but they will not lean toward acting upon something that may be similar to what is commendable (mustahabb) or obligatory (waajib). We make the excuse that it is not within our ability or power while we forget that the aayah actually obligates us to the utmost of our human capacity. It is a proof upon the slave (al-’abd) for the necessity of expending maximum effort and capacity to perform all moral obligations. All who seek excuse from performing legal and moral obligations look at the relief in the aayah for those who are incapable, but they are blind to what it obligates up to one’s capacity. When reading books like the one you question, one should bear in mind that there could be several different du’as reported for one particular occasion. As we find new du’as we could add them to the old one’s which we were already practicing upon, or at least alternate between them. One should not abandon a du’a that was already in practice (as long as its in the hadith too)

The mother is regarded as the first and most fundamental school for her children and she should have the necessary access to learning so that she, in turn, transmits that knowledge to them. Also, Muslim women can teach young Muslims, new Muslims and organise women’s programmes in the Islamic centres and masjids. If a person enters the masjid when the prayer has already started, he should not rush to catch up as he might distract those in prayer. Once, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, noticed the sound of people rushing to join a prayer in progress and he said to them: “...When you come to the prayer, come with calmness and tranquillity. Perform whatever part of it you can (with the congregation) and complete what you have missed.” (Related by Al-Bukhari). To show his concern for children, he used to say: “Verily, I start the prayer intending to prolong it. But when I hear the crying of a child, I shorten it knowing how his crying disturbs his mother.” (Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim).The acceptance of all of one’s religious deeds is based upon Tawheed. Allah states: Whoever accepts a religion other than Islam it shall be rejected by Allah and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers. (Qur’an 3:85). Islam is nothing if not an embodiment of the belief in Tawheed. Training our children to attend the masjids with us is more crucial. Parents and elders should bear the children’s distractions as this is the only way to prepare our future generations for their responsibilities towards this religion. On the other hand, children should be taught to respect the masjid and observe propriety to the test of their ability. Child should be taught to identify with the masjid and take proper care of its property.

a) Congregational prayers: Islam has made performing the prayer in congregation one of the most important duties of a Muslim. Abdullah Ibn Umar narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Prayer in congregation is better than prayer performed individually by 27 degrees.” (Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim). In addition, prayer performed in larger congregations and more distant masjids carries more reward. Tawheed is the essence of Islam and the mainspring of its strength. All other laws, beliefs and commands of Islam stand firm on this foundation. Take it away, and there is nothing left of Islam. I have a question in regards to a book I have, called “The fortress of the Muslim Invocations from the Quran and sunnah”

The Qur’an is the Revelation which Allah sent down to His Apostle Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) and has been passed forth to us both in form and in content in an uninterrupted transmission. Meaning, it can be verified as coming from the lips of the Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) It is the last scripture to be revealed to mankind. As the actual word of Allah in its original form in the Arabic language it is the first and foremost source of Islamic ‘aqeedah Allah says: And we did not send any Messenger before you but we inspired him (saying) none has the right to be worshipped but I (Allah) so worship Me. (Qur’an 21:25) .

Still, unlike many countries around the world, there have been no public protests in favour of either the Palestinians or Israel in Singapore. Vishal visits CBI office in Mumbai regarding CBFC corruption case: ‘Never ever thought in my life…’ An underground movement also emerged for people to show up at the Raffles Place MRT train station in green and say a prayer for Palestine, while others have taken pictures with a watermelon slice, which has become a symbol of Palestinian solidarity.On the other hand, Islam does not forbid engaging in lawful conversation in the masjid provided someone in prayer is not disturbed. Jabir Ibn Samurah, radhiallahu ‘anhu, narrated: “The Prophet would not rise from the place of the Fajr prayer until the sun had risen. And when it did, we would talk and laugh about the days of ignorance (pre-Islamic times) and he (the Prophet) would smile.” (Related by Muslim). Furthermore, it is permissible to lie down, sleep, eat and drink in the masjid. Abdullah Ibn al-Harith reported: “During the time of the Messenger of Allah, we would eat meat and bread in the masjid.” (Related by Ibn Majah). But the sacredness of the masjid should always be borne in mind and hence it must never be misused. Sex detection in farms, abortion in illegal hospital: How this Karnataka female foeticide gang thrived for years In late October, Singapore was among the 120 countries voting in favour of a resolution to protect civilians and uphold legal and humanitarian obligations during an emergency session of the United Nations General Assembly. Then-Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah (left) accompanies Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong as they review an honour guard in Ramallah, West Bank, 2016 [File: Abbas Momani/AFP] Meanwhile, Israel helped build up the Singapore Armed Forces during Singapore’s early years and Singapore continues to cooperate closely with the country in many areas, including in science and technology, he said.