It was with great relief that we heard the announcement made by our government to revamp our educational system for the better. We have discussed this issue before that our national education system should now start focusing more on producing ‘thinking’ students rather than ‘memorizers of data’. The move to reduce the number of subjects…
The doctrine of human rights seems to have developed into an ism that has rapidly spread, and been embraced, defended and championed by an increasing number of people beyond ethnic and cultural boundaries worldwide. This universal ‘human-rightism’ is also perceived by many as an ideology that prevails over national laws and even transcending religions. For…
A leading U.S international intelligence agency recently publishes a significant report define the United States-Singapore military cooperation. It highlights Singapore as one of the United States’ prime regional strategic alliances and recipient of military assistance. It also highlight the objective of this cooperation. Singapore owns the most modern arm forces in this region. With U.S…
As different family laws apply to different communities within the same national legal system, by right, there should be minimal interrelationship. However, on the few occasions that they intersect, there is much confusion and tension created as much by adjective law and juridical issues as the conflicting substantive family laws. The family law in Malaysia…
“Those who can make you believe”, says Voltaire, “can make you commit atrocities.” It is true that ideas do have consequences. Hence, we have the duty to believe carefully. The sincerity of conviction alone is in no way beneficial. Many people have acquired belief not by sincere patient investigation, but by stifling their doubts. This,…
Today is the fourth day of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim lunar calendar. And Muslims worldwide are observing one of the five pillars of Islam, the obligatory fasting throughout the days in the blessed month of Ramadan. It has indeed been an established practice among Muslims to remind themselves of the virtues of…
The long existing misunderstanding over the subject-matter reinvigorated when an ill-informed cabinet minister announced that the religion of minors from non-Muslim parents, upon conversion of any of the parents to Islam, remains in the religion under which the marriage was solemnized. Such a statement contradicts the Federal Constitution and some religious positions. It worsens the…
Confusion and error in knowledge of Islam, as a religion and a civilization, are more harmful to Muslims than mere ignorance. The mind which is ignorant is simply in a state of privation of knowledge. Being ignorant in the simple sense of lacking in knowledge means one does not pretend to know. Here, one neither…
In my previous article in 29th of May issue of the Star, I mentioned that education is not concerned with the number of subjects taught in schools, but rather the process of nurturing a student to be a ‘good person’. A good person in the sense of one whose faculties have been developed during the…
We have explained before (see, among others, IKIM Views of 29 January, 22 July and 23 September 2008) that in any true epistemic act as conceived of in the religious, intellectual and scientific tradition of Islam, one cannot start from either what is unclear or what one is ignorant of, hoping to grasp what is clear and…
