Social media should not be used to sow discord: Religious leaders

SINGAPORE — Various religious leaders in Singapore yesterday urged caution against the irresponsible use of social media to sow discord among and within religious communities, following the conviction of the imam who made controversial remarks against Christians and Jews.

On Jan 6 after a Friday prayer session, Imam Nalla Mohamed Abdul Jameel Abdul Malik made a prayer petition that was not from the Qur’an and could not be used in Singapore, saying in Arabic, “Grant us help against the Jews and Christians”. This was captured in a video and shared online later.

In a statement yesterday, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) said that the words used by Nalla have no place in today’s Singapore. Its spokesperson said that when the imam’s recitation was made public, “it made our Jewish and Christian friends wonder why they were being targeted. It also caused confusion and suspicion among non-Muslims and damaged the image of Islam and Muslims”.

Muis strongly urged the Muslim community to refer any matters of concern to the proper authorities, instead of posting about them on social media. “As we can see from this episode, the sensationalist and irresponsible use of social media will sow discord within and across communities,” the spokesperson added.

The Mufti of Singapore, Dr Mohamed Fatris Bakaram, said that this case served as a strong reminder that the use of social media must be tempered with wisdom and also with “adab”, meaning ethics and civility.

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore told TODAY that given the media landscape these days, religious teachers must be aware that they are not just addressing their believers “but also the world as well”, and what they say can also be heard by others, so they must be more cautious not to be seen as slighting other religions. Its spokesperson said: “We also must understand that some preachers lack prudence and are not intending to cause division. Not all are deliberately seeking to cause division among religions. They should be disciplined and warned.”

Reverend Gabriel Liew, a member of the Kampong Glam Inter-racial and Religious Confidence Circle, told TODAY that religious leaders have to be mindful that they are not being misquoted. They should not criticise other religions or faiths, or put themselves in a position where their statements could be misunderstood.

Venerable Gunaratna and Mr Harbans Singh, members of the Inter-Religious Organisation, echoed this view. Mr Singh said that putting videos or records of controversial religious content online would not solve the problem, and would just add fuel to the fire. “In Singapore, we have to cherish peace and harmony, do anything to protect it,” he added.

The Federation of Indian Muslims welcomed the Government’s decisive action, considering that anti-Muslim sentiment is growing in many parts of the world. Its spokesperson said: “We appreciate the Government’s calm and careful stance, in this case, towards lmam Abdul Malik and sparing him jail term ... The lndian Muslim community will ... take steps to ensure that imams or religious teachers better assimilate to understand our norms and laws.” SIAU MING EN