Wong praises Singapore's Islamic teachers for nurturing harmony and development
The prime minister spoke at the launch of the Asatizah Professionals and Volunteers Network (APVN) whose aim is to boost the role of Islamic religious teachers in society. He stressed the need to find a balance between tradition and modernity, one example of which was the decision to allow lab-grown meat. Wong confirmed that more investments will be made in Islamic education.
Singapore (AsiaNews) — As global conflicts deepen and societies become more divided, Singapore’s Muslim religious teachers, or asatizah, are charting a steady and progressive path rooted in faith, compassion, and social cohesion, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said today.
Speaking at the launch of the Asatizah Professionals and Volunteers Network (APVN) at the Singapore Expo, Wong lauded the asatizah community for guiding the faithful beyond the realm of ritual into the wider landscape of national harmony and human development.
For the prime minister, religious guidance is more than ritual – it is a stabilising force in an era of online misinformation and extremist messaging.
Organised by the Singapore Islamic Scholars and Religious Teachers Association (Pergas), the APVN brings together both professional and volunteer asatizah to share knowledge, strengthen confidence, and extend their influence beyond mosques and classrooms.
Wong said the network would open new opportunities for Muslim educators to serve across diverse sectors — from palliative care to youth outreach.
“I hope you embrace these partnerships,” he urged, since they “show that by working together, we can make a positive impact and shape the future we want for Singapore.”
The prime minister praised the Muslim community’s ability to reconcile tradition with modern realities.
Singapore, he noted, was among the first countries in the world to issue a religious ruling permitting lab-grown meat — a decision that both strengthens food security and demonstrates that science and religion can coexist.
Pergas continues to play a vital role in nurturing our Muslim community through scholarships, grants, and now, through the APVN platform, he said, while the network, he added, will enable asatizah to contribute meaningfully across all facets of society.
The government, too, is investing in Islamic education with the upcoming Singapore College of Islamic Studies, slated to open in 2028 alongside the new Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) campus in Rochor.
Quoting 14th-century Arab historian and philosopher Ibn Khaldun, Wong stressed the timeless importance of social cohesion.
“We must always make the effort to look beyond our own communities and strengthen that spirit of cohesion that will enable Singapore to continue thriving for a long, long time,” he said.
Wong concluded by commending Pergas and the asatizah fraternity for nurturing trust and harmony across Singapore’s multireligious landscape.
“You have uplifted our Muslim community, enabled it to practise its faith confidently, and built trust across groups in our diverse society,” he said. “In doing so, you have fostered harmony and contributed greatly to Singapore’s development,” he added.
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10/11/2024 12:29
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