The Ministry of Communications and Information, on Monday, banned four foreign publications in Singapore for conveying undesirable and harmful teachings. According to the MCI, these outfits have been banned for publishing ideologies capable of triggering social distance, distrust, hatred and even violence among people who believe in different religions. The publications were penalized based on the content published between 2011 - 2016.
The four books banned are, 'At-Tauhid Li ash-Shaff al-Awwal al-'Ali', 'Aqidatut Tauhid Kitabut Tauhid lis-Shaff Al-Awwal – Ats-Tsalis Al-Aly', 'Al-Wajiz Fi Fiqhis unnah Wal Kitabil 'Aziz', and 'Bimbingan Islam Untuk Hidup Muslim Petunjuk Praktis Menjadi Muslim Seutuhnya Dari Lahir Sampai Mati Berdasarkan Al-Qur'an dan Sunnah Rasulullah'.
Dr Yacoob Ibrahim, Minister for Communications and Information warned that the threat of extremism in Singapore is real and it should not be taken lightly. The Minister made it clear that strict actions will be taken against people who try to destabilise the nation's communal harmony.
The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore makes their stand clear
The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore welcomed the move of the MCA, and made it clear that all these four books have promoted violence and hatred between people of various religious groups. The Council made it clear that the authors of these publications presented a binary view of the world; Islam VS Remaining part of the world, as well as Islam believers VS Non-believers.
"The publications advocate problematic religious positions that are extremely exclusivist in nature as well as dangerous because they clearly promote enmity, strife and potentially violence between Muslims and non-Muslims, and attack the modern, democratic nation-state," said the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore in a recently issued statement.
The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore added that the authors of these banned authors have projected skewed understanding of Islam to its authors.
A threat to the harmony of Singapore
According to the Ministry of Communications and Information, the teachings and ideologies in these publications have posed a threat to Singapore's multi-cultural and multi-religious state. In a recently issued statement, the MCI made it clear that the Singapore Government has zero tolerance towards individuals or publications that encourage violence among different religious groups.
"The Singapore Government has zero tolerance for individuals or publications which aim to encourage hostility or violence among different religious groups, and has therefore decided to prohibit these publications," said MCA in a statement issued.
Earlier on June 2017, the MCI had banned nine publications by radical Singaporean preacher Rasul Dahri calling them undesirable publications. As per MCI, books and publications of Rasul Dahri contain extreme religious thoughts intended to create destabilization in society.
