MUIS welcomes 20th Council

The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) has welcomed its 20th Council, which guides MUIS in overseeing Singapore’s Muslim community's socioreligious needs. Their three-year term runs from 7 August 2025 to 6 August 2028. 

Under Section 7 of the Administration of Muslim Law Act (AMLA), President Tharman Shanmugaratnam has appointed the Council members, which includes MUIS's President Mohamed Sa’at Abdul Rahman; Chief Executive Kadir Maideen; and Dr Nazirudin Mohd Nasir, the Mufti of Singapore. 

Other members were recommended by the Singapore Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim and President Mohamed Sa’at from nominations by various Muslim organisations. 

MUIS's new Council blends draws both senior and emerging leaders from across the education, public service, corporate, religious, and social sectors. It will see a diverse team of seven returning members and nine new appointees who will set the direction of MUIS's key initiatives and strategic thrusts in the next three years. 

Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim commented: “Today's rapidly changing environment requires both experienced leadership and innovative perspectives to steer our community forward and ensure that its socioreligious needs are well cared for. 

"The 20th MUIS Council embodies this balance. Collectively, their diverse expertise reflects our continued commitment to shape impactful policies and deliver targeted programmes, in tandem with our community's evolving needs. I thank the outgoing 19th Council members for their contributions. I am confident that the new Council will bring in fresh insights that will benefit MUIS and the community, and I encourage MUIS to continue strengthening its partnership with the community and its key partners.” 

Maideen stated: "The new Council's diverse expertise will bring fresh perspectives to our deliberations. As we welcome them, we thank our outgoing Council members for their leadership and dedicated service. Their achievements have laid a strong foundation, which the incoming Council will build upon to develop innovative solutions for current and future challenges." 

Ustazah Dr Siti Nur 'Alaniah Abdul Wahid, a new member of the Council said: "Our blend of new and experienced Council members creates a strong team for our Muslim community. The generous guidance offered by longer-serving members, combined with fresh perspectives from new appointees, positions us well to build on impactful and sustainable programmes while finding innovative solutions. I appreciate their support as we begin this important work together."

SMIIC sets up committees for halal supply chain, conformity assessments

The Standards and Metrology Institute for the Islamic Countries (SMIIC) has announced two new committees.

The Committee on Standards for Conformity Assessment (SMIIC/CCA) has been established to prepare guides/standards on criteria for bodies involved in testing, calibration, certification, inspection, accreditation, their operation and assessment, and other related standards and especially halal conformity assessment and accreditation guidelines or standards. The first meeting of SMIIC/CCA will be on 23 and 24 March 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey.

The Halal Supply Chain (TC10) committee has been established in the scope of the development of shari'ah compliant (halalan toyyiban) standard on all handling practices along the supply chain activities, namely handling in sourcing, transportating (i.e. road, rail, air and sea transport), manufacturing, loading/unloading, warehousing/storage and retailing.

Applications for Hajj 2016 in India close February 2016

The Haj Committee of India has called for applications for Hajj 2016 with a deadline of February 2016.

Applicants must have a machine readable valid Indian International Passport issued on or before 8 February 2016 and valid at least to 10 March 2017.

The Ministry of External Affairs has also called for support staff for Hajj 2016, with a deadline of March 2016. Male Muslim permanent employees working in Central/State Government/UTs/ PSUs/autonomous bodies may apply for temporary deputation to the Consulate General of India, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. to render assistance to Hajj pilgrims as Coordinators, Assistant Haj Officers and Haj Assistants, Doctors and Paramedics (allopathic). The deputation will last approximately two to three months. 

Interested?

Booklets containing guidelines and Hajj application forms (HAF) for pilgrims are available free from State/Union Territory Haj Committees (SHCs). They can also be downloaded online. The HAFs can be submitted online as well. The deadline is 8 February 2016 (working hours).

Eligibility criteria and other terms and conditions for support staff are at Annexure-A on the websites www.mea.gov.in, www.hajcommittee.gov.in and http://hajmea.nic.in/haj. Applications can be downloaded online. The deadline for online applications is 15 February, and for mailed applications, 14 March 2016. Find out more about administrative staff criteria (PDF) and about medical staff criteria (PDF)

Read the Suroor Asia blog post about the Ministry of Haj's overview of Hajj 2016

Old City of Sana'a and Old Walled City of Shibam in Yemen inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger

The World Heritage Committee has voiced concerns over the damage inflicted to the old city of Sana’a (سناء), an Islamic city of historic and heritage importance. The neighbourhood of al Qasimi and the 12^th century al-Mahdi Mosque and surrounding houses have been affected. The majority of the colourful, decorated doors and window panes characteristic of the city’s domestic architecture have been shattered or damaged.

Situated in a mountain valley at an altitude of 2,200 m, Sana’a has been inhabited for more than 2,500 years. In the 7^th and 8^th centuries the city became a major centre for the propagation of Islam. Its religious and political heritage can be seen in 103 mosques, 14 hammams and over 6,000 houses, all built before the 11^thcentury. Sana’a’s many-storeyed tower-houses built of rammed earth add to the beauty of the site, inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1986.

The Committee also noted that the Old Walled City of Shibam (شِبَام) in Yemen is under potential threat from the armed conflict, which compounds safeguarding and management problems already observed at the site. 

The 39^th session of the World Heritage Committee started on 28 June and will continue till 8 July under the chair of Maria Böhmer, Minister of State at the German Federal Foreign Office and member of the Bundestag. The inscription of sites will continue through 5 July.

India allotted Hajj pilgrimage quota of nearly 99,000

The Indian government has announced that the allotment of quota for Hajj pilgrimages this year is available on the official website of the Haj Committee of India. 

Specific priority has been allowed for the pilgrimage this year for the following categories:

Reserved Category A: 70+ applicants: applicants who have completed 70 years or more as on 31 January 2014 (i.e. applicants born on or before 1st February 1944), along with one companion.

Reserved Category B: Fourth timer applicants: An applicant who has applied in each of the last three years, 2011, 2012, 2013 but was not selected in Qurrah or was selected, but could not proceed for Hajj.

Individual state quotas are as follows: 

1435 / 2014

No.	STATE	TOTAL    QUOTA
1	ANDAMAN & NICOBAR	123
2	ANDHRA PRADESH	5,580
3	ASSAM	3,781
4	BIHAR	6,667
5	CHANDIGARH	55
6	CHHATTISGARH	328
7	DADRA & NAGAR HAVELI	28
8	DAMAN & DIU	41
9	DELHI	1,297
10	GOA	154
11	GUJARAT	3,668
12	HARYANA	977
13	HIMACHAL PRADESH	81
14	JAMMU & KASHMIR	6,925
15	JHARKHAND	2,980
16	KARNATAKA	5,162
17	KERALA	6,280
18	LAKSHADWEEP	296
19	MADHYA PRADESH	3,067
20	MAHARASTRA	8,202
21	MANIPUR	302
22	ORISSA	608
23	PONDICHERRY	135
24	PUNJAB	305
25	RAJASTHAN	3,823
26	TAMIL NADU	2,772
27	TRIPURA	85
28	UTTAR PRADESH	24,550
29	UTTARAKHAND	809
30	WEST BENGAL	9,906
	TOTAL	98,987