Mosques hold "Blessings For All Day" to reach out to wider community
By Imelda Saad, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 13 July 2008 1713 hrs

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SINGAPORE: For the first time, Singapore's Malay Muslim groups have come together to reach out to the wider community.

Their inaugural "Blessings For All Day" was held at all 69 mosques across the country on Sunday.

The effort also linked community projects that benefit the under-privileged, regardless of race or religion.

Quite suitably, the event was attended by seven inter-faith groups representing the major religions in Singapore.

Showing his support for this massive community effort at Bukit Panjang was Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who penned these encouraging words - "Keep up the good work to become good Muslims, good citizens and good neighbours."

And that was exactly what the Malay Muslim community sought to do with its first "Blessings For All Day".

The event was aimed at strengthening its image as one that contributes and brings blessings to all, in line with the teachings of Islam.

It was an outreach programme, made all the more timely, given the continued rounds of Jemaah Islamiyah-related arrests.

P Paiman Supangat, chairman of "Blessings To All" committee, said: "The problem of the JI and all that - this happens because of the misunderstanding about Islam.

"But, with this type of programme - the outreach to the non- Muslims - I think it will be better and if the understanding is better, then the way forward will be much easier for us to interact with the other communities."

The event also featured a blood donation drive. The target was to get 3,500 donor pledges which could potentially save 10,000 lives.

There was also food distribution to the needy and a donation of S$129,000 to Mercy Relief for the Myanmar cyclone and Sichuan earthquake victims.

The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) said the "Blessings For All Day" will be an annual event to be held every July, during Racial Harmony Month.

For those present, it was a good opportunity to interact across racial and religious lines.

P N Karunakaran, president of Sri Arasakesari Sivan Temple, said: "We can see all the races are mixing at the same time, we can see a lot of youngsters, elderly people, handicapped people... therefore, it's a good gathering."

Organisers are heartened by the good response. Some 1,000 people from more than 30 welfare homes and grassroots organization attended the event.

- CNA/ir