ALL ABOARD! FORUM Forum for participants to clarify their doubts & ask questions about misconceptions pertaining to Islam. Panelists were ex- politician & Muslim revert Joram Van Klaveren, Deputy Mufti Ustaz Dr Mohammad Hannan Hassan & Ustaz Ahmad Helmi Hasbi from the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG)! REVIEW FINAL EVENT! Speakers & content was curated well & chosen carefully for an engaging session! Better outreach needed for more diversity in terms of participation from various faith groups, crucial step in imparting greater knowledge & awareness on what Islam is all about Questions asked were not regarding simple misconceptions that non-Muslims may have but rather questions that required a lot of debate & pre-existing knowledge 43
IAS 20/21 Round-up CHALLENGES FACED Gaining wider outreach: To achieve more audience diversity in terms of different faiths, need to reach out and collaborate with other NUS faith groups Pre-event preparations: A proper rehearsal & full technical dry run beforehand are needed to familiarise with the technical aspects of conducting an online event KEY TAKEWAYS! Making the most out of COVID-19: Inviting a wider variety of speakers, most notably Sheikh Mikaeel from Texas, which would not have been possible in a face-to-face event! The shared experiences of the committee is very important as this could be the stepping stone for most members to do more in the future, whether in NUSMS or outside Team management can be more crucial than achieving the goals of the event itself There is so much we can learn about Islam when we are trying to communicate it to others, be it Muslims or non-Muslims alike! 44
IAS 20/21 Round-up ADVICE FOR FUTURE COMMITTEES IAS was formed to spread awareness of Islam & one needs to ensure they are extremely confident with what message & image of Islam they are portraying to Muslims and non- Muslims alike Have a clear aim with every event planned as this allows the team to visualise a desired outcome for the event, which then helps in choosing the right speakers or planning for the appropriate event type! Ensure a proper system of creating & maintaining a timeline that is easy to follow, & subsequently track it closely Don't overlook the importance of the welfare subcommittee in strengthening the bonds within the team! Always practice open communication, and make decisions as a team Feel free to explore all kinds of ideas & be flexible as IAS is a platform for our members to explore the topics we are interested in & reinforce why Islam is important to each of us It might be helpful to emphasise during adhoc recruitment that IAS is not purely dakwah-related but rather a good platform for Muslims to explore what Islam means to them & most importantly becoming comfortable with our identity as Muslims and be free to express it and talk to others about it! 45
Jamadil Awwal 1442h We welcome the month of Jamadil Awwal, a month named after the frozen waters that happen as seasons change. We might not have frozen waters but Alhamdulillah for the chilly season as of late. Let us take this opportunity to make plenty du’a when the rain falls, among which is a du’a the Prophet ﷺmade: اﻟﻠﱠ ُﻬ ﱠﻢ َﺻ ﱢﻴ ًﺒﺎ ﻧَﺎ ِﻓ ًﻌﺎ Allahumma soyyiban naafi’an O Allah, make it a beneficial rain The month of Jamadil Awwal was also a victorious moment for Muslims as the army managed to conquer Constantinople in this month. This victory was the gate to spreading Islam in the West and up till today, we continue to benefit from scholars there! Such is the legacy that our past and present scholars have built for us. Thus, we should strive to rediscover and reconnect to our Islamic heritage as best as we can so that we may gain Allah’s pleasure insyaAllah. 46
Project Link @nusms_projlink Elderly Outreach initiative that targets issues pertaining to the elderly in Singapore. The focus for Project Link 20/21 was bridging the gap between the elderly & youths of NUS, to have a sustained involvement in the lives & perspective of their elderly community by providing avenues for youths to interact with elders, learn more about them & understand their responsibilities towards them. Bridging the Gap ONLINE GALLERY 47 Gaining insight through a sneak peak into the lives of the elderly from various walks of life, with a space for viewers to post their reflections on the elderly & their significance in society. REVIEW Significant number of responses & students won vouchers for their involvement! Execution for post-event clean up was too slow as posters were left around campus
SPOTIFY SERIES Understanding of the struggles of the elderly through interviews with experts who delved into the topics like disabilities & livelihood of the elderly. REVIEW Most memorable & impactful event as the committee members had direct conversations & interactions with the various leaders and experts of the elderly field of inquiry The resulting online posts of episodes on the social media platforms were impactful as well as a lot of feedback & follow-up questions were received! 48
DOCUMENTARY SEIRES Providing an insider perspective into the lives of the elderly by shedding light on the difficulties faced in their daily routines. REVIEW FILMIMG... Getting direct point of views from the elderly & hearing their stories & experiences were impactful to the audience & committee members alike LISTENING INTENTLY 49
ONLINE CHALLENGES Social media challenges that encourage youths to interact with the elderly in various ways that bring new perspectives into the lives of the elderly. These include TikTok & cooking challenges! REVIEW The event encouraged youth to interact with the elderly in their lives & fostered a closer bond between them! 50
Project Link 20/21 Round-up CHALLENGES FACED Interactions with the elderly: Limited interactions due to COVID-19 restrictions, but were mitigated by learning more about issues relating to the elderly, like the difficulties faced during COVID-19 & living with physical impairments Decision-making: Dealing with last minute changes with the need for improvisations to be made ADVICE FOR FUTURE COMMITTEES During online events, committee members should consistently interaction with viewers to foster community spirit Be adaptable & prepare contingency plans Have patience if initial plans are delayed or discontinued entirely due to external circumstances! Online communication is important, be direct and efficient with all forms of communication Bonding is important to built trust & rapport with one another! 51
jamadil akhir 1442h Jamadil Akhir, or Jumada Thani, is the sixth month in the Islamic calendar. This month refers to the once parched lands during the month. The month’s significant events include the birth of the beloved daughter of our ﷺprophet , Sayyidatinaa Faathimah (may Allah be pleased with her) who ﷺaccompanied Him throughout His prophethood. She is a role model to all, for her strengths and selflessness. It is through her ﷺstruggles that Rasulullah advised us to recite Zikir Fathimiyyah, to garner both physical and spiritual strength. 52
EMPOWER 2021 NUSMS X PBMUKS eMpower is a series of talks jointly organized by PBMUKS, NUSMS, & Mendaki to empower NUS Malay & Muslim undergraduates in taking charge of their future. With topics ranging from career building, career networking, financial literacy, to forming good relationships, we hope to provide a platform for NUS Muslim undergraduates to be better equipped in facing their lives after graduation. We sincerely thank the prestigious speakers & gracious alumni who took the time to share their career & financial expertise to ease our anxieties about life after graduation! EMPOWER FINALE! 53
JOB EXPERIENCE Any experience is better than no experience HR: Looks for unexplained gaps in CVs What did you do during that break? Always explain Gain experience to familiarise with corporate culture SWITCHING JOBS Better than staying in 1 company with 0 progress Do not suffer in silence, end a job with a bad fit early Scope, environment OR industry: Change one at a time It's YOUR career, OWN it! TO MY UNDERGRAD SELF: Be prepared to learn on the job Cultivate expertise yourself Take networking seriously, have someone vouch for your expertise Don't focus solely on hard skills, the value of your output is subjective Invest in relationships 54
COVID-19 LANDSCAPE The new normal: Contract jobs & traineeship programmes Having mentors: Leverage on their experience, learn from them Build networks Growth mindset: Helps you appreciate any detours encountered RELIGION & CAREER GOALS Career aspirations are not purely for material gain Everything we do is a form of ibadah Islam promotes excellence We don't work for ourselves, we work for our family & society ESTABLISHING MENTORSHIPS Attend networking sessions Helps you understand what the industry is like Know the detours you will encounter & upcoming growth for the industry Mendaki Club: Career conversations by Muslims doing well in their professions LinkedIn 55
Rihlah @rihlah1442h Instilling worthwhile values in youth & empowering them through sports. This year, Rihlah 1442H seeks to promote a comfortable environment for undergraduates to maintain a healthy lifestyle that is facilitated through forging of relationships within the community. Rekindle, Rediscover, Reflect #MYRIHLAH An Instagram campaign to advocate for a sustainable healthy lifestyle. Using a tiered-based points system, participants had to send either a picture or video of them participating in a physical activity or eating healthily with the hashtag #myRihlah to receive points REVIEW >50 participants from different tertiary institutions, different religious & ethnic backgrounds! Developed the campaign with weekly surprise challenges for participants to collect more points 56
RIHLAH CAFE Affordable, healthy & quick recipe videos for #MyRihlah to participants be awarded additional points. Recipes included healthy butter chicken with cauliflower rice, oat banana pancakes, soba salad & smoothies. REVIEW SMOOTHIES Overlapped with #MyRihlah, challenging to manage the publicity calendar, Rihlah Cafe videos did not receive as much support on IGTV Received feedback that the recipes were too elaborate SOBA SALAD 57
RIHLAH REFLECTS (BY USTAZ FAKHRUR) Providing useful insights on how to better our lives, both spiritually and through eating well. Ustaz also shared insightful tips on how to help our loved ones who are facing certain issues, instead of dismissing them. REVIEW HAPPY FACES! Participants found the topics on poor body image issues & physical insecurities relatable Connections between physical and mental health in Islam was much appreciated 58
NIGHT CYCLING The annual mass night cycling event had a route that started from the NUS campus and ended at East Coast Park, covering a distance of a total of 34 kilometers, passing through places like Vivo City and Botanical Gardens REVIEW RIHLAH ROCKETS Smaller scale due to COVID-19: Participants were given a more intimate space to reconnect with the community around them The variety of games: Allowed them to bond & have fun with their fellow team members while also engaging in personal reflections RIHLAH REBELS 59
Rihlah 20/21 Round-up CHALLENGES FACED Overlapping events: Equal emphasis & spotlight was difficult to achieve, thus it is encouraged to reiterate the importance of planning out event timelines Asatizah schedules: confirming the asatizah speakers was challenging as their schedules can be quite unpredictable, the upcoming committee come up with a list of asatizah they are interested in, instead of only relying on one asatizah or speaker! IDEAS THAT WERE NOT CARRIED OUT Securing media covering: Rihlah did not manage to secure media coverage to share the team’s experience in spearheading & curating events in the middle of a pandemic, which would have possibly increased Rihlah’s credibility, helping subsequent committees secure collaborations with large-scale stakeholders ADVICE FOR FUTURE COMMITTEES Ensure that there are drivers who own cars in the committee to support logistics! Think of a marketing strategy for the adhoc beyond just fundraisers as support from external organisations is very helpful 60
Rejab 1442h It is narrated in a hadith by Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) who said, “When Rejab came, Allah’s Messenger ﷺ, said: O Allah, bless us in Rejab and Syaa’ban and bring us to Ramadhan.” (Miskhat Al-Masabih 1369). In Rejab specifically, we are enjoined to be more conscious of His presence and strengthen our taqwa. Rejab is known to be the month of repentance thus we are encouraged to seek forgiveness from Allah and be sincere with our act of repentance. At times, we may feel unworthy of Allah’s forgiveness due to the severity of our actions. We may also feel overwhelmed as we keep repeating our mistakes, and that we would never attain Allah’s pleasure and mercy. While all these feelings are valid, we must also realize that Syaitan would love nothing more than us being more distant from Allah and His love. Syaitan will continue to whisper that we are not deserving of another chance and that Allah does not love us anymore. Friends, remember. Allah names Himself as Al- Ghafuur and At-Tawwab, the All-Forgiving and The One who accepts repentance! Our connection to Allah will never stop unless He deems it to be and He is ever so forgiving with His infinite mercy and His door of repentance is always open until the Day of Judgement. Hence, bask in His mercy and have trust in Him to bring us out of the darkness and shine His light upon us! 61
On the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), who said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺsay: Allah the Almighty said: O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as it.” (At-Tirmidhi) Isra’ Mi’raj, The Night Journey that our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺundertook occured in this month. In this journey, he ascended from the earth to the heavens to meet with our creator, Allah s.w.t, in just one miraculous night. Isra’ Mi’raj took place during a turbulent and difficult time faced by the Prophet and his companions as they encountered multiple hardships and resistances from the disbelievers from the city of Taif. The event itself is proof that in our most difficult times, Allah s.w.t will always be there to pick us up so that we may stand up again. All we need to do is to reach out to Him and He will answer. May Allah s.w.t accept our Taubah and grant us His mercy and love that we so desperately need in our lives lest we stray away from Him and His religion, wa ‘iyadhu billah (may Allah forbid it from happening). 62 Rejab 1442h
OUR SACRED PATH OF LOVE! (with Ustaz Amin Yusoff) During Recess Week, we visited Maqam Habib Noh in an effort to reconnect with our rich Islamic heritage.We explored the beauty of our awliya', the ones who sincerely believe in Allah (swt), persevere in the acts of worship & avoid sins without indulging in pleasures or desires.. It was truly a magical night to be remembered! 63
Peace Be Upon Him @nusms.pbuh Striving to encourage individuals to know more about our Prophet Muhammad ﷺin various aspects, including his character, his practices, his teachings and his sunnah. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ: The Greatest Creation of Allah s.w.t. THE BLESSED SOUL (WITH USTAZ MUKHTAR) The sublime character and exalted attributes of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. It provided an insight into His prophetic way of communication to those around him REVIEW BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE! 105 participants on Zoom despite publicising 1 day before event Good support + tech team from Masjid Wak Tanjong Dry run beforehand prevented technical hiccups 64
IN HIS ﷺFOOTSTEPS Interactive carnival where participants learnt more about the sunnahs of Prophet & ﷺhow we can inculcate them in our daily lives. Booths included knowledge on the Prophet ﷺ, sunnah food, grooming, archery & Mawlid! REVIEW GROOMING WITH SIWAK! Infographics could be more concise Tendency to forget roles as a booth master & strayed from the content slightly when friends are around A lot of leftover food, but was given out during Mawlid later on! Overall an engaging event, increased the knowledge of participants & committee members alike! YUMMY SUNNAH FOOD~ 65
PODCAST: THE GREATEST CREATION (WITH USTAZ FIZAR) Addressing the public’s concerns regarding the challenges faced in remembering our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Aspects covered in the podcast: individual challenges, external factors, consistency in loving the prophet ﷺ. REVIEW Ustaz Fizar made the podcast relatable to the target group - youth students Equipment was of amazing quality Unable to ascertain the outreach of the podcast since we were unable to view the number of listens 66
MAWLID: THE GREATEST CREATION (WITH USTAZ DR FEISAL & QASIDAH BROS) Final event where participants expressed their love & remembrance of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, by collectively reminiscing his ﷺstories and reciting salutations upon him. REVIEW QASIDAH BROS Lovely, accessible location (Kembangan Court) Should have allocated a small area for eating & praying for latecomers Try to make the mawlid more approachable for someone who hasn't been to one (e.g. have an outline of what will happen during the maulid, what is done, what is recited, why we stand up and recite the selawat etc.)! TOKEN OF APPRECIATION :) 67
PBUH 20/21 Round-up CHALLENGES FACED Location: Issues faced with booking of suitable venues for our events and changes were made at the very last minute Hybrid events during COVID-19: Finding a suitable arrangement that will maximise participation while adhering to the safe distancing measures Searching for asatizah: Most asatizah for our events replied closer to the event date, unable to consult them beforehand Mawlid: The concept of mawlid could have been better explained prior to the event to appeal to those who are unfamiliar with it! IDEAS THAT WERE NOT CARRIED OUT Structures of Love Workshop: For participants to learn more about Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺetiquettes of cleanliness & practices of self-grooming such that participants will be able to practice them in their everyday lives. This was reframed to be included in the carnival. Structures of Love Talk: To engage the audience with stories of Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺhardships and how he overcame them. Through this talk, attendees would gain a deeper understanding of the prophetic way of dealing with life’s difficulties & apply these lessons into their own lives accordingly. This was not executed for its lack of relation to the theme. 68
PBUH 20/21 Round-up KEY TAKEWAYS! The importance of sabr & tawakkal, when things don’t seem to be going as planned, it's because Allah s.w.t. has blessed us with even better, alhamdulillah The beautiful feelings obtained from making selawat, reciting Qasidahs and Burdah The simple ways in which we are able to emulate our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ Beautiful friendships that would hopefully last for a long time for years to come! ADVICE FOR FUTURE COMMITTEES Intentions: Set beautiful, simple, concrete and feasible ones that would steer towards a clearer direction InsyaAllah. More community outreach: Planning events is essential but planning without groundsensing from the community we’re targeting might cause us to stray away from actual issues they relate to Advisors: Be open to receiving advice & feedback. We may think that our ideas are brilliant but we need to ensure that we do not cross boundaries, especially in terms of aspects of religious understanding Whenever things may seem tough, remember that all your efforts are a form of ibadah! 69
FRESHMAN DEUS ORIENTATION CAMP NEGEL 1202 WHAT IS FOC? FOC 2021 Legendeus was inspired by Avatar: The Last Airbender. It spans over 4 days of online activities, inclusive of 1 internet-break day where freshmen are encouraged to meet up with their new friends offline. The objective of the camp is to guide freshmen as they embark on their journey in NUS. Through online games such as The Amazing Race and physical activities like video-filming, the camp aims to orientate the freshmen on the resources available in NUS and to also foster friendships amongst them. MAKE FRIENDS! 70
Syaaban 1442h Syaaban is derived from the word “branch” because it is believed that many good things “branch off” from the month of Syaaban. It forms the connection between the two blessed months of Rejab and Ramadan. Our Prophet saw said: “It is a month where people tend to neglect, between the months of Rejab and Ramadan. It is a month in which the deeds are raised to the Lord of the worlds, and I like my deeds to be raised while I am fasting”. [Sunan an-Nasai] Syaaban is also the month when this verse was revealed: \" ِإ ﱠن َﷲﱠ َو َﻣ َﻼﺋِ َﻜ َﺘ ُﻪ ﻳُ َﺼﻠﱡﻮ َن َﻋ َﲆ اﻟ ﱠﻨ ِﺒ ﱢﻲ ﻳَﺎ أَﻳﱡ َﻬﺎ اﻟﱠ ِﺬﻳ َﻦ آ َﻣ ُﻨﻮا َﺻﻠﱡﻮا َﻋﻠَ ْﻴ ِﻪ \"َو َﺳﻠﱢ ُﻤﻮا ﺗَ ْﺴ ِﻠﻴ ًﻤﺎ Indeed, Allah showers His blessings upon the Prophet, and His angels pray for him. O believers! Invoke Allah’s blessings upon him, and salute him with worthy greetings of peace. [Al-Ahzab: 56] This serves as a reminder to increase our selawat and salutations upon our prophet s.a.w. We can also show appreciation for our Prophet saw through acting upon the sunnah. 71
NOUR-ishing Pre-Ramadhan Talk by Uztaz Mukhtar 30 Days: Hadith on the Greatness of Ramadhan First 10 Days: The Prophet (saw) said the first 10 days is rahmah from Allah (swt) Allah (swt) will send a heavy rain of rahmah to those who immerse themselves in ibadah Earn His mercy and rahmah 11-20 Ramadhan: Keep away from maksiat & was-was Earn His forgiveness Important period to ensure we leave the month without sins Last 10 Days: Allah (swt) will erase the names that were written on the doors of hellfire, and put their names on the doors of Jannah The amount of mercy, nur and bounty depends on how much we invest. If we take Ramadhan with great honour and reverence, Allah (swt) will reward us with more. 72
How to be consistent in our 'ibadah after Ramadhan? Have istiqomah in Ramadhan Have prayers in jemaah throughout the month, and include Quran reciation, dhuha/tahajjud prayers in our daily routine Be in the company of ulama & the pious Visit teachers & scholars in Syaawal to attain their du'as How can we find moderation in ibadah & studies? Finals during Ramadhan is a blessing! Taking exams while fasting makes your mind more alert Do simple ibadah After solat, do simple zikir Do simple zikir while travelling Be strong and don't sleep all day! How to be khusyuk during prayers? If we can be focused in exams, why can't we be just as focused when we communicate with Allah (swt)? Acknowledge your shortcomings in front of Him 73
How do menstruating women keep their connection with Allah (swt) during Ramadhan? Menses has been written for you The days which you do not fast or pray are days which will be rewarded by Him, as it is a commandment by him subhanAllah Fill your heart with zikir Spend time volunteering and doing good deeds to increase imaan & taqwa How do we wudu' or use siwak while fasting? Using siwak after Dhuhr is makruh as the smell of the mouth starts to change, and the smell of the mouth of one who is fasting (not sleeping!) is better than perfume Gargling during wudu' is sunnah, but don't bring water to the throat Use a bit of water to wash your nose to fulfil the sunnah but don't inhale it When do I stop eating sahur? Sunnah: During Imsak Wajib: During Subuh 74
Tips for men leading terawih at home but have not memorised many surahs? Encouraged to pray 20 raka'ah at home Examples of short surahs (to be followed by Al- Ikhlas: Ad-Duhaa Al-Inshirah Al-Takathur Al-'Asr Al-Humazah Al-Fil Quraish Al-Ma'un Al-Kafirun An-Nasr I have been astray for a long time, how do I go back to the right path? Wanting to change is a sign of hidayah from Him There is imaan & taqwa in your heart Start by doing the 5 pillars of Islam Believe in the 6 pillars of imaan Learn Islam and take classes from those who have imaan in their hearts Ask Allah (swt) for guidance in finding a teacher to guide your education 75
Ramadhan 1442h Ramadhan is named after the driest month. And it is also in this dry month that Allah has prescribed fasting, so that one may attain God- consciousness. The hunger and thirst hitting us at noon would remind us to take a step back and realise that Allah is always watching over us and that it is a test for us as Muslims to attain Allah’s rewards and eventually, become people of Taqwa insyaaAllah. َﺷ ْﻬ ﺮُ َر َﻣ َﻀ ﺎ َن ٱ ﻟﱠ ِﺬ ٓى أُﻧ ﺰِ َل ِﻓ ﻴ ِﻪ ٱ ْﻟ ُﻘ ْﺮ َء ا ُن ُﻫ ًۭﺪ ى ﻟﱢﻠ ﱠﻨ ﺎ ِس َو ﺑَ ﱢﻴ َﻨ ٰـ ٍۢﺖ ﱢﻣ َﻦ ٱ ْﻟ ُﻬ َﺪ ٰى َو ٱ ْﻟ ُﻔ ْﺮ َﻗ ﺎ ِن ۚ َﻓ َﻤ ﻦ َﺷ ِﻬ َﺪ ِﻣ ﻨ ﻜُ ُﻢ ٱ ﻟ ﱠﺸ ْﻬ ﺮَ َﻓ ْﻠ َﻴ ُﺼ ْﻤ ُﻪ “Ramadhan is the month in which the Quran was revealed as a guide for humanity with clear proofs of guidance and the standard to distinguish between right and wrong. So whoever is present this month, let them fast.” [2:185] ﷺT h e P r o p h e t ( ) said, \"(Allah said), 'Every good deed of Adam's son is for him except fasting; it is for Me. and I shall reward (the fasting person) for it.' Verily, the smell of the mouth of a fasting person is better to Allah than the smell of musk.\" [Bukhari] 76
In this final ten days of Ramadhan, we may have felt worn out, or worried about our progress in achieving our Ramadhan goals. We may feel small, not doing justice to Ramadhan in the midst of preparing for finals and submissions. If you are feeling this way, I urge you to take some time to reflect back on the goals we had placed at the start of Ramadhan. Let us pause and look at the bigger picture ahead of us: We’re doing all the good deeds for one sole purpose: to attain Allah’s pleasure. SubhaanAllah: Allah’s pleasure does not lie in the measurable outcomes of this dunya. He sees the effort you are putting in, to study despite fasting the whole day, to make time for iftar with your loved ones despite the busy schedules, and to open the Quran despite struggling to recite it fluently. Hopefully, you find comfort in this hadith narrated by Aisha r.a: “Verily, the one who recites the Qur’an beautifully, smoothly, and precisely, he will be in the company of the noble and obedient angels. And as for the one who recites with difficulty, stammering or stumbling through its verses, then he will have twice that reward.” [Bukhari] May we nurture the love for Allah and His infinite Mercy in our hearts this Ramadhan. Let us strive to achieve the fast of elites, those who leave Ramadhan beyond just hunger and thirst but the purification of actions and intentions with it, through God-consciousness. Ramadhan 1442h 77
garden of love collaboration with BAPA Garden of Love sought to provide a platform for students to volunteer during the holy month of Ramadan! Aligning with one of the aims of the 57th ExCo's direction of spiritual reconnection, this collaboration sought to lend a helping hand in distributing iftar to zakat beneficiaries as well as spread light & joy to the wider community. Through this initiative, NUSMS hopes to revive the volunteer network that became stagnant due to the pandemic. 78
budding love collaboration with ItsRainingRaincoats Budding Love aimed to provide migrant workers with staples & Eid-themed items in the festive spirit of Eid ul Fitr. Starting with a sharing session by representatives from two migrant worker non-governmental organizations, Budding Love also provided an educational platform for learning about the lived experiences of migrant workers in Singapore who have worked hard in building our the society. With the help of donations from the public, these care packs were prepped by the ExCo and NUS undergraduate volunteers, followed by an iftar session to end the day. 79
Syawal 1442h Eidul Fitr comes as a celebration to the believer, to mark the end of a month of fasting. Syawal reminds us to stay consistent in our efforts, with the recommendation to fast for six days in this month. In a hadith, the Messenger of Allah said: \"Whoever fasts Ramadan, then follows it with six from Syawal, then that is (equal in reward) to fasting everyday.\" [Narrated by Tirmidhi] Let us remind one another to stay consistent in our deeds beyond the blessed month! Another significant event in this month is the marriage between our Prophet saw and Sayyidatina Aishah r.a, which dispels the myth that it is inauspicious to get married in the month of Syawal. Once again, we are reminded by the great example that our Prophet (saw) presented in his dakwah. May we learn and try to emulate him in the ways we can. 80
Valour @valour_2021 Youth outreach project done annually by NUS Muslim Society. Valour 2021 aims to collaborate with Jamiyah Children’s Home by organising 5 events to build on previous years’ efforts & achieve our adhoc’s objectives. Nurture Resilient Youth & Foster the Spirit of Giving Back to Society BONDING SESSION Hybrid event (8 committee members on-site) to establish rapport between the Valour & JCH residents as well as to instill values into the residents through various games & story-telling. REVIEW Allowed both residents & facilitators to be more comfortable & warm up to each other Issues on-site: engaging the residents, getting them to pay attention & keeping track of the residents as they often moved around the room or to different rooms Should try to insert learning objectives into the fun games that the residents already enjoy instead of coming up with new games 81
CHEEKY FACES ON BONDING DAY! INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL CAUSES A physical event with 10 committee members on-site to introduce the residents to different social causes in Singapore while recognising & appreciating diversity. REVIEW STATION GAMES Increased engagement of residents from previous event Residents learned better from the hands-on & interactive games Residents showed responsibility & were empowered to take on roles in their respective groups (leader, timekeeper etc.) Buffer time in between stations gave residents opportunity to run around the halls Overall an enjoyable event with more learning! 82
INTRODUCTION TO SERVICE LEARNING The 3rd & final event for Valour this year was aimed at inculcating a sense of empathy in the youths towards service learning & its potential benefits by reflecting on social issues & creating posters to spread awareness. REVIEW LAST SESSION ♡ Due to the volatile COVID-19 situation, Valour attempted to wrap up & cover the main objectives of service learning for this last event as the project was cut short Since Valour was unable to have an actual service learning project as initially planned, they wanted to equip the residents with new skills & the capability of giving back to the community through online means A lot of time lost in between waiting for residents to enter the room & waiting for updates from JCH when their internet connection was disrupted Overall, residents were engaged & active during the reflection sessions & were enthusiastic in making the poster on Canva! 83
Valour 20/21 Round-up CHALLENGES FACED Engagement through online events: Challenging as residents were not fully focused in the sessions, future committees can consider having more hands-on activities to keep the residents engaged or consider energizers in between to address the high energy level On-site technical issues: Maintaining good communication with the organisation would be helpful to mitigate this in the future, especially when the staff are assisting on the other end IDEAS THAT WERE NOT CARRIED OUT Service Learning Project: Hands-on learning experience to Jamiyah Food Bank, where residents were supposed to be tasked to pack food packs & apply knowledge learnt in the 3rd event to help those in need Beach Day: Intended to wrap up Valour for the year with a lineup of games , activities & food were in store for residents & committee members *These events were not carried out due to the changing COVID- 19 restrictions in Singapore 84
Valour 20/21 Round-up KEY TAKEAWAYS Understanding the residents & using games they already enjoy to impart the objectives & values we want to instil, instead of coming up with new games altogether The importance of adapting & learning from mistakes in previous events Perseverance in the face of the volatile COVID-19 situation, as events may get cancelled frequently ADVICE FOR FUTURE COMMITTEES Valour is probably the longest adhoc in MS as the events run till June, so be prepared to commit for quite a while (over 8 months)! These 8 months will get tiring and there will be times when you want to throw in the towel but don’t give up, persevere and insyaAllah you will be able to see the fruits of all your hard labour Always remember your intentions, find meaning in your efforts and trust the process 85
ZULKAEDAH 1442H Zulkaedah, which literally means “to be associated with the act of sitting down”, signals the act of stepping down from war to make preparations for the journey of pilgrimage in the upcoming month of Zulhijjah. It is highly encouraged for us to respect the sacredness of the month and observe it with the sincerest of hearts and minds. We should fulfill our obligations, and strive towards preventing ourselves from falling into sins and transgressing into the prohibitions of Allah and His religion. Let this month be one of healing, for yourselves and your relationships with the people around you. Allah says in the Qur’an, during َﻓ ﻼ َﺗ ﻈ ِﻠ ﻤ ﻮ ا ﻓ ﻴ ِﻬ ﱠﻦ أَ ﻧ ُﻔ َﺴ ﻜُ ۚﻢ “So do not wrong yourselves them (the 4 sacred months)...” (At- Taubah: 36) In ensuring that we do not harm others, we should remember not to harm ourselves by taking care of our health, reflecting and realigning ourselves towards our goals and seeking forgiveness from Allah swt. 86
To our dearest 57th, thank you for the love & dedication that you have put in throughout the term. Even though the pandemic made it feel like our initiatives were not as tangible as we had hoped, there is still a lot that we've accomplished for us to look back on & be proud of. We hope this little parting gift from the 3 of us has done justice to your efforts. May Allah reward you abundantly & raise your ranks for all your service. May this spur greater change in the future for the larger community insyaAllah. To the 58th, may this be a useful resource for you to rely on in trying to come up with new initiatives for the benefit of the ummah. May Allah ease your journey ahead & make it a most fulfilling one ameen! a publication by NUS Muslim Society
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