Speech by Chief Executive of Muis, Hj Abdul Razak Maricar at the Wakaf Disbursement Ceremony

THURSDAY, 21 MAY 2015 AT AL-MAWADDAH MOSQUE

 

Sohibus Samaha Mufti of Singapore, Dr Mohamed Fatris Bakaram,
Ahli-ahli Majlis Tertinggi Muis,
Ahli-ahli Jawatankuasa Pengagihan Wakaf,
Para wakif, pemegang amanaf, mutawali dan penerima agihan,
Serta Tuan-puan yang dihormati

Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.


     

    Alhamdulillah, kita dapat bersama hari ini untuk suatu lagi Majlis tahunan Pengagihan Wakaf. Wakaf merupakan aset masyarakat yang amat berharga dan mempunyai peranan khusus dalam kehidupan sosio-agama kita. Ia terus relevan sejak zaman Rasulullah (saw) hingga kini. Untuk itu, majlis ini penuh bermakna, bukan hanya kepada para penerima agihan pulangan wakaf, tetapi juga kepada seluruh masyarakat Islam Singapura. Ini kerana kita telah dikurniakan keupayaan untuk membangun, mentadbir dan memanfaatkan sistem pengurusan wakaf secara berkesan dan telus. Ia adalah sebuah institusi kemasyarakatan yang sama-sama kita sokong dan inginkan.

  1. Majlis seperti hari ini juga memberi peluang kepada masyarakat Islam memperingati dan menghargai visi para wakif yang telah mengasaskan institusi wakaf. Tebaran manfaatnya telah berkembang luas, sedari dulu hingga kini.Para wakif kita telah mengorbankan kepentingan diri sendiri dengan mengutamakan  kemaslahatan ramai. Ia semata-mata ingin melihat masyarakat dapat meraih kebaikan daripada harta yang telah diwakafkan.

  2. Muis akan terus bekerjasama dengan para wakif dan Mutawali dalam usaha memastikan ketelusan tadbir urus dan pulangan terbaik aset wakaf. Matlamat utamanya ialah untuk memenuhi amanah pengagihan pulangan wakaf secara berkesan.

  3. Di sini, saya ingin berkongsi perkembangan positif dalam pembangunan aset wakaf. Alhamdulillah, usaha berterusan telah dilakukan sejak sedekad lalu, dalam menghidupkan dan memberi penyegaran terhadap potensi pulangan aset wakaf.Berteraskan aspirasi dan sokongan masyarakat Islam, pulangan daripada aset wakaf telah menghasilkan lonjakan yang amat positif. Alhamdulillah, tahun ini kita berupaya mengagihkan pulangan aset wakaf tiga kali ganda melebihi pengagihan sedekad yang lalu.

  4. Masyarakat Islam harus mengambil iktibar mengenang bakti dan wawasan para wakif perintis kita yang telah mewakafkan harta mereka. Hasilnya amat jelas dimanfaati masyarakat hari ini. Tidak dapat dinafikan, ia adalah sebuah legasi yang sukar diulangai. Namun, masyarakat hari ini masih berpeluang meraikan semangat amal jariah yang sama, dengan menyemarakkan sifat dermawan kita. Ia boleh dilakukan melalui peluang beramal jariah dalam wakaf yang berbentuk kemasyarakatan seperti Wakaf Ilmu dan sedekah jariah yang lainnya. Tentunya amal bakti tersebut dapat membantu dalam pembangunan sosio-agama, sekaligus berkongsi matlamat dan semangat para wakif kita yang terdahulu iaitu “Berbakti unuk Kesejahteraan Agama dan Masyarakat”.

    Izinkan saya kini menyambung ucapan dalam Bahasa Inggeris

  5. It gives me great pleasure to be here today at this annual Wakaf Disbursement Ceremony which is significant to Muis, as we fulfill the duty or ‘amanah’ that has been given to us by our early Muslim philanthropists to disburse the proceeds of wakaf to its rightful beneficiaries. Our early philanthropists were successful traders and merchants who came from all walks of life but they shared a common trait – the strong desire to leave a lasting legacy that aims to benefit the Muslim community in Singapore and abroad for generations to come. For this reason, I believe that today’s event also serves more than just a ceremony to disburse the proceeds of wakaf. It is in fact, an opportunity for our community to:-remember our forefathers, celebrate the successes of wakaf and finally it also provides an opportunity for all of us to reflect on our own personal contributions to our community and what more we can do together.

  6. REMEMBERING OUR FOREFATHERS

  7. We have come a long way since the first known wakaf was created here in 1820. Our pioneering wakifs such as Syed Sharif Omar Ali Aljunied, Syed Mohamed bin Ahmad Alsagoff, Mohamed Salleh Eusofjee Angullia, Sheriffa Zain Alsharoff and many others have left behind significant assets that are still benefiting the community till today.

  8. It is through the foresight and generosity of these pioneers and most importantly, the blessings of Allah, that we are able to disburse a total of $2.79 million this year; Alhamdulillah. The beneficiaries include mosques, madrasahs, Muslim organisations and the poor and needy. In fact, mosques and madrasahs such as Masjid Omar Kampong Melaka, Masjid Hajjah Fatimah, Madrasah Aljunied and Madrasah Alsagoff were founded by some of these pioneers.

  9. CELEBRATING THE SUCCESSES OF WAKAF

  10. In the earlier days, each Wakaf was managed by one or two individuals known as trustees or mutawallis, typically descendants of the wakif. They actively participated in all aspects of the wakaf. However, as the social, religious and economic landscape changed in Singapore, so too has the management of Wakaf.

  11. Today, Muis is managing more than 60 wakaf; a task which is entrusted to us that we take seriously. We are not merely administrators of the wakaf. Apart from the day to day overseeing of our wakafs, ensuring compliance to regulatory controls and that our wakafs are tenanted, we do our very best to ensure that wakaf assets are revitalised and continue to be a source of pride for the Muslim community here.The process of revitalisation also improves the value of wakaf with the ultimate goal of improving income for the beneficiaries.

  12. Earlier this year, Alhamdulillah, as part of this revitalisation scheme, we launched the Alias Villas. The wakaf land which was made up of dilapidated kampong houses is being transformed into six semi-detached strata landed units. The income from the sale of these units will be channelled to Masjid Al-Huda, the beneficiary of the wakaf. This is an example of our commitment to continuously enhance the value of our wakaf to bring greater returns to the beneficiaries.

  13. Apart from revitalising our wakaf, Muis is also tasked with ensuring that wakaf is administered and governed well. Apart from financial audits, we are also guided by the Fatwa Committee and the Office of the Mufti on any religious issues affecting wakaf administration. There is a Wakaf Disbursement Committee appointed to deliberate on how wakaf income is disbursed. I would like to take this opportunity to thank members of the Wakaf Disbursement Committee. Mr Raja Mohamad, a Council Member chairs this committee. Other members include Council Members Haji Shafawi Ahmad and Ms Nora Rustham. Our Ex-Secretary of Muis, Syed Haroon Aljunied is also a member. I believe that our efforts in continuously upgrading and ensuring that our wakaf are tenanted and bringing maximum returns to the beneficiaries are bearing fruit. In fact, we are disbursing three times more than what we did 10 years ago. Alhamdulillah.

  14. REFLECTING ON OUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE COMMUNITY

  15. Ladies and gentlemen, all of us have a role to play in perpetuating the legacy of philanthropy established by our pioneer pewakif. In 2012, Muis launched “Wakaf Ilmu”; a unique cash wakaf that allows the community to donate any amount of money, which will then be placed in investments. Only the income from the capital earned through investments will be distributed. The capital will be preserved. Our 6 full time madrasahs are the beneficiaries along with the part time madrasahs at the mosques.

  16. This wakaf was created with the view that it is not as easy to consecrate immovable properties, like what the early philanthropists had done in the past. I am happy to inform that more than $160,000 will be disbursed to the beneficiaries of Wakaf Ilmu this year. Alhamdulillah, I am pleased to report that since Wakaf Ilmu was launched in 2012, it now stands at $8.6m. The more capital we build through your donations which will be invested, the more income will be available to the fulltime madrasah and the mosque madrasahs, insyaAllah.

  17. I would like to call on the community to contribute to Wakaf Ilmu as a way of doing perpetual good and creating a legacy for the development of the Islamic education sector in Singapore.

  18. CONCLUSION

  19. In conclusion, as we celebrate this happy occasion, let us take this opportunity to reflect how we got here, how far we have progressed and also how we can play our part to help further the cause of our wakaf in Singapore. Let us continue to perpetuate the spirit of giving within our community.

  20. It leaves me now to thank the community, the Trustees and mutawallis andtheir disbursement agents in carrying out their amanah. May Allah Ta’ala grant all of you with the best of all rewards. Amin Ya Robbal A’alamin.

    Wabillahi Taufiq walhidayah wassalamualaikum wr.wb.

PDF icon Speech by CE Muis at the Wakaf Disbursement Ceremony (PDF, 244KB)