MUIS to strengthen community’s religious life

1. The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) announced its strategic initiatives to strengthen the Muslim community’s religious life in the next three years, at its Work Plan Seminar¹ this morning. Under the theme “Thriving as a Community of Success”, the seminar brought together 200 community leaders and stakeholders to discuss MUIS’ 8^th 3-Year Plan (8M3YP). The session focused on strengthening partnerships and developing practical strategies to serve Singapore's Muslim community.  

Building on past achievements 

2. The introduction of 8M3YP follows notable developments under the 7^th MUIS 3-Year Plan (7M3YP) from 2022 to 2024. Key milestones include the reopening of our mosques after COVID-19, enhanced support for vulnerable families through increased Zakat disbursement, and strengthened professional development for religious teachers through the Common Salary Guidelines. 

3. MUIS continues to serve the community while improving religious services, as shared by Chief Executive Mr Kadir Maideen in his review of the 7th Three-Year: 

"These achievements under 7M3YP demonstrate our unwavering commitment to strengthening our community's religious life, which is the core of everything we do. To further this commitment in the upcoming 8M3YP, we will focus on three key priorities that work together to support this goal: enhancing religious guidance, developing religious educators, and delivering better services."

Key initiatives of 8^th MUIS 3-year plan 

4. In its efforts to develop religious educators, MUIS is enhancing the capabilities of Mosque Religious Officers through structured professional development in Islamic Spiritual Care and Counselling services. Religious officers will be able to connect with a wide segment of the community including youth, families and seniors, and support them in their spiritual growth while dealing with the everyday issues that life brings. 

5. To elevate service standards, MUIS is implementing a new Mosque Excellence Framework. This comprehensive framework introduces benchmarks for service quality, operational excellence, and community engagement. While establishing consistent standards for governance, resource management, and service delivery, the framework maintains flexibility for mosques to develop distinctive programmes that reflect their local community's needs.  

6. The MuslimSG digital platform continues to serve as a vital connection point for the community, achieving an impressive milestone of over 25 million views to the app in 2024. Looking ahead, MUIS will transform this trusted platform through a comprehensive upgrade of both the app and website by 2027. This enhancement, shaped by valuable community feedback, will offer improved features and content to better serve evolving community needs. 

Strengthening community partnerships  

7. The seminar featured an engaging panel discussion where community leaders and stakeholders demonstrated strong support for MUIS's strategic direction. The dialogue highlighted key areas including: innovative approaches to Islamic education that balance tradition with contemporary needs; best practices in mosque management and community governance; strategies to nurture Muslim identity while fostering integration; initiatives to increase meaningful engagements of youth and seniors; and continuous enhanced support for underserved segments of the community. Throughout these conversations, participants shared both their support and views on the collaborative visions for the community’s future. 

8. Mr Kadir Maideen underscored the importance of collaboration in serving the community. He acknowledged how the combined efforts of asatizah, mosque officers, volunteers, and various partners create more effective programmes.  

“By working hand in hand, we can create better programmes and build a stronger community. When we serve sincerely, we hope to maintain the community's trust. Through this trust, we are grateful that members continue to share their time, resources and talents. This creates a powerful cycle - the more we work together, the more we can achieve, building a shared future that nurtures our community while preserving our values and traditions.”  

Looking Ahead 

9. Through these coordinated efforts, MUIS reaffirms its commitment to empowering the Muslim community to practice their faith confidently while thriving in Singapore's unique context. The 8M3YP represents a significant step forward in MUIS's ongoing mission to serve and strengthen the community's religious life.