Singapore Seminar @ Damascus

This was not my first visit to Damascus, but my fourth. However there were several firsts this time round – the first Singapore Minister to visit Syria, the first Singapore Seminar to be held here and the first attempt to pack in as much meetings, dialogues and calls on religious scholars, academic and national leaders, over two days.

We went straight into the function room at Le Meridien Hotel from the airport, for Minister to keynote the seminar, followed by our presentation and dialogue sessions with about 65 Singaporeans who are studying in Damascus. These students led by DIMASYQ (the Singaporean student society) were very well prepared for the seminar. Emceed by Br Muhammad Fizar, the seminar was engaging throughout and full of surprises. It was not like other student seminars I had attended. Dressed in lounge suits and formal wear to accord Minister’s presence, the ambience matched the standards of many similar events organized in Singapore.

There were 4 presentations in all, each followed by a dialogue session. The students were candid in their questions – covering broad areas and issues, perhaps best summarized with the 4 futures – a) challenges and career opportunities within and beyond the religious sector; b) community with a progressive outlook and strong Singaporean Muslim identity (SMI); c) madrasah and religious education, and d) religious leadership through a progressive culture of ijtihad.

I had to rework my presentation almost on the spot, after much of what I intend to deliver was also covered by the keynote address, but also to share the other attributes of the SMI since the earlier Q+A session focused mainly on interfaith and its imperatives.

Apart from those serious questions, there were also the odd “what-was-that-all about?” surprises such as a question on how to reconcile the call to continue and pursue studies at postgraduate level on the one hand, and the need to work to save money for marriage on the other (*hmm*), the Master of Ceremony’s metaphorical ship (although I initially thought he meant sheep – the korban saga still lingered in my mind, obviously) and his reference to the pilot of a plane upon which their (students) life depended on, to the incoming President of DIMASYQ at the dinner (I am not certain whether the phrase “no pressure intended” for Br Faizal, the newly appointed President, can be used here) .

I was told that the students reflected, and discussed the issues raised during the day (at the seminar) into the late night after the closing dinner and a group of students went into it till about 3 am next morning, much to my surprise and delight. Many students were pleased that many of their questions were answered and doubts addressed. It certainly gave me great satisfaction to learn that our efforts to stimulate their thoughts and challenge prevailing assumptions were not in vain.

After my presentation the participating students had their breakout sessions for group-work. Each group was asked to discuss and offer responses to the issues discussed during the presentation, as well as to the recent incidents affecting Islam and Muslims. One group shared their discussion and presented their thoughts and responses to the issue on how best to deal with incidents such as the Danish caricature on Prophet Muhammad (saw) and the recent Fitna Video by Geert Wilders.

To react with anger, hatred and violence, is to provide Wilders and his supporters, the evidence (or as a journalist would put it – the ammunition) they needed to substantiate their assertions – that Islam promotes hatred and that Muslims are violent. Hence, this group reminded us to response with good deeds (the phrase – wa idhaa kho thobahumul jaahiluna qalu salaama – in Surah Furqan, suddenly came to mind) and echoed the need to increase efforts to reach-out in friendship with many others who may not have a positive view on Islam and the Muslims.

I closed the seminar proper by summarizing what I considered to be the salient points presented by the speakers and discussed in the Q+A sessions as well as my reflections for participants to take as Way Forward.

The day ended with a dinner with all the participants, much to their delight and gratitude. The spread was tantalising and we were spoilt for choice. Aisyah told me that Le Meridien asked us to choose 16 types of salad for the dinner. During dinner, I managed to catch-up with a former colleague from MAS who is now studying in Damascus, and accepted our invitation at a very short notice. It was a walk down nostalgia lane when she gave me potted updates of many friends who mentored me at work during my younger days.

But the dinner was more than just food. Sis Hadijah shared her reflections in somewhat a valedictory mood, Br Zahid, the outgoing President presented DIMASYQ’s report card for his term of office and asked Minister to present appointment letters to the newly elected President and members. The highlight of the dinner was the qasidah and nasyeed by Br Zahid and group of students (some in their tarbus *the red head dress usually worn by Turkish men) – it was spiritually uplifting. I had tears in eyes as we recited the selawat of the Prophet, despite not fully comprehending all the words in the nasyeed. Indeed, the meaning is superior to the words.

I had said in previous seminars and workshops, that one of the measures of success for such events was whether participants stayed on long after the closing and photo-takings. Organisers should worry if participants kept looking at their watches, as if they felt that event was not meeting their expectations or that they had other better things to do.

The Singapore Seminar in Damascus did not “stand down” until we were persistently ushered out of the function room by the staff of Le Meridien. It must be way past their working hours, and participants kept glued to the conversations and questions, amidst more photo-takings with Minister and officials.

From the Le Meridien function room, the conversation and issues discussed at the seminar resonated and reverberated at a cafe, on the minibus and in students’ living rooms….

Sunday 27 April 08