Latest news with #religiousTolerance
Arab News
3 days ago
- General
- Arab News
Arafat sermon will reach world's Muslims through 35-language translation initiative
RIYADH: The Presidency of Religious Affairs at the Grand Mosque and Prophet's Mosque on Thursday launched an initiative to translate this year's Arafat sermon into 35 languages, reaching approximately five million Muslims worldwide during the 1446 AH Hajj season, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Sudais, the president of religious affairs, emphasized the presidency's dedication to highlight the Kingdom's leadership in serving Islam and Muslims, particularly those visiting the Two Holy Mosques. Al-Sudais said that transmitting the moderate global message is a cornerstone priority: 'At the forefront of our broadcasting principles is spreading the guidance of the Arafat sermon, which contains the foundations of human and civilizational brotherhood and religious tolerance, translated into 35 languages for this year's Hajj.' Translation preparations were completed early, Al-Sudais said, to project the Kingdom's moderate message worldwide. According to SPA, the presidency established an independent committee to create a standardized framework to maximize the sermon's impact and outcomes.
Malay Mail
19-05-2025
- Malay Mail
Retired Singapore doctor fined RM33,000 for ‘objectively insulting' anti-Muslim Facebook post made despite prior warning
SINGAPORE, May 19 – A retired doctor in Singapore was fined S$10,000 (RM33,200) today for posting offensive remarks against Muslims on Facebook, which prosecutors said were made with deliberate intent. CNA reported that Dr Kho Kwang Po, 85, who no longer holds a valid practising certificate, had reposted the inflammatory content in 2021 despite receiving a prior warning over the original post in 2016. 'As a doctor, you should have known better than to propagate such views on the internet,' District Judge Eddy Tham was reported saying, highlighting he found Dr Kho's words 'objectively insulting' Two police reports were filed against Dr Kho: one from an anonymous individual who described the post as 'highly insulting' towards Islam, and another who alleged the doctor had posted similar content for years. Deputy Public Prosecutor Sean Teh initially told the court that while the offence could warrant jail time, the prosecution considered Dr Kho's age, guilty plea, remorse, and the limited reach of his post. Dr Kho's lawyers, Kenneth Au-Yong and Josiah Tan, told the court he was remorseful and had no intention of repeating the offence. 'He is not likely to repeat this offence, and as the [prosecution] said, he has shown remorse and made a plea of guilt,' said Au-Yong. The judge also noted Dr Kho's personal mitigation plea, in which the doctor admitted to being overly influenced by online content and failing to evaluate it critically. Judge Tham said he hoped Dr Kho had come to understand the consequences of his actions. Taking into account the prosecution's arguments, the judge agreed a fine was appropriate and imposed the maximum penalty allowed under the Magistrates' Courts.
CNA
19-05-2025
- CNA
Doctor fined S$10,000 over anti-Islam comments in Facebook post
SINGAPORE: A doctor who posted offensive remarks against Muslims in a social media post was fined S$10,000 (US$7,700) on Monday (May 19). Dr Kho Kwang Po, 85, is a registered medical practitioner whose practising certificate expired on Dec 31, 2020, the Singapore Medical Council previously told CNA. Two police reports were lodged against him - one by an anonymous person who stated that Dr Kho made racist remarks on Facebook that were "highly insulting" towards Islam. The other person reported that Dr Kho had posted seditious content denigrating Islam for "many years". Dr Kho, who was the only person with access to his account, first made the Facebook post on Apr 21, 2016, but reposted the same content on Apr 21, 2021, even though he had been administered a conditional warning over the original post. His post was available for the public to see, and Dr Kho intended for the public to view it, Deputy Public Prosecutor Sean Teh told the court. The prosecution urged the court to fine Dr Kho S$10,000, arguing that Dr Kho made the posts with some deliberation. Mr Teh said the offence would have ordinarily warranted an imprisonment term, but the prosecution had factored in Dr Kho's advanced age, his plea of guilt to the charge of deliberately intending to wound the religious feelings of Muslims, and how the posts had not gained significant traction. Dr Kho's lawyers, Kenneth Au-Yong and Josiah Tan, said their client apologised for his misjudgment. Mr Au-Yong echoed the prosecution's points about Dr Kho's age and the limited impact of the social media posts. "He is not likely to repeat this offence, and as the (prosecution) said, he has shown remorse and made a plea of guilt," said Mr Au-Yong. District Judge Eddy Tham said he found the words "objectively insulting". "As a doctor, you should have known better than to propagate such views on the internet," Judge Tham said. The District Judge added that he had read Dr Kho's personal plea in mitigation, expressing his remorse, where the doctor had admitted to being overly fixated on what he read on the internet, and accepting propaganda without critical examination. Judge Tham said he hoped that Dr Kho realised the folly of his actions. Referring to the grounds the prosecution had raised in arguing for a fine, Judge Tham agreed that a non-custodial term would be sufficient.
Arab News
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Pakistan Senate chief attends inaugural mass of Pope Leo in show of interfaith harmony
ISLAMABAD: Yousuf Raza Gillani, chairman of the Senate of Pakistan, on Sunday attended the inaugural mass of Pope Leo XIV in Vatican City, Pakistan's Press Information Department (PID) said, in a show of Islamabad's commitment to promoting interfaith harmony. Pope Leo XIV set the tone for his papacy with a call to stop exploiting nature and marginalizing the poor at the inaugural mass, attended by dignitaries including Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky and US Vice President JD Vance. Ten days after he became the first US head of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics, some 200,000 people gathered to see his inaugural mass in St. Peter's Square, according to the Vatican. Gillani's presence at the mass highlighted Pakistan's respect for the Catholic community worldwide and its dedication to fostering dialogue and mutual understanding among diverse religious traditions. 'Gillani is scheduled to engage in bilateral meetings with Vatican officials and international counterparts to discuss shared interests, including the promotion of peace, protection of minority rights, and the advancement of interfaith collaboration,' the PID said. 'Pakistan remains steadfast in its advocacy for religious tolerance and coexistence, and Chairman Gillani's participation in this significant event reaffirms the nation's role in promoting global understanding and harmony.' Before the mass began, the Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost delighted the crowds by taking to the popemobile for the first time, smiling, waving and blessing those he passed. In his homily, the soft-spoken 69-year-old returned to the themes of peace, reconciliation and social justice that have marked his first few days as pope. 'In this our time, we still see too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, the fear of difference, and an economic paradigm that exploits the Earth's resources and marginalizes the poorest,' he said. After two decades spent as missionary in Peru, the new pope — who was only made a cardinal in 2023 — is unknown to many Catholics. But many of those gathered in St. Peter's Square said they liked what they had heard so far. Maria Grazia La Barbera, 56, a pilgrim from Palermo in Sicily, said Leo was 'the right person at the right time' to lead the Church. 'He will certainly do what he promised: knocking down walls and building bridges,' she said. — With additional input from AFP
The National
16-05-2025
- The National
What Donald Trump will see inside Abu Dhabi's Abrahamic Family House
Abu Dhabi's dedication to religious tolerance is enshrined in the Abrahamic Family House, the stunning cultural and spiritual precinct on Saadiyat Island. The complex is also on the schedule for US President Donald Trump on the final day of his four-day Gulf trip. He has already visited Riyadh and Doha before arriving in the UAE capital. Launched in 2023, the space celebrates the shared values of Islam, Judaism and Christianity with a mosque, synagogue and church on one site. Designed by Ghanaian-British architect Sir David Adjaye, the Abrahamic Family House is open daily to worshippers and visitors for tours and prayer services. If you are visiting for the first time, here is what to expect. Driving to the Abrahamic Family House is relatively straightforward. Take the Saadiyat Island exit off Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street. The site is beside the soon-to-open Zayed National Museum and Louvre Abu Dhabi is also nearby. After parking in the underground car park and passing through a security scan, visitors are ushered towards the Welcome Centre. The large rectangular space is filled with warm lighting and has an elegant yet minimal reception booth. It also doubles up as an events space. The walls display historical milestones that led to the creation of the Abrahamic Family House. The centrepiece is the Document on Human Fraternity – a joint statement signed by the late Pope Francis as head of the Catholic Church, and Sheikh Ahmed El Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al Azhar, in Abu Dhabi in 2019. The overall atmosphere is calming and sets the tone for a journey of contemplation and reverence. The elevated space, accessed via a set of stairs or a lift, is an ideal point to begin your visit. It allows you to appreciate the Abrahamic Family House's collective objective as the garden, which contains more than 200 local plants, connects all three houses of worship. Look carefully and you can see surrounding Saadiyat Island residential communities, Louvre Abu Dhabi, NYU Abu Dhabi and Berklee Abu Dhabi university. It brings the significance of the Abrahamic Family House to light. This is a place that connects faith with community, and the wisdom and treasures of the past with the enterprising promise of the future. The three houses of worship share similar architectural elements and materials, but each has its own style. Named after the Grand Imam of Al Azhar, the Imam Al Tayeb Mosque can hold 300 people. The exterior's minimalist design is made up of seven arches, reflecting the importance of the number in Islam. Separate ablution areas flank the mosque and there are plenty of cubby holes in which to place shoes before entering. Step inside and you enter a space as intimate as it is cavernous. Instead of ornate chandeliers, a feature of most mosques, there are discreet and powerful spotlights. The high ceilings are domed to ensure the sound reverberates richly, while the soft auburn carpet has ingrained lines to help worshippers align themselves for prayer. Generous shafts of light pierce through windows, which are engraved with Islamic motifs. It is a tranquil space suited for moments of reflection. The Moses Ben Maimon Synagogue has seven pillars on the ground and eight above, supporting the roof. The message being, according to our guide, that God is bigger than any human creation. The synagogue is named after the 12th-century Jewish scholar and astronomer who worked in Morocco and Egypt. There is a mikveh – a bath used for ritual immersion – outside the prayer hall, as well as a smaller space for religious studies. The Ten Commandments are printed in Hebrew and flank the walls of the prayer hall. A suspended bronze mesh structure descends from a central skylight inside. Our guide says the zigzag shapes of the structure are similar to tents and represent the Jewish communities of old congregating to practise their religion. A plain golden crucifix hangs in the middle of the Catholic St Francis Church, to welcome Christians of all denominations. It is an airy and acoustically pristine space defined by floor-to-ceiling windows and a wooden canopy. The altar is slightly elevated and the pews are spacious enough to accommodate up to 300 people. Outside is a small triangular pool of water to symbolise the Trinity of Christianity and the three Abrahamic faiths. Regular prayer services take place, including the predawn fajr at the mosque. A programme of events, from cultural discussions to community gatherings, take place across the site. In addition to ticketed daily guided tours, each house of worship organises events relevant to its faith. Interfaith events, from guest lectures to conferences, are also held at the venue. All events are regularly updated on the Abrahamic Family House's website and social media channel. Information about the Abrahamic Family House is available at
