KOTA KINABALU, June 27 (Bernama) — Islamic dakwah activities in the state should go hand in hand with community service for all to ensure that the message of Islam, bringing peace and well-being, can be conveyed and provide a better life for the people in the state.
Pertubuhan Islam Seluruh Sabah (USIA) president, Datuk Sapawi Ahmad, said that to realise the goal, an Islamic non-governmental organisation (NGO) should not merely look at the context of the Muslim or non-Muslim community to provide services.
On the other hand, he said that services must be provided to all, and further foster good relations between the multi-religious community in the state.
“This dakwah is not only verbal but also in the context of welfare, concern for economic problems and education, and involves the community as a whole, not only Muslims but non-Muslims as well, to ensure that peace and well-being are maintained.
“The responsibility of this Islamic NGO is more to convey that Islam brings peace and well-being, not just looking at the Muslim or non-Muslim context, therefore anyone who lives in this community must have cooperation; must be protected regardless of the situation,” he said in Kepayan here today.
He said this at a press conference at the 35th USIA annual general assembly yesterday, where he was elected as the new president and Abdul Hakim Gulam Hassan as deputy president.
Sapawi said that USIA, which now has about 60,000 members, is more open, and provides (services) to all because in Sabah the multi-cultural community lives in peace and harmony.
“Perhaps, one is a Muslim, and his father is a non-Muslim but Islam emphasises that despite conversion into Islam, family members should not be separated; that the family should remain close-knit,” he said.
He added that with effective dakwah, and the close relationship between Islamic NGOs and communities from various backgrounds, all issues and problems could be resolved peacefully and harmoniously.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency