muslims

"I never denied what I did in the past. I admit that my background is (the) adult industry and which I cannot change. I never said I can change what I did. Right now, what I’m doing is I am living in peace, and I (am) studying every day and living in a peaceful space that I wanted. And that doesn’t affect any of your life."

"Bismillah, I am having soto banjar. I put so much sambal, because I love spicy food. So good."

"I would never say I’m a porn star. I would never call myself … I can say porn actress, yes, but porn star? I’m not a star, yet. If I become famous, sure I’m gonna call myself—yeah, I’m a porn star. But I don’t know for now. For now, I am just another girl who is sharing her life—sometimes nude, sometimes porn."

"In KL, I wear the hijab for the first time throughout the whole day because I wanted to visit the mosques and meet with Muslim people."

"And all married women (are forbidden unto you) save those (captives) whom your right hands possess… [4:24]. Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Bunani informed us through Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri who said: “We had captured female prisoners of war on the day of Awtas and because they were already married we disliked having any physical relationship with them. Then we asked the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, about them. And the verse, And all married women (are forbidden unto you) save those (captives) whom your right hands possess, was then revealed, as a result of which we consider it lawful to have a physical relationship with them”. Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn al-Harith informed us through ‘Abd Allah ibn Muhammad ibn Ja‘far through Abu Yahya through Sahl ibn ‘Uthman through ‘Abd al-Rahim through Ash‘ath ibn Sawwar through ‘Uthman al-Batti through Abu’l-Khalil through Abu Sa‘id who said: “When the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, captured the people of Awtas as prisoners of war we said: ‘O Prophet of Allah! How can we possibly have physical relationships with women whose lineage and husband we know very well?’ And so this verse was revealed: And all married women (are forbidden unto you) save those (captives) whom your right hands possess”. Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al-Farisi informed us through Muhammad ibn ‘Isa ibn ‘Amrawayh through Ibrahim ibn Muhammad ibn Sufyan through Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj through ‘Ubayd Allah ibn ‘Umar al-Qawariri through Yazid ibn Zuray‘through Sa‘id ibn Abi ‘Arubah through Qatadah through Abu Salih Abu Khalil through Abu ‘Alqamah al-Hashimi through Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri who reported that on the day of Hunayn the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, sent an army to Awtas. This army met the enemy in a battle, defeated them and captured many female prisoners from them. But some of the Companions of the Messenger, Allah bless him and give him peace, were uncomfortable about having physical relations with these prisoners because they had husbands who were idolaters, and so Allah, exalted is He, revealed about this: And all married women (are forbidden unto you) save those (captives) whom your right hands possess."

"Returned after a long time. I am excited."

"I have big dreams. I will work with Coach Javier. Inshallah, we will win and advance to the next stage."

"Inshallah, we will win."

"If Allah is with you, no one can do anything."

"I don’t think I’ve reached that level yet. Shakib Al Hasan is a megastar. He has dominated the global stage for many years. I don’t think it’s right to compare myself to him."

"We are not paying attention to India's words."

"Very excited. I hope we win both legs."

"(Coming to Bangladesh) feels good. This should have happened long ago."

"Evangelicals very much aspire to proselytism, and so does Islam. So naturally there will be competition...But we need to have this competition conducted in a peaceful and harmonious environment."

"We have always been open to others, and are determined to stay that way, doing what we can to prove there's an honored place for Muslims in Europe."

"There is nothing wrong in a man having sexual relations with his Zoroastrian slave-girl."

"In religion three things do not exist but these things preserve it: national language, national dress and national customs."

"I do not - God be blessed - conform to any particular sufi order or faqih, nor follow the course of any speculative theologian (mutakalim) or any other Imam for that matter, not even such dignitaries as ibn al-Qayyim, al-Dhahabi, or ibn Kathir, I summon you only to God, and Only Him as well as observe the path laid by His Prophet, God's messenger."

"Ideally there is no clerical ulama class, which prevents an elitist or theocratic government. Whether termed a religious, a theocratic, or even a secular theocracy, an Islamic state is not a government of the ulama."

"The U.S. government's actions in my case seem, at least to me, to have been arbitrary and myopic. But I am encouraged by the unwavering support I have received from ordinary Americans, civic groups and particularly from scholars, academic organizations, and the ACLU. I am heartened by the emerging debate in the U.S. about what has been happening to our countries and ideals in the past six years. And I am hopeful that eventually I will be allowed to enter the country so that I may contribute to the debate and be enriched by dialogue."

"You complacent ones, raise your heads and open your eyes. Look at what other peoples and nations do. Do you surrender to what is being told about you in the world? Are you happy to see the newspapers of every country reporting that the poor of the weakest peoples [the Jews], whom the governments of all nations are expelling, master so much knowledge and understanding of civilization methods that they are able to possess and colonize your country, and turn its masters into laborers and its wealthy into poor?.. Think about this question (Zionism), and make it the subject of your discussion.. Then [contemplate] whether it is clear to you that you have neglected the rights of your homeland and service to your people and your community. Examine and contemplate, consider and consult, talk and discuss this matter. It is more worthy of consideration than creating disasters and insulting innocent ones."

"Race, language and religion have been fundamental issues for Singapore from the very beginning of our nationhood. Singapore’s founding fathers held firmly the vision of a multi-racial and multi-religious society, and enshrined it in our Constitution. Their goal was to build a united Singapore for all races, providing all Singaporeans with full and fair opportunities to fulfil their aspirations and improve their lives. Harmony is not achieved easily or by chance. It is the result of continuous hard work and deliberate policies. Although the different races in Singapore continue to maintain their own cultural and religious practices, Singaporeans also see the value of developing a national identity based on our core values such as equality, fairness, meritocracy, inclusivity and care and compassion. We see our diversity as our strength. The different races and perspectives are seen as adding value and providing better and more creative solutions to the challenges we face in a fast changing world. We are especially concerned that the minority communities, who are non-Chinese, are not marginalised, discriminated against, or put at a disadvantage by the majority. Singapore is unique – our population is majority ethnic Chinese, but we see ourselves as a multi-racial country."

"My role is not to checkmate the government. No, my role is not that. My role is to make sure that our reserves that are released are used in a manner that is meant for our national interests."

"If I have succeeded in actually making people look at the presidency as not something that is distant, not attached to people, but at least as one that’s more engaged, close to the people, I think that would be something that I would be very happy about."

"According to the Chinese Zodiac, 2023 is the Year of the Rabbit. We often associate the Rabbit with its agility, resilience, and high-spiritedness in leaping forward. On this note, I wish everyone leaping success and good health to usher in the Year of the Rabbit."

"I hope that, in terms of gender, that provides at least an opportunity for people to say well, you know, at least in Singapore, you can, regardless of gender, regardless of race, regardless of religion, you are able to reach the highest office, provided you want to work, that you have the capability."

"The raison d’etre for meritocracy is clear. The economic advantage that accrues to a person should depend on capabilities and effort rather than family background. Meritocracy allows the most talented to succeed through equality of opportunities and fair competition leading to a more equitable distribution of income and wealth. Meritocracy facilitated social mobility in Singapore, enabling the growth of an expanding middle class. We now agree, however, that the very conditions that contributed to meritocracy can also result in inequality."

"The trust between our political leadership and people, and between Singaporeans themselves, is a key strength we must continue to nurture and cherish. In so many societies, this has gone wrong. These societies face deep divides that are difficult to bridge. Instead of bringing people together, political parties aggravate rifts by divisive appeals for support from competing groups. Their political systems are stuck in gridlock. Consequently, trust in government and its institutions plummets, making recovery even harder."

"Meritocracy will continue to function as a filter to identify those who are gifted early and reward them with opportunities which is good for Singapore as we cannot adopt an attitude of pulling everyone down to the same denominator. Our approach must instead be to try and pull everyone up by providing them with the opportunities to do so. At the same time, we need to ensure that the path developed for those who have benefitted from meritocracy does not stifle the growth of late bloomers or those who excel in non-academic areas. We must make meritocracy inclusive and one that does not inhibit social mobility"

"We have made great progress building a multiracial society over the years, but we also know that this endeavour is a constant work in progress. We need guideposts to help us along this journey."

"Unity will also be important as we push forward against the economic headwinds. Global trade and investment flows are facing growing obstacles. Governments in the major economies are providing substantial fiscal support to develop strategic industries and strengthen their own industrial bases. This creates a more unlevel playing field, and tougher competition for us."

"To do well in this troubled world, and remain one united people, we will need to strengthen our social fabric. Every Singaporean must feel that they have a stake in our country. The fruits of our progress must be shared fairly, and no one should feel left behind."

"We must also re-examine how society rewards different skills and talents, and recognises the full range of pathways to success. We should accord greater value to those who are skilled with their hands and contribute through their technical and practical abilities, as well as those with the social and empathetic traits to excel in jobs such as caregiving or community service. Every Singaporean must have the opportunity to take on work they find fulfilling and meaningful, build on their talents, give of their best, and be rewarded fairly for it."

"As a small nation, we must take the world as it is, not as we wish it to be. But we are far from powerless on the international stage by acting together with like-minded partners, both big and small. We remain vigilant and proactive in defending ourselves against external threats. We will continue to build a network of friends to advance our shared interests. We will strive to preserve our sovereignty and the right to determine our own future, as we have done since independence."

"Stewardship includes taking care of one another, and working together to solve the problems we face today. Socially, we have to take care of our ageing population and growing healthcare needs. Economically, we have to prepare workers and businesses for new jobs and opportunities. And in terms of security, we must deal with divisive forces that are sweeping across the world, including the twin threats of extremist terrorism and Islamophobia. But stewardship also means planning for the future, and building for the next generation. We must invest in our economy and our people. This includes infrastructure and hardware, but also education and healthcare."

"I pledge to continue this journey of service to our country. I call on all Singaporeans to join me in this endeavour. Our goal must be to leave behind a better Singapore for future generations. We must measure our success not just by how well we do for ourselves, but by whether we enable the next generation to do even better. Let us commit ourselves to this task, and together create a brighter future for all Singaporeans."

"If I have been able to empower women in Singapore to push the boundaries and reach their fullest potential, I am most grateful for the chance to do so."

"Against the backdrop of great power rivalry, smaller countries like Singapore are experiencing growing pressures to take sides. We will be subject to foreign influences and disinformation campaigns, aimed at shaping our domestic public opinion, and pressing the Government to adopt certain positions. We must do our utmost to resist such pressures. We have to close ranks and stay united, regardless of race, religion, or political affiliation, especially when it comes to core national interests. We must never allow external parties to divide us, and should always stand together as one people to uphold Singapore’s vital interests."

"We must also be cognisant of subtler threats to multiracialism, which may chip away at our cohesion and stability over time. As a small and open economy, Singapore has remained open to foreign talent, as they contribute strengths and expertise that enable us to remain economically competitive. However, living cheek by jowl on such a small island means that it is crucial for them to be able to socially integrate into our local communities. They must recognise that they are part of our society too, and in Singapore we interact with, and live among people who are different from ourselves. Left unaddressed, sentiments among Singaporeans that foreign talents play by different rules, and stick only to their own, may fester. We often cite our origin as a migrant society, to reassure ourselves that we have enough bandwidth to adjust to the challenges of sharing our small city with newcomers."

"Throughout our nation building journey, we have repeatedly faced challenges and setbacks. We survived when few believed we would. When we started out in 1965, the journey looked so daunting, with so many problems to solve. But with courage and determination, our founding leaders and pioneer generations tackled challenges head-on, one by one, and built this thriving metropolis."

"Multiracialism has been Singapore’s reason for existence since our independence and is an important component of our National Identity. When we resolved that Singapore will be a multiracial nation, we also accepted and celebrated our differences as a source of strength, and not a cause for division. We valued diversity, which meant guaranteeing that each race and creed would have a space and place as contributing members of our society. Multiracialism has served us well, and today Singapore enjoys relative harmony and cohesion."

"We as artists are responsible if something wrong is taking place in our society. It’s very important for us to speak up, even though we may have to do it with a double tongue. We have to speak out for our people."

"I’ve been dreaming to play in a league like this since I was a kid. I’ve been dreaming of this moment and I’m so happy to be here. But it doesn’t stop here, I want to keep going."

"Traditional media in Ghana has a reputation for being politicized, particularly during elections. That’s why social media initiatives like Ghana Decides are important. They offer a good balance for Ghanaians at home and abroad: non-partisan, factual, and issue based information, with none of the ‘politricks’."

"I humbly ask that you nominate me as the party’s presidential candidate. Together we shall forge an even better party and a greater Nigeria."

"The other candidates are all good men. But I sincerely believe I am the person this moment calls for."

"I have the experience. I led the transformation of Lagos from a dangerous, unwelcoming place in 1999 to a clean, safe, and vibrant place and the 5th largest economy in all of Africa. I am a serious man with a serious purpose and I will use all that I know and all of my abilities to the benefit of the people."

"The Corona crisis will shrink the inflow of dollars. Hopefully, this is temporary, no more than a few months. CBN can allow some downward pressure on the naira without energetically intervening to defend the exchange rate. Only if and when the rate seems that it might dip precipitously should the CBN intervene."

"As flag-bearers, we are not unmindful of the heavy burden and responsibility that we carry. We are not unmindful of the huge expectations of our people, young and old, man and woman, able and disabled. Nor are we unmindful of the misery and poverty that the generality of our people have had to endure almost forty years after Independence."

"Those who suffered casualties during the gunshot need to answer some questions too. How are they there? How long where they there? What kind of characters are they? Even-though we want to help we still must extract information to help the government prepare in future or understand how and when to react."