Moments of inter-religious harmony in Singapore always make for uplifting (and, forgive us, viral) content and this one’s no different. It’s good vibes all around as the internet reacted to a banner apparently put up by Masjid Ba’Alwie, wishing everyone a happy and prosperous Lunar New year.
But perhaps it shouldn’t be that surprising, as the mosque in Bukit Timah is said to be a place of worship favored by local Chinese Muslims converts. The masjid is also a regular spot for inter-faith meetings, and regularly hosts visits by non-Muslim students to learn about the religion.
In fact, Singapore’s first inter-faith museum is located at the mosque, where religious artifacts such as ancient copies of the Bible, Torah and the Qur’an are kept and displayed.
As heartwarming as the banner is, the message would not do down as easily in other societies, where it could be deemed haram for Muslims to even wish others “Merry Christmas” or even have protestors demanding a sign of the cross to be taken down. It’s nowhere perfect here, but at least there are frequent examples of religious and racial harmony taking place in Singapore.
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