In Islam, the concept of syiar refers to the practices and rituals that are performed to manifest and propagate the principles and teachings of Islam. It encompasses a wide range of activities, both individual and communal, aimed at expressing and spreading the faith to Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

This concept is rooted in the Qur’an when Allah says,

“Such (is his state): and whoever holds in honour the symbols of Allah (in the sacrifice of animals), such (honour) should come truly from piety of heart.”

- Surah al-Hajj, Verse 32

In the book “Shariʿa and Social Engineering: The Implementation of Islamic Law in Contemporary Aceh, Indonesia” by R. Michael Feener, it details syiar as:

“In the General Stipulations of Qanun 11, syiar is defined as “all activities that contain values of religious devotion for the glorification and elevation of the carrying out of Islamic teachings” (I.1.5). In the articles that comprise this section of the qanun, syiar covers areas related to the official state regulation of emblematic or symbolic aspects of Islam. Under this rubric, for example, one finds broadly framed provisions on the observance of Islamic holidays, the use of Jawi (modified Arabic script) and dates according to the Islamic (hijrī) calendar in both personal and official documents, as well as the “obligation to wear Islamic dress” (I. wajib berbusana Islami). The organizing logic that places these diverse matters under the rubric of syiar here frames an orientation toward Islam as definitive of social norms and communal identity.”

At its core, syiar serves as a means of inviting people to understand and embrace the principles of Islam. It is a way to showcase the beauty and wisdom of the religion, and to promote a deeper understanding and appreciation of its values. The outward rituals and actions are supposed to invite those witnessing it, whether Muslims or non-Muslims, to reflect deeper on the values and spirituality underpinning these manifest actions.

The syiar is upheld by different segments of society in different ways, according to their level of influence and responsibility. On a personal level, it involves performing the five pillars of Islam, which are the fundamental acts of worship: the declaration of faith (shahadah), prayer (solat), paying alms on your wealth (zakat), fasting during Ramadan (sawm or puasa), and pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj).

While fasting in Ramadan is hard to “see”, you can really feel the glory of Islam when you see millions performing the tawaf around the Kaabah and people from all corners of the globe, in different skin tones etc, supplicating on the plains of Arafah during Hajj. It is hard not to feel some sense of awe and pride in being part of the ummah of the Prophet Muhammad in those moments.

However, you are also upholding the syiar of Islam when you embody Islamic values in everyday life. When you exhibit moral conduct, kindness, and honesty in your interactions with others, it reflects not only on you as a person but your identity as an adherent of the Muslim faith. This includes showing respect and compassion, promoting justice and equality, and abstaining from harmful or unethical behavior. By upholding these principles, we strive to be ambassadors of Islam, reflecting its teachings through our actions and character.

For the scholars and leaders of the Muslim community, syiar involves facilitating and leading congregational prayers, organising religious gatherings, educating others about Islam, striving to build and maintain mosques, ensuring that the azan is recited beautifully, and among other things, ensuring that the ritual sacrifice of animals for the qurban (korban) is not only facilitated for the community, but also performed with excellence.

How is doing the qurban in Singapore 
part of upholding the syiar?

As mentioned in the first half of the article, syiar is a comprehensive concept in Islam that encompasses the diverse practices, rituals, and behaviors that Muslims undertake to manifest and spread the principles of the faith. It is an integral part of Islamic identity and a means of strengthening personal spirituality while contributing to the betterment of society.

Allah created us as a soul with a body and with ‘aql or intellect. While Islam may have outward rituals, they all have a spiritual, internal effect and purpose as well. We may read or hear about the prayer and about hajj, but it is only when we perform the wudhu, stand on the prayer mat to pray, or undertake the journey to Makkah for the Hajj that we experience the religion not just intellectually and theoretically, but with our full hearts and bodies and minds. When we see the Kaabah with our own eyes, it has a completely different effect on our hearts than seeing a million pictures of it from others.

The same can be said about the ritual of the qurban. We may set aside money each year to get an agency or organization to perform the qurban on our behalf (and this is a wonderful thing to do, don’t get us wrong!), but it brings home the idea of sacrifice when you see a live animal sacrificing their life for you, and when you get to distribute that meat to families who may not get to enjoy eating meat regularly in their lives. While this may sound unheard of in Singapore, poverty does exist here and there are families that remove meat from their diet to save costs.

In our very modern and very digital life today when we can order anything online and get food delivered at all hours of the day, we are divorced sometimes from the sources of our food and consumption. We need to make a greater effort to experience our religion for our own spiritual growth. We may get an agency or organisation to do the qurban on our behalf in another country, but if we can afford it, we should also strive to do it on our own lands, with our own hands, and get our children to experience it at least once in our lifetime.

The qurban is not theoretical or merely intellectual. It is physical and spiritual and very real. When you see the blood from the animal you chose flowing, you are made to reflect on Prophet Ibrahim a.s and Prophet Ismail a.s, on not just this particular ritual and the meaning behind it, but on all other rituals that Allah has enjoined you such as the prayer, zakat etc.

May Allah reward you for your good intentions to do the qurban, and grant you the means to perform it in your own lands to ensure the longevity and sustainability of the practice in your community. Not everyone can do this, but it doesn’t mean that no one has to. It becomes a communal obligation to preserve our religious rituals and what it means to uphold the syiar of Islam.

Written by Ameera Aslam