09-07-2025
Muis launches undergrad scholarship to cultivate talent pipeline for mosques, madrasahs in S'pore
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Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Faishal Ibrahim chatting with the scholarship recipients on July 9.
SINGAPORE – A new undergraduate scholarship has been introduced by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) to strengthen the talent pipeline for community institutions such as mosques and madrasahs.
Called the Muis Scholarship, the new scholarship will support undergraduate studies, providing recipients with up to $120,000 in funding.
Upon completing their studies, recipients will have to serve a three-year bond, either at one of the 72 mosques or six full-time madrasahs in Singapore.
On July 9, Muis presented the scholarship to the first batch of four students.
They were chosen based on their academic excellence, leadership potential and commitment to serve the community, Muis said in a statement.
The four received their scholarships at a ceremony held at the Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre.
One of the recipients, Ms Saqina Qamilia Suwandi, 20, said she was grateful to receive the Muis Scholarship.
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In 2024, she was the top scorer in the A levels among the students at Madrasah Wak Tanjong. Her other accomplishments include awards at national-level competitions, such as best speaker in the National Malay Debate Competition in 2021.
'InsyaAllah (God willing) I am determined to use this opportunity to do good and to give back to the community,' she said, adding that she hopes to be able to contribute in matters concerning family development in the future.
The Muis Scholarship will help support more talented and deserving students here, said Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Faishal Ibrahim, who attended the ceremony.
'We remain committed to developing our asatizah (religious teachers) who can guide Singapore Muslims to practice their faith confidently in our modern society,' said Prof Faishal, who is also Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs.
Singapore's Islamic religious teachers must possess not only deep theological understanding, but also connect meaningfully with younger generations while upholding religious traditions, he said.
They should also be able to navigate complex social issues harmony in the Republic's multireligious society, as well as provide thoughtful guidance on emerging social and ethical challenges, he added.
The new scholarship complements the existing Syed Isa Semait Scholarship (SISS), which awards recipients up to $240,000 and requires them to serve a six-year bond at Muis, the Syariah Court or the Registry of Muslim Marriages upon graduation.
At the ceremony, three students were presented with the SISS, named after Singapore's second mufti, who died on July 7, 2025.
Since its inception in 2022, the scholarship has been granted to six recipients.
The ceremony also paid tribute to the late Sheikh Syed Isa, who served as Singapore's mufti between 1972 and 2010, with a video presentation of his contributions.
Singapore's current mufti, Dr Nazirudin Mohd Nasir, said at the event that the naming of the scholarship after Sheikh Syed Isa goes beyond merely recognising his role as an illustrious religious leader.
'The Syed Isa brand is much more than that. It is as much about the spirituality of the man and his character, his humility and kindness, as it is about his formal role,' he said.
