There are people who are very sensitive about race. They defend their race with their might...y words.
I am a Malay in Singapore and I believe we have people here who have a major identity crisis about being Malay & Muslim.
They become confused as to which is what, and which is more important or if they are equally important.
They argue that to be Malay is to be Muslim. Some of them argue that to be Muslim is to be Malay.
All these arguments are very selfish. We forgot that there are Muslims who are of Indian descent, Chinese descent, Caucasian descent etc. Where do these people fit in your definition of being a Muslim in Singapore? How can we push aside the brotherhood of Islam which is more important, to fight for a race? - ignoring and hurting others along the way.
Race is not as important as religion. In fact race is something that can get diluted (through mixed marriages etc) and may even disappear and this does not make a person less human. To fight for a race would be an endless but wasteful effort. What do you want to achieve by arguing for a race? What can a race do?
Races should not be fought for, but should be learnt from. Learn and take the good cultures and habits of a race or nation to help us improve ourselves. That is the real role of races and nations, as mentioned in the Quran :
"O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things)."
The Quran, Al Hujurat 49:13 (translation of the Quran by Yusuf Ali)
Strive for Islam instead. Unite as Muslims. If this is the focus, insyaa Allah there is more hope in attaining unity and success as a group of people.
1 comment:
I am 100% with you. What if we have Chinese in our extended family and many are not Muslim? Can we talk about Malay, just Malay? We should not even use religion. I believe we talk about Muslim unity, who as a group would never treat non Muslims with anything less than fairness - simply beecause Islam requires that we do so. But both sides must respect each other's right and sensitivities.
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