RACISM AND ETHNOCENTRISM

SHADEN ABUBAKER

WHAT IS RACISM?

Racism is the belief that one race is superior to another, or one color of skin is superior to another, or the people of one country are superior to another.

WHAT DOES ISLAM SAY ABOUT RACISM?

■ Islam is against all forms of racism and bigotry*.

■ Such beliefs are the characteristic of pre-Islamic ignorance (jahiliyyah). In Islam, we believe all races are equal to Allah and the only characteristic that makes someone superior to another is righteousness (taqwa).

*bigotry: intolerance towards those who hold different opinions from oneself

■ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2DvwD4rxJw

■ Allah swt said:

■ Allah created different races and tribes so that different peoples would recognize each other and learn from each other, not so that the races would fight each other.

People, We have created you male and female and made you nations and tribes that you may know one another. Verily, the most noble of you to Allah is the most righteous of

you. Verily, Allah is knowing and aware. (Al-Hujurat 49:13)

In fact, Allah created different skin colors and languages as a sign of His creative power. Allah said:

Among His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the diversity of your languages and your colors. Verily, in that are signs for people of knowledge. (Ar-Rum 30:22)

■ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qAhT7MV0Fg

Righteousness

Righteousness is the only quality that makes someone virtuous in the sight of Allah, not race or skin colour or lineage or country. This teaching against racism was delivered by the Prophet during his farewell sermon, indicating how important he believed it was to the message of Islam.

■ Abu Nadrah reported: I heard the farewell sermon of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and he said:

People, your Lord is one and your father Adam is one. There is no virtue of an Arab over a foreigner nor a foreigner over an Arab, and neither white skin over black skin nor black skin over white skin, except by righteousness. Have I not delivered the message? (Musnad Ahmad 22978, Grade: Sahih)

■ It is also emphasized in another hadith No one is better than anyone else except by religion or good deeds …(Shu’b al-Iman 4767, Grade: Sahih)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goTm7cZc-F8

LINEAGE

Boasting about lineage and ancestors is forbidden in Islam, since all people are descended from Adam and Hawaa. The only criterion of superiority is faith and righteous deeds.

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

Verily, Allah has removed from you the pride of the time of ignorance with its boasting of ancestors. Verily, one is only a righteous believer or a miserable sinner. All of the people are the children of Adam, and Adam was created from dust. (Sunan At-Tirmidhi 3955, Grade: Sahih)

Jubair ibn Mut’im reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

He is not one of us who calls to tribalism. He is not one of us who fights for the sake of tribalism. He is not one of us who dies following the way of tribalism. (Sunan Abu Dawud 51)

These

Characteristics

Lead To

ETHNOCENTRISM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQ9mDlLbzGA

The only way to completely eradicate racism is to embrace the oneness of Allah (tawheed) and to accept its logical conclusion, the oneness of humanity as stated in Surah Alhujurat:

O people, We have created you male and female and made you nations and tribes that you may know one another. Verily, the most noble of you to Allah is the most righteous of you. Verily, Allah is knowing and aware (Al-Hujurat 49:13)

In an islamic point of view

In the final sermon by Prophet Mohammad PBUH, he made it clear that there is no room for racism in Islam:

All mankind is from Adam and Eve. An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab have any superiority over an Arab; a white has no superiority over a black, nor does a black have any superiority over a white; [none have superiority over another] except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselves.

■ Remember, one day you will appear before God and answer for your deeds. So beware, do not stray from the path of righteousness after I am gone.

■ O People, no prophet or apostle will come after me, and no new faith will be born. Reason well, therefore, O people, and understand words which I convey to you. I leave behind me two things, the Quran and my example, the Sunnah, and if you follow these you will never go astray.

■ Beware of Satan, for the safety of your religion. He has lost all hope that he will ever be able to lead you astray in big things, so beware of following him in small things.

■ All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and it may be that the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me directly. Be my witness, O God, that I have conveyed your message to your people.

Thus the beloved Prophet completed his Final Sermon, and upon it, near the summit of Arafat, the revelation came down:

"…This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My Grace upon you, and have chosen Islam for you as your religion…" (Al-Maídah 5:3)

Islam is not a racist religion. It does not preach, practice or

support racism in any manner. The teachings of the Quran

and the Sunnah clearly and conclusively prove that Islam is

not racist. During different periods of Islamic rule, people

from other faiths enjoyed tolerance. During the time of

Crusade, when the Jews were persecuted in Europe, they

found freedom and sanctity in Muslim Spain. Even Jewish

scholars acknowledge the period of Jewish settlement in

Muslim Spain was one of their golden eras in their history. If

Islam was a racist religion, history would have testified

otherwise.

■ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5PxcOwOCGw

QUESTIONS1. What do you this video is trying to

covey?2. Why do you think the previous video

made the statement “RACISM KILLS” 3. What are the effects of racism in our

society? 4. In the eyes of Allah (swt), which

qualities makes an individual hold more superiority over another?

5. In one of the prophet's last sermon, what are the two things Muhammed (saw) left behind? Hint: they are a guide for the ummah, to the straight path.

6. What is the arabic translation for ‘Righteousness’?

What We Learned Today :v:❏ Allah created different races and tribes so that different peoples

would recognize each other and learn from each other, not so that the races would fight each other.

❏ Allah has dignified all of the children of Adam, all human beings and all races in the world.

❏ Tribalism (al-asabiyyah) is forbidden in Islam, which is the fanatical adherence to ethnic loyalty even when it leads to oppression and injustice. The Prophet disavowed himself and Islam from anyone who acts according to the ideologies of tribalism.

❏ To gain superiority amongst one another is only through righteousness and taqwa.

Credits to…

Qaida Iman

Mohd Azizan