Questions about how Islam deals with Racism.

[Kuy4_Francis]

Hello there! Before I begin, I hope none of these questions offend anybody because I certainly did not write them with the intention of doing so. Nor did I intend for any debate to occur.

As a student, I'm trying to learn about certain religions' views on Racism and from what I've read so far, Islam is very much against racism and instead promotes equality amongst all cultures and ethnicities. I'm here to ask several questions on the personal views of those in the Islamic faith concerning racism and how their faith ties into their responses.

I would appreciate any response towards the following questions. If you can't answer any or feel like it is too personal, feel free to skip it. Also, responses in private messages are certainly welcome!

Thank you so much in advance, your responses are very much appreciated!


1. What does your faith say about racism and the exclusion of others? Are there any specific quotes in your sacred text/s which you could refer to?

2. Can any specific references be made concerning the treatment of other cultures in relation to your God?

3. As a member of your faith, what have you personally learnt about the treatment of people from other cultures/ethnicities?

4. From these teachings, what action have you undertaken to practice what has been taught about combating (if taught) racism?

5. Have these efforts, if any, worked to a degree in amplifying your faith’s teachings about the treatment of other ethnic groups?

6. Have you ever experienced vilification because of your ethnicity/culture? If so, how have you responded to it and has your faith played any part in such responses?

7. If any changes could be made to your faith’s view on racism, what do you feel would be the appropriate view to be undertaken?

 

[Badran]

Hello, how are you.

I hope these answers would be of help.

1) أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ وَأُنثَى وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ}،سورة الحجرات: 13.049.013
"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 God is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And God has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).

This is a verse from the Quran which states that god created people into different races and tribes to know each other, and that the best man in the eyes of god is the most righteous, not depending on which race or tribe he is from.

2) ﴿لا يَنْهَاكُمْ اللَّهُ عَنْ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَلَمْ يُخْرِجُوكُمْ مِنْ دِيَارِكُمْ أَنْ تَبَرُّوهُمْ وَتُقْسِطُوا إِلَيْهِمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ (8)﴾ (الممتحن&#1577
060.008 God forbids you not, with regard to those who fight you not for (your) Faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them: for God loveth those who are just.

This is also a verse from the quaran that states that "as far as the people who doesn't fight you and try to drive out of your homes are concerned, you should treat them kindly and be just with them, and that god loves people who are just". So Muslims should treat all people from every culture and religion with kindness and just except those who hurt them and fight them.

3) I learned simply that i should treat all people in the same way (kindly and friendly and be fair with them and protect and help them if i can), regardless of their race, religion, country,....

4) I am not taught from someone, i learn from the quran and the teaching of my prophet directly. As for what methods should i use to fight racism, they are not different from anybody else's methods, we are supposed to fight it first by advising people against it from the beginning, and in those places where racism does occur, we are supposed to protect those minorities which are experiencing any kind of injustice performed on them due to their race, and we are to do that by all possible means.
As for what i personally done, not much. I am 21 and still haven't done anything except trying to convince every body i know and every body i get the chance to talk to about the subject against racism.

5) If you are talking on the personal level, it only worked as far as that they are convinced against racism. But i still don't know what they do when they are in any situation with a person from a different religion or culture, however on the general level Islam has had results, strong ones against racism. From the very start of Islam, It banned slavery which was a custom in these times and when a day came where no muslim had slaves anymore, the prophet Muhammad (pbuh) started to fight for the slaves of men who weren't Muslims. Muslims would buy slaves and set them free.

6) If you mean personally no. But if it happens the appropriate response based on my view of Islam's teachings would be not to get angry or too offended, and to try to do whatever i want to do regarding that without hurting anybody. Also to forgive the person involved.

7) If you mean by "your faith's view" my religion view, then it is not subject to change. It states that all people are equal and that the only thing that could make a person better than another is by how righteous and virtuous they are. but still that wouldn't affect their rights and obligations, i mean just because someone is assumably more righteous than another doesn't mean he has more rights, especially because it is not up to us to decide who is more righteous.

However if you mean by "your faiths view" the view of people in that religion, then yes it could use some changes. Simple changes, that they look at all people in the same way. You see although God obviously states that, not all people do exactly that. I mean they could treat them fairly but still hate them. However that is not what we are supposed to do, because hate sooner or later will result in something bad happening.

Anyway i hope this was what you wanted to know.

 

[Kuy4_Francis]

Hi Badran, I'm doing well.

Thanks so much for your responses, they've certainly given me a deeper insight into this often touchy topic. All your responses were definitely what I wanted to know and will surely be helpful in teaching me, from a direct standpoint not from a book, about the Islamic faith's teachings.

Again, thanks for taking the time to respond to these questions.

 

[Badran]

Glad i could help.

 

[Abu Rashid]

G'day Kuy,

Just going to add a few things to Badran's excellent answers.

1. What does your faith say about racism and the exclusion of others? Are there any specific quotes in your sacred text/s which you could refer to?

I don't have the reference right now, but I do remember an Islamic text where Muhammad (pbuh) specifically forbade excluding people. Even to the point that if two people know a language and the third does not, then they must not speak in it, to the exclusion of the third person.

2. Can any specific references be made concerning the treatment of other cultures in relation to your God?

Islam is a religion for all of humanity. In fact Islam was probably the first religion/system to ever meld large amounts of different cultures into one harmonious society. The Islamic civilisation in it's heyday was made up of various cultures stretching from Spain to the borders of China, and from Turkmenistan down to Madagascar.

3. As a member of your faith, what have you personally learnt about the treatment of people from other cultures/ethnicities?

Islam teaches that all people are as equal as the teeth of a comb, except in their piety. The black, the white, the red, the yellow, all are the same to God.

5. Have these efforts, if any, worked to a degree in amplifying your faith’s teachings about the treatment of other ethnic groups?

Islam is not an ethnic group, it includes all ethnic groups, and commands us to treat people equally, without regard to their ethnic group.

 

[Badran]

G'day Kuy,

Just going to add a few things to Badran's excellent answers.

Thank you Abu Rashid.

 

[fatima_bintu_islam]

Hello Francis


I hope this link can help you, I know everyones hates long articles thats why I chose a short one and this is an "extrait" from it:

God’s Messenger came with the Divine Message and proclaimed that no Arab is superior over a non-Arab, and no white is superior over black [1] and superiority is by righteousness and God-fearing alone (sura al-Hujurat, 49.13). He also declared that even if an Abyssinian black Muslim were to rule over Muslims, he should be obeyed [2].

Here is the link : Islam and racism


And this video as a bonus

[youtube]Bfq3ILw8oIk[/youtube]
YouTube - Islam & Racism

Hope it helps
Best regards