Rascism in Ummah hurts
Muslim Apple notes that racism hurts and it especially hurts when your ‘own people’ do it to you. The story that she narrates has been repeated countless times but the difference is that it in this instance it does have a positive ending. From the Muslim Apple blog.
A few years ago, several sisters and I volunteered to help set up before a fundraiser at a school during Ramadan. As we were preparing the table settings, one sister asked a sister that had moved away from the community what was the best difference in her new school and neighborhood.
Three words: No black people.
What?
She (nbp) said it again with stronger emphasis: No black people.
Ok, so sitting at table are mostly indo-pakistani (i-p including nbp) sisters, one sister of mixed ethnicity (m-e), and one black sister (muslim apple).
The i-p’s didn’t say anything not that they necessarily agreed as it was a really awkward silence as if they did not know what to say. The m-e rebuked her and said, “It’s Ramadan, you’re fasting, and you’re Muslim”. Muslim Apple lowered her gaze to avoid getting angry.
The good thing is that the sister positive attitude and forgiveness made the other person reconsider their views.
Over the next few months the sister and I begin working on projects together and then we both go on trips and don’t see each other for months. When we meet again, there are genuine warm salaams excahnged and to my surprise the biggest and longest bear hug, I’ve had in years. Dua answered, there is no rancour at all, only love. Alhamdulillah.
There is a lesson for all of us to learn here. Positive thinking and positive actions that make other people rethink their racist stance, especially since equality of people is such an important part of Islam.
