Islam, Racism And Hate Speech

Widespread of racism video via social media in today's era

I still remember that Cikgu Ariffin (Cikgu means teacher in Malay language) said this to me few years ago:"Whenever you go to the Masjid and listen to khutbah (Public preaching), just ignore the hate speech and racism that comes from the mouth of Ustaz. Sometimes they just mixed up the politic with Islam teachings, like there were controversial case like two imam in solat Jemaah, party A condemn party B.. You
don't have to listen that kind of hate speech, just learn the positive and good things from them."

I was focusing on the study of Iqra and listened to him, thinking that whether I should tell Cikgu Ariffin that I had a bad time once in listening Khutbah. That was the time that after embraced Islam for few months, I went to the masjid almost every evening and listen to Maghrib Khutbah. The first ever Maghrib I heard is about the purpose of Azan, since then I fall in love with Maghrib khutbah. Until one day there was a man who wearing white Jubah and serban take his seat in front of Jemaah, I was surprised because there shouldn't be any Maghrib Khutbah according to the schedule. So I just sit down and pay attention to the man who seems like Ustaz.

Once he opened mouth, the racism and hate speech words make me feel shocked. He was condemning Chinese community with terrible words. I stood up immediately and left the Masjid.. Leaving the Ustaz and jemaah in silence like for a few seconds.

That's isn't how Islam should be, I was thinking.
The reason I have embraced Islam due to the peace and harmony that always stressed in it, I can't believe what I have heard and getting confused with Muslim's attitude for a while. I was so 'new' in Islam that I didn't realize that there're racist Muslim and non-racist Muslim.

One of the remarkable case recently is "Ustaz Kazim denies claims he is a racist - The Sun Daily"
As stated:

IPOH: Well-known independent preacher Datuk Mohamad Kazim Elias has denied claims that he is a racist and has uttered remarks allegedly stoking racial unrest in a video clip circulating online recently.

He said the whole content of the video made during his lecture in Kuala Lumpur six years ago was aimed at defending the position of Malay Rulers, Malay rights and privileges, as well as Islam as the official religion of the federation, which were often disputed by certain parties.

"The complainant did not understand what I meant, or he just understood what was said in that two-minute video clip, he did not get to watch before and after that two minutes," he told reporters here today.

Mohamad Kazim, better known as Ustaz Kazim, said it was his duty as a Muslim to defend all those matters.

He said the issue was intentionally raised to get away from current hot issues such as the topic on hudud and the implementation of local government elections, as advocated by the opposition.

"I do not want to argue or pick up a fight. This is an old issue which has resurfaced after about six years.

"I am not a politician and not involved in any political parties. I only talk on religion but I am being accused and harassed," he said.

Mohamad Kazim also viewed the allegation as an attempt to restrain him from giving public lectures.


Cikgu Ariffin also told me about the case of two Imam in one Mosque.. It seems like the political difference is still happening in the mosque today. I did a few research from the Malaysia sociology books, I can't find any link of this phenomena with Islam anyway.. I'll just leave the related news here for academic purpose.

Two imam, two congregations in Kelantan mosque 
The Star Online
Published: Tuesday July 8, 2014 MYT 12:00:00 AM
Updated: Tuesday July 8, 2014 MYT 8:55:02 AM

Two Imam in One Mosque, Newspaper clip in 1982

A VILLAGE mosque in Kelantan caused a stir with the congregation divided between two imam, Sinar Harian reported.

A similar incident occurred in the state several years ago because of political differences.

However, what happened since July 3 at the Pondok Banggol Stol Mosque in Rantau Panjang has no political bearing at all.

The paper said the issue of the two imam stemmed from a conflict between two groups with differing interests.

Religious teacher Yahaya Zakaria, who claimed he and his two siblings inherited the land where the mosque is sited, said he returned to the village after studying in Egypt to continue the work that his late father did for the villagers.

“The problem started in 2010 when I invited some scholars from outside the village and abroad to come to the mosque,” he said.

“Some villagers, instead, chose to defame me, with allegations that I was bringing in deviant teachings to the village,” he added.

Matters came to a head in 2012 when the riled villagers stopped him from entering the mosque.

This led Yahaya to bring the dispute to court and since then, 13 of his opponents were barred from using the mosque since last December.

Earlier this month, however, the court ruled that all villagers could use the mosque during Ramadan.

Kelantan Islamic Affairs and Malay Customs Council (MAIK) deputy president Datuk Yusoff Ismail said the state authorities were probing the matter and would send their representative to the mosque to settle the feud.

Selfie with Cikgu Ariffin

Cikgu Ariffin was treating me so nice in Iqra class that made me hesitated from telling him my bad experience. As I can see in his eyes that he never treats me as an outsider, putting all of his effort in the one to one Iqra lesson. I have learn the precious lesson from him that I shouldn't care those "ustaz" who spread hatred and racism. There are too many of them who using racism as their political influences.While Cikgu Ariffin becomes my real life example of devoted Muslim, I'm getting melted with his sincerity although I always skip the Iqra class due to overload of works and outstation. He would send me an sms when I have been a while not attend his class: "Bila free mai la mengaji.. (Just come to the class when you're free..)

Till today I'm still remember what Cikgu Ariffin has said. I just received a few videos from my Chinese Muslim friends in whatsapp recently.. It's not new issue in Racist talks by certain Ustaz, the hatred has been spread for many years. I choose to ignore them and continue my life as Muslim. All I remember is Islam strictly forbidden RACISM, enough said.

Comments from my facebook page

"O Mankind, We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other. Verily the most honored of you in the sight of God is he who is the most righteous of you" (Quran 49:13).

Explanation: There are several principles, which this verse presents:

1. This message is not just for Muslims only because God is addressing all of humanity. While Muslims are one brotherhood, this is part of a larger brotherhood of humanity.
2. God is telling us that He has created us. Therefore He knows the best about us.
3. He says that He created us from one man and one woman meaning then that we are all the same.
4. It also means that all human beings are created through the same process, not in a manner in which some are created with a better mechanism than others.
5. God is the One who made human beings into different groups and people.
6. These differences are not wrong, rather a sign from God ("And among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the difference of your languages and colors. Verily, in that are indeed signs for those who know" [Quran 30:22]).
7. Note that no word equivalent to race is used in this ayah or any other verse of the Quran.
8. Islam, however, limits the purpose of these distinctions to differentiation and knowing each other. This is not meant to be a source of beating each other down with an attitude of ‘my group is better than your group' or false pride as is the case with tribalism, nationalism, colonialism, and racism.
9. The only source of preference or greatness among human beings is not on a national or group level, but it is at the individual level.
10. One individual who is (higher in Taqwa), more conscious of his Creator and is staying away from the bad and doing the good is better, no matter what nation, country or caste he is part of. Individual piety is the only thing that makes a person better and greater than the other one.
11. However, the only criterion of preference, Taqwa, is not measurable by human beings. Indeed God is the One Who knows and is aware of everything so we should leave even this criterion to God to decide instead of human beings judging each other. 

Reference : http://www.soundvision.com/info/racism/quran.asp


*Whatsapp video file deleted*