children of Israel

My daughter occasionally asking me about how I've became a 'Muslim'.

"Isn't dad Chinese? How could dad be Chinese and Muslim at the same time?"

I just smiled and try to explain with her.. Actually I'm encouraging her to ask more questions about faith and Creator. Which is something that I haven't really went through during childhood.


I was raised up as a faithful believer, my family won't allowed me to question anything about the belief except obey and follow every footsteps of others. "So that people would recognize you as a 'Chinese', blend in well and be part of the community." Ironically I didn't even know that I was following either belief or acceptance of community.

Community ruled out the lifestyle and cultural, slowly become as a self recognition and identity regardless of the core beliefs itself. It's doesn't matter anymore as long as it could bring up one's reputation.

Indeed, it took lots of courage and patience to get off the track. May be I should call it the 'good-ole track'. My ancestors draw out the track towards 'religions' and 'family traditions'.. Whenever my family members asking me about my so called new faith, instead of questioning about Creator, they care more about family dignity. It rules most of the Chinese sons who bring along the surname as family inheritance.

There's a verse in Quran stated :

"And when it is said to them, "Follow what Allah has revealed," they say, "Rather, we will follow that which we found our fathers doing." Even though their fathers understood nothing, nor were they guided?"

 (al-Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:170)

As we can see, the mindset of embracing tradition more than faiths itself is beyond the time and place. People tend to follow the tradition blindly till ignore the importance of recognizing who is our Creator.

Therefore when my daughter mixed with multiracial friends in school and came up with the paradox of 'Chinese' and 'Islam', I understand that there's a few kids who trying to label me as a filthy Chinese who eat.. pork?

Being labelled as a 'pork consumer' is another strange tradition in our different side of community. Whereby Chinese Muslim still being ridiculed in whichever way.. Stuck between Muslim and Non Muslim self perception under one roof.

"There's a whole lot of Chinese, good Chinese, bad Chinese.. Chinese who believe in Islam, Chinese who believe in any religions except Islam.. We can't rule them all under one circumstance. Just remember, don't let the ethnicity fool your vision against the hikmah from Allah SWT.."

"It's similar with the children of Israel (Yahudi) who reject prophet Muhammad s.a.w. just because he's from Quraysh tribe. Can't you see the ignorance in them regarding upraising and self-glorifying their own tribe till reject the messages from Creator?"

Those to whom We gave the Scripture know him as they know their own sons. But indeed, a party of them conceal the truth while they know [it].
(al-Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:146)

And [mention] when Jesus, the son of Mary, said, "O children of Israel, indeed I am the messenger of Allah to you confirming what came before me of the Torah and bringing good tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name is Ahmad." But when he came to them with clear evidences, they said, "This is obvious magic."
(al-Qur'an, As-Saf 61:6)

And when there came to them a Book from Allah confirming that which was with them - although before they used to pray for victory against those who disbelieved - but [then] when there came to them that which they recognized, they disbelieved in it; so the curse of Allah will be upon the disbelievers.
(al-Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:89)