Ethnic Superiority in Islam?

[ShahnazZ]

Salam alaikum all,

With this being one of my very first posts and all I guess I wanted to make it a bit interesting considering this is a topic that weighs very heavily on my mind and that would be the topic of cultural/ethnic pride vs. religion (of course, ISLAM).

As evident throughout the world and in our own countries, we can clearly see that our Prophet (PBUH)'s vital advice of STAYING UNITED was not maintained or implemented to the fullest as of today. During the rule of the Khulafa Ar-Rashideen, the Ummah was probably the closest it would ever be after Our Rasul's (PBUH) time and then from then on disunity spread rampant. This is of course evident in Islamic history and now well up until present day. My point?

Our Ummah's falling apart BIG TIME and it just seems to be getting worse.

This in my opinion is fueled partly by a feeling of national and ethnic pride on the part of many Muslim groups, with many individuals in those groups believing themselves to be "better Muslims" than others. I'm not picking on any particular group or generalizing AT ALL as these type of people exist EVERYWHERE and in EVERY RACE, but my point is it is precisely these type of ignorant sentiments that are fueling the divide of the Ummah today and if people don't start learning to accept and respect one another, our fallen Ummah will one day (Na audhu Billah) lead to a LACK of Ummah.

I believe our diverse backgrounds make for an even more BEAUTIFUL Ummah therefore there really should be no reason to discriminate on ANY basis. During our Prophet's (PBUH) last sermons, he stated that there would be no discrimination in Islam (i.e. "No Arab would have superiority over a Non-Arab and no Non-Arab would have superiority over an Arab). Therefore, doing otherwise would be HARAM.

This is something I've always felt very strongly about and there have been times in my life where I've literally felt personally hit by it, even though I haven't been discriminated against but I've felt the impact of it against others and it truly is a hurtful thing especially for those Muslims who are just looking for unconditional acceptance by their fellow Muslim brothers and sisters.

This also leads to a literal divide in the Ummah as I'm aware that many people believe that when it comes to marriage, they look towards those of the same cultural or ethnic background, sometimes preferring them over those who are religious. Our Prophet stated that the number one factor that should be considered in contemplating an individual for marriage is TAQWA. However, today it's a sad thing to see that this factor takes a backseat to Same Nationality/Ethnicity.

So sorry for writing such a long post, but as I said this is something that weighs heavily on my mind, considering I live in the US and am surrounded by almost ALL kinds of Muslims from almost all kinds of different backgrounds mashallah and this is hard for me to have to deal with especially in a country where we have no choice BUT to accept one another for who we are or risk being alone in a land where Muslim hatred is very much running rampant.

I hope I didn't offend anyone; I'm just clearly stating my feelings and trying to relieve myself of this unfortunate burden.

Salam

 

[lostlilly07]

Mash'allah sister, I know how you feel sorta like for me back home I live in MD, my masjid is majority African american sisters and every now then you may see a middle eastern sister in there or indian sister or even a white sister. No matter how much I see the African american sisters reacing out to minority, there tends to be a gap, A gap which i think has been filled by living in American society. I went to Morocco over summer and Truely I did not at once feel any racism but for a white friend of mine he did feel some racism. You see some places see the Anglo-saxon( white) as being oppressor. Really unfortunate. I pray Allah guide us all. Me personally ever sense I have gotten stronger in my deen, I don't think only those with knowledge have the right to be superiorer

 

[ShahnazZ]

I do believe that one can only be superior in terms of vast knowledge and this is meant for other Muslims to strive to increase their knowledge as well, therefore its a way for them to gain more reward.

 

[BintMuhammad]

Assalamu alaikum,

Sometimes, infact a lot of times, it's not the fault of those people who "seem to be superior" but some people also feel inferior or is prolly shy and even afraid of interacting with other races and this should not be the case.

 

[abdul ghaleeb]

no such thing as superirority. . the highest in the sight of Allaah(swt) is one who puts himself lowest to him and lowest(humblest) amonst fellow mens.

 

[ShahnazZ]

Assalamu alaikum,

Sometimes, infact a lot of times, it's not the fault of those people who "seem to be superior" but some people also feel inferior or is prolly shy and even afraid of interacting with other races and this should not be the case.

Um I wasn't assuming that anyone "seemed to be superior", I was going by their ACTUAL words when alot of them actually SAID they were superior. :astag:

 

[BintMuhammad]

Um I wasn't assuming that anyone "seemed to be superior", I was going by their ACTUAL words when alot of them actually SAID they were superior. :astag:

:salam2:

Sorry brother, but I was actually not referring to your reply I was telling it in general coz some people misconstrue those "people who seem to be superior" acting as superior.

 

[Abdul-Raheem]

:salam2:

Sorry brother, but I was actually not referring to your reply I was telling it in general coz some people misconstrue those "people who seem to be superior" acting as superior.

:salam2:

Especially when it comes to our Arab brothers and sisters in faith, people generalise a lot.

wasalam

 

[ShahnazZ]

:salam2:

Sorry brother, but I was actually not referring to your reply I was telling it in general coz some people misconstrue those "people who seem to be superior" acting as superior.

Firstly, I'm a 100% SISTER. :shymuslima1:

:salam2:

Especially when it comes to our Arab brothers and sisters in faith, people generalise a lot.

wasalam

I'm sorry, but I'm slightly lost on your meaning.

 

[Munawar]

:salam2:
Sister Shahnaz is right. We Muslim do have this desease. But if you compare it with any other religious group we are still much better in many ways.

Take Christians for instance. You will find hard-core, third degree racisim among them. Forget about praying togather, they cannot even tolerate the presence of a different race near them, even if they are christian.

Jews too have so many superiority complexes going on, not just again "gentiles" but within their own sects/tribes. African Jews and Eurpean Jews cannt see eye to eye. And if they were living in a country with no external threats, then you would have seen how they go at aginst each others throats.

Hindus have so many classes and casts. Upper class Hindus wont even let the lower class Hindu walk in front of their houses with his shoes on. The lower class Hindu would have to take his shoes off before he walks infront of a upper class Hindu's house in India.

But you will see no such talk in media. On the other hand Muslim's differences are exploited and fanned by the Satan, the western press and the western govrnments but still it is much better than the other communities,

Yes, we do have some loud-mouth idiots who by the grace of Allah are not in very large number, but they do do some damage from time to time.

 

[alkathiri]

Firstly, I'm a 100% SISTER. :shymuslima1:
.

Alhamdulilah it is 100%

I'm sorry, but I'm slightly lost on your meaning.

Becoz when the question of ethnic superiority the first thing that comes to their mind are the Arabs. Some arabs are proud of their race. It isnt wrong to be proud but it is wrong to think you are better than the white or black muslim.

 

[ShahnazZ]

Becoz when the question of ethnic superiority the first thing that comes to their mind are the Arabs. Some arabs are proud of their race. It isnt wrong to be proud but it is wrong to think you are better than the white or black muslim

Well of course there can be no generalization as I previously stated. Good and bad seeds exist in EVERY nation. However, I'm not speaking of those who simply have a pride for their race; I'm speaking of those that have that AND believe that it is just cause for making them better muslims than others.

 

[ShahnazZ]

:salam2:
Sister Shahnaz is right. We Muslim do have this desease. But if you compare it with any other religious group we are still much better in many ways.

Take Christians for instance. You will find hard-core, third degree racisim among them. Forget about praying togather, they cannot even tolerate the presence of a different race near them, even if they are christian.

Jews too have so many superiority complexes going on, not just again "gentiles" but within their own sects/tribes. African Jews and Eurpean Jews cannt see eye to eye. And if they were living in a country with no external threats, then you would have seen how they go at aginst each others throats.

Hindus have so many classes and casts. Upper class Hindus wont even let the lower class Hindu walk in front of their houses with his shoes on. The lower class Hindu would have to take his shoes off before he walks infront of a upper class Hindu's house in India.

But you will see no such talk in media. On the other hand Muslim's differences are exploited and fanned by the Satan, the western press and the western govrnments but still it is much better than the other communities,

Yes, we do have some loud-mouth idiots who by the grace of Allah are not in very large number, but they do do some damage from time to time.

Thanks so much for that analogy, brother, I never really thought about it like that. SubhanAllah we're very lucky the divisions between us are not AS great as those you just mentioned. However, we have been informed that on the Day of Judgment, there will be 73 different Muslim sects, of which only one who truly follows the Prophet's (PBUH) teachings will be prosperous. How and why these sects come about is unknown but it's possible that racial divisions like those that currently exist among us may be partly catalystic in fueling these different sects.

 

[Mrmuslim]

salaam alikom,

its a diseases in the heart of the people nothing more..and there is cure for it which came from theprophet peace be up on him

You are sons of Adam and Adam was created from clay. (Tirmidhi, ‘Tafsir,’ 49; ‘Manaqib,’ 73; Abu Dawud, ‘Adab,’ 111)

You should know that no Arab is superior over a non-Arab and, no non-Arab is supe*!rior over any Arab, no white is superior over black and no black is superior over white. Superiority is by righteousness and God-fearing [alone]. (Ibn Hanbal, Musnad, 411)​