Between The Malayized Muslim and The Islamized Malay

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

Assalamualaikum wbt.

1. If today a rich man organizes a dinner, inviting everyone with a condition that they pay a high amount of money each, then he needs to redefine the word 'everyone'. Maybe it's more apt to put there 'eveRICHone'.

2. The same way, we can always say that we invite everyone to Islam, but that doesn't really work if we put a condition there i.e 1) Be a Malay first. Or rather, 2) be LIKE a Malay. Or maybe, 3) follow only the Malay's decision.

I aspire to spread love, NOT hatred ;-)

3. I am one of many Malay Muslims out there who are very critical with the idea of putting race as an agenda for the good of Islam in Malaysia just because the Malays make up the largest number in population, and just because our national Constitution defines a Malay as a Muslim.

4. That's to me, not an agenda, but a propaganda.

5. Not only do I find such a thinking or methodology (if you so will) very problematic, it is very selfish and unislamic too, from my point of view- which I will explain why below insya Allah.

6. Before I continue though, let me make it clear here that everyone who reads this must be fair and true to yourself, tuning the intention of heart and mind, that all we look for is pure sincerity and common grounds to agree with.

7. One point very crucial not to skip, that I am focusing on a particular idea which I am against. If anyone or any organisation in this world are in favor of the agenda I am talking about, you have my words here that when I specifically refer to this area of discussion, it never means that I reject everything that a person or an organisation is 'preaching'.

8. This is the adaab and the akhlak of a true Muslim. To have respect for one another and agree to disagree in a particular area, while unite in peace in other areas where we share the same belief and conviction.

9. This is even the akhlak of the scholars (ulama'). Also the akhlak of the four famous mazhab (schools of thought) in Islam. That they don't call other scholars a kaafir, or even accusing others as being outside of Islam.

10. Now, let me jump straight to the point.

11. And let me put it this way.

12. First off, I think that we are very busy trying to present Islam as truth, until we forget to find the TRUE Islam.

13. What that means is that, so weak we humans are, we tend to see what we already have or believe is the only truth and very often impose on others so that they too must believe in that sole truth (according to our belief). But we forget, the real truth is within the Quran and Sunnah, not our whims.

14. This is not only between Muslims and non-Muslims, but more importantly also within our own Muslim community.

15. Because of that, we forget something very important in Islam, that life is about LEARNING.

16. And do you notice a word inside the word LEARNING?

17. There is EAR in LEARNING.

18. And an ear is used to listen. Question is, do we listen when we learn?

19. Do we communicate with others? Are we willing enough to admit that at times, we are on the wrong side and need correction?

20. What's with the ego?

21. Right. Do not want to dwell on that. But let me pose to you here another important question.

22. In a multi-religious and multiracial country like Malaysia, where most of us claim to be Muslims, I think we are falling short in another important area.

23. That we are so busy fighting for the RIGHTS of Muslims, until we forget the DUTIES of Muslims.

24. I never thought that the main purpose to live as a Muslim, is to establish an Islamic country where the Muslims are so powerful, that all non-Muslims must abide by any rules and regulations made, or face a consequence of being expelled from the country.

25. Wait a minute. I am not even talking about the rules and regulations of Allah.

26. I am talking about rules and regulations of Muslims.

27. I am talking about the difference between Muslims and the Muslims' God.

28. You get what I mean?

29. The ultimate success of Islam, is not to put people who are not Muslims under fear and pressure, and then forced to leave an Islamic country. That is no difference with what those people in Myanmar are doing towards the Muslim people of Rohingya. No difference at all!

30. However, the real victory of Islam is, when we can live in peace (one of linguistic translations of Islam) under one roof, which is made up of both Muslims and non-Muslims. Diversity is inseparable from our world nowadays. Let us enjoy the real unity in diversity that Islam approves of, as mentioned in the Quran.

"O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another..."

(Surah Al-Hujurat, ayah number 13)

31. Having said that, let me point out this one very crucial point. When we claim to fight in the name of Islam, do we want others to love and adore Islam or hate and abhor Islam?

32. This question is only understood if we know the difference between rights and duties.

33. From my observation, certain factions of Muslims in Malaysia are very problematic in their mindset, because all they do as a Muslim is to fight for Islam to an extent that whoever are against them (not even against 'true' Islam, but only 'his version' of Islam) will be considered as the enemies of Islam.

34. Therefore, we (according to these factions) have to struggle for a power, especially political power, so that these so-called 'the enemies of Islam' will be silenced for whatever beliefs that they have or want to live with. They must be stopped! Therefore Muslims (especially the Malays) must unite to stop them all!

35. This is a wonderful recipe to win power, and at the same time a total failure to win hearts.

36. A wonderful recipe that 'burns to death' the beauty of Islam. Have you forgotten that Islam is really about the action of the heart?

"Let there be no compulsion in Islam..."

(Surah Al-Baqarah, ayah number 256)

37. So what exactly am I proposing?

38. My dear, the focus is not only on rights, but on our duties.

39. Talking about rights, our duties as a Muslim have rights on us too! And we have to therefore play such duties!

40. Firstly, is to make a deep reflection and think, what have we done, to explain Islam to both Muslims and non-Muslims? Have we done enough?

41. How many non-Muslims out there are against hudud (one of Islamic legal punishments) out of ignorance?

42. How many are against it solely due to their hatred towards the Malays?

43. And the fact that they think hudud will only benefit the Malays (in a way that Malays have the right to exercise hudud because the Malays 'own' Islam)?

44. Think about that. Do you think that people really hate Islam, or is it because they see Islam as a tool to protect the Malays and degrade the others?

45. Do you know that even some MALAY MUSLIMS are against hudud. Does that not trigger something in your mind?

46. That the real problem is not the opposition towards the idea of hudud? Don't you think the real problem is that we rarely make efforts to really explain what Islam is all about? Because we are ALREADY Muslims and we only tend to question others, without any efforts to question ourselves?

47. And be more alert on what I said. I do not even say explaining hudud!

48. I am talking about explaining Islam instead! Truly, hudud is not the number one thing, nor is it the only one thing in Islam! Open your mind!

49. Again this is what I am talking about. We fight for the right of Islam to force people, Muslims and non-Muslims alike to accept hudud, but we forget their rights to know that Islam is a simple religion that comes with 'There is no God but God (Allah SWT)'!

50. This wonderful phrase, this is their right (to know and understand). And this is OUR DUTY! Have we not reflected?

51. Why is it that there are so many 'fancy' name-calling like kafir laknatullah (woe of Allah be unto the rejectors) towards this non-Muslims?

52. Do you forget the akhlak of Rasulullah SAW? When he bled that he was thrown with stones by the people of Taif, he asked Allah SWT to forgive them because they (people of Taif) did not know?

53. And he SAW asked from Allah SWT that the progeny of this people will finally find the truth of Islam?

54. Where is your passion towards the sunnah of Rasulullah SAW my friends?

55. The irony is obvious. We utter every single 'Islamic' curse towards the non-Muslims, and then when these unfortunate cursed group of people commit injustice on our land, we complain and we explode? But I thought just know we are the ones who pray for their wickedness?

56. Where is the mercy? Where is the love? And where is the rationale behind all our actions?

57. To cut this short, I have one simple message to make here.

58. Muslims especially in Malaysia have to start considering the huge need to integrate and co-exist with people of different backgrounds and religions IN REAL PEACE AND HARMONY.

59. Around the world now, this is what the good Muslims are doing.

60. They are spreading the true message of Islam, that we condemn hatred, we condemn indiscriminate killing, we condemn war, we condemn murder and we condemn what ever that is bad towards mankind and humanity and whatever that is bad to the environment and the universe.

61. Muslims and Islam have important roles to play and major contributions to make to NOT ONLY THE MUSLIMS, but to the whole world and universe.

"That We do no send you (Muhammad SAW) except as a blessing to the WHOLE UNIVERSE."

(Surah Al-Anbiya', ayah number 107)

62. Our job and duty is therefore not to join the real enemies of the world who race to conquer and dominate us all, but our real task is to let people know that we Muslims can lead the way towards peace and the spirit of togetherness, without compromising Islam itself as our way of life, because even to hate the non-Muslims itself is unislamic.

63. Our real job is to bring back the respect and confidence amongst non-Muslims towards Islam and the Muslims.

64. And only by then, we will also successfully restore the confidence in the Muslim ummah.

65. The underlying principle is simple. As Mahatma Ghandi said, we are the change we want to see in this world.

66. We the Muslims here in Malaysia can no longer remain with the attitude of pointing fingers towards others.

67. The fact (some of us claim) that we can not practice freely as a Muslim in Malaysia just because there are non-Muslims living with us in the country is the greatest hoax of all time. It's a myth that kills. A tale that slaughters our mind.

68. So now, are you ready for this call? To do dakwah and be more positive and be more open and have hikmah (wisdom) towards others? I have done part of my job (writing this article). And I will accept your rejection towards the above proposal I've made, if you want to.

69. And I leave it to Allah SWT for He is the best in His judgement.

70. All I want is the good for not only Islam and the Muslims, but the whole humanity. And not only humanity to be exact, but the whole universe, that's what Islam is for, and also what Al-Quran is revealed for.

71. To end, I have one last remark to make to all of you the Malay Muslims out there.

72. If we continue to see all people who are not born Malays as non-Malays (hence non-Muslims), and we continue to live and mingle only with the Malays, and we insist to only see things from the 'Malayish' point of view, then trust me, because of you, the Malays will perish.

73. Because of you, Takkan Melayu Hilang di Dunia will become a thing of the past. And a laughable matter in perhaps only few generations ahead.

74. And because of you, Malays will never make good Muslims- a perfect recipe towards the disappearance of Islam in Tanah Melayu.

75. Allahuaklam. Wassalam wbt.