Is there a racism among muslims?

[Jiri]

This is not really a question about Islam. It's about Muslim community. I've been thinking about Islam lately a lot (not quite there yet to become a Muslim though), but I was wondering if somebody here ever faced some form of racism within the Muslim community or it's completely unthinkable among Muslims. You know, I could image there could happen something like that when for example somewhere in western Europe a new Muslim, typical "white European", comes into Muslim community consisting mainly by immigrants or people of different ethnicity.

[Hulk]

Hellooo, since you specified muslim community then I guess you already know that Islam itself forbids racism. Well while it is uncommon I would say that there is probably some racism going on but mostly from those who don't really know about Islam. A muslim who knows his religion well literally cannot be racist because he would understand that we are all equal in the sight of God and only differ in our piety. To look down on another race would be a form of arrogance which is a big no no in Islam.

ALLAH’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever has an atom’s worth of kibr (pride and arrogance) in his heart will not enter Paradise.” So a man said: What about a person who loves (i.e. takes pride in) wearing beautiful clothes and beautiful shoes? So he replied: “Indeed Allah is beautiful and loves beauty. Kibr is to reject the truth, and to despise the people.” (Sahih Muslim, 1/65)

[Alpha Dude]

Inter-Muslim racism does happen.

Muslims are a very diverse group and like with any group, there is bound to be a proportion that behaves in a racist manner.

You have to realise, there's many people who although they believe in the primary belief of Islam, don't strive to follow its teachings properly.

[Aprender]

I personally haven't ever been met with racism among the Muslim community here at all. I'm met with more racism outside of Islam in the secular community and this is before and after my I decided to embrace Islam. Only difference now is that people have two reasons to hate me instead of one. In fact it was actually one of those things that struck me odd about Islam before I converted. The way you could walk into a masjid and see all of these people from other parts of the world praying and working together. I remember at the university I would walk around campus and see all the Muslims together but they would all be from different backgrounds hanging out and having fun together. I also thought it was strange how incredibly mature some of the Muslim sisters I met before I converted. It's just not something I was used to as an American college student.

I come from a traditional Christian background where churches are still predominantly one ethnicity or another. You have black churches, Latino churches, Korean churches, Arabic churches. And people would go there to stick with their own really. I've been to some churches where there was more diversity but those are a little more rare around here where I live. Not sure about other places in America.

I remember once I was reading something about Malcom X when he went to Hajj and he was shocked because a black man was leading a salah and it really transformed his views on racism.

I suppose it really depends on where you live. You might find some individual Muslims who are racist, astaghfirullah, but for the most part I have not experienced this at all within the local Muslim community here.

It's one of the reasons why I find being among other Muslims very comforting sometimes.

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[Scimitar]

Unfortunatley racism does exist within Muslim peoples, but it is definitely against Islam, as Hulk mentioned.

However, the most tolerant people I have found in my wanderings are still Muslims :) truth is strange, but beautiful.

[Insaanah]

I remember once I was reading something about Malcom X when he went to Hajj and he was shocked because a black man was leading a salah and it really transformed his views on racism.

Here are a couple of quotes from a letter Malcolm X (El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz) wrote back to the US while in Makkah in April 1964:

There were tens of thousands of pilgrims, from all over the world. They were of all colors, from blue-eyed blonds to black-skinned Africans. But we were all participating in the same ritual, displaying a spirit of unity and brotherhood that my experiences in America had led me to believe never could exist between the white and non-white.

America needs to understand Islam, because this is the one religion that erases from its society the race problem. Throughout my travels in the Muslim world, I have met, talked to, and even eaten with people who in America would have been considered 'white'--but the 'white' attitude was removed from their minds by the religion of Islam. I have never before seen sincere and true brotherhood practiced by all colors together, irrespective of their color.

During the past eleven days here in the Muslim world, I have eaten from the same plate, drunk from the same glass, and slept on the same rug - while praying to the same God - with fellow Muslims, whose eyes were the bluest of blue, whose hair was the blondest of blond, and whose skin was the whitest of white. And in the words and in the actions in the deeds of the 'white' Muslims, I felt the same sincerity that I felt among the black African Muslims of Nigeria, Sudan, and Ghana.

http://www.malcolm-x.org/docs/let_mecca.htm

These words from the last sermon of the Prophet (peace be upon him) are also worth noting:

All mankind is from Adam and Eve - an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood.

And of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the diversity of your languages and your colors. Indeed in that are signs for those of knowledge. (Qur'an, 30:22)

The believers are naught else than brothers. Therefore make peace between your brethren and observe your duty to Allah that you may obtain mercy. (49:10)

So any form of racism is completely forbidden in Islam.

With some immigrants, sometimes in their home countries they've only ever seen Muslims of their own ethnicity, and haven't seen many reverts, so it can sometimes seem strange to them that a "white" person is a Muslim. It might be perceived as racism, but may be just amazement. Just something to bear in mind.

The overwhelming majority of Muslims are not racist because that is strictly forbidden and as shown, we are one ummah, one brotherhood, one community, regardless of background, heritage, race, ethnicity, culture, colour, language, anything. Hopefully you'll find a warm welcome wherever you go as a new Muslim.

[IbnAbdulHakim]

there is racism amongst muslims.

and it is made haram (forbidden) in islam to be a racist.

Islamic tradition known as Hadith states that in his final sermon the Prophet Muhammad, Allah's Blessings and Peace be upon him, said:

"There is no superiority for an Arab over a non-Arab, nor for a non-Arab over an Arab. Neither is the white superior over the black, nor is the black superior over the white -- except by piety."

[Muhaba]

yes racism exists among muslims. it shouldn't be there, as all human beings are really one race (offspring of Adam and Eve) and all muslims are brothers of one another. Allah says in the Holy Quran, Surah Al-Hujarat, that people were divided into tribes and nations so that they would know each other but that the most honorable in the Sight of God is the most pious. which means that all people are equal and the thing that raises one person above another is righteousness and not race. There is also a hadith that shows that no person is better than another: the meaning of the hadith is that the Arab has no superiority over the non-Arab and the non-Arab has no superiority over the Arab and the only thing that makes one person superior to another is piety. (Allah knows the exact words of the Hadith.)

in the muslim world, you most likely won't find racism based on color, such as black and white. This sort of racism may exist but it is not as bad as in the Western world. The kind of racism more common among muslims is based on whether a person is Arab or not. Since Islam was revealed among the Arabs and the Prophet (SAW) belonged to Arabs and the language of the Quran is Arabic, unfortunately, the arabs feel that they are superior to non-arabs. and this has greatly divided the muslim world and brought out the worst in some people. the more prejudice people among the arabs look really down on non-arabs. this sort of attitude has really caused much harm.

[Jiri]

Thanks everybody for you great answers!

[Who Am I?]

:sl:

I have gotten a few weird looks when I do go to the masjid.

But then, I'm an anomaly. White on the outside, brown on the inside. I'm a brown guy trapped in a white guy's body. I'm a reverse coconut...

[Ebru]

As many confirmed Islam doesn't tolerate racism because we are all equals in front of Allah.

But still you can find racist Muslims although it's against the religion.

[UmmuShaheed]

Asalamu Alaikum
There maybe some racist Muslims, but know they dont represent Islam.
Islam doesnt tolerate racism. Our role model, Prophet Mohamed (saw) said,
Some Sayings Regarding Racism
1.”You are sons of Adam, and Adam came from dust. Let the people cease to boast about their ancestors.” [Abu Dawud]
May Allah Guide you to the truth,
Best.
Asalamu Alaikum

[CosmicPathos]

Racism is not allowed in Islam. But racism means different things to different people.

[Joseph33]

I don't really want to argue this with anyone but from experience with Muslims, yes, racism is unfortunately rife among the Arab Muslims I have met. This is ironic because Islam is a universal religion. Yet, my Iraqi friends use the Arabic word for 'slave' when referring to black people. The same group of Iraqis claimed only Arabic peoples represent true Islam. Again, ironic because I know many devout Pakistanis and Hui whereas my Iraqi friends drink and smoke. (I begrudgingly admit I am a chainsmoker so I'm no better in this regard)

[Veritas]

Unfortunatley racism does exist within Muslim peoples, but it is definitely against Islam, as Hulk mentioned.

However, the most tolerant people I have found in my wanderings are still Muslims :) truth is strange, but beautiful.

Why do you say this brother Scimitar? Why would Muslims be more tolerant than, say, Catholics?

[nature]

This is not really a question about Islam. It's about Muslim community. I've been thinking about Islam lately a lot (not quite there yet to become a Muslim though), but I was wondering if somebody here ever faced some form of racism within the Muslim community or it's completely unthinkable among Muslims. You know, I could image there could happen something like that when for example somewhere in western Europe a new Muslim, typical "white European", comes into Muslim community consisting mainly by immigrants or people of different ethnicity.

Yes!! unfortuantely its common everywhere. I work with a variety of muslims yet its the non muslims who actually treat you with greater respect, weird but true. Theres too much competition between muslims these days, which is stupid, & then you've got some races that think there better than the rest. Black muslims face the most prejudice, like sum1 else has mentioned only because the colour of your skin does matter, even to those who class themselves as true muslims, well certainly from what ive seen.

[Huzzy_786]

[GuestFellow]

This is not really a question about Islam. It's about Muslim community. I've been thinking about Islam lately a lot (not quite there yet to become a Muslim though), but I was wondering if somebody here ever faced some form of racism within the Muslim community or it's completely unthinkable among Muslims. You know, I could image there could happen something like that when for example somewhere in western Europe a new Muslim, typical "white European", comes into Muslim community consisting mainly by immigrants or people of different ethnicity.

Yup there is racism. Lots of racism. They are so dumb.

[fiqhenglish]

there is no racism in islam all are the same

[tearose]

The vast majority of Muslims I have met are not racist, whether Arabs or otherwise. Once, I met some Arab women who seemed amazed to see me, because they lived in a small town, and I think they had probably never met a non-Arab Muslim. However, they were very respectful, and I think they were just curious. I don't see that as racism at all. Even now I have moved, most of the Muslims I have got to know recently are of different ethnicities, but there is mutual respect and I feel completely comfortable. Alhamdulilah.

[Ahmad H]

It is true that there is racism amongst Muslims. It is very common and it is unfortunate that it has not been completely eradicated. These have to do with skin color from my experience. I don't have any issues with any other Muslims, I just think that it is unfortunate that some of them look at people as black, white or brown. i don't normally do this, but I do jokingly at times. Although that isn't right either since I propagate it.

Racism nowadays is considered normal for jokes. But, this causes issues such as hurting others' sentimentality. I am Pathan, and I find that my Muslim brothers who are Punjabi or partly Pathan say jokes about Pathans that often hurt my feelings like "Oh my god! You might kill me!" or "You're an angry person" or other things of that nature. I don't dislike any of my Muslim brothers who are Punjabi, I just think that there is definitely a common misconception amongst Punjabis about Pathans and this propagates racism. Similarly, Pathans respond in a similar fashion, which I'm not comfortable with either. When I get these thoughts towards my Punjabi brothers I feel disgusted with myself to be honest, and then I remember Allah and I stop.

In the end, we are all brothers who are united by the rope of Allah. The Final Sermon of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) is the best example of his eradicating racism, tribalism and nationalism. He made it very clear that everyone should respect each other despite, race, color or tribal affiliations. These traits amongst all of us simply identify us, and no more. When i think about things this way, then I realize that none of this racism stuff matters. But, it takes some effort to pull oneself away from it because so many people do it. I only know of the very righteous and god-fearing Muslims who completely refrain from this type of behavior. They do not show any racism, but the weaker Muslims do this. I have this weakness too, but I consider myself aware of it enough that I say Istighfaar if I do it by mistake.

All in all, there is no racism allowed in Islam. Any Muslim who exhibits this behavior is doing something un-Islamic. Islam eradicated racism 1400 years ago. This is really a very significant feat considering the state of the world so long ago. Even 100 years ago such thinking was considered outlandish in the West. Imagine the change 1400 years ago when the worst people in the world were changed overnight by one man. This is no small matter, but this itself is a great sign from Allah for the people of this age.

[Indian Bro]

As-salamu alaykum,

When I was in the U.A.E., they used to pay a higher salary to a Non-Muslim from Europe than to a Muslim from India even if they had the same qualifications. And when I was in school, I remember many Arabs used to be racist to Indians, Pakistanis, Blacks but not much towards the whites. Racism was really common in the part of Middle-east I lived in before I came to India. My observations lead me to believe that Indian-Muslims MUCH more tolerant about race-issues than Arab-Muslims. I'm not generalizing, just sharing my experiences.

Salam 3laikum

[lynn4now]

So far my experince for being muslim has been a wonderful one although i have many stories of diffrent happenings at the Masjid including an almost brawl between some unlucky Arabs and my martial Arts instuctors and pulps they happen to be black... and some issues with what they call 5 percent-ers which i can understan the friction there..it is unfortunate that these things happen.

[screamslayer]

just a simple question for who racism to muslim,

"who racism to muslim, he/she not learning what inside of the holy qur'an"

[Ramadan90]

Of course it does. But dont ever take it personal and you will be fine. Let Allah deal with them.

[Urban Turban]

Is there racism among Muslims? Little...

Is there racism in Islam? Not at all. Absolutely none.

And that's what matters.

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