As a Muslim of South Asian ancestry, I find it extremely troublesome that many Arabs feel they are superior to other people. Don't get me wrong, I practice Islam to the fullest. I don't drink, I don't smoke, but I feel that most of you Arabs see yourselves as a superior race in regards to everybody else.
This presents many problems, which I have encountered all my life as a Muslim. Aren't we all Muslims? Isn't Islam for everybody, Arab and non-Arab?
I hope many of you Arabs can expand on this topic more, because I would certainly like your feedback, because I sense most of you Arabs have a supriority complex about yourselves. When I was in the Middle East, I was appaled at the way Gulf Arabs treat Indian, Pakastani, and Bangladeshi people in comparison with people from America and Europe. Its about time Muslims, particularly Arabs, speak out against this discrimination against fellow Muslims.
As a Muslim of South Asian ancestry, I find it extremely troublesome that many Arabs feel they are superior to other people. Don't get me wrong, I practice Islam to the fullest. I don't drink, I don't smoke, but I feel that most of you Arabs see yourselves as a superior race in regards to everybody else.
This presents many problems, which I have encountered all my life as a Muslim. Aren't we all Muslims? Isn't Islam for everybody, Arab and non-Arab?
I hope many of you Arabs can expand on this topic more, because I would certainly like your feedback, because I sense most of you Arabs have a supriority complex about yourselves. When I was in the Middle East, I was appaled at the way Gulf Arabs treat Indian, Pakastani, and Bangladeshi people in comparison with people from America and Europe. Its about time Muslims, particularly Arabs, speak out against this discrimination against fellow Muslims.
It may difficult to get a genuine view from how Arabs actually feel. We have very few Arab members. but, I will say that our Arab members are very gracious and helpful. I have not seen that air of superiority you mention, among them.
I am Arabic, I feel no superiority over any Muslim no matter what background, level of education, age of gender. I feel one with all Muslims.. and more often humbled by all the reverts who don't even speak Arabic, yet seem to have encompassed more knowledge of Islam, than I have amassed even after living in such countries as Saudi Arabia...
Islam has come to sever superiority complexes.. anything you have encountered by Arabs, I apologize for, but can't control how other people behave, east or west..
Text without context is pretext If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him
I should add I have lived in and visited several Arabic nations. As a non-Arabic, non-Muslim and I have never found more warmth and hospitality than what i found among Arabs. It is my desire to return to those Arabic countries, if for no other reason, than to just feel the warmth and love of Arabs.
Are you sure about that. I found nothing but contempt and insults from Arabs all my life and I am sick of it, which is why I avoid Arabs, in general, because I find them to be annoying people. I get along better Jews and Hindus, then I do with Arabs. In fact, I never wish to visit another Arab country again.
Its sad not everyone is the same of course you get the good and the bad. my uncle suffered a lot of racism when he was living in Saudi and I heard an afgan brother complaining about this as well, sad.
Also, I would like to know the nationality of the last person who said they were non-Muslim. I also wanted to add, Arabs are not warm people. Actually, I will say one thing, I found more warmth among Iranians then I have found among Arabs. Arabs suffer from many maladies, one of those is ignorance. Not in terms of the way they live life, because I am very religious person, but in terms not being able to treat people right, which is why I do not visit any mosques that are predominately Arab. Sometimes I think, whatever bad is happening to Arabs is their own fault.
Interesting. I am saddened that your experiences with Arabs have been negative. But, do not let the actions of some form your opinion for all. Like I said we do not have many Arab members, but we do have a number of members that have visited Arab countries, perhaps some of them will see this thread and add their input.
This is just like when people call all Muslims ''terrorists'' akhi. The actions of a few do not account for the actions of many. There are racists everywhere, and the majority of the Arabs that I have come across are very humble and open mashaa Allaah. So, I don't think it's right of you to make a judgement like that. Re-think what you've just said akhi, Allaah is watching.
Last edited by Intisar; 12-25-2007 at 09:51 PM.
Reason: A grave mistake, astaghfirullah.
Are you sure about that. I found nothing but contempt and insults from Arabs all my life and I am sick of it, which is why I avoid Arabs, in general, because I find them to be annoying people. I get along better Jews and Hindus, then I do with Arabs. In fact, I never wish to visit another Arab country again.
Maybe you have a point and the million Arabs you encountered were all ********? Maybe you need to step back and reassess the situation and figure out the role you played in bringing out contempt and insults if it were purely a one way stream or a give and take situation?
I find that if it is your preference to get along better with Jews and Hindus to actually stick with what works for you. After all friendship and compassion isn't something you can force. And you should yield to your own comfort level.
I have answered my part as a Muslim and an Arab, but can't force on you something that you feel very differently about..
I wish you the best in all your relationships insha'Allah
Text without context is pretext If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him
Also, I would like to know the nationality of the last person who said they were non-Muslim. I also wanted to add, Arabs are not warm people. Actually, I will say one thing, I found more warmth among Iranians then I have found among Arabs. Arabs suffer from many maladies, one of those is ignorance. Not in terms of the way they live life, because I am very religious person, but in terms not being able to treat people right, which is why I do not visit any mosques that are predominately Arab. Sometimes I think, whatever bad is happening to Arabs is their own fault.
I believe you are referring to me> I was non-Muslim when I visited and lived in those countries. I guess since I was born in the US I am considered American although I lived much of my life out of the US.
"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 a black, nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is the brother of another Muslim, and that Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to your selves."
from the prophet's last sermon
each man thinks of his own fleas as gazelles
question authority
From what I've heard from actual Arab people, people from India/Pakistan are indeed looked down upon by Arabs. I've been told that there can be a sense of superiority.
I don't personally believe that such an ignorant mindset is true for all Arabs, but I won't discount that it probably is true for a certain percentage.
Then again, we do have ignorants in all races...
Apparently those with darker skin tones are looked down upon and are called 'Abid's (slaves). Allahu 'Alim though.
Brother syed, I honestly see no difference between the Arabs you complain of and yourself. You complain of them being racist towards you, and yet you're doing the same thing..lumping them all together when you surely know that the actions of a few do not account for all. Think of that. Allaah is All-seeing.
Well, its very interesting because you have a point. Many Iranians and Turks tend to look down on Arabs as inferior, especially during the days of Reza Shah Pahlavi, who emphasised Iran's Aryan non-Arab character.
I think the best thing to do for all of us is to remain apart from each other. I have pretty much seperated myself from American society, because I find Americans as annoying as Arabs. In fact, I can't stand both. Why don't we all do what the Honorable Minister Farrakhan advocates and just remain apart. We would be alot better off. Many times when I search websites making racist comment about Arabs I just simply don't care, because you get what you get.
The concept of superiority is the easiest sell ever conceived.
There are millions waiting in line to buy it.
It is not uncommon to find people within any describable group who conceder there group superior.
The one thing that you seldom see is people claiming to belong to an inferior group.
everybody must look down on somebody! it's probably part of how we define ourselves - in relation to Other.
lol.. what a horrible way to live, but you have a point.. it is as if the contrast, opposition and dissimilarity is how we define ourselves as better and it is unfortunate indeed... instead of stiving to be a 'better me' or a 'better we', we look for something that we conceive as less than the ideal we hold ourselves to in other individuals and mock it.
It takes alot of discipline to be a true Muslim and a constant struggle indeed!
I have always felt that you can't change people but you can be the change you want to see in other people and hope it is infectious :smile:
Text without context is pretext If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him
I just remembered in my travels I saw very much anti-Arab prejudice. In the non-Arabic mid-east the Arabs are very much looked down upon and treated quite badly. Perhaps what you have experienced was the result of those people having been mistreated by non-Arabs and what you saw as an air of superiority was a defense rather than an attack,
I think the best thing to do for all of us is to remain apart from each other. I have pretty much seperated myself from American society, because I find Americans as annoying as Arabs. In fact, I can't stand both. Why don't we all do what the Honorable Minister Farrakhan advocates and just remain apart. We would be alot better off. Many times when I search websites making racist comment about Arabs I just simply don't care, because you get what you get.
you don't think minister farrakhan is a muslim, do you? i don't think islam teaches any kind of separateness.
each man thinks of his own fleas as gazelles
question authority
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my uncle suffered a lot of racism when he was living in Saudi and I heard an afgan brother complaining about this as well, sad.
Apparently those with darker skin tones are looked down upon and are called 'Abid's (slaves). Allahu 'Alim though.
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