Islam has witnessed an ever-growing plurality in ethnicity and culture since its beginnings. History has taught us that wherever there are differences present, a dark doorway to divide is conjured. In Singapore, we have allowed the cultural differences present between Muslim ethnicities to play a primary role in the prevalence of intrafaith division between Muslims, and hostility towards one another is slowly being etched deep within the veins of our Muslim community. The primary question that requires addressing is: “How do we close this doorway and walk in the pathway of unity?”. The answer to this question lies in Allah’s swt decree in the Quran: “And we made you into (varying) peoples and tribes so that you may get to know each other” 1. This verse is an exemplary illustration of the approach one should observe when it comes to ethnic and cultural diversity.
Allah swt decrees that the reason why He made us into a people with differing ethnicities and cultures is to ‘get to know each other’. The act of getting to know one another as aforementioned is multidimensional; comprising various layers that orbit around the nucleus of harmony and unity. It includes understanding one another – in terms of their culture and traditions – and accepting them regardless of their differences. Al-Alusi, an esteemed exegete, states that it also consists of forging ties with our kith from different ethnicities and cultures, and in turn, strengthening these very bonds2 ; fostering a harmonious community with no room for ethnic and cultural divergence.
“The Prophet Muhammad and his Companions were not at war with the world’s cultures and ethnicities but entertained an honest, accommodating, and generally positive view of the broad social endowments of other peoples and places. The Prophet and his Companions did not look upon human culture in terms of black and white, nor did they drastically divide human societies into spheres of absolute good and absolute evil. Islam did not impose itself – neither among Arabs nor non-Arabs – as an alien, culturally predatory worldview. Rather, the Prophetic message was, from the outset, based on the distinction between what was good, beneficial, and authentically human in other cultures, while seeking to alter only what was clearly detrimental. Prophetic law did not burn and obliterate what was distinctive about other peoples but sought instead to prune, nurture, and nourish, creating a positive Islamic synthesis.” 3
EDUCATING OURSELVES ON CULTURAL DIFFERENCES
Before we question ourselves on how many of us actually put in the effort to forge and strengthen ties with our kith from varying ethnicities and cultures, I believe that a more appropriate question to ponder upon is: “How many of us truly comprehend the different cultures present in our Muslim society?”. Comprehension aside, how many amongst us at least know of the different cultures present in our Muslim society today? I firmly believe that herein lies the primary cause of the ethnic and cultural divide we currently observe; a lack of knowledge and comprehension of one another’s cultures and intra-religious orientations. The moment this shortfall is addressed – through educating ourselves on the cultures of others – is the moment we would have taken a step towards bridging the cultural divide between Muslim ethnicities.
This lack of exposure and knowledge about the cultural nuances of others hinders effective communication between the people of our community. When we understand the cultural nuances of our Muslim brothers and sisters, we will definitely observe positive changes in our communication. We will interact with them in a more understanding and compassionate manner, avoid upsetting them, and avoid misinterpretations altogether.
One way we can educate ourselves is to regularly engage in dialogues with our Muslim brothers and sisters. In consequence, apart from the cultural differences we have, we will discover a common ground shared between these very people from different ethnicities and cultures. These commonalities will definitely create a sense of camaraderie and function as a catalyst in building relationships and fostering a sense of acceptance and togetherness. By taking the time to converse and learn about other people’s traditions and values, we can also challenge any preconceived notions we might have had and dismantle stereotypical and prejudicial barriers that hinder harmony in our society.
ACCEPTING AND RESPECTING DIFFERENCES WHILE EMBRACING THE ABSOLUTE COMMON GROUND
Dr Umar Faruq Abdullah strings words in a beautiful symphony mentioning that accepting and in turn respecting the cultures of others is a supreme Prophetic Sunnah:
The story of the “sons of Arfida” – a familiar Arabian linguistic reference to Ethiopians – provides a telling illustration of the place of culture (here, of course, Black African culture) within the Prophetic dispensation. In celebration of an annual Islamic religious festival, a group of Black African converts began to beat leather drums and dance with spears in the Prophet’s mosque. ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab – one of the chief Companions – felt compelled to interfere and stop them, but the Prophet intervened on their behalf, directing’ ‘Umar to leave them alone and noting to him that they were “the sons of Arfida,” that is, not his people. The Prophet invited his wife ‘A’isha to watch the dance, took her into the crowd, and lifted her over his back, so that she could watch them clearly as she eagerly leaned forward, her cheek pressing against his. The Prophet made it a point to dispel the Ethiopians’ misgivings about ‘Umar’s intrusion and encouraged them to dance well and, in one account of this authentic story, reassured them to keep up their drumming and dancing, saying: “Play your games, sons of Arfida, so the Jews and Christians know there is latitude in our religion.” 4
After educating ourselves on the cultural differences present in our society, we must then acknowledge, accept, and respect the different cultures of the people around us. It is imperative that I add here – relevant to the context of Singapore – that the different orientations and approaches that a people choose to uptake when it comes to certain Islamic practices namely but not limited to, celebrating the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), must also be accepted and respected. It should not be a factor that leads to a divide between Muslims as we have seen and still see up until this very day.
In order to effectively address this divide, we must first understand where this division stems from. This division arises from the actions of individuals who are focused on asserting to all others that the only orientation which is right and valid is the one that they are steadfastly holding on to and that the numerous others aren’t. In addition, they display inadequacy in possessing the prerequisites to engage in an intra-faith discourse. This inadequacy is mainly attributable to two matters; the first being the inability to uphold the required levels of properness and professionalism in an intra-faith discourse, and the second being the inability to demonstrate intellectual competency in matters vis-à-vis engaging in a religious discourse.
The assertion of the respective versions of truth, the lack of professionalism, and their intellectual incompetency are the three components that lead to failure in emulating decorum when discussing intra-religious matters. This failure then leads to the inexorable disrespect towards the religious orientations and opinions of one another; enforcing their religious beliefs and opinions on another, falsifying the religious orientations of one another, or both. The people who aren’t well educated on such matters should refrain from engaging in discourses on such matters yet inadvertently do so. As a by-product, they function as catalysts bringing detriment to the intra-faith harmony amongst Muslims in Singapore.
We fail to comprehend the ramifications of enforcing our orientations on others, and falsifying the orientations of others when it comes to discussing the permissibility of engaging in certain Islamic practices. We also lack wisdom in comprehending why everyone perceives their respective orientations to be the one closest to the truth. How can we then enforce our religious orientation – which we perceive to be correct – to someone who also perceives his religious orientation to be correct? No matter which orientation one chooses to adhere to, we should not perceive the people who do not follow the same orientations as us, as being lesser than us. Nor should we fall prey to the detrimental ideology of thinking that we are on the truth and all those who aren’t on the same page as us have been misguided.
As ironic and paradoxical as it may sound, I observe that as we are in pursuit of getting closer to the truth – trying to determine which religious orientation is closer to the truth – we simultaneously stray further from the truth; consciously contributing to intra-faith divisions by blatantly condemning, criticising, falsifying and disrespecting the people who do not share the same religious orientations as us in certain matters, insofar sowing seeds of rancour and bitterness between one another.
We should endeavour to adopt a respectful and compassionate approach when it comes to dealing with cultural and intra-faith differences. We have allowed our minimal differences to prevail over the vast oceans of commonalities we Muslims share with one another. It is apparent that we have yet to observe the desired degree of cultural synthesis and intra-faith harmony in our society today. And we will remain so for as long as we are too engrossed and focused on our differences instead of our absolute commonality: Islam.
REFRAINING FROM TAKING EXCESSIVE PRIDE IN ETHNICITY, CULTURE, AND LINEAGE
Having educated ourselves on the cultural nuances of others, and in turn, accepting the cultural diversity present in our community, we then have to reflect on ourselves. In the continuation of the previously mentioned verse, Allah swt decrees in the very same chapter: “The most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you.” 5 Allah knows that mankind is intrinsically inclined to take pride in their ethnicities, culture, and lineage. Therefore, He puts down a firm decree stating that these matters are of no value to Him, and that the sole criterion for nobility in His sight is piety, righteousness and God-consciousness.
The acclaimed exegete Fakhr al-Deen al-Razi mentions in his book: “How can you find it right to take pride in that which has been given to you and not been attained by you, and in that which you have no say and right to determine?” 6 No person has or ever will be regarded as being noble in Allah’s sight purely based on ethnicity, culture and lineage. Consequently, we should not be harbourers of pride and superiority complexes based on ethnicity, culture, and lineage. The Prophet (pbuh) emphasises this in a narration: “Verily Allah does not look at your faces and your wealth, but He looks at your heart and your deeds.” 7
Indeed, ethnic pride is a natural reaction when one strives to preserve his unique cultural identity in the face of historical struggles and ethnic accomplishments. Moreover, in Singapore, the Muslim community’s pride in their ethnic backgrounds has deep roots in their history and heritage. However, an excessive focus on these differences will inexorably lead to feelings of exclusivity and separation, and if we as a people are able to rid ourselves of taking excessive pride in the aforementioned matters, then surely another brick would be laid towards bridging the cultural divide between Muslim ethnicities in Singapore.
IDENTIFYING INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES, CULTIVATING SELF-AWARENESS, AND EMBRACING CULTURAL RESPONSIBILITY
By educating ourselves on the cultural differences present in our society and accepting these differences, we will also be able to notice and differentiate between cultural differences and individual differences8. Individual differences are a set of behaviours non-attributable to culture, which can easily be misconstrued as cultural differences. In the past, there might have been certain practices that fall far from the scope of pleasantries, which we might have attributed to the culture of certain ethnicities hitherto. After widening our scope of knowledge on the cultural nuances of others, we will come to a realisation that the unpleasant behaviours and customs we observed are actually individual differences, not representations of a culture.
It is quintessential that we cultivate self-awareness and observe cultural responsibility. Each individual carries the weight of their ethnic background and cultural heritage, and with that comes a responsibility to present oneself in a respectful and modest manner. This awareness is rooted in the understanding that our actions and behaviours can influence how others perceive not only us but also the larger group we are associated with. By being mindful of our conduct, we can avoid inadvertently reinforcing stereotypes or misconceptions about our cultural groups.
There exists an inherent responsibility to portray ourselves in a respectable and modest light. This stems from the awareness that our actions, behaviours, and interactions can often be interpreted as the cultural norms and behaviours of the broader group we identify with. This will aid in breaking down these preconceived notions through positive representation.
WORKING TOWARDS INTRA-FAITH UNITY: A COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY
We live in a multi-religious society which preaches racially and religiously harmonised ideals, yet how are we to observe inter-racial and religious unity if we fail to practice intra-religious unity? The Companions of the Prophet (pbuh) had their fair share of differences in opinions in certain Islamic matters, yet we observe that the differences present were never a dividing factor amongst them. They still demonstrated the zenith of brotherly endearment and care regardless.
We need to learn from the likes of the Prophet (pbuh) and his Companions and strive to rekindle the embers of compassionate camaraderie as well as strive to emulate the brotherhood displayed by them. It is a matter of absolute splendour and magnificence that Allah swt mentions in the very same chapter that we have been deriving lessons from: “Verily the believers are a brotherhood, so observe peace with your brothers.” 9 The gravitas of the word brotherhood is phenomenal. The Prophet (pbuh) emphasises the quintessence of harmony amongst Muslims and enlightens us with the definition of brotherhood and the remarkably strong ties that Muslims should observe between one another in an array of various narrations:
“None of you believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.” 10
“You see the believers with regard to their being merciful among themselves and showing love among themselves and being kind, resembling one body, such that, if any part of the body is not well then the whole body shares the sleeplessness and fever with it.” 11
“A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim. So he should not oppress him nor should he hand him over to (his satan or to his self which is inclined to evil). Whoever fulfils the needs of his brother, Allah will fulfil his needs; whoever removes the troubles of his brother, Allah will remove one of his troubles on the Day of Resurrection; and whoever covers up the fault of a Muslim, Allah will cover up his fault on the Day of Resurrection.” 12
“A faithful believer to a faithful believer is like the bricks of a wall, enforcing each other.” 13
Developing a robust sense of cultural and intra-faith unity through exposure and education is a multifaceted task that requires the involvement and contribution of various parties. There are several parties that owe a responsibility in educating varying demographics of the Muslim community on cross-cultural and intra-religious understanding, empathy, and appreciation for diversity. This responsibility rests with religious councils serving the Muslim populace, educational institutions focused on religious teachings, mosques catering to congregants, and parents guiding their children. These entities collectively assume this vital role, and the crucial ray that completes the spectrum of responsible parties is none other than the self.
Despite our differences; be it cultural or religious, we are all Muslim brothers and sisters who share faith in Allah swt, Muhammad (pbuh) as being the final blessed Messenger of Allah, the Quran as being the divine scripture of Allah, and Islam as being the perfect religion of Allah. And the moment we implement all these steps is the very moment we can say that we have heeded the divine guidance provided to us with regard to this matter and the moment we would have created a positive Islamic synthesis between different ethnicities and cultures. ⬛
1 Quran. Surah Al-Hujurat, verse 13
2 Al-Aalusi, M. Tafsir Ruh al-Ma’aniy, vol. 13. p. 313
3 Abd-Allah, U. F. Islam and the Cultural Imperative. ICR Journal, vol. 1, no. 1, 2009. p. 4. Available at: https://doi.org/10.52282/icr.v1i1.10
4 Ibid
5 Quran. Surah Al-Hujurat, verse 13
6 Ar-Razi, F. Tafsir Mafateeh al-Ghayb, vol. 28. p. 113
7 Sahih Muslim 2564c, Book 45, Hadith 42
8 Ruiz, J. 10 ways to bridge cultural diversity. Alder Koten. Retrieved at: https://alderkoten.com/10-ways-to-bridge-cultural-diversity/
9 Quran. Surah Al-Hujurat, verse 10
10 Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 2515, Book 37, Hadith 101
11 Sahih al-Bukhari 6011, Book 78, Hadith 42
12 Riyad as-Salihin 233, Introduction, Hadith 233
13 Sahih al-Bukhari 481, Book 8, Hadith 128
Faheem Ahamad is a University of Jordan graduate in Islamic Jurisprudence, currently a Senior Executive for Da’wah and Youth Development at Masjid Abdul Gafoor, with proficiency in four languages and a deep interest in the study of Quranic exegesis and Prophetic traditions.
