Rainbows
-By Matin Sheikh
Large stones, tiny pebbles and natural debris from the surrounding woodland altered the course of a stream forming various channels that appeared abruptly on what seemed to be a smooth pathway. A small portion of the stream managed to steer its way towards a river, while the latter part collided with boulders causing miniature waterfalls. With the heavens overlooking the cascade of clouds, the mist surged up from the depths of these falls. The mist caressed the land and suddenly a rainbow appeared. What is unique about rainbows is their awesome presence and the powerful message that they relay to mankind. They consist of seven spectral colors, just as humanity consists of numerous nationalities and colors. Each color of the rainbow and each nationality of the global population, regardless of how different, cannot exist completely independent. They must be able to coexist in peace to form that one common goal, unity. If the rainbow’s vibrant colors were ever to submit to the forces of chaos, there would be no rainbow to view. On the contrary, when the devotion to the interest or culture of a nation takes precedence over all ideas and thoughts within the mind, that mind poses a major threat to all of mankind.
The exploration of the Earth in search of riches led me to more than just gold and diamonds. It sent cartographers to the drawing board to map out destinations and label significant finds in terms of land and ocean masses. This labeling, in turn caused the native inhabitants of a particular region to be addressed as the people of that area. For instance, today we do not refer to North-East Africans as North-Eastern Africans, they are referred to as either Egyptians, Libyans, Sudanese or even Ethiopians. This is the foundation of nationalism, the artificial boundaries encasing each plain, savanna and every mountain on this planet. This is the primary source of the nationalistic philosophy. It has caused divisions among mankind when there must be unity.
Allah declares, “O mankind, We have created you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another.” We have not been created into nations and tribes so that we may be at war with one another. The reason for our ethnicity is for us to be attracted to one another and know and understand our differences. This is what makes this world so beautiful, a multitude of people spanning across the globe. Through the kindness of the One in whose Hands our lives rest, we have been fashioned differently. Interestingly enough, many in our society indulge in these differences.
Knowledge is exclusive to no one, but the truth is exclusive to those who seek it. Extensive research in all fields, especially Islam, has become increasingly difficult. Because of their mistrust of Islam, western journalists can no longer be trusted. This mistrust developed from falsified information designed to protect the national interest of many of the leading industrialized nations. Also, this misinformation was used to prevent Islam from spreading in the US and abroad. The fear of a religion which absolutely prohibits adultery, usury, gambling and alcohol has prompted regimes to fend off any Islamic movements where ever they may gain power. This is to perpetuate the status quo, keeping the corrupt in power while maintaining an atmosphere of mass intoxication and Satan-like fornication. Leaders, therefore, remain nationalistic zealots well into the next millennium.
The United States of America is in a paradoxical position when it comes to talk on nationalism. America’s population is composed of peoples from around the world, not just one specific race or ethnicity. It can also boast of having the greatest academic institutions in the world. Yet, even these institutions are setup in a questionable manner. Elementary schools in predominantly white neighborhoods are far superior in the quality of education, resources, teachers, administrators, graduation of students and facilities than schools predominated by Latinos and blacks. Schools comprised of Latinos and blacks are unfairly deprived of funds. Consequently, a small portion of Latinos and blacks, end up in private schooling while the rest waste away in deficient inner city schools due to the outrageous costs of private education.
Nationalism penetrates deep into the bodies of men and women. It reproduces killing machines, as exemplified in Israel. Thousands have lost their lives or are being tortured because of the actions of the illegitimate Jewish state. Judaic law requires taking a life for a life, but the Zionists disproportionately butcher thousands for the loss of a single Jewish life. The nationalistic feeling of being Israeli has take precedent over being Jewish.
Many of our youth are geared toward the medical profession even though it is primarily for the benefit of specific races. Only in highly developed industrialized areas do we find adequate medical facilities equipped to dispense medicine, perform surgery and house specialized medical tools. Third world nations generally have wretched hospitals. This reality combined with the rise of deadly diseases in these countries, increases the possibility of these conditions. A continuous lack of adequate funding produces poor medical institutions overseas. As a result, the people needing medical assistance the most are unfairly denied proper care simply because they live in underdeveloped nations.
Television and radio bombard us with stereotypical images and sounds. The truth is seldom displayed and when it is, it is distorted. These mass communication tools are stuffed with artificial personalities. They are set up in such a way that even adults are duped into believing what they hear and see. Almost every sitcom, series and movie, delegates blacks, Hispanics and even Indians to mostly secondary positions. This unethical characterization of people has damaged the image of too many who did not deserve it. It has duped people into making prejudgments as in the case with the Oklahoma City bombing. All of America pointed its index finer at Muslims for being the villains behind this horrifying crime. All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds, the culprits were America’s own Christian citizens.
*“When my servant asks you concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them); I listen to the call of every supplicant, when he calls on Me. Let them also, with a will, listen to My call, and believe in Me that they may be directed (to the right path).” * (2:186). No European, Asian, African or even American has priority with Allah. Allah listens and hears us irrespective of the color of our skin or the heritage of our ancestors. This is the beauty of Allah, a beauty which is lacking in some Muslims.
Nationalism has even put abrasions on the hearts and minds of Muslims across the world and in the United States. The cause of many divisions within the American-Muslim communities is, ironically, based on our diversity. Pakistani Muslims want a Pakistani Masjid, Palestinian Muslims want a Palestinian Masjid and so forth. Another dilemma that we face is inter-racial marriages. Because of the diversity in the US, interracial/intercultural marriages among Muslims should be more commonplace. In America we are far more prone to this but unfortunately, family circumstances prohibit anything of the sort from happening. It is as if it is taboo to marry outside of one’s traditional nationality even though the Qu’ran and Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) give us the authority to do so. As American students can attest, there are more cultural clubs opening up on college campuses than Muslims Students Associations. This practice makes Islam an optional organization to work for rather than an essential one for a Muslim student. Only when nationalistic views take precedence or conflict with Islam are they to be extinguished, as in the above cases.
We should all be proud of our ancestral home because our heritage is a sacred lineage that Allah has blessed us with. Standing shoulder to shoulder and prostrating to the same God, we understand the oneness of humanity. At this time, we see our noble Islamic history filled with Americans, Europeans, Asians and Africans unfolding before our eyes.
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was not necessarily sent to humanity to destroy any customs, traditions or nations. He was sent to eliminate the un-Islamic aspects of the cultural trappings of nations in order to establish Islam in the hearts of people young and old. The echoes of his teachings can be heard today vibrating across the lands near and far. Nations and tribes that remain unmoved by Allah’s call have a bleak outlook.
After the rain, many rainbows appear and then vanish. When they do make their grand entrances onto nature’s canvas, we should observe their structure. Each color must be present in order to form that one phenomenal arc, just as each nationality is an integral part in forming the whole of humanity. If any color or nationality were to fade, the goal would not be possible. Verily in all of Allah’s creations there are signs and lessons to be learned. The hardest lesson may be that nationalities play no part in our individual greatness.
[This message has been edited by Girl from Quraysh (edited December 23, 2000).]