I started one of my summer university courses tonight on the History of the Smaller States of Europe (meaning, Balkan states, Greece, Turkey, Romania, Czech Republic, Belgium, Switzerland, Holland, Denmark, etc.). The professor made an interesting statement which I absolutely loved. I wanted your opinion on whether you agree or disagree with this cause a lot of people in the class disagreed. I thought it was wonderful though.
He said something along the lines of this:
“We are all apart of one race only; the human race. It is our ethnicity which differentiates us all from one another. Ethnicity, being traditional customs, language, characteristics, culture is what people from certain parts of the world have absorbed and made their own. It is this ethnicity which is the sole distinguishing factor amongst groups of people. Race, which is often used as the distinguishing factor, is nothing more than an artificial creation assigned to certain groups of people in order to create boundaries of differences which in turn is used to illustrate inferiorities amongst different groups.”
I really like the idea of there being one race only; the human race! We all belong to it and nobody can be booted out or deemed ‘inferior’ in this category. For example, race in the past has been used as an excuse to mistreat Blacks and other non-whites. The way I see it, it is true; race has always been used by leaders and people in general to illustrate how one group of people are more superior to others.
This might sound a bit strange but you know what it reminded me of - a small part of the last sermon delivered by Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him): …a white has no superiority over a black nor a black has any superiority over a white - except by piety and good action.
>>We all belong to it and nobody can be booted out or deemed ‘inferior’ in this category.<<
Interesting. Imagine the type of world if more of us actually believed the above, and lived up to the principle that it implies.
:k: i like your thread, Mehnaz - such an important issue that is forgotten around the world.
Dividing humans into ethnic groups ONLY sounds good at face value but it can create confusion. To me, it is OK to acknowledge and appreciate different races such as Chinese (oriental), Caucasian, Arab, Aryans, Polynesians, etc. The word race in itself is not a bad thing. It is the prejudices that exist due to human intervention what makes it so racial.
I believe we need another term in between race and ethnicity. For example, there are the Chinese people in countries ranging from China to Japan to Malaysia. And then there are different ethnic groups within those regions. So how would you differentiate a Chinese living in Beijing to one living in Kuala Lumpur?.
The beauty of the human race is in the variety it represents. All horses, donkeys and elephants in the animal kingdom look and act the same but not the humans.
PS. Those states in Europe are actually countries. Some of them might be offended at being called a state.
Even though the Professor may not be a muslim, but seems to me that this is basically just a commentary on a direct verse from Quran which is 49:13
[quote] "O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other)".
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I had seen a similar example before. The most famous one is when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said the following famous words:
[quote] "I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character"
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Thats a directly play on the words used by the Prophet Muhammad (Sallalah O Alaihai Wassalam) during his last sermon (closest translation)
[quote] "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".
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Yeah..isn;t it amazing that your professor came up with that quote without even having read the esteemed book of knowledge. What do you think it was? Common sense ..maybe? years of religious, cultural, ethnic evolution that made him say that. It is combined human knowledge and thought that helped him say those things.
My proff is a German historian .... very worldly! I'm going to enjoy this class. :)
I understand all the comments which have been made. In an ideal world, what my proff said is brilliant .... if only it were implemented. The word 'race', although it wasn't originally deemed as a negative word ... it just has too many negative connotations and it IS used by individuals (or groups) on many occassions to put down others.
However, what I personally have noticed is that this negative connotation of 'race' is being carried over to the term 'ethnicity'. Over the past two decades, ethnic superiority is being used as a reason to wipe out others. A new wave of 'new nationalism' I suppose. :)
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*Originally posted by irem: *
but i do believe that Muslims are alhamdulillah Allah's blessed people.
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Can't a non muslim be blessed by Allah too?
In my humble opinion , the divisions exist only in the minds of mortals like us... there is only one GOD and only we perceive Him in various different ways... which makes it all so complex...
I am sure I have Allah's blessing too... even though am a non muslim... :-)
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*Originally posted by Matsui: *
^ Right Aparna.... Of course non-muslims are blessed as well. Common sense would dictate that. Insecurity won't.
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I agree insecurity can never dictate anything...:)
These views are common. There is nothing in them that can be refuted. Just a few days ago one of my coleagues told me that she descends down from the house of Alides. I smiled at her and said I descend from Hazrat Adam and that is for sure. She felt embarrassed. Anyway my point is similar to what your Professor has said. We have divided ourselves in various categories and if you want to know the reasons behind them I would suggest you to read “Ethnocentrism” that is a branch of study in Sociology.
Thanks for sharing Mehnaz :k:
