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52 Ways To Make A Difference
by Amina Cisse Muhammad
Islam Online, Washington, DC
26/03/2001
In this weekly column, we feature a discussion of a "small way" that each of us, as Muslims and as human beings, can seek to contribute to our families, our communities, our societies; indeed, Insha'Allah, to the world.
We urge you to take a moment to reflect on these words, and to contemplate how you might put them into action in your own life to benefit humanity. May Allah bless each and every one of us!
Week 10: Examine a prejudice. Develop an appreciation for diversity.
If we could shrink the Earth's population to a village of precisely 100 people - with all existing human ratios remaining the same - it would look like this:
There would be 57 Asians, 21 Europeans, 14 from the Western Hemisphere (North and
South), and 8 Africans.
51 would be female; 49 would be male.
70 would be nonwhite; 30 white.
70 would be non-Christian; 30 Christian [according to population estimates; about 20 would be Muslim].
50% of the entire world's wealth would be in the hands of only 6 people and all 6 would be citizens of the United States.
80 would live in substandard housing.
70 would be unable to read.
50 would suffer from malnutrition.
1 would be near death, 1 would be near birth.
Only 1 would have a college education.
No one would own a computer [meaning less than 1% of the world's population owns a computer].
When one considers our world from such an incredibly compressed perspective, the need for both tolerance and understanding becomes glaringly apparent
(www.farsinet.com/falsafeh/our_world.html).
As Muslims, we are well aware of the fact that Allah abhors division amongst humanity along racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and even religious lines. A recent article entitled
"Dhul Hijjah
Reminders," printed on March 7th in our Society section, talks in detail about the need for increased tolerance, cooperation, harmony, and unity in our community.
Briefly, however, I will mention the following verse from Sura Al-Hujurat (49:13):
"O mankind, indeed we have created you from a male and a female, and divided you into nations and tribes, so that you may know each other. Indeed, the best of you in the sight of Allah is the one with the most
taqwa."
And the following sayings from Prophet Muhammad's (SAW) last
khutbah:
"All of mankind comes from Adam and Eve. An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab have any superiority over an Arab; also, a white has no superiority over a black nor does a black have any superiority over a white - except by piety and good action.
"Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim, and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim that belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselves. Remember, one day, you will meet Almighty Allah and answer for your deeds. So beware and do not stray from the path of righteousness after I am gone."
And so with these words, I beseech each of us to consider:
Is there a category of people that you don't like? Body builders? Smokers? Jewish American Princesses [people belonging to any ethnic group based purely on their membership in that group]? Prejudiced people?
What's behind the prejudice? When did it first start? What threatens or scares you about that group? Have you or a friend had a bad experience [with someone belonging to that group]?
And now, for the hard part: When the opportunity casually presents itself (or you consciously create it), talk to someone against whom you hold a prejudice and learn about them as a person. Are they [like] what you expected [them to be like]? (Gordon, 1996)
Of course, Allah has commanded us to love what He loves and to dislike what He dislikes, so we are not speaking here of accepting injustice or sinfulness in the name of tolerance. However, it is Allah's commandment as well that we should do our best to live in peace, tolerance and with appreciation of those who are different from us - to the extent, even, of granting forgiveness to those who wrong us (Qur'an 2:178; 3:134; 5:13, 45; 16:126; 42:40)
unless they are afflicting perpetual and severe injustice upon us, and it is clear that if we were to continue trying to live in peace with them that we would be showing cowardliness in the face of oppression (Qur'an 22:39; 60:9).
May Allah ta'Ala guide us all, and forever shower His Mercies upon us!
Note: This list is being developed partially from the card set, 52 Ways to Make A
Difference, authored by Lynn Gordon and published by Chronicle Books of San Francisco, and available at Borders Book Store in the mini-book section.
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