The Star Online (http://www.thestar.com.my)
Myth of Malay Muslims , 29 August 2009
by mdnorhafiz
Have you watched Potong Saga produced by 15Malaysia? Yes, its funny, but full with message. That's a reality happened in Malaysia society. Misconception by non-Muslims, but don't blame them. It is misinterpretation by the Malay Muslims itself. (Yes, I talk about Malay Muslims not Chinese Muslims, Indian Muslims, African Muslims or Mat Salleh Muslims).
Myth No. 1: All Malays born as Muslims. Once you convert Islam, you are convert to Malays too.
The truth is Islam is not an exclusive religion. Its universal, all are welcome to embrace it. No single race in the world can claim such statement. Even Arabs never claim they 100% are Muslims. Just google Arab Christians. Surprisingly Baath Party (ruled by Saddam) founded by an Arab Christian, Michel Aflaq. Plus popular songbird in Middle East, Najwa Karam also a Christian. Interestingly, Jerusalem (situated in Arabs country) house of three holy places for Christian, Jew and Islam. If all Arabs are Muslims, we can see only Islam holy place built there today.
Have you ever notice any Chinese, Indian, African, American, or Australian declared themselves as Malays once they convert to Islam in another country? They still hold their ethnicities and races.
Myth No. 2: Once a Chinese or Indian convert to Islam, you have to change your name into Arabs name and put Abdullah as your father's name. Maybe Malay Muslims never heard or came across of Hui Liangyu (China vice premier) and Sania Mirza (tennis player). Their name never resembles like "Arabs" but they are Muslims. Hey, Yvonne Redley (reporter once detained by Taliban), Nicolas Anelka and Frank Ribery (both footballers) still proud to be called by their original name after converting to Islam. Plus no "bin Abdullah". Maybe you can check video on Ustaz Lim Jooi Soon on youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIlNmapY0uM&feature=PlayList&p=BD3DBA61C877DCF0&index=30)
Even some Malays also having pure Malays name instead of Arabs (eg: Cempaka, Puteri, Dayang, Awang, Tuah) but still Islam.
Apa ada pada nama? As long as the meaning of the name is good, whatever language is allowed.
Myth no. 3: Non Muslims not allowed to use Assalamualaikum. Its exclusive for Muslims, otherwise you insulting Islam.
The fact is Assalamualaikum is word with good meaning, peace be upon you. Widely used in Middle East not only by Muslims but also extends to non-Muslims too. If in Semenanjung, the Muslims quite fanatical on usage of salam, unlike in Sarawak and Sabah. They exchange salam freely regardless of religion.
Myth No. 4: A Muslims must not follow Chinese and Indian cultures, otherwise you are deviate from pure Islamic teaching.
A Muslim cannot eat by chopstick, cannot speak mandarin or tamil in mosque, cannot wear cheongsam, or saree, cannot enter church and temple, cannot paid final respect on Chinese and Indian funeral, . The list goes on.
Hey, culture is unique, to differentiate between one people in one place to another. Islam does recognize culture in its teaching as long as not compromise the believe or faith itself. So, what's on earth a Muslim cannot eat by chopstick even talk Tamil or Mandarin inside a mosque? Maybe Chinese Muslim in China eat by hand like Malays. And maybe Indian Muslims in India and Chinese Muslims in China talk Malays in their mosque too.
Have you ever saw Chinese Muslims in China or India Muslims in India wearing baju Melayu or baju kurung? Ironically Malays Muslims in Malaysia allowed to wear suit, hat and necktie like a westerners.
Caliph Umar even once paid a visit to church in Jerusalem, he even invited by the priest to pray inside church, yet he declines as it will create wrong impression that Islam want to take over the church. Even non-Muslims are allowed to enter a mosque in certain conditions.
It is narrated that Prophet Muhammad stood up when a Jewish funeral procession pass in front of him as a sign of respect among men relationship.
These are examples of several myth practised by Malay Muslims resulted from narrow interpretation.
Maybe they forget, Islam come to China and India long before Tanah Melayu. Maybe they overlook that Muslims in China and India are outnumber Malays. Maybe they disregard that Islam come to Tanah Melayu via Arabs and Chinese (Admiral Cheng Ho).
(Comments)
・you are very right to all these arguments but we cannot blame the malaysian public for these misconception , very true , our authority and most , if not all , the malay population are the one posting these kind of perception to our malaysian public's mindset , that is , islam is synonymous to malay and malay means muslim , nothing else. can we find any malay embracing other religion ? that malay will be in for big trouble with the authority if he or she embraces any other religion , except islam. even Chinese who embraces islam is behaving like malay ,assimilating fully to the malay culture and discarding their own cultures for fear of being labeled as apostate. the same behaviors can be observed in the indians or mamaks. - AnSoN
By asneoh, 29-Aug-2009
・I totally agreed with you. I have traveled every corner of this world. I have came across people of different colour, religion, culture, language, etc..They may be Muslim, Jew, Christian or Hindu and their name is the name given at birth either by their parents or guardian. Perhaps we can ask ourselves, all those people during Nabi Muhammad (s.a.w) time, were they forced to change their name upon embracing Islam?
In Lebanon, I was told by the local people that there are about 55 to 60 percent Muslims. Yet, they are all Arabs. They have Arab's name but are Christians or Jew. In the church, they have verses from the Bible written in Arabic on the walls and ceiling. They read Bible and pray in Arabic. My Christian friends in Beirut wished me Assalamu'alaikum when we met. Is that wrong?
Peace be upon you.
By azhar777, 29-Aug-2009
・if that's the case, why are malays born in this country are by default islam by religion?
By davc, 29-Aug-2009
・Good analysis, wish everyone have a mature thinking like you :)
By sky80, 29-Aug-2009
・Another question, can Malays who are born muslims renounce Islam and convert to another religion?
By tonychan, 29-Aug-2009
・Insightful posting. But in Malaysia, statute laws have been enacted to pronounce that Malays are born muslims. To change, you must first change the statute laws.
Yu are also right in saying that changing the name does not make one a true muslim. Religious belief comes from the heart and your personal relationship with the almighty.
I understand there are more than 60 million muslims in the Yunan province of southern China.(Almost three times the population of Malaysia). Most of them do not change their names to Arabic ones. They still keep their family name (Including Admiral Cheng Ho).
Keep sharing your Islamic knowledge with your non-muslim bretherans!
cheers! :-)
By cheaman, 29-Aug-2009
・Yes, totally agree. The former Mufti of Perlis, Dr Asri, once question the ruling of name changing. There is nothing in Islamic tradition that requires you to change your name to Arabic name. The Prophet's companion's name, Bilal bin Rabah, is not Arabic name but African name. Another example is another Prophet's companion Salman Al-Farisi (Salman the Persian). He still maintained the name Salman although that name is Persian, and Persian was not a Muslim society at that time. Regarding "bin Abdullah", have you ever heard the names, Abu Bakar bin Abdullah, Umar bin Abdullah, Uthman bin Abdullah or Ali bin Abdullah? Bilal bin Abdullah maybe?
By leptonyx, 29-Aug-2009
・You got your point.
By DATUK_KL, 29-Aug-2009
・I disagree with you about some of your comments. Firstly, not all Malays are Muslims. Muslim is a people who belive in Allah and Rasul but Malay is a race. If a Malay didn't practice the teachings of Islam he's not a muslim. Secondly, if a non-muslim says Assalamualaikum a Muslim should reply with 'Waalaikum'only. Mdnorhafiz must consult with the person who know well about Islam before comment about Islam. I doubt maybe Mdnorhafiz is a chinese or Indian or malay or Javanese or Bangla. Apa ada dgn nama isn't?
By shukri143456, 30-Aug-2009
・I think malays who are born muslim and renounce islam does not have to do with whether he/she is a malay. It is the teaching of the Islamic religion that teaches not to convert to other religion.
Don't you think is good that once you have announced your self to be either Muslim, or Christians or Jew or Buddhist or Hindu to practice your religion all the way rather than changing your faith in the middle?
In addition to the above discussion do you realize that the religion of Islam was initially not meant for Muslim? Because they were no Muslim during the early days of Islam. There was only the Prophet was sent to spread Islam to the Arabs and eventually to the whole community of the world.
By fadlyjd, 30-Aug-2009
・Yes, put me in also. Its the authority. Noticed how they manage issues. They have been banning one thing after another for Muslims in Malaysia. The so called authorities simply draw a ban if they cant handle it. The Muslims in Malaysia are gradually loosing their personal space. No meditation, canning for drinking alcohol, dragged on a Police van for not fasting and so on.
When they draw out regulations and laws, under what justification do they do it? Are they really qualified? Were they sent here by god himself. What gave them the right to decide whats right and wrong? What studies have they conducted for their conclusions? All these actions, laws and regulation are drawn out without thinking of the repercussion.
I'm a Muslim and proud to be one. But what our authority is doing is an embarrastment to my religion. Come to think of it, these actions now pose greater risk of Muslims in Malaysia converting to other.
By Alitstar, 30-Aug-2009
・so the conclusion is...we got a lot of confused people here.
By otyew, 30-Aug-2009
・i have met so many people who are of mix parentage ( malay + chi ) who hardly speak chinese. or dont speak at all. ( there are a handful who speaks well ).
im sure you have such encounter. not so mythical after all
By eddiesek, 30-Aug-2009
・Dead right. Ages ago(1972)I entered the ancient Winchester Cathedral in Southampton, England with my Mexican (Christian) girlfriend. She kept asking me whether it was okay for a Muslim. My answer was as a tourist, why not?
And in the late 70's I attended a very close friend's wedding (Chinese) in St Joseph Church in Sentul. Initially, all eyes were on me but later they thought I was a Thai. lol
So, no harm, isn't it? I still believe in the Almighty. Amin.
By bigben49, 30-Aug-2009
・mdnorhafiz, good posting.
The misconception leads to unnecessary myths.
By watansatria, 30-Aug-2009
・Alitstar,
You say, I'm a Muslim and proud to be one", so please read the following Revelations to know what Allah says about the ones who question or ridicule the rulings of the Shari'ah and mock those who obey those rulings:
“If thou dost question them, they declare (with emphasis): "We were only talking idly and in play." Say: "Was it at Allah, and His Signs, and His Messenger, that ye were mocking?"
Make ye no excuses: ye have rejected Faith after ye had accepted it.
If We pardon some of you, We will punish others amongst you, for that they are in sin.
The Hypocrites, men and women, (have an understanding) with each other: They enjoin evil, and forbid what is just, and are close with their hands.
They have forgotten Allah, so He hath forgotten them.
Verily the Hypocrites are rebellious and perverse.
Allah hath promised the Hypocrites men and women, and the rejecters, of Faith, the fire of Hell:
Therein shall they dwell: Sufficient is it for them: for them is the curse of Allah, and an enduring punishment…," - Q.S 9:65-68
・You say, I'm a Muslim and proud to be one" and so you should now know what Allah says about the ones who question or ridicule the rulings of the Shari'ah and mock those who obey those rulings.
By soondar, 30-Aug-2009
・You post draws out the "thinking juices" in everyone. That's good. i believe it is the people in authority who are confused. They came out with all sorts of "larangan", and will continue to do so for a long time more, becos they are incompetent and "kiasu". Religion must be practised from the HEART and after all, "GOD" lives in your HEART. The only "TEMPLE" worth mentioning, in my humble opinion, is the HEART. Malaysian Muslims have a peculiar notion that Malays and Islam cannot be separated. Well, these laws are man-made and so they have FLAWS but those in POWER are not willing to change, fearing that they will lose their POWER. (^_^)
By pierrelewis, 30-Aug-2009
・Bro Shukri, Alhamdulillah I'm a Muslim. For salam issue, you can refer to thousands of fatwa that permit non-Muslim to initiate salam in the internet.
For all Malays are Muslim issue, you can hear and read thousand about that in the newspaper, uttered by our Malay leaders (esp UMNO).
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