Only Muslims Can Create a Positive Image Of Islam.
Muslims collectively must take efforts to remove "Islamphobia" among the global community to help build common understanding, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar. "The onus is on Muslims to remove Islamphobia before we can even arrive at a common position with the rest of the global community.
This is one of the wisest statements to come from Syed Hamid. His message is simple, direct and honest. If you want non-Muslims not to be afraid or even terrified of you, then you have to take the initiative and actively work towards removing their unfounded fears. No two ways about it.
In the Malaysian context it is a much easier scenario than in the big bad world outside. Here non-Muslims live and work with Muslims and to a certain extent understand the Muslim dilemma. However when muftis and other political or religious leaders make pronouncements which seem extreme or attempt to infringe on non-Muslim rights and their way of life they get very frightened and that in no way helps the positive image of Islam. Everyone knows that it takes a long, long time to build a reservoir of goodwill but it takes only a matter of seconds to destroy all that was built over the years. For such is human nature.
In Malaysia, Muslim leaders must curb the temptation to Islamize the nation. Playing to the gallery has its short-term benefits but in the long run it adds to the negative image of Islam. We are portrayed the world over as a shining example of successful Muslim-non-Muslim understanding, cooperation and co-existence. Let us not compromise that by actions that will have repercussions for generations.
If we take today, I can safely say that Malaysian non-Muslims are running scared, worried about their future; and in their perception of an increasingly extremist Malay-Muslim posture they wonder about their long-term security and that of their children. Non-Muslims are a minority here and there is nothing much they can do turn events. Only Muslim Malaysians can determine whether their religion continues to be stereotyped and all of Islam's followers are dubbed terrorists and potential suicide bombers. It is up to the Muslims to decide and act accordingly in order to create a positive image of their religion.
This is one of the wisest statements to come from Syed Hamid. His message is simple, direct and honest. If you want non-Muslims not to be afraid or even terrified of you, then you have to take the initiative and actively work towards removing their unfounded fears. No two ways about it.
In the Malaysian context it is a much easier scenario than in the big bad world outside. Here non-Muslims live and work with Muslims and to a certain extent understand the Muslim dilemma. However when muftis and other political or religious leaders make pronouncements which seem extreme or attempt to infringe on non-Muslim rights and their way of life they get very frightened and that in no way helps the positive image of Islam. Everyone knows that it takes a long, long time to build a reservoir of goodwill but it takes only a matter of seconds to destroy all that was built over the years. For such is human nature.
In Malaysia, Muslim leaders must curb the temptation to Islamize the nation. Playing to the gallery has its short-term benefits but in the long run it adds to the negative image of Islam. We are portrayed the world over as a shining example of successful Muslim-non-Muslim understanding, cooperation and co-existence. Let us not compromise that by actions that will have repercussions for generations.
If we take today, I can safely say that Malaysian non-Muslims are running scared, worried about their future; and in their perception of an increasingly extremist Malay-Muslim posture they wonder about their long-term security and that of their children. Non-Muslims are a minority here and there is nothing much they can do turn events. Only Muslim Malaysians can determine whether their religion continues to be stereotyped and all of Islam's followers are dubbed terrorists and potential suicide bombers. It is up to the Muslims to decide and act accordingly in order to create a positive image of their religion.
posted by The Malaysian. at 6/20/2006 08:35:00 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home