Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Book 11:
Volume 1, Book 11, Number 662:
Narrated Anas:
The Prophet said, Listen and obey (your chief) even if an Ethiopian whose head is like a raisin were made your chief.
Some people who claim to be the followers of Jesus say that prophet Muhammad was a racist and that such statement proves it. We will insh Allah look at this claim in the light of pragmatics, or meaning of language and intent based on context. First of all anyone who applies rules of their own language to a language that is so different such as the Arabic has failed to approach the matter from an objective stance and from an academic stance.
Here is the answer that I gave to a brother who was asked this question by people who don't want to see what is there, and only want to inject hatred into the statements of our beloved prophet peace be upon him.
Salamo Aleikum yes the hadith is authentic but the understanding of the slow people who are quoting it is wrong. Psychologically speaking if one suffers from sexual perversity he will see perversity in everything.
Same for other things, if one suffers from racism he will see racism in everything, It is the same for these people, they see only what they themselves have inside of them.
The hadith has no racism what so ever in it. Ethiopians were slaves and were called raisin heads by the pre Islamic Arabs, and were insulted, beat, killed. Then Islam came and the message of Islam told us that no one is above each other except in good deeds. NO one and I allready quoted you from the Quran and the last speech of the prophet.
The best amongst people is the best in righteousness and fear of God.
As for the statement of raisin head it is very very simple and so foolish of people of not seeing that the prophet was not racist for that statement, he was simply using a word that in the past and maybe it was still at that time engraved in the minds of people as something racist, and to show the importance of obeying a leader he used that word to emphasize not the derogatory term itself but the importance of the leader. And rationally speaking who would place a leader in the most important power spot if he or she would be racist against that person? People that are racists don't even allow the people they hate to polish their shoes.
If I say You have to obey your leader even if he is a negro, and I'm talking to people who have just come out of a racist mentality I'm not putting that negro who I'm referring to down.
If I were to say he is nothing he is a negro or using an stronger term that is a slang word used by westerners every day both black and white, than I would be putting him down, but to use the word leader and the word negro together and to take the world negro as something of an insult would make my statement an oxymoron, kind of like saying look what a dark light.
I challenge anyone of those people who bring up these narrow thinking to prove that Islam and prophet Muhammad was racist. Anyone
May Allah bless you, let me know if my answer helped you, and all power is with Allah.
1 comment:
Asalamu Alaykum Rahmatulahi Wabarakatahu :)
Again Jazak Allahu khair for this..... It was a good response Mash'Allah and Most importantly the truth !
I think the whole of Man Kind would benefit if they actually read the Prophet (PBUH) last sermon...... by putting it into action ! (there is so much wisdom in it)
Not just Non-Muslims but Muslims alike....
It's a guideline how we all should live our lives.....
Paying particular attention to; if we follow Quran and Sunnah we will never go astray (so much for all these sects that are fighting with one another)
.......and in regards to our Messenger (PBUH) being a racist ? White is not better than black and black is not white/ An Arab is not better than a non-Arab, or a Non-Arab is not better than a Arab..... but only better in Piety ! (I've never heard anything that promotes equality than what is said in this sermon, most importantly he actually put it into action !)
No speech or sermon has moved me as this one has....if truly put into actions it can truly benefit us ! as well as the whole of Man kind !
So on this day of Jummah let's remind ourselves with it ....
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