By Hader Glang
On a call for Muslim unity in Mindanao
"And hold fast by the covenant of Allah all together and be not disunited, and remember the favor of Allah on you when you were enemies, then He united your hearts so by His favor you became brethren; and you were on the brink of a pit of fire, then He saved you from it, thus does Allah make clear to you His communications that you may follow the right way." Holy Qur'an (3:103)
I'm sure that my brothers and sisters in Islam would agree that the verse above teaches a beautiful and valuable lesson that could benefit all of humankind if followed wholeheartedly. But sad to say there is a serious lack of unity in the Muslim community here in Mindanao. Whether it's about Moros versus Moros, or Tausugs versus Taususgs, these are problems that need to be addressed in our communities.
However, the division that ensues the Muslims is not the only issue that needs to be examined, but also the way they treat their fellow Muslims in their own communities. Misunderstandings are never solved through violence, slandering, condemning, or hating one another; they are solved when there is mutual respect and acceptance of one another.
I wonder if Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) were alive today, would he recognize the Muslim Ummah in Mindanao that we've become? The Moro National Liberation Front and Moro Islamic Liberation Front remain divided since they broke up in the late 1970s while some ARMM leaders are discriminating against one another for domination in the autonomous region.
Would the Prophet allow fellow Muslims dividing one another because of political differences? Would he tolerate the way the leaders of Bangsamoro, the Tausugs, Maguindanaos, Maranaos, Yakans, Samals, and other Muslim ethnic tribes are leading their communities? Would he remain silent whenever Muslims engage in clan wars or hostilities or extremism?
The disturbing truth is that there are individuals out there who really believe that engaging conflict is actually what the Prophet would do. Their arguments are based on the fact that the Prophet engaged in battles, but the reason why this argument is weak is because they ignore how fighting in Islam is only permitted out of self-defense and for the cause of Allah, The Almighty.
I cannot help but feel like this is completely contradictory to the peaceful teachings of Islam. Is it really about who is better and who is not? Is it really about competition? Is it really about supremacy? This kind of division distracts us from larger issues that concern our community, such as improving our relationships and from learning about Islam, ourselves, and from each other.
We need to eliminate the divide that exists between Muslims - whether it's about who is the "better" Muslim or who hails from a "better" culture or civilization. It doesn't matter in the eyes of Allah, The Almighty.
God is not going to judge you differently just because you descend from a group of people who belong to royal families or rule your community; He's going to look at you as the individual. I also believe that we should speak to our fellow Muslims (and ultimately, all human beings) in a respectful and mature manner. Who are we to say that we are better when no one can ever possibly be better than Allah? Who are we to judge when that power only belongs to Allah?
I learned that member states of the influential Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) were calling at the MNLF and MILF to unite in the name of Bangsamoro people. They really wanted the two Moro political fronts "to combine their efforts to work for peace and development of the Bangsamoro people."
So why not focus on unity? Why always about political ideology when Islam is the religion that lays a great emphasis on unity? As in his farewell sermon, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) declared:
"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. Know that every Muslim is the brother of another Muslim, and that Muslims constitute one brotherhood."
I therefore call. Let's start building unity in our communities. Let's stop separating ourselves. Get to know our fellow brothers and sisters in Islam. In truth, we are born with different cultures, in different provinces, but we all come from the same place, and that is from Allah, The Almighty. Is that really so hard to see?
I'm sure that my brothers and sisters in Islam would agree that the verse above teaches a beautiful and valuable lesson that could benefit all of humankind if followed wholeheartedly. But sad to say there is a serious lack of unity in the Muslim community here in Mindanao. Whether it's about Moros versus Moros, or Tausugs versus Taususgs, these are problems that need to be addressed in our communities.
However, the division that ensues the Muslims is not the only issue that needs to be examined, but also the way they treat their fellow Muslims in their own communities. Misunderstandings are never solved through violence, slandering, condemning, or hating one another; they are solved when there is mutual respect and acceptance of one another.
I wonder if Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) were alive today, would he recognize the Muslim Ummah in Mindanao that we've become? The Moro National Liberation Front and Moro Islamic Liberation Front remain divided since they broke up in the late 1970s while some ARMM leaders are discriminating against one another for domination in the autonomous region.
Would the Prophet allow fellow Muslims dividing one another because of political differences? Would he tolerate the way the leaders of Bangsamoro, the Tausugs, Maguindanaos, Maranaos, Yakans, Samals, and other Muslim ethnic tribes are leading their communities? Would he remain silent whenever Muslims engage in clan wars or hostilities or extremism?
The disturbing truth is that there are individuals out there who really believe that engaging conflict is actually what the Prophet would do. Their arguments are based on the fact that the Prophet engaged in battles, but the reason why this argument is weak is because they ignore how fighting in Islam is only permitted out of self-defense and for the cause of Allah, The Almighty.
I cannot help but feel like this is completely contradictory to the peaceful teachings of Islam. Is it really about who is better and who is not? Is it really about competition? Is it really about supremacy? This kind of division distracts us from larger issues that concern our community, such as improving our relationships and from learning about Islam, ourselves, and from each other.
We need to eliminate the divide that exists between Muslims - whether it's about who is the "better" Muslim or who hails from a "better" culture or civilization. It doesn't matter in the eyes of Allah, The Almighty.
God is not going to judge you differently just because you descend from a group of people who belong to royal families or rule your community; He's going to look at you as the individual. I also believe that we should speak to our fellow Muslims (and ultimately, all human beings) in a respectful and mature manner. Who are we to say that we are better when no one can ever possibly be better than Allah? Who are we to judge when that power only belongs to Allah?
I learned that member states of the influential Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) were calling at the MNLF and MILF to unite in the name of Bangsamoro people. They really wanted the two Moro political fronts "to combine their efforts to work for peace and development of the Bangsamoro people."
So why not focus on unity? Why always about political ideology when Islam is the religion that lays a great emphasis on unity? As in his farewell sermon, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) declared:
"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. Know that every Muslim is the brother of another Muslim, and that Muslims constitute one brotherhood."
I therefore call. Let's start building unity in our communities. Let's stop separating ourselves. Get to know our fellow brothers and sisters in Islam. In truth, we are born with different cultures, in different provinces, but we all come from the same place, and that is from Allah, The Almighty. Is that really so hard to see?
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