Due to the sad war that took place in Lebanon, we had the chance to see lots of different point of views coming from different backgrounds. I became fimiliar with the racists, and I actually knew what’s the main cause of their racism.
I’m not going to talk about racism between Arab & West or about Propaganda, not at all. Rather, I’m going to talk about the racists Arabs. I’m going to talk about the mentality behind the racist, and what all racists share.
Racism in the Arab world has a very old root, and the Arab world witnessed many unfortunate events among history, and is prone to witness an even worse events. That’s why I think It’s so important to understand how these racists think and how they promote their poisonous ideas inorder to stop them whenever possible. And I beleive that most of the terror attacks are due to this racism.
Muslim, Christian, or Jew ?
In the holy land of messengers and prophets of God, It’s so easy to provoke for terror and racism. At high school in Kuwait, most of the students were Muslims. I’d give a percentage of 85% Muslims and 15% Christians. We never talked about our religions, I can’t remember asking any student what’s his religion, It never mean anything to me. But however, outside the high school community, there was always this thing, you can feel the difference in the eyes of some people.
There are some people in the Arab world who have no job but differentiating between people as infidel and beleiver. I think that a small answer like “Who set you God to decide who’s infidel?” will shut them up, because most of them are ignorants, and they lack the solid background to get into any decent discussion. Few of those are well read, and they might argue a little bit, so you must have a religous background and patience to stop these. Problem is, some people here are very aggressive when you contradict their opinions, and they might argue with loud voice to stop you. I always kill these people with my patience and short answers, and I beleive that this is the only to deal with them. Of course, you should have a good background inorder to speak their langauge.
Sunni or Shi’a ?
This is the new delimma were facing recently in the Arab world. It’s the new poison that has been spreaded widely, and I personally think It’s the most dangerous. There’s a difference between the Sunnah & Shi’a in Islam, but however, both are Muslims and beleives in Muhammad, peace and blessing being upon him. Going back to my high school memories, I’d give a percentage of 50% Sunnah 50% Shi’a of the Muslims at school, and the same percentage goes for the Kuwaiti community.
Actually, this problem is small right now, but It’s getting serious sometimes, specially in places like SaudiArabia, and I was shocked when I read reactions of some Saudi bloggers to the war against Lebanon. They were against Lebanon !! Just because Hezbollah is Shi’a, and this is absurd!
If somebody asks me “Are you Sunnah or Shi’a ?” , then my answer will be “None of your business”. Why in the world would somebody care ?? What difference should this make ?? Aren’t we supposed to focus on other more important issues rather than fighting each others like idiots ??
I developed a common pattern to deal with them, and to answer their claims gently, and shut their mouths if necessary. Everyday is a new experience, and everyday I have something new to learn.
on 30 Aug 2006 at 12:10 am # Qwaider قويدر
Very nice post Abed, seriously. The issues are really deeply rooted somehow. But … is there a light at the end of the tunnel? I wonder
on 30 Aug 2006 at 4:26 am # Abed. Hamdan
I LOVE Munich: Thx Karin, you’re right, I really don’t know what the prophet (pbuh) would say, but he warned us that in the future our number (as Muslims) will increase but we’ll be useless, and he warned us about the wars we’re getting into now…
Qwaider: thx bro. I can’t see any light in the tunnel, It’s very dark, and I beleive we should do our best to stop such things, someone’s is busy making troubles out there, and we should reverse that effort.
on 30 Aug 2006 at 7:18 am # wedad
3anjad 3anjad you are so right…. even if they dont ask you this question, it appears on their eyes and attitudes!! its a must for them to know.. msh 3arfeh sho elfare2 anyway…
as islam suneh u shia’ its same as christian (arthodox, latin, katholik, protestant… beleive me i dont know what more) so if they asked me u r rom arthodx or latin or… my answer will be iam christian… i dont care about all of this, we all christian and we all beleive in god… they look at me like iam bothieh or mul7edeh!!
on 30 Aug 2006 at 6:33 pm # Anonymous
Abed, why aren’t there a billion of you?
The thing I get sick of is theose people that control one village or a province set up their little militias and ask who are you this or that and your answer is the difference between life and death.
I disagree with you on one point, though, the answer is not to argue with them, the answer is either a baseball bat to their thick skulls and right before they pass out tell them to shut the fuck up and mind their own business or screw it just shoot them.
Who are you moslem or jew? Bang I am the guy with the gun you fucktard.
Who are you shia or Sunni, Bang I am the guy with the gun asswipe.
Who are you catholic or baptist, bang I am the guy who is sick and tired of religeous fuctards thinking god gave them testicle one to even ask me, tell those angels on your way up to whatever perverted version of heaven you believe in to not screw with me.The world needs to answer these shithead when they ask “Who are you” Theanswer needs to be ” The last guy you willever ask that question to, and let them serve out their humanly purpose as fertilizer until the others asking that question take a moment and ask themselves, “If I ask this question will I go honme tonight?”
Screw negotiating or “understanding” them.
I know shit stinks I don’t need to talk to it or “understand” why it stinks.
on 31 Aug 2006 at 12:46 am # DestinyTwin
hi abed nice post
thanx alot god bless you bro.
on 31 Aug 2006 at 1:44 am # blackr0se
Abed
here i am writing to u and i thank GOD ur post was understood by me ,i have no information abt politics and i dont like to talk in religions but here i can find my self saying that this issue was never discussed in our home and dad always taught us that we never estimate a person by his religion or political points of view but only by his way of behavior and this is what i grew up on and i will never change
i appreciate all human beings and which they rnt human i can cosider they r nt alive
very good post Abed hopefully people can see things in a good way
leave u in peace
on 31 Aug 2006 at 3:11 am # vague
war in lebanon is end and now there is
negotiations about interchange internee between
Hezboallah & Israel ,but situation in Middle east
is going worse ,, especially in Palestine ,,
racism Ideas are the seeds that Westward raised
in Arabward and the result as we all see now
and being sorry and sad at the same time ,,,, !!!!!
no more word can express ….
hope to overcome this old problem .
good topic to discuss abed:)
on 31 Aug 2006 at 7:24 am # Abed. Hamdan
Wedad: yeah sis, I understand what you’ve been through, and this is sick ! by the way, I found that in Jordan people care more about whether you’re christian or Muslims than Kuwait. In Kuwait, the situation is a little bit better.
anonymous: thank you very much
Maybe I should take KangFu classes to enhance my ass-kicking skills
I really don’t know what the solution is, but I think we should stop those idiots, they’re making nothing but troubles, and sometimes these troubles become serious! screw them !
on 31 Aug 2006 at 7:31 am # Abed. Hamdan
DestinyTwin: thank bro , so nice of you
Black r0se: Thank you very much for you visit and understanding. The way you were raised by your father is the best way ever, and It tells how great your parents are. This is what I’m talking about, and that’s how children should be raised, we should understand our differences to live in peace not to make it our biggest problem ! Thank you
vague: I think that this problem was before the French revolution and before the west become the super power in the world, this is a very old problem, and Its roots are inside the middle east itself. However, I agree that there are some dirty hands from outside might provoke for such racism, but still, I think the solution should come from inside the middle east, not from outside. thx
on 31 Aug 2006 at 9:57 am # jnetsworld
It is very sad that we don’t look at our own humanity to bridge one another: love for life, family, growing spiritually, wishing to create a better world and future…
Instead we use our diverse details to make walls.
Who’s to say the blue flower is more pretty than the red or pink? We know how to be amazed by the many colors of a garden or sunset but miss being amazed with one another.
To the Catholic, I find myself saying that I am Protestant… to the Protestant, I tell them I am Catholic or Buddhist… To the atheist, I share my love of faith and to those to are too attached to their faith, I show them that I love many systems of thoughts.
It is all beautiful. And I’ve lived through many “sunsets” by enjoying life in the garden.
Perhaps this racism speaks louder of an unhappiness with the self.
If this is true and perhaps the reason for the wars and disconnect of the world…. then our world is sadly full of very unhappy souls that don’t know compassion and love..
The very things that the variety of faiths and ways of thinking wishes to grow in all our hearts.
on 31 Aug 2006 at 10:51 am # Abed. Hamdan
JNET: Im speechless !! this is very apt, nobody have said it like you. You have an amazing and lovely view
on 31 Aug 2006 at 12:35 pm # !!!
Hi Abed, really important issue to talk about,i don’t feel it’s something to talk about here in Palestine because i feel that ppl here are really ok with their religion and i have many friends who are not muslims and i know many chritians who have only muslim friends,maybe something more important concern us all and we are aware of it and more importantly because we have a good role models within our religous leaders,,and that’s one important way to give a good example for simple people who believe un the differencese between them and others with different anything:(religion,identity,race). coz they really feel nothing but strong by hanging on their ideas and defindeing it, and the only way to change these ppl is to give them good examples and models and that’s what we should do if we can. and here of course im talking about normal situations not conflicts where you need years to make ppl even accept each other like what’s happening in Iraq unfortunatilly!
on 01 Sep 2006 at 5:46 am # blackr0se
Thank you Abed ur so kind
and thanks for ur visit ,glad ur like my romnticism
leave u in peace
on 01 Sep 2006 at 6:24 am # Tristan Vick
Haha, interesting point which ‘I Love Munich’ made. What would Mohammad say if he came back tomorrow?
Which got me to thinking…
What would Issa say if he came back tomorrow?
I think they would have two entirely different answers… but you have to wonder, what would those answers be?
…
on 01 Sep 2006 at 6:31 am # Abed. Hamdan
!!!!: This is true, sticking to the role model would always help
Blackr0se: anytime sis
Tristan Vick: lol, I really don’t know, but I think that they’ll both have the same answer, since their messages were the same
on 01 Sep 2006 at 6:08 pm # Robin
Abed,
One thing I think maybe you didn’t think about it that maybe people could just be curious and want to learn when they ask someone what their relgion is. It isn’t a question I would ask a random stranger but if the subject arises for some reason I am curious for one reason, I like to learn about different religions. Of course the best way to learn is by observing behavior but then even that can be very deceiving because what someone claims and how they adhere to the actual teachings are often two very different things. Although I am personally a Catholic I believe that everyone has an absolute god-given right to worship or not worship as they please and that it is NEVER my place to judge them by my own religious bias. Someone might think it is a relativistic approach to life but I have just known far too many people of MANY different religions, some wonderful people, some not so wonderful, But even within every religion you’ve got your nice people and your not so nice people. My point is that open discussion without condemnation can be a bridge for understanding and peaceful relations. We’re all in this big boat called Earth together and we need to respect each other, love one another, and treat each other the way all of our religions tell us too. You’d be interested if you looked up the Golden Rule. A version of it exists in all the great religions. As long as we each abide by this most basic principal it shouldn’t be a problem discussing our differences because we all know how we ourselves wish to be treated by others. Just a thought.
Now if you want to talk about Saudis hating Kuwaitis, Lebanese hating Egyptians, heck, all the different Arabs hating eachother for one reason or another, THERE’S a subject. It always drove me insane!! As an American I got my fair share but got a thick skin about it because as an individual I learned what the reasons were, not because I was American but because of our political manuevering in the ME. FYI, there’s racism EVERYWHERE here in the US not the least of which is against Arabs and Muslims. I’m sure you alreaddy know this but as a recipient through proxy it SUCKS!
on 02 Sep 2006 at 6:39 am # naturalblu
its just getting worse and worse in the whole world not just the arab word
on 02 Sep 2006 at 8:02 am # OmAr
Racism…. you took me back to an old post of mine regarding this disease.
nice post you wrote here, and great blog as well, keep it up!
on 02 Sep 2006 at 11:02 am # neverland
Dropped by to say hi man
on 02 Sep 2006 at 12:26 pm # Abed. Hamdan
Robin:
Dear Robin,
Of course, and I think that the best way to learn about our differences is through talking about them and discussing them explicitly. I think we MUST ask about the details of any religion inorder to learn about it, because no academic education will give us any minimum acceptable level of knowledge about other religions, so we should read about them from trustworthy resources, and we should ask the decent-trustworthy people about them.
But however, there’s an important point that I would like to highlight, that is we shouldn’t judge the religion out of judging followers of that religion or group. And this is a very important point to keep in mind.
What I really don’t like to answer is, when Im asked if Im a sunni or Shia, and I know that the one who asks doesn’t want any knowledge, rather she/he might probably want to fight or have a useless argument, that’s what I meant to say.
Yeah, racism is everywhere in the Arab world, and I just gave a very narrow example, and you can extend your imagination and think about even worse examples !
Thanks my sister!
on 02 Sep 2006 at 12:29 pm # Abed. Hamdan
Naturalblu: you’re right, and that’s why the awareness of this problem is very important!
Omar: I’m flattered! thanks for your visit, I’ll read through your blog inshallah
NeverLand: Oh Hi !
How you doing ?? and How’s the engagement and everything ?? Hope It’s going alright 
on 02 Sep 2006 at 2:52 pm # Robin
Abed,
In 100% agreement with you. That’s exactly what is happening now with all Muslims being lumped into one big “terrorist” bag because of the actions of a few. No, we cannot judge a religion simply by the actions of people if they are horrible because the case is usually a case of fundamentalist interpretation, or very selective interpretation in order to justify one’s criminal acts, even if those acts completely defy the decent basis of the religion. It’s all so very complicated and as for the Sunni/Shia thing, in Christianity we have the Catholic/Protestant now Evangwlical thing. I have no problem saying I’m a Catholic but I’ve heard in response, “Oh, I’m a Christian” HELLO, ignorant person, what are you trying to say to me here?! Religion is such a personal thing but yet I really wonder why we cannot all just understand that, that if we are behaving in a “Godly manner” and treat eachother with kindness and love the details count for next to nothing. The very most important thing we each, Christian, Muslim, Jew, Hindu, Budhist and all need to do is to come to a common understanding of tolerance and respect. Can there really be that many Gods fighting over this thing or is it just blind people not listening to the God of all mankind who wants us all to live in harmony as his children? “Judge not lest ye be judged yourselves” Is there such a saying in the Koran? It really doesn’t matter because it just makes common sense!!
on 02 Sep 2006 at 4:56 pm # Abed. Hamdan
Robin:
Dear Robin,
You reminded me of this story, when some asked Aisha, one of Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) Wives, about Muhammad’s behaviour, and her answer was : He was a walking Quran.
Yes, our beleifs should be reflected on our behaviors, and all religion are just calling for peace and love.
Im not sure If I understood that statement you asked me about ?? please can you spell it again ? “Judge not lest ye be judged yourselves”, I think ther’s a mis-spelling problem.
It’s explicitly said in the holy Quran that nobody should force anybody to change his religion, It’s a personal choice..
Thanks for you words, they’re too precious and mostly appreciated
on 04 Sep 2006 at 5:22 pm # Robin
Dear Abed,
Sorry, I was using the King James old English version of the verse which is the most often quoted. Here it is in easier language (Matthew 7:1-5, Jesus speaking) Do not judge or you open yourself to judgement. For in the way that you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye” Or how can you say to your brother’Let me take the speck out of your eye’, and behold, the log is in your own eye” You hypocrit, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye”
Now mind you, this is an ideal that everyone has a problem with. I was just wondering if there is a similar verse in the Quran which would apply in situations when one Moslem faces judgement by another Moslem. BTW, I read verses from the Koran all the time which are beautiful and comforting. And yes I know Islam does not insist on conversion. I tell people that all the time when they get defensive in their Christianity against Islam. We are sisters and brothers in peace, just as the prophet Mohammed pbuh teaches and we need to meet on the bridge which connects us. Masalama
on 06 Sep 2006 at 6:28 am # Abed. Hamdan
Robin:
Dear Robin,
Thanks so much for clarifying, a great & true verse indeed
Yes, There’s a similar verse in Qur’an, which say : “wa hal ta2moroon al nas bl berr wa tansawna anfosakom” (Transaltion: you ask people to do good and you forget yourselves).
and Thanks for clariying this fact about Islam, It’s really misleading for some people to mistakenly think that Islam forces people to convert. Thank you very much my sister ! Masssalaaam ;D