Meeting new people from other parts of the world, with different
culture, ethnicity and race, can be quite interesting. Various styles of
thinking, attitude and responses are showed by them. Their experiences of
growing up in their own unique community differ from one another. But ever since
the world has been globalised, information and knowledge of our brothers and
sisters in humanity anywhere around the globe are very much accessible; making it
easier for us to appreciate God’s purpose of creating mankind with so many
differences; to know one another (Al-Quran 49:13).
We live in a dormitory house with another two guys who are completing
their courses here. One is a Nigerian Christian brother, whose life experiences
made me awed, the other is an African American Muslim Brother from Philadelphia
who have been here since 2009.
For the past three days, I find that our exchanges and conversations are
unlike the usual ones we had back home. They talked a lot about American histories,
public figures that I personally have no interest in. Why should I? Although this
does not sound right, but I feel just find not being able to join these
conversations.
However, what the Nigerian brother shared was something else. His real
life experience was simply amazing. I could not imagine myself being in his
shoes, surviving all those challenges he faced in life. He shared about his
tribes, language and the political conflicts that caused chaos and have probably taken
thousands of lives.
His grandfather was an Amir who lives in the Northern part of majority
Muslim Nigeria. He was born Christian as his father converted to Christianity
and somehow rather survived the ‘Shariah Law’ of elimination for apostasy. He
served the air force for 23 years and clearly saw how his community struggled. His
tribe, the Hausa people controlled the government and economy of the country. Although
they are Muslims, political leaders used religion for their own gains by making use of the officially salaried ulama' (religious scholars) to support their
agenda. The oil from the south was taken and the wealth were not being
distributed to their own people fairly. The poor had nothing while the rich and
powerful enjoy spending their fortune elsewhere.
Although he is from that governing powerful tribe, he was left aside not
enjoying together with his people just because of having a different faith. But luckily he sees thru it all.
He still fights for righteousness, showing himself on television, creating
awareness for the youths to vote for credible leaders and not only based on tribes or
religion. In 2011, his whole house was burnt by those very Muslims. He was a
threat to them. But he did not care and continue to speak the truth.
Now that he is here, studying Islam, he sees now the different Muslims from
around the world. There is a Muslim brother who helped him get a new home for his family, even giving him $10,000 to refurbish it. Had he not come
here, studying Islam and meeting other Muslims, I am sure that his hatred for all Muslims
would still be there.
Comparing myself with what he had gone thru, how little have I suffered?
And yet how grateful have I been to my Creator? Somehow rather, this episode opened
my eyes a little how important interfaith dialogue is. But I am still doubtful
of its importance back home.
