This evening we were introduced to an amazingly nice lady. She is a 67
year old Hindu professor teaching economics in the female only University of
Saint Joseph. A friend of mine met her in his religious diversity course and
upon knowing that we are Singaporeans coming here for the first time, she felt
a connection as her niece lives in Singapore and insisted to take us out for
dinner as a welcoming gesture.
She picked us up with her Subaru car exactly at 6.25pm as promised and
drove us around Hartford. After agreeing to visit her university, she brought
us to her office and shows us the campus area. Surprisingly, there is a
marvelous Islamic art figure just outside the art gallery with some Islamic writings
on it. To have such a wonderful piece of art shown by a Hindu in a non-Islamic environment
shows how intimate the relationships are between the different religions here.
We had dinner at a halal Indian restaurant called Naatiya while exchanging thoughts and understandings of our respective faith. We were just too delighted by her hospitality. She took that extra mile to welcome us, drive us around and even treat us for dinner although we have just met. What is more astonishing is that she keeps repeating that she have learnt all these hospitality from the Muslims themselves. Her late Hindu father used to tell her to be nice and be like the Muslims.
This reminds me how our prophet’s noble character had touched so many lives
attracting them to Islam. This is why Islam stresses so much on good moral
character (akhlak) towards others whether they are Muslims or otherwise. One’s
faith is incomplete if he neglect or hurt his neighbors despite their faith.
But sadly, these courteous and moral acts have long been gone in most of us
especially Muslims in Singapore. How often do we please our neighbors? How
sincere can we welcome foreigners that we have never met? The hikmah (wisdom) of
Islam is lost and sometimes found by other faith community instead. We should
strive and work to get it back. The purification of the heart has always been
neglected. A price we pay in the name of progress.
