Hasan A. Yahya, Ph.D
Racism in its perfect sense: The spirit and reality of Islam in the Muslim world, I read this report news lately in a leading USA media journal, and I like to make a comment on that segment. In the April 9, 2002 issue, The Wall Street Journal published the concept of blood money in Saudi Arabia. If a person has been killed or caused to die by another, the latter has to pay blood money or compensation, as follow. 100,000 riyals if the victim is a Muslim man 50,000 riyals if a Muslim woman 50,000 riyals if a Christian man 25,000 riyals if a Christian woman 6,666 riyals if a Hindu man 3,333 riyals if a Hindu woman According to this hierarchy, a Muslim man’s life is worth 33 times that of a Hindu woman. This hierarchy is based on the Islamic definition of human rights and is rooted in the Quran and Sharia (Islamic law). How can we talk of democracy when the concept of equality in Islam is inexistent? Comment: Islamic Law (Shari’ah) does reflect on racism, discrimination, and prejudice, Islamic law deals with all people on equal basis. History of Islam shows many incidents were two people of different statuses to sit beside each other in the court, no privileges may be given for a social status or age, or sex, or belief. This Islamic law, The story above is cultural Bedouine rule in certain places in Saudi Arabia, but it is not a Shari’a Law. You cannot criticize a whole religion for human practices of cultural norms. Islam is a perfect constitution for humans anytime and everywhere, I wish the Wall Stree Journal read more about principles of Islamic Shari’ah Law and Islamic ethics, which I believe is ignored by many people who consider themselves journalists or editorial writers. Jews for instance for a long time consider women as sinners and isolated from social life when they have PMS or after birth. Cultures cannot be blamed for religion followed by the community. In the medieval age, the church was publicizing the idea that the Earth is the center of the universe and every thing moves around it. While nothing in Christianity shows that idea as true. As intellectuals and thinker, we in fact, astonished from such practices, which cover many areas of many cultures. Research have to be initiated to abolish such habits which negate basic human rights. Hasan Yahya is a columnist at wfol.tv, Malaysia and TINA International News Agency, Chicago, USA. www.hasanyahya.com