Assalamualaikum

Assalamualaikum

Aiz wrote a good article which stirred up a good debate on the usage of Arabic terms by Muslims and non-Muslims.  Do read his article along with the comments posted there.  So many Muslims in Malaysia are shocked into either silence or anger, both of which, resulted in inability to react, when a non-Muslim bid them Assalamualaikum, which in English means "Peace be unto you."  Equally, some felt that non-Muslims should refrain from using words like Allah for God.  This sentiment has been endorsed by the Malaysian government, which initially banned the word Allah to mean God in the Malay Bible used by Sarawak's indegenous communities.  Then they allowed the usage, with a cautionary note that such Bibles shouldn't be given to Malays, for fear of causing Muslims to go astray.  Until today, some Muslims lament the fact that Sarawak's Christian communities are allowed to have a Malay Bible when their mother tongues aren't Malay! (Sharp indrawn breath! What IF some people who aren't Muslims wish to adopt Malay as their mother tongue? What if they chose to glorify the God of Abraham, which is the God of Muslims and the God of Christians, and the God of Jews, in Malay? The Babas and Nyonyas of Malacca cannot offer prayers to their Taoist altar gods in Malay?)

Are Muslims in Malaysia of SUCH LITTLE FAITH, that reading the Bible would cause them to go astray?  What would Muslims in Malaysia think of Sulaiman the Lawgiver, or Sulayman the Magnificent (in Europe) who advertised for an Imam who is well versed in the Quran, Bible and Talmud?  Retrospectively, would the Malaysian government throw Sulaiman in jail?  I was pleasantly surprised to read of Sulaiman's foresight and enlightenment in 'Abidin's blog.  He had in turn quoted from a British Muslim magazine, Emel (October 2005 issue).  Here's the translated advertisement: 

Position of Imam of the Grand Mosque in Istanbul (the Ottoman Empire).

1. To have mastered the languages of Arabic, Latin, Turkish and Persian
2. To have mastered the Qur'an, the Bible and the Torah
3. To be a scholar in Shari'ah and Fiqh
4. To have mastered physics and mathematics up to teaching standard
5. To be a master of chivalry, archery, duelling and the arts of Jihad
6. To be of a handsome countenance
7. To have a strong melodious voice

'Abidin asked about the number of Malaysian imams who might qualify for that top job, after substituting Turkish and Persian for Malay and English; and archery and duelling with badminton and blogging.  I would say, none would have qualified.  They are more likely to fail terribly for No.1 and challenged (bitterly?) No.2?  In South Africa, there was a Muslim scholar, who had mastered the Quran and the Bible, but not the Torah.  He was the late (Allahyarham) Ahmad Deedat.  (I stand to be corrected on other individuals who are like Ahmad Deedat in his knowledge of the Quran and the Bible). 

I've digressed slightly from my original intent, that is, many Malay Muslims seemed to think Arabic terms are exclusive to Islam and Muslims.  Arabic is as exclusive to Islam and Muslims, as batik is exclusive to Malays.  There.  Anyone can wear batik.  In the Netherlands, there are batik factories.  Throughout Africa, there are many cloths that look like batik.  I once found a batik hanging in a hostel in the Scottish highlands, depicting Celtic designs, done by Highlanders who speak Gaelic; how Scottish can one get beyond Gaelic speaking Highlanders?

Arabs have no problems replying Assalamualaikum (usually spelt as Asalamualaykum in Islamic literature written in English), whether given by a fellow Arab Muslim, or Arab Christian, or Arab Jew, or Arab atheist, or even a British soldier in occupied Iraq!  The latter has been captured on the BBC, but perhaps will never be shown on Malaysian TV.  Considering the lack of popularity of occupying soldiers in Iraq, one would expect the Arabs there not to reply wa'alaikumsalam, but they did, even if they have issues with the governments who sent those soldiers. 

Therefore, going back to the issue of replying with wa'alaikumsalam to a person who bidded one with assalamualaikum, when one is in doubt of that person's religion or intention; even if one is not persuaded that the Arabic greeting is not exclusive to Muslims, shouldn't the argument of "less harm done" be applied?

Using the "less harm done" approach, which is an approach used in Islamic jurisprudence (which Muslim scholars developed using the Quran and the science of Greek logic, if you dispute that, I'll save it for another article); one would still have to reply wa'alaikumsalam when bidded with assalamualaikum.  Amongst one's duty to a fellow Muslim is to reply to his/her salam.  It is A SIN not to do that duty.  However, one's duty does not include testing the faith or religiousity of another human being.  I shall say no more on this for I think the comparison is clear enough.  Otherwise, I run the risk of teaching grandmothers to suck eggs!  (If you are wondering about the origins of that "joke", yes you're right, it's a common one amongst New York's Jewish community). 

When one doesn't think, doesn't question, in the name of submission, or in fear of causing to mislead, then we have the state of Muslim majority countries, and Muslims that we have today.  However, when one questioned, when one debated, when one argued, as so many had done in Andalucia before (Muslims, Christians and Jews together), one had the golden era of Islamic civilisation (past tense used on purpose). 

Isn't it ironic that Muslims today justify Islam's past achievements by way of such examples; when Muslims today refuse to adopt the analytical culture so encouraged and allowed in Andalucia?  Can you image chastising your child, asking her to emulate her grandparents' gentle and polite speech, when you speak with such relaxed profanity?

I wouldn't have been a Muslim had I heeded the advice of a Muslim friend back in Malaysia.  She said, six years ago, in Malay; I could remember it with such clarity, no malice, just regret, "You don't ask about prayers (salat).  When and if you become a Muslim, you will understand."  Just like that, nothing more, nothing less. 

When I was in primary school in Malaysia, I wanted to see text books used in Islamic classes by Muslim students, just out of curiosity of an eight year old.  I wasn't allowed, because I wasn't clean enough. 

Two years ago, I was in a prayer room in London.  A non-Muslim woman wanted to find out about the salat.  A British Muslim sister who is also her friend said, "Why don't you follow what I do?  I shall recite slowly and aloud everything that I say in salat, I shall break them into short phrases, so you could follow what I say, and what I do.  That way, you'd get a feel of it.  Then I can explain what it means."  The two of them "prayed" together.  SubhanaAllah. 

In London, free copies of the meaning of the Quran in English are given out to non-Muslims.  When I was eight in Malaysia, I merely wanted to see religious intruction books, not even the meaning of the Quran in Malay!  Am I bitter? No, of course not.  I'm sad. 

Today, I always reply wa'alaikumsalam, when someone bids me salam, irrespective of that person's religion or intention.  Muslims submit to Allah, but Allah commanded us, challenged us, "Do you not think?"  I believe this phrase occurs more than once in the Quran.  I leave it to my more precise friends to give the surahs' and ayahs' (chapters' and verses') numbers. 

wasalam (and peace), Anisah

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Note:

Bangmat blogged about the same thing, in Melayu, Allah, God dan Salam.

As of 30th September 13:14 GMT, at least 24 people have read this entry. One trackback and no comments.  I know I have silent readers, but I can't believe not a single comment!  If you prefer, you can write here, in Malay.  Malay please, no Anglo-Malay, thanks.

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As of 2nd October 13:59 GMT, at least 87 people have read this entry. Thanks AndrewLZA and Shahriman.  I'm merely writing things that I have experienced in the past.