Respect Others?

It was a very calm morning as school holidays has just started. I left home later than usual to head to work as I do not have to send the children off to school. Nevertheless I arrived early at my clinic because of the light traffic. As I turned into the staff car park, I saw an angry Chinese man talking from beside his car to my colleague, who is an IKRAM activist. I did not hear the conversation as I was still in my car but I can see from his body language that ‘things are not good’. As I stepped off my car, my colleague has already moved her car to another parking space. She approached me with an unpleasant look from her face saying that she has just been scolded (I mean this literally) by a Dentist Specialist about parking her car in his parking space. He even asked her ‘who are you?’ I am Jusa C (highly ranked government personnel) with a disrespecting manner.

Allahuakbar! Astaghfirullah…

I felt angry although I wasn’t directly involved in this incident because of the way he treated my colleague. She has made a mistake, true, but for whatever reason it is wrong to scold someone in that way.

I don’t mean to generalize this person to all Chinese community in this country but I stand to defend what ISMA has loudly spoken about and has been heavily criticized of in the last few weeks. There are figures that are ungrateful and disrespectful and look down unto others that we need to ‘remind’ them of their rightful place. The car park is such a small piece of land that he claimed to be his designated parking space and yet we as Malays are still ‘shy’ or not bold enough to claim that this land is rightfully ours. If there is no compromise or tolerance in a car parking space, should there be compromise in a blessed and peaceful land?

Islam is the most tolerant religion with high professional values and respect towards others IF someone is sincere in discovering its fundamentals. Muslims live their lives for the sake of pleasing Allah and not other human beings. Respect towards others and good attitude (akhlak) form a strong percentage of the religion and determines a person’s fate in the life of the hereafter. If people disregards others and treat others with cruelty, that person is hindered from entering Paradise. However, a good system has its check and balance meaning if we are provoked and downgraded, we have the right to defend ourselves. However, when we defend ourselves, we are labeled as extremists.

I can only conclude in saying that the war against Islam has taken a turn from swords and missiles which can be materialized into a more discrete manner. Muslims must be careful as to not become the victims of poor morality and low socio-economic value. Islam is not meant to be understood by logic alone or merely feelings and instinct. On the other hand, Muslims must also be careful as to not become the tools that others use to destroy our own religion.

Let’s put on our thinking caps and may Allah guide us to the truth.