Commentary | Can we be oroud of our race and tribe?

By Lamin Darboe, Leicester, UK:

CAN WE BE PROUD OF OUR RACE & TRIBE?

We are equal in the sight of Allah and there is no superiority in terms of colour, nation and tribe except for "taqwa" righteousness.

Everyone must have this basic knowledge that Allah, our creator is the one who knows what is best and how to measure what is best. He rightly said that our land, language and label does not confer any superiority simply because these characteristics are not made by our choice but pre-ordained.

You can be be proud of your external or mundane achievements, acquired abilities but not what you never acquired through effort. Today many of the qualities that we think make us distinctive thud a source of self-pride are in reality accorded to us by our creator Allah jalla jallaluhu.

Basically your tribe, city or village you were born, the parents to whom you were born to, are not our deliberate choices but the choice of our creator, so if you are intelligent and humble, these favours must not make you proud.

Allah decides them in HIS magnificent knowledge billions of years before your soul was even created.

A wise and deep thinking person should not be even proud of his or her externally acquired privileges because it's all out of the favour of Allah jalla jallaluhu.

He could have made you disable, ill or lazy to the extent you can't earn your living. So all means of acquiring livelihood is facilitated by Allah and we must always be thankful to Him.

If there is any tangible and beneficial exhortation, it will be, let not your tribe, language, wealth make you proud to the extent yiu look down on others because these are pre-ordainments and favours from our maker who revealed what is the criteria for excellence.

One can be tempted to ask, why did our creator made us tribes and nations. It's simple to manifest His power and glory that we can create one human race, or different colours with the same features yet can speak thousand different languages. It for recognition and lesson for us yet the most important reality is that everything our creator does is not for frivolity but a TEST.

Our race and tribal differences is a test for us so that our creator will judge us by our conduct in ways we behave ourselves toward each other. To see whether we will oppress each other, be arrogant and proud because of our race or tribe. Whether we will preserve the right of others, deal justly and honestly with others irrespective of racial or tribal differences.

As the saying goes, the refuge of a scoundrel is his or her resort to nationalism, tribalism and racism because his has no externally effort base quality to show for or exhibit him or her self-pride.

Success and distinction in the spiritual and even in the mundane realm should not be judged by achievements or privileges that in the greater scheme of things are actually favours of our creator.

Some he He gave cognitive ability, some creative ability, some excellent humanity, some justice, some technical resources, some natural resources, some peace, some justice and honesty, otherd cannot live without oppressing others in many diverse ways, otherd are grateful for the little thry have and some want everything for themselves and could travel thousands of miles to pursue that goal even if is means killing others, colonizing, subjugating and exploiting others.

All these scheme of things are a trial and shall be ultimately be judged and rewarded by the creator in the hereafter.

Make no mistake and think all the injustices, aggression, suppression and oppression will be overlooked, no my no means, not rewarding evil and good will make our creator unjust.

The Quran states

Surah Ibrahim, Verse 42:

وَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّ اللَّهَ غَافِلًا عَمَّا يَعْمَلُ الظَّالِمُونَ إِنَّمَا يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ لِيَوْمٍ تَشْخَصُ فِيهِ الْأَبْصَارُ