GEORGE FLOYD’S DEATH, RACISM AND THE VIOLENCE IN THE US
By Dr Muhammad Solaiman
RACISM
Racism is a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and the belief that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race.
JUSTIFICATION OF RACISM
In societies in which there has been systematic discrimination against specific racial groups, inevitably it has been accompanied by attempts to justify such policies. Some tried to justify their exploitation of black people by creating false “scientific” theories. Some others justified their racism by claiming that God created blacks to serve the whites.
This self-centred approach justified for the Imperial European countries, to abuse coloured people, eradicate them and to steal their resources for the sake of their self-interest. This also was used by the Imperial Europeans to justify their slave industry in which millions of black Africans were shipped to America as slaves.
RACISM IN THE UNITED STATES
Racism in the US exists since the colonial era, during which white Americans were given legally or socially sanctioned privileges and rights while these same rights were denied to other races and minorities.
European Americans enjoyed exclusive privileges in matters of education, immigration, voting rights, citizenship, land acquisition, and criminal procedure. On the contrary, African Americans faced restrictions on their political, social, and economic freedom throughout much of US history.
Formal racial discrimination was largely banned by the mid-20th century. But, although racism is supposed to be socially and morally unacceptable, it is deeply rooted in some white Americans and persists in American society. Therefore, it continues to be reflected in socioeconomic inequality and occurs in employment, housing, education, health services and lending.
For instance, a study published in the American Journal of Public Health estimated that: “over 886,000 deaths could have been prevented from 1991 to 2000 if African Americans had received the same care as whites”.
Some thought that the election of Barack Obama, who was the first black president, was a sign for a new, post-racial era. But, the election of President Donald Trump in 2016 has made race relations worse again. The following statistics were provided by the Pew Research Centre.
THE TRAGEDY OF GEORGE FLOYD’S DEATH
George Floyd, a 46-year-old African American, died in Minneapolis. He was filmed pleading for breath as a white Minneapolis policeman pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck for at least five minutes. Floyd was later declared dead in hospital.
The four police officers were fired from their jobs and the officer who pinned him to the ground has been charged with third-degree murder.
WHY DID GEORGE FLOYD’S DEATH TRIGGER EXTREME VIOLENCE?
A violent reaction of people sparked from Minneapolis to California, New York, Ohio and Colorado. The explosion of coloured people is a reflection of the cumulative effect and continuous suffering from racism and the unfair and unjust treatment.
For instance this year in February 2020, Ahmaud Arbery, a twenty-five-year-old African American man was jogging near his home in South Georgia when an ex-policeman and his son confronted him and shot him dead. No arrests were made or charges filed until over two months after the shooting when a video of the attack was made public. Would the same delay have occurred if a white man had been the victim?
However, it should be mentioned that the contribution of some white people in demonstrations means that some white people hate racism and express their solidarity with coloured Americans. It also reflects people’s worries that discrimination and brutality of the police would destroy the US Society.
NO PLACE FOR RACISM IN ISLAM
THE BEST IN THE SIGHT OF GOD IS THE BEST IN CONDUCT
“O, people! We created you from a male and a female and made you races and tribes, that you may know one another. The best among you in the sight of God is the most righteous.” (Qur’an, 49:13).
In the last sermon of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him, PBUH), said:
“All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black nor does a black have any superiority over a white except by piety and good action.”
He also said, “God does not look at your bodies and colours. He looks at your hearts”.
Notice that the verse and the sayings of the prophet (PBUH) address the whole humanity and not only Muslims. We are all created by God and He looks equally for us.
The prophet (PBUH) also prohibited racism and commanded people to “Leave it (racism); it is filth”.
IT IS GOD WHO DECIDES WHO IS BETTER
Notice in the sayings and the verses of the above sections that God judges us according to our piety. Piety could is not measurable by human measures. It is only God who judges the degree of our piety. Therefore, racism is unjustifiable.
MUSLIM RITUALS ARE A PRACTICAL MECHANISM TO END UP RACISM
The encouragement of brotherhood and the rejection of all forms of distinction are demonstrated in the rituals of Islam.
In their daily congregational prayers, Muslims stand side by side, regardless of their social state, richness, poverty, colour, etc.
Muslims pilgrimage is a great international meeting where millions of Muslims from all over the world come together. Pilgrims put the same simple dress and perform together with the same rituals. They demonstrate a universal brotherhood which towers above the narrow considerations of race, nationality, colour or tongue.
ISLAMIC LAW (SHARI’A) IS APPLIED EQUALLY TO EVERYBODY
The law of God enunciated in the Qur’an and exemplified in the life of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is applied equally to everybody; the black and the white, the highest and the lowest, the richest and the poorest and the ruler and the ruled.
ISLAM REJECTS THE CONCEPT OF A CHOSEN PEOPLE
Islam also rejects the idea of a chosen people, making faith in God and good action the only way to satisfy God.
THE DIFFERENCES IN COLOUR ARE A SIGN OF GOD
The differences between people are a sign of the Might of the creation of God. God says in the Qur’an:
“And among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the difference of your languages and colours. Verily, in that are indeed signs for those who know.” (Qur’an, 30:22)
ISLAM ERASES RACISM FROM EARLY CHILDHOOD
Muslim children are raised in Muslim society to believe that racism is unacceptable. They are raised to believe that all humans are the offspring of the same father and mother (Adam and Eve), and therefore, they are brothers and sisters. The prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, “You all belong to Adam and Adam was created from dust”.
RACISM IS A FORM OF ARROGANCE
All humans are equally created by God. They are created by God through the same process and the same mechanism. God does not ask people before their birth what colour or race they prefer. Therefore, it does not make sense to be proud of a race or a colour. The pride of a race reflects arrogance which is unacceptable in Islam.
The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, “Whoever has arrogance in his heart equal to an atom’s weight shall not enter Paradise.”
CONCLUSION
We may conclude that as long as there is racism in the US or anywhere in the world there would not be a peaceful coherent society. The teachings of Islam put an end to racism and create a better peaceful society.
MUSLIM ORGANISATIONS EXPRESS SOLIDARITY WITH U.S. ANTI RACISM PROTESTORS
A number of Muslim groups and prominent individuals have expressed solidarity with anti-racism protestors in the United States following the murder of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis.
In America, the Council on American-Islamic Relations and The Muslim Network pledged to fight anti-black prejudice within the Muslim community.
In a joint statement they said: “We stand in love and solidarity with the friends, families, and communities of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Yassin Mohammed, Ahmed Arbery, Steven Taylor, and every black person who has been murdered by law enforcement.
“We stand in love and solidarity with every black person who has experienced an altercation with police that occurred because of a system and culture entrenched in anti-blackness.
“We stand in love and solidarity with every black person who was ever excluded, ignored, or made to feel unequal within our Muslim organisations, masjids, Islamic schools, or businesses.
“We stand in love and solidarity with black movements, organisations, and efforts to stand up for the rights of black people, including Black Lives Matter…
“Our faith has always taught us to be persistent against injustice and stand for oppressed people. We will no longer wait for another death to move us to recognise that black people have an inalienable right to exist peacefully in this country.
“As community organisations, we are committing to doing more than mourning and publishing this letter. We are committing to long-term reform which includes educating and holding ourselves accountable, and addressing anti-blackness within our communities. We are committing to support local efforts that challenge and eradicate anti-blackness within the circles we preside over.”
Meanwhile, the prominent U.S. Muslim scholar Yasir Qadhi wrote on his Facebook page over a picture of Malcolm X: “Fifty years. More than a generation. Nothing has really changed. Let’s concentrate on the legalized, culturally normalized, intentionally perpetrated, systemic injustice, rather than some small acts of random hooliganism that the media would rather we concentrate on.”
UK REACTION
In the United Kingdom the Islamic Human Rights Commission called on Muslim movements to stop working with the United States.
IHRC chair Massoud Shadjareh said: “This moment in U.S. history is crucial. The U.S.’s foundational system of oppression based on racism and otherisation is writ large for all the world to see. We need to support the calls for justice in whatever way we can, by protest where possible, giving verbal support and dua for the end of oppression.
“Muslim movements worldwide also need to take a good long look at themselves. Many have worked overtly or covertly with the U.S. in the name of achieving their goals. We must now realise that we cannot hope to achieve liberation of any sort whilst in alliance with or deferring to a regime that was created on the basis of genocide and racism.”
The Muslim Council of Britain also issued a statement on events in America, saying: “As Muslims, we must stand against injustice, and so, we take this moment to say: We stand in solidarity with our Black brothers and sisters in the United States, UK and beyond, wherever anti-Black racism manifests. We recognise that anti-black racism must be stamped out wherever it may manifest, for a failure to do so will continue to result in the taking and ruining of precious life.
“We commit to playing our part in tackling anti-black racism within the UK, supporting the individuals and organisations doing vital work in this space, whilst focusing on addressing anti-black racism within Muslim communities.”
And the Muslim Association of Britain said: “The protests which broke out across the United States and the world demanding justice for George and for all black men and women killed at the hands of racism and anti-blackness, reflect the anger and pain many of us feel. But this feeling of anger alone is not enough to bring about justice and to drive the change that is so desperately needed.
“We have an obligation as Muslims to be anti-racist, and to stand up against injustice wherever it arises. Racism is not an opinion; it is the lived reality of many of our black brothers and sisters. Solidarity is not an option, it is a duty and lifelong commitment to end racism. Solidarity means to drive out anti-blackness wherever it arises, from our hearts, speech, actions and from our local spaces and communities.
“We also recognise as an organisation that there remains a lot of work for us to do. That is why we will commit to ensuring that we raise awareness within our own membership by collaborating and working with more black activists and black-led organisations. We are also committed to ensuring that our current and future leadership and members are trained and developed on institutionalised racism and the necessity of ensuring within their role, that the organisation is truly more inclusive and reflective, to eradicate racism locally and globally.
“May we be agents of change and justice on this earth. Please keep our black brothers and sisters in your prayers and join our commitment to fighting racism and ending this injustice.”
