celebrate diversity part 1

Confession: I knew some Arab-hating Pakistanis (first semester) in Egypt who I would occasionally chop it up with....discussing the Arab world's cultural, lingual, and socio-economic monopoly on the religious practices of Islam and its particular influence on the Indian subcontinent. We would revel in our prejudices over chicken tikka masala, naan, and chai with milk while people outside ate koshary and fuul.

Even in college, when I saw Pakistani students wearing Arab-esque garments to the mosque or when giving the Friday sermon, or attending any religious function for that matter, I saw it as an appealed attempt to over-extend their religiosity. It bothered me to the effect of utter annoyance. Sometimes even sheer disgust.

My views on the matter however have long been reformed, but somethings recently had reminded me of how I used to feel.

Quite simply, I saw Chinese people in Pakistan wearing shalwar kameez (Pakistani garb). And Thai Muslims in Bangkok wearing dhotis (worn throughout the Indian subcontinent) in the airport as they were about to embark on the hajj, the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca. Celebrate diversity.

But before I went to Pakistan, I heard Dr. Sherman Jackson, Professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies at the University of Michigan speak at the ING (Islamic Networks Group) dinner back in early December of 2006. I remember him (or one of the speakers there...now I forget) giving the following analogy on the relation of Islam and culture:

"In forensics, the thread collected from a crime scene can reveal the whole jacket. That piece of thread when examined can tell you the brand, color, etc. But you cannot rely on that piece of thread as a replacement for the whole jacket."

What I take from this: You can observe Islam being practiced in one place, in one time period, and conclude yes the beauty of Islam resides there. You can then look at a completely different place, time period and also say yes Islam resides there too. The product of people's struggle for righteousness within themselves and their respective societies would reflect that.

Of all the countries Ive been to, all the mosques (Muslim place for prayer) are vastly different in appearance, style, and architecture even. They bring in so many different kinds of people; wearing so many different styles of clothes. Only one thing in common; they are all built to align the people to pray in one unified direction. Towards one central location. Towards Mecca.

Celebrate diversity.