We are all created differently: with different backgrounds, different cultures and different languages. Mashallah, our ummah is extremely diverse. In the Quran, Allah (swt) celebrates this diversity proclaiming, “Oh mankind! Lo! We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes so that ye may get to know one another” (49:13).
It is very easy for us to get lost in our differences and as a result this can cause tension and disunity. It is important for us to understand that despite our differences, at the end of the day, we are all one ummah. The Prophet (SAW) compared the ummah to a body. An-Nu’man ibn Basheer reported that the Prophet (SAW) said, “The parable of the believers in their affection, mercy, and compassion for each other is that of a body. When any limb aches, the whole body reacts with sleeplessness and fever” (Sahih Al-Bukari 5665, Sahih Al-Muslim 2586).
We tend to get caught up in our differences and rather than embracing them, we create disunity amongst ourselves, making the body of our ummah sick. Especially with the current political discourse, it is becoming increasingly important for us to heal our body and unite as an ummah. It is very natural for differences to arise, but before we are Sunni, before we are Shia, before we are anything else, we are all Muslim. So starting today, rather than building walls and separating ourselves from each other, let us build bridges and come together as one beautiful, diverse ummah. Ameen.
It is very easy for us to get lost in our differences and as a result this can cause tension and disunity. It is important for us to understand that despite our differences, at the end of the day, we are all one ummah. The Prophet (SAW) compared the ummah to a body. An-Nu’man ibn Basheer reported that the Prophet (SAW) said, “The parable of the believers in their affection, mercy, and compassion for each other is that of a body. When any limb aches, the whole body reacts with sleeplessness and fever” (Sahih Al-Bukari 5665, Sahih Al-Muslim 2586).
We tend to get caught up in our differences and rather than embracing them, we create disunity amongst ourselves, making the body of our ummah sick. Especially with the current political discourse, it is becoming increasingly important for us to heal our body and unite as an ummah. It is very natural for differences to arise, but before we are Sunni, before we are Shia, before we are anything else, we are all Muslim. So starting today, rather than building walls and separating ourselves from each other, let us build bridges and come together as one beautiful, diverse ummah. Ameen.