Racism in the Muslim Community: Between Reality and the Teachings of Islam

Abstract

Islām is a religion that takes pride in its codified justice system. It is also a religion that spreads from East to West, encompassing a variety of ethnicities. Racism is a global issue, which has regrettably affected even the Muslim community, as demonstrated and confirmed by the findings of this thesis. In order to deal with this global problem effectively, this research paper explores the connection between the roots of racism and the three Abrahamic religions with further focus on the historical development of racism in the Muslim world from the pre-Islamic era until the 21st century. Through the gathering of scholarly and non-scholarly material, this paper demonstrates the gradual increase of racist discrimination, which was later enhanced by the emphasis on nationalism and tribalism. Those findings are further confirmed by the primary data collected for the purpose of this study. Thereafter, observable types of racism in Muslim-majority and Muslim-minority communities are analyzed, dissected, and then compared to the teachings of Islām. This is to examine the reality and theory to make a clear distinction between the adherents of Islām and Islām itself. The research paper concludes with recommendations that would eradicate racism at the state and individual level.