As Malaysians, we are all privileged enough to share in each other’s cultures, heritages, and customs, given the fact that we all hail from different races and faiths. As such, we all contribute to a tapestry that is truly unique to our country, and nowhere else.
And as part of living in a multiracial community such as this one, we are often raised to remember the importance of not just tolerance, but mutual respect and acceptance of the differences that exist between each other.
M’sian Muslim father explains Christian crosses to daughter in convent school
One shining example of this was recently shared by netizen Khairul Nizam Omar, who took to his Facebook to explain how he taught his daughter, Asya, about interfaith harmony after she asked him about the meaning of Christian crosses. According to Khairul, the question came up as his daughter is currently enrolled in a convent school.
“During her first week of school, she asked me all kinds of challenging questions. ‘Pa, what do the plus symbols on the school walls mean?’. She is referring to the Christian crosses.
So I explained it bit by bit to her, so that she would understand.” he said.
This was followed by his daughter asking him if Muslims such as herself were allowed to sit near Christian crosses.
“I told her that she could sit near a cross, and it wasn’t a problem. Using her friend Jade to set an example, I told her that her friend isn’t Muslim, but she walks by a mosque every day listening to the azan.
Did anything happen to her? My daughter said ‘No, nothing happened to her. Jade is fine.’.”
Religion is what you feel in your heart
Which prompted Khairul to explain to Aysa that religion isn’t distilled down to merely tangible aspects that can be touched or seen, but rather what can be felt deep down in one’s heart.
“I told her religion is deep down there, and pointed at the direction of her heart. I asked her if people can touch her hand, and she nodded. I asked her if people could touch her eyes, and she nodded.
But when I asked her if people could touch her heart, she shook her head. Then, what do people have to be afraid of?”
Out of curiosity, he then asked her why she wanted to know about Christian crosses, to which Aysa responded by saying that she was curious as she noticed many crosses in her school.
“I told her that it’s okay that while she believes in Allah SWT, her friends believe in other faiths.
As long as Asya doesn’t follow others, and Asya doesn’t force people to follow her way, then we can just do things our own way.
‘Because what did papa teach you the other day?’ he asked her. Asya replied, ‘That Allah SWT doesn’t like seeing people fighting’.”
A day later, his daughter asked if they could go out to purchase a brand-new baju kurung and tudung to wear in school, which surprised Khairul. Asking her why she wanted to buy a new uniform, Asya told her father that her friends had asked why she wasn’t wearing a baju kurung, and had chosen to wear a pinafore instead.
“See? Even her friends teach her too. Alhamdullilah, the world would be so much more peaceful if we knew how to respect each other.” he said.
Hopes Malaysians will be more considerate to one another
In speaking with Wau Post, Khairul said that it was key to explain the beliefs and customs of other faiths to his daughter to help them understand. He adds that he has brought his family to visit the homes of friends during Deepavali or Christmas, Chinese New Year and other festivities, in a bid to teach them that it was fine to celebrate the festivities within the boundaries of their own religion.
“Respect is earned, we must pay respect before earn it. So far it’s easier for my kids to mingle around with any other race & religion.” he said.
He adds that he is also concerned by how fragile harmony can prove to be in a country as diverse as Malaysia, with one misstep on social media able to sow hatred between communities.
Urging lawmakers to into strengthening legislature to prevent hateful discourse from being disseminated online, he hopes that Malaysians will learn to be more considerate to one another, especially over social media.
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