Islamic Metaphysics of Racism by Imam Dawud Walid.
Reviewed By
Dr. Abdul Wahid
There is something to be said for a book that is short and sweet. This is a book with concise yet clear advice, which uses ayaat and ahadith that whilst familiar, are presented in the context of this most contemporary of topics in a way that resonates. It is a book that I would encourage people to read, particularly those who are active in challenging racism in society. Reading the book, and hearing the author speak at a recent book launch, I will offer some thoughts that seek to broaden the discussion beyond the individual – which is the focus of the book – but which are still very relevant to the discussion of “Islamic metaphysics and racism”. Racism, Imam Dawud, argues cannot be solved by policies alone. ‘Racial arrogance cannot simply be legislated and adjudicated away’ he writes, saying that there needs to be a spiritual transformation as well, something that secular anti-race campaigners fail to realise.
Therefore the book aims to provide ‘an analysis of spiritual maladies’ that underpin individual acts of racism and cultural racism – and some spiritual remedies for those who are injured by racism, or who injured others through racism. In the aftermath of the police-killing of George Floyd in 2020 the author reflected on the fact that the existing vast anti-racist legislation of decades before had not prevented this and other Black lives from being taken. Moreover, the general calls for justice (both criminal and economic) and specific calls to defund the police did not address how to deal with the ‘inward harms of racism’.
Imam Dawud sets the modern definitions of racism (‘prejudice plus power’) against the terminology used in prophetic discourse ‘asabiyyah– an Arabic term translated as ‘sticking to one’s group’ but explained by the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) as assisting a group of people that you belong to in wrongdoing or oppression i.e. ‘my people – whether family, tribe, race, religion – right or wrong’. ‘Asabiyyah is considered a sin – and is not restricted to the sense of ethnic superiority, nor to the condition of holding power. He quotes the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) that “Whoever fights under the banner of a people who are blind (to the cause for which they are fighting, i.e. do not know whether their cause is just or otherwise), who gets enraged by tribal pride, calls to fight for tribal pride, and gives blameworthy assistance to his people based on tribal pride – if he is killed (or dies in any of these), he dies as one who died in Jahiliyya (ie the days of polytheism prior to Islam).”
He moves on to identify ‘arrogance’, ‘envy’ and ‘ignorance’ as factors in driving people towards racist attitudes and actions. ‘Arrogance’ is, he says, the first spiritual malady that underpins racist acts, rightly reminding us of the first racism of Iblis against Adam (alaihi as-salam), so leading to his being cursed. The cure for arrogance is, Imam Dawud says, tawbah (i.e. repentance) – and breaks this down in a simple way that encourages humility and self reflection. When addressing ‘envy’ as it relates to racism, he also shows how a spiritual resilience could be built in the victim, with a touching example involving the Prophet’s (صلى الله عليه و سلم) own wives.
He offers a Quranic example of “self-loathing” amongst the Children of Israel when Allah rescued them from Firawn – drawing analogies with more recent examples of self-loathing in oppressed communities, as to how they learned to aspire towards being more like those who held power over them. He offers two ‘cures’ for this – with the Quranic cure being the reminder of our self worth as human beings. Implicit, but not explicitly mentioned, is gratitude to Allah for what we are in terms of our innate form, and not what you think you want to be. Such gratitude would solve much of the inferiority complexes that afflict people from many different backgrounds – whether based on their race, sex or other characteristics.
In a section that reflects the genocide in Gaza today, Imam Dawud discusses how to deal with “fear and grief” that come from oppression. He cites the tragedy of the Zionist Jews who, remembering the horrors and persecution afflicted on Jewish people in Europe in the twentieth century, justify silencing all criticism as ‘anti-semitism’ for fear of any repetition. He does not say this, but the justification for the genocide in Gaza and ethnic cleansing in Palestine is part of this ‘never again’ approach. The people of Gaza, who captured the hearts of the world by their resilience, exemplify the statement of Imam Dawud: “Contentment in the heart with Allah’s divine destiny and judgement is part of the remedy for grief”.
The Muslim, he reminds us, should fear Allah – so cannot respond to worldly fears of an unknown future by violating Allah’s command, all the more so if they find themselves in a position of authority. When addressing the ‘rage’ (meaning an anger spills beyond control) that stems from being discriminated against or oppressed. He quotes Imam Ghazali who said it corrupts faith, as well as that it can lead to loss of judgment. He makes it clear that controlling rage should not lead to apathy. Rather he describes a ‘righteous indignation’ for the sake of something justified, but which should be harnessed towards productive action.
The scope of the book is to address the individual. At the book launch event I went to Imam Dawud did mention the structural aspects of racism that affect society. In the global context the primary structure that relates to racism is the Nation State – a political construct invented in Europe to place temporal power over the authority of ‘God’, according to the Christian tradition. It is a political construct that has been racialised in many places- and that has been globalised to the Muslim world – meaning it has metaphysical implications in Islamic terms.
The national bond of the Nation State, overrides the bonds of brotherhood that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) forged – so much so that some constitutions in Muslim countries wouldn’t permit the Prophet himself, or his companions from being citizens! Muslim countries who put ‘national interest’ above supporting Palestine and Gaza exemplify this. It is manifest in the conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan; or Saudi and Yemen. It is manifest in the Gulf states, who treat Muslim workers from African or Asian countries little better than slaves. It is manifest in the hierarchy of how pilgrims are treated in the Saudi kingdom – with the GCC states given special status.
Islam gives guidance on how we should behave as individuals. But it also gave a political structure that best nurtured an environment to allow that guidance to flourish. Both are from the guidance of Islam. One without the other is not whole. The advice in this worthy book is valuable for the context of those thinking about the problem of racism in western societies. But as for achieving a society and a world where racism is diminished, that can only happen when the structures in the society and the world, as well as the guidance for the individual, accord with the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم).
