And here comes a person, an academician and professed learned person nonetheless, who is trying to be Malay because he thinks that would make him more Islamic.

Zan Azlee, The Malaysian Insider

My beef with Ridhuan Tee began a few years ago when I first started reading his writing and listening to him speak in public about Islam.

I have to say that I although I don’t agree with almost everything that this man utters, I still subscribe to the belief that I will defend to the death his right to say it.

And when I say that, I also hope that my right to express my disagreement with him will be defended by the man himself. How else can we enter a discourse, right?

Anyway, my beef with him has grown thanks to his recent rant at the launch of his books “Masih Adakah Ketuanan Melayu?” and “Cabaran Saudara Baharu di Malaysia”.

I have yet to read them, but trust me, I definitely will. But what he said during the launch, which was reported by the media, was enough to ruffle my feathers.

Tee, a Chinese who embraced Islam many years ago, mentioned that because the Federal Constitution defines Malays as those who profess Islam, he had no choice but to place himself among those in the Malay race as well.

I, for one, am not concerned about being Malay, Chinese, Indian or Dan Lain-Lain (this doesn’t mean that I am not proud of my Malay and Chinese heritage).

Religion does not know race or ethnicity. I am no Tahfiz or Hafiz, but I can say confidently that nowhere does it state in the Quran that being Muslim means being Malay (or vice versa).

If that is the case, Malays would be one of the largest racial groups in the world. The Chinese better start relaxing their birth control laws!

Tee also continues to say that to protect the religion, he has to defend the Malay race as a whole.

Islam does not distinguish people according to race or creed and it defends the right of all Muslims (and in fact, non-Muslims too), as stated in the Quran.

Surah Ar Rum says:

“And it is a sign of Allah that he created the heavens and earth and He created the diversity of languages and colours.”

Surah Al Hujurat says:

“O mankind! We have created you from a single male and female and made you into nations and tribes so that you may know each other. The most honourable of you in the sight of Allah are surety the righteous.”

Even Prophet Muhammad made this clear as he is quoted as saying (and with a touch of brilliant humour, if I may add!):

“You should listen to and obey your ruler even if he was an Ethiopian slave whose head looked like a raisin.”

Many Malays annoyingly try to be more Arab-like in their dressing, style and speaking because they think that by doing so, they become more Islamic.

I am sorry but it doesn’t work that way.

And here comes a person, an academician and professed learned person nonetheless, who is trying to be Malay because he thinks that would make him more Islamic.

How sad is that? So my advice to my fellow Muslim brother Ridhuan Tee is to take heed of what Prophet Muhammad said:

“Indeed my friends and allies are not the tribe of so and so. Rather, my friends and allies are the pious wherever they may be.”