Allah says in Quran:
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقۡنَٰكُم مِّن ذَكَرٖ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلۡنَٰكُمۡ شُعُوبٗا وَقَبَآئِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوٓاْۚ إِنَّ أَكۡرَمَكُمۡ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ أَتۡقَىٰكُمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٞ
O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honourable of you with Allāh is that (believer) who has At‑Taqwā [i.e. he is one of the Al‑Muttaqūn (the pious)(1)]. Verily, Allāh is All‑Knower, Well‑Acquainted (with all things)
Surah Al-Hujuraat: Ayah 13
- Islam does not obligate Muslims to have a single identity only i.e being Muslim, and abolish the others. Islam recognizes the need to have psychological attachments with family, with ethnic and racial groups and regards it as a natural way of being a Muslim. It also allows Muslims to have multiple identities in addition to their family, ethnic and racial group.
- What Islam forbids is racism, where certain ethnic or religious groups condones injustices, unfair treatment, arrogance, and discrimination against other ethnic or religious groups.
- Let us continue to build a peaceful society where people of different races, ethnicities, cultural and religious backgrounds can co-exist as one.