Muslims and Antisemitism
Muslims are strictly forbidden to criticise and belittle people on grounds of race and ethnicity. Hence, Islamically, it would be impermissible to engage in "antisemitism", given that this term has been used in relation to race and ethnicity, even though in its origin, it is related to language.
The word “Semite” refers to people descended from the ancient southwestern Asia and include Phoenicians, Canaanites, Akkadians, Arabs, Hebrews and some Ethiopians. The word comes from “Sem” the son of Nūḥ, from whom all these groups descended. Of the twelve tribes of Israel, ten were allegedly “lost” when their kingdom (Samaria) was taken by the Assyrians in 722 BC. However, this appears to be a way to conceal the likelihood that some among these tribes are found among the Italians, Armenians, Turks, Iranians (those that migrated out) and most of them are among the Syrians, Jordanians, Palestians, Iraqis. They would have subsequently became “Christians”[1] and then Muslims after the sending of Jesus (عليه السلام) and Muḥammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) respectively. Arabs are true “Semites”, having retained their linguistic and racial purity whereas European Askhenazi Jews are not, they are of mixed and diluted ethnicity due to a long history of intermarriage with foreigners.
There are Jews of various ethnic backgrounds, the European Ashkenazis, the Sephardim, likewise there are Persian, or Eastern Jews (Mizrahim), there are Yemeni Jews, Ethiopian Jews of darker complexion, there are Chinese (Kaifeng) Jews and so on. Thus, “Judaism” and being a “Jew” is not about race or ethnicity, though it is claimed to be.
In that case, it is established that much of modern Jewry is a by-product of intermarriage with gentile women. The vast majority (at least 95%) of Modern Jewry is of European Askhenazi stock. Claims of racial purity are dubious and some Jews, such as Schlomo Sand have authored works demonstrating that the very notion of the "Jewish People" is an invention.
See paper: Missing Link of Jewish European Ancestry
Given this reality, even the word “antisemitism” is highly dubious. It has been weaponised in the modern era by the Zionists, to shield and advance their occupationist (to use the words of Ariel Sharon), colonialist project. “Its a trick, we always use it.” Further, the Judaics (Judahites) are only one tribe among the Israelites as a whole, and given that the Israelites are only one small segment of Semites as a whole (which include many races or nations), then this weaponised use of “semite” and “semitism” and “antisemitism” returns to identity theft or identity hoarding.[2]
An illustration of Jewish racial purity:
The most racially pure and preserved in their Semitism, in both race and language, are the Arabs, something confirmed in the Jewish Encyclopedia under the entry of “Semites.”
The 1906 edition states:[3]
The Arabs in the desert fastnesses of central and northern Arabia have, on account of their isolated position, preserved unchanged more features of primitive Semitic character, custom, and language than any other Semitic nation; the conditions of life have always been too hard to permit the development of any high state of civilization. But Arabia from time immemorial has poured forth wave upon wave of Semites over the surrounding lands; and finally, under the influence of Mohammed in the seventh century of the current era, Arabia became for a time a great world-power.
The most vicious, vile and denigrating antisemitism today is in fact against Arabs, not against Jews. See: The Antisemitism of Ernest Renan and European Nations.
In the Qurʾān, the historic Banī Isrāʾīl (Children of Israel, Jacob) are praised, having being favoured over the nations of their time with revelation and prophethood, and on account of their uprightness upon Tawḥīd, righteousness, obedience and observance of the law. They were praised for their actions and qualities, not race or ethnicity. And then when those among them who call themselves “Jews” deviated and displayed blameworthy traits and qualities, they were censured and rebuked for their actions, not because of their race and ethnicity. This has nothing to do with race or ethnicity, it is to do with belief and conduct.
Racial and tribal bigotry and ethno-supremacism are forbidden in Islām and are considered to be from the traits of Jāhiliyyah (pre-Islāmic days of ignorance and backwardness).
Allāh, the Creator and Lord of Mankind, created men for His worship, for their unity, benefit and well-being, and all of mankind was upon one religion prior to Noah (عليه السلام). Further, He created men with different complexions, colours and languages, as manifestations of His Lordship (30:22-). The claim that Allāh created the whole universe just for one group of people, and that all other people were created to serve just one race or one ethnicity is the most vile and despicable form of racism.
For this reason, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) declared to his nation that no Arab is superior to a non-Arab and vice versa and no person of red, or white or yellow complexion is superior to one of black complexion and vice versa. Virtue and excellence are only on account of piety which lies in the heart (and translates into righteous deeds).
Further, he also advised that it be said—without any shame, hesitance, diplomacy or politeness—to the one who calls to this type of racial, tribal or ethnic bigotry—to suck his father's private part, since that is the place he came out of.
Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله) said:
For this reason, he among the scholars said what he said that this indicates the permissibility of explicitly mentioning the name of the private part due to need [in the situation] and for the beneficial interest. And it is not from the filthy, vulgar [language] that has been prohibited. Just as it occurs in the ḥadīth of Ubayy bin Kaʿb from the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) that he said: “Whoever you hear calling to the call of Jāhiliyyah [of pride in one’s descent and stoking tribal bigotry], then tell him to suck his father’s penis [as mockery, derision and belittlement], and do not be polite [in saying so].” Related by Aḥmad. [4] Ubayy bin Kaʿb heard a man saying: “O so and so” [calling out of tribal partisanship], so he said: “Suck your father’s penis.” So there was said to him [words of blame and censure for vulgarity], so he said: “Allāh’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) commanded us with this.”[5]
This has been explained by Muslim scholars as being similar to corporal punishment, meaning, the prescribed punishments for certain major sins, as a deterrent, in that this is the response and punishment for the one who manifests this type of pride and stokes bigotry, so that he is humiliated, so that this type of sentiment is never allowed to gain hold in the hearts of people, and so that all the evils arising from it (war, death, destruction, division) are cut off from their roots, in preservation of society.
This is from the perfection of the guidance of the Prophet Muḥammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and shows that this guidance is from the Creator of the Lord of the Worlds. Allāh made mankind into nations and tribes so that they may know each other and observe each other’s rights (49:13-), and that they see the variation in their colours and tongues as signs of Allāh’s Lordship (30:22-).
So this is what we say to all racial, tribal and ethnic supremacists, go and suck the private-parts of your fathers, revel in your bigotry, enjoy it, and we will aptly describe you as a family or tribe or nation of suckers of their fathers' private parts—for want of a shorter phrase—be you Anglo, European or American white-supremacists, German or Ukrainian Nazis or Jewish ethno-supremacists, and likewise, people of any race, ethnicity or nationality, whether European, Arab, Indian or Chinese, so that mankind can see you for what you are, and so that the evils arising from such bigotry are cut off from their roots.
In short, Muslims reject antisemitism—belittlement on account of race and ethnicity—and we also reject racial and tribal bigotry, inclusive of Jewish ethno-supremacism, keeping in mind that plenty of Jews reject and denounce this ethno-supremacism.
Critiques of actions and behaviours, because of those behaviours being wrong, harmful to others, immoral, or unjust is not denigration of the ethnicity of the perpetrator. Thus, if the Russian, Chinese, Italian or Jewish Mafia are critiqued and condemned because of their actions, its not anti-Russian, anti-Chinese, anti-Italian, anti-Jewish or “anti-Semitic” to do so. All people of sound intellect know this.
In closing, it is important to note that what has preceded does not mean that you cannot have a sense of feeling, belonging and loyalty towards your tribe or nation and affinity to your culture, as that is something natural. There is nothing wrong with preserving one’s roots and culture, because this is a natural variation in creation and is a sign from the signs of Allāh’s Lordship over His creation, in that he made mankind of various colours and complexions. What is being referred to is bigotry, elitism, supremacism and denigration.
Footnotes
1. Keeping in mind the distinction between the original message of Jesus (عليه السلام) and the various “Christianities” that appeared after him.2. Meaning, taking exclusive hold on this identity to the exclusion of others, in discrimination of them.
3. Jewish Encyclopedia, (Funk and Wagnels) 11/184.
4. Refer to Ṣaḥīḥ Adab al-Mufrad of Shaykh al-Albānī (no. 741).
5. Minhāj al-Sunnah (8/408-409).