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By Mihar Dias (C) Copyright November 2022
At the opening ceremony of the World Cup in Qatar, Morgan Freeman's deep and commanding baritone voice reverberated demanding us to answer "How can so many countries come together if only one way is accepted?" (Daily Sabah)
His question refers to what many in the Muslim community alluded to as the Islamic way! That there is no other way but the Muslim way.
But in the next sentence he answers, "We can learn from each other and find beauty in differences."
There lies the root to our indifference and intolerance of those who are not like us, irrespective of whether we are Muslims or not.
Credit: @zulkoli Tiktok
If only we are willing to learn from each other we should find beauty in one another's way of life, culture and beliefs.
Just reach out and you'll discover what you envisaged about each other are mainly coloured by your own prejudices and biases. As a result most of the time our fears and misconceptions about the other person's culture and beliefs are unfounded.
As soon as you get close to each other you'll discover that we are not really that different after all. The late Nik Aziz has said this often in the days when PAS was closer to DAP.
Credit: @_donjany Tiktok
Morgan Freeman goes on with his narrative at the opening by saying that "With tolerance and respect we can live together in one big tent. A Bedouin tent." (Daily Sabah)
He is talking in Qatar where the living quarters are always found in large tents built by the Bedouins before they had a high rise of steel and concrete for shelters. He is inviting people all over the world to seek refuge under a big Bedouin tent only as a metaphor.
We in Malaysia can do likewise except it has to be under a clear blue Malaysian sky be it a tent, a long house, or a high rise condominium. It matters not where you live as long as you are willing to take a chance to try to understand one another.
Politicians too must not have any other agenda except to bring people together irrespective of their race, religion or linguistic differences under one nation like the big Bedouin tent that Morgan Freeman spoke of during the Opening of the World Cup that brought hundreds of thousands from all over the world together at one event.
We too can move forward as one nation with tolerance and respect for one another now and forever!
We don't really need Morgan Freeman to tell us what we have doing for ages. We can manage on our own.
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