There is something almost impressive about opening your profile with Assalamualaikum, declaring “love all,” scattering a few heart emojis around, and then apparently deciding that all this brotherhood has a convenient exception whenever the subject is the Rohingya.
The Threads account @lempoyang41, identifying himself as Husin Lempoyang (obviously not his real name), has repeatedly attacked me for defending the Rohingya. Instead of addressing what I actually say, he resorts to ethnic stereotypes, derogatory labels and the usual racist rubbish directed at an already persecuted people.
Apparently, “love all” comes with terms and conditions.
There is nothing wrong with debating refugee policy. Malaysia can discuss immigration, documentation, enforcement, employment and the practical limits of humanitarian assistance. But there is a very obvious difference between criticising policy and reducing an entire ethnicity to racial caricatures.
Islam, inconveniently for this sort of behaviour, does not endorse racial contempt. The Qurʾān condemns mockery and degrading names, while the Prophetic message rejected ʿaṣabiyyah and ethnic superiority.
So there is something rather absurd about advertising Islamic greetings while behaving in a manner directly opposed to those principles.
I never considered this low-life individual to be a Muslim or as a legitimate representative of my religion. Casual takfīr in this case is justified; not merely because somebody behaves disgracefully online, he also flaunts his religious status as though he is divinely-appointed by God to judge others.
And this is where the Malay expression penunggang agama becomes difficult to avoid. When Islamic language is prominently displayed while Islamic ethics become strangely optional, religion begins to look less like a moral commitment and more like branding.
Assalamualaikum in the bio. Racial stereotyping in the replies.
Quite the combination.
Defending the Rohingya does not mean supporting open borders or pretending that refugee policy has no complications. It simply means refusing to treat an entire persecuted people as legitimate targets for racial abuse.
So debate the policy. Bring evidence. Bring statistics. Bring arguments.
But if all you bring are racial stereotypes and insulting names, do not complain when people call the behaviour exactly what it is.
Typing Assalamualaikum is easy.
Living according to what it represents appears considerably harder.