With each suffocated breath, centuries of oppression were exhaled. Floyd’s death did not occur in isolation; it echoed the cries of countless others whose lives had been shattered by the slow, systemic violence of racism. His plea became a rallying cry, awakening a world that had grown numb to injustice. Streets filled with voices, fists raised not in hatred but in a desperate yearning for dignity and equality.

This was not merely the story of one man—it was the story of humanity’s ongoing struggle with a disease that infects not the body, but the soul: racism. A silent plague passed down through generations, cloaked in law, culture, and indifference. And yet, even as the breath was taken from one man, it stirred a moral conscience in millions. It reminded the world that to deny the humanity of one is to endanger the humanity of all.

Racism: a contagious disease

In recent years, racism and xenophobia have been on the rise across the globe, fueled by economic uncertainties, political populism, and social polarization. The increasing fear of the “other” has led to discriminatory policies and widespread societal divisions. Racism is a social construct that fosters discrimination and prejudice based on race or ethnicity. It is deeply rooted in history and manifests in various forms, including systemic discrimination, social exclusion, and outright violence. Racism and hate crimes have witnessed a troubling resurgence across the globe. In the United States, the FBI reported a record-high 11,862 hate crime incidents in 2023, with over 51.3% targeting Black or African American individuals, making race-based offenses the most prevalent. Similarly, in the United Kingdom, recorded racial hate crimes surpassed 100,000 for the first time in 2022, reaching 155,841 incidents—a 26% increase compared to the previous year.

On a global scale, the World Justice Project’s 2022 Rule of Law Index found that

three-quarters of countries have experienced an increase in discrimination since 2015, highlighting a worldwide decline in equal treatment and social cohesion. These statistics underscore that racism is not merely a personal bias but a deep-rooted social illness that continues to erode justice and unity in modern societies.

The causes of racism are multifaceted, stemming from ignorance, ethnocentrism, economic disparity, and political manipulation. Throughout history, societies have used race as a means of division, oppression, and superiority, leading to widespread social injustice. While racism continues to be a destructive force, various religious and moral doctrines, particularly Islam, offer a strong counter-narrative that emphasizes equality, brotherhood, and justice.

So you may know one another

Religious teachings, including those found in the Qur’an and the hadith (sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him), strongly condemn racism and promote the idea of universal human equality. One of the most profound Qur’anic verses addressing this issue is found in Surah al-Hujurat (49:13):

O humankind! Surely We have created you from a single (pair of) male and female, and made you into tribes and families so that you may know one another. Surely the most honorable of you in God’s sight is the one best in piety, righteousness, and reverence for God. Surely God is All-Knowing, All-Aware.  

This verse establishes that racial and ethnic differences are merely a means of identification, not a basis for superiority. True honor and distinction come from righteousness and moral integrity rather than race or lineage.

Another verse reinforcing the message of equality is found in Surah ar-Rum (30:22): “And of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the diversity of your languages and colors. Indeed, those are signs for those of knowledge.”

This verse highlights that human diversity signifies God’s wisdom and creative power. It encourages people to embrace and appreciate differences rather than use them as a source of division and discrimination.

None has superiority over another

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) consistently preached against racism and promoted unity among different ethnic groups. One of his most famous statements on this matter is from his final sermon:

“O people! Your Lord is one, and your father (Adam) is one. An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab have any superiority over an Arab; a white has no superiority over a black, nor does a black have any superiority over a white; none has superiority over another except by piety and good action.” (Musnad Ahmad)

This hadith clearly states that racial and ethnic backgrounds do not determine a person’s worth; rather, character and righteousness are the true measures of superiority. Prophet Muhammad’s actions, peace be upon him, also reflected his teachings. One notable example is his appointment of Bilal ibn Rabah, a former African slave, as the first muezzin (caller to prayer) of Islam, demonstrating that one’s background does not impede one’s spiritual or social standing in the Muslim community.

Islamic scholars have long examined the detrimental effects of racism on societies. One such scholar, Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, likened racism to the venereal disease of syphilis, describing it as a silent but deadly force that weakens the moral and social fabric of society. According to Nursi, racism infiltrates communities stealthily, corroding unity and fostering division. He emphasized that nationalism, when positive, fosters solidarity and mutual support, but when corrupted, becomes a divisive force that undermines social harmony. He also warned that colonial powers deliberately manipulated racial and nationalist sentiments to weaken the unity of undeveloped nations, using racism as a tool for control and division.

Moreover, Nursi compared racism to an inflated ego, arguing that an exaggerated sense of racial superiority stems from an individual’s excessive self-importance. Racism, he explained, is an external projection of an enlarged ego—where individuals prioritize their racial identity over their fundamental human values. He noted that racist ideologies gain traction during times of social and political crises, just as latent diseases emerge when the body’s immune system is weakened.

A path toward eradication of racism

Racism remains a pervasive issue in modern society, perpetuating injustice, division, and hostility. However, our faith traditions, especially the Qur’an and the practice of the Prophet, provide a compelling framework for combating racial prejudice. The concept of human equality, as emphasized in the divine scriptures, negates racial superiority and calls for universal brotherhood based on faith, righteousness, and justice.

Bediuzzaman Said Nursi’s analogy of racism as a social disease offers profound insights into its insidious nature. Just as an untreated disease silently weakens the body, racism corrodes the social order, leading to hostility and fragmentation. To eradicate this moral ailment, societies must embrace the principles of justice, equality, and unity.

Beyond religious doctrine and philosophical reflections, real-world initiatives also play a crucial role in combating racism and fostering intercultural understanding. The Hizmet Movement, inspired by the teachings of Turkish scholar Fethullah Gülen, has long emphasized dialogue, education, and mutual respect among diverse communities. One of its most prominent initiatives, the Turkish Language Olympiads, brought together students from over 160 countries to celebrate linguistic and cultural diversity. Through poetry and song performances, participants transcended borders and stereotypes, highlighting the unifying power of shared humanity. In addition, the movement’s sustained interfaith and intercultural dialogue efforts have served as important platforms for breaking down prejudices and promoting peaceful coexistence. These initiatives exemplify how grassroots efforts, when rooted in sincerity and mutual respect, can effectively challenge racism and build bridges across differences.

Breaking the cycle of prejudice

History has repeatedly shown the destructive consequences of racism. Yet, humanity has the power to break this cycle through education, awareness, and moral commitment. Until societies actively implement the principles of justice and inclusivity, they will continue to suffer from the consequences of racial prejudice. By fostering a collective commitment to eradicating racism, we can ensure that future generations inherit a society where people, in the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., are valued not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. The responsibility lies with all of us to challenge discrimination, promote understanding, and embrace the diversity that makes humanity strong.

The following day journalists, writers, columnists, newscasters, academics, members of think-tanks, and politicians announced that this day had been a milestone. The term “milestone” marks the beginning of new things; what was about to begin now? As time passed we understood what they meant. Nothing in America was the same as before. On September 10, 2001 it had been the land of liberty; on September 12 the situation totally changed. Due to the religious identity of the members of Al Qaeda, who were declared to be the perpetrators, the USA, indeed almost the entire world, had become uninhabitable for anyone with the same religious identity. Liberty had been replaced by constraints and accusations. Not only the USA, but indeed the entire world had shrunk for Muslim people.

It is possible to understand the anger of Americans who lost their loved ones in this tragic incident, one in which almost 3,000 people died. It is also possible to understand people insulting Muslim women wearing headscarves and Muslim men in their beards and turbans. Attacks on mosques during this time could even be considered tolerable. However, what is difficult to understand is the long-lasting discrimination against Muslims and the perception of each and every Muslim as a potential terrorist. For the USA, a country with multicultural politics it cannot be reasonable to formalize changing attitudes with legislation. Something was happening to this country, one which had been advocating peace not war, one that had been known as the land of freedom and diversity. However, all this has happened because America was undergoing a period in which wisdom had been abandoned, something noted by many people.

I want to tell you about two of my memories. One of them occurred in 1999. I and several friends were going to the southern region of New Jersey. When we landed at JFK, we had another 2 hours to drive to our destination, if the traffic was light. Because it was time to pray and we would not be able to get to our destination before the time to pray, we decided to pray on the way. We performed ablution in a rest area. We laid our prayer rugs on the ground and we prayed in public, on the grass. We did not notice anyone glaring at us. We did not encounter any quizzical expressions nor were we treated in any disparaging manner. People in the USA would ask Muslims to mention them in their prayers when they came into contact with God. They also used to show us places to pray. But today? Although some claim that attitudes have not changed, Muslims cannot pray without worrying about somebody calling 911. This is not just an empty claim or remote possibility. There have been many examples of this kind of situation.

Another memory is from the USA of 2002. I was at an airport, getting ready to fly to another state. Although I passed through a number of security checkpoints along with other passengers, the security officer pulled me over. This had happened many times after 9/11, but this time I could not resist asking, “Why?” I had become exasperated with such acts of discrimination. I was fed up with being treated like a terrorist and a man to pity under scornful eyes. Angrily I asked “Why me?” I suppose he had undergone training in psychology. He held my arm, smiling, which made me feel comfortable. He showed me my boarding pass and the 3 S on it. He explained that it means extra security check. He said that the computers put these letters there because I have a Muslim name. He also told me that I should not take it personally because the computer program adds this to all names entered into the system. I realized that my name, which I have always been proud of, was now a reason for discrimination. I am sure that this was only because of 9/11 and Al Qaeda.

Are such precautions appropriate? Many authorities, in particular, politicians at that time agreed they were necessary. There were some people who did not agree, but their number was less and they could not speak up. 10 years after this horrific incident many people now say that all such actions were inappropriate.

The past stays in the past. It is ridiculous to try to carry yesterday’s issues to today. However should we not learn from the past? I Religion, language, ethnicity, creed, and profession are our secondary identities, coming after being human. These were differences that gave us a sense of belonging. In the same way that capital has no religion, terrorism cannot have any religion. If there is a list of words that cannot go together, “religion and terrorism” takes first place. We can neither relate to religion nor explain by religion what the Oklahoma bomber Timothy McVeigh or the Norwegian terrorist Behring Breivik did. In the same way that we cannot relate what they did to their religious identity as Christian terrorism, we cannot do the same with the events on 9/11 as Islamic terrorism. However, sadly this has not been the case.

All rational Muslims have exclaimed that it is in no way justified to identify Islam and Muslims with terrorism. Many authorities, scholars, politicians, academics, and opinion leaders have also said that this was a grave mistake. Even though a terrorist may have a Muslim identity, you cannot generalize and scrutinize such behavior from an Islamic perspective. On that day the newspapers published full-page condolence messages. Muslim scholars and academics also penned letters that condemned terrorism. This period, as it was one in which wisdom did not exist, prevented people from seeing all this, perhaps because it was Islam being accused and they didn’t really care about it, or because they did not want to change their foreign policy which they based on these attacks, or because they were prejudiced, or because they wanted to ease public opinion. What did happen was that common sense was ignored and people behaved as they wanted to.

Thank God, this lack of wisdom did not last long. As the 10th anniversary of 9/11 approaches, the mood has changed. Not all Muslims are considered to be potential terrorists anymore. People who have Muslim names do not get extra security checks at airports. The terrible slaughter in Norway has made the authorities start to reconsider their policies. Religious and cultural diversity projects and models for living together with peace are being reviewed. Projects that cover all areas of life, such as world brotherhood, coexistence while preserving differences, making the world a place for togetherness, preventing the otherization of other people have all started to take place despite the existence of some people who still see “others” as the enemy. We sincerely hope that those who are for peaceful coexistence will dominate over the second and the world will never experience a new 9/11, Oklahoma, Madrid, London, or Oslo attacks again.