Every country around the world has its own population census and demographics study. It shows the make-up of the population, ethnicity, financial situation and a lot more.
There is importance in having data of the breakdown of different ethnicities in a country, most obvious for economic and cultural understanding, along with less obvious reasons.
But, do any of those reasons include the persecution of races that do not make up the majority in the country? Of course, it obviously should not.
My favourite doctor, Ridhuan Tee, recently wrote that non-Muslims should only be allowed to build houses of worship as big or small according to the percentage of their population.
I guess what that means is that, if Muslims make up more than 60% of the population in Malaysia, than their mosques should be as huge, if not bigger, than the KLCC twin towers.
If the Buddhists make up 20% of the population in the country, then their temples should be less than half the size of the KLCC twin towers.
And, the Christians, who only make up about 10% of the population, should only build churches that are, well, the size of match boxes, I presume.
His contention is with the Calvary Convention Centre (CCC), the biggest church in Southeast Asia, which is located in Bukit Jalil.
Tee says that too much freedom is given to the minorities in building their houses of worship and that Muslims should not trust the enemies of the faith.
Firstly, I do not want to live in constant suspicion of all the people around me. No Christian that I know, whether family members, friends or colleagues have ever tried to convert me.
So, there has never been an issue of trust or distrust. I can say that respect actually exists between me and all the people that I am surrounded by.
I actually try to be Islamic about my approach when living with non-Muslims. That’s why I go with what I read in the Quran.
Surah Al Kafirun states:
“I do not worship what you worship. Nor are you worshippers of what I worship. Nor will I be a worshipper of what you worship. Nor will you be worshippers of what I worship. For you is your religion, and for me is my religion.”
But I’m no doctor. And maybe I am the way I am because of the people I surround myself with, or, who choose to surround me.
Then, maybe this speaks more about people that the doctor chooses to be surrounded by, and hence his constant fear and distrust of people.
All the non-Muslims that are his friends and family are probably always trying to coax him in to leaving Islam so he has to be on the alert at all times.
Or, it could be more of the fact that the doctor is constantly trying to convert the people around him, and so he feels that people are also trying to do the same to him.
Hey, I really don’t know. This is just an assumption on my part. Who am I to judge someone I don’t know personally, right?
But, I wonder who is stopping the doctor from building the biggest mosque in the world in his backyard? You should do it doctor!
Being the Muslim defender of the universe, you should take it upon yourself to show these non-Muslim minorities that their houses of worship pales in comparison with yours.
Build one with a centre courtyard so huge that it can fit numerous football pitches in it (maybe Malaysia can eventually host the World Cup!).
And, please make sure that the minarets are erected so high and mighty that one can get altitude sickness going up.
Because what more can show how strong your faith is if not a building that is so huge and big that it just makes you feel all powerful and adequate, right?
Zan Azlee
Thu Jun 19 2014
Does the size of a house of worship determine the strength of the faith?
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