Asalamu'alaikum..
Alhamdulillah praise be to Allah since I've managed to finish off reading cover to cover a book entitle "Human Rights and Racial Discrimination in Islam" written by Prof.Abdul Aziz Al-Khayyaat (in Arabic)but it was translated into English by Khalifa Ezzat and Heather Shaw.Oh,I read the Engish version..hehehe. (My Arabic is rusted-and-decayed)
I Just want to highlight short comments/summary about this book (the whole contents) from my two cents point of view;
The way the topic being presented and discussed are absolutely amazing.Easy to follow and the language/words being used are simple and understandable.I would give 7/10 for it. (hahaha..since when we're in a competition and being graded?)
However as a 'layman' I found out that the author unable to put a convincing facts though there are actually lots of evidence inside the book.- not convincing enough.
Apart from that,the issues arose and discussed are outdated and no longer acceptable.
I'm not under estimate the author's personal judgement on the issues but honestly I could see that he is not judging fairly and there are sort of imbalance judgement and evident.
For an example,the author keeps on highlighting the issue of 'apartheid' which was practiced by the people in the USA in the late 70s.He keeps on saying that it's still being practiced in the US Government,school,law court and etc.Eventually,as I've been 'reading a lot' I could say that the 'apartheid' is no longer being practiced 'legally' by the USA.If there are any,you can't blame and conclude it as a whole Americans' practice since it's only a 'personal/individual' matter.If not,how come Barrack Obama (the American Black) could simply elected and becoming the USA President?
Besides,the author proudly and confidently stated that we (The people of the world)need to look at the middle east where the countries there are the examples and role model of practicing 'free racial discrimination'.
He stated that Arab's countries never discriminate whether in their government or by personal practice.
Wow,I doubt that.I have a lot of Arab friends and we had discussed this topic before and it's totally contradicted with the author's statements.
One of my friends is a Yemeni but he's living in Saudi since he was a small kid.He has little brothers and sisters who were born in Saudi but all of them are denied their rights and services as they are not 'Saudis'. They couldn't enroll into public university or even receiving treatment in the public hospital.Why?They are Arab but not Saudis.Isn't that 'racial discrimination'?
The author even somehow moving slightly away from the topic where he stressed that Arab women are encourage to pursue their studies in college and university. (He's showing evident that women are never being oppressed in Arab.However,this is not a 'racial' issues but a 'gender ism' issues.)
I wonder why is that women in Arab countries having no right to drive a car then?
Over all,'ok la'..
As a 'layman' I could obviously see the injustice judgement and evident inside the book.
Since all of us know that 'American is our enemy' (as what 'they said' and been perpetuated.As for me,it is not)it is not a good and brilliant ideas to punish them by giving injustice judgement and at the same time proudly picturing good images of the Arabs. (I guess it's vice versa)
*As a professor,the author need to tell the truth though it's bitter for the Muslim world to swallow it rather than hiding the factual things. ('Berpijaklah di bumi yg nyata')..
Wallahu'alam..