The admin of the famous Penang eatery, Nasi Kandar Sulaiman, is setting the record straight regarding the religious beliefs of Malaysian Indian Muslims, affectionately known in Malaysia as ‘mamak’. This comes after customers expressed disbelief upon learning that the community does not celebrate Thaipusam.
Taking to their Facebook page, the eatery shared how two customers from out of town had asked why they were not out celebrating the festival.
“We are born Muslim”
Nasi Kandar Sulaiman shared the interaction:
“There were two Malay customers from outside of Penang who asked me, ‘Didn’t you go celebrate Thaipusam?’. I told them that I am Muslim and do not celebrate it. But they persisted, asking, ‘Eh, don’t mamaks celebrate too?’, while one added, ‘Maybe they have siblings celebrating’.”
The admin continued, “I don’t know their intentions, but I gave them the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps they live in a village and aren’t familiar with the mamak community. Maybe they think mamaks are involved with the Hindu religion.”
The restaurant went on to debunk the misconception that mamaks are simply those who converted to Islam from Hinduism.
“For those who do not know, we are born Muslim. We do not have non-Muslim siblings. Even our grandparents and ancestors were Muslims,” the post clarified.
Language does not equal religion
The post further emphasised that while members of the community speak Tamil, it does not mean they are non-Muslim.
“Tamil is a language for communication. What mamaks follow are the commands of Allah and the Prophet. So, to those who do not know us, do not immediately label us as non-Muslims. This is a matter of faith (aqidah). It is a grave sin to belittle someone’s faith,” the admin wrote.
They concluded by reminding everyone to maintain mutual respect:
“At the same time, as Muslims, we do not need to ridicule or mock other religious festivals. We should demonstrate good morals in line with the teachings of Prophet Muhammad.”
What do you think about this? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section.
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