‘I Can’t Breathe’ – On George Floyd’s Death, Islam and Racism

On Justice 

Similarly, racism is real in non-Muslim cultures. The murder or #GeorgeFloyd by a policeman in broad daylight with three other policeman who must all have been aware of what was happening is the latest of unbridled institutional racism in the United States of America.

One commentator on Twitter, Chad Loder has a long thread showing the violence carried out by the unruly and unjust police in the US attacking peaceful protesters.

The minority of police officers who are doing this do not of course represent the majority of the police who do actually do a good job of keeping society safe.

If we are to find a way out of this complex situation, the only way forward is to address the frustrations felt by underprivileged white people whose anger and hatred towards non-white people led them to vote for Trump, and to provide fairness and opportunity for Black people who have been marginalized for generations.

Both are victims though clearly one is subjected to more injustice than the other. And instead of pitting one against the other, it is only by providing both with the opportunities they seek, we can all become prosperous. This includes holding those who break the law to account, even if they are policemen.

The Qur’an says “Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.”(13:11). 

If the coronavirus is changing the way we live in society, let our new normal, somehow, include prosperity and opportunity for all, so we do not target one another with our frustrations.

May you rest in peace George Floyd.

May God forgive us all, guide us all, inspire us all and direct us all towards ways to bring peace to all, in this life and the next, Ameen.

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About Farrukh Younus
Farrukh I Younus has a background in mobile phone strategy across Europe and Asia, and has visited China on more than 25 occasions. Dedicated to understanding and delivering solutions based on new technology, Younus has spoken on the subject to the EU in Brussels, and regularly attends industry-leading conferences. He currently runs a video platform, Implausibleblog, delivering lifestyle content via social media; where his focus is on understanding consumer behaviour with regards to digital content and digital advertising. His interests include travel, nouvelle cuisine, and chocolate.