by Izzati Akmar Bahri
A homonym is when two or more words have the same spelling or pronunciation but different meanings and origins.
When you think about it, the concept of a homonym is not immediately applicable to many other things. It definitely is not applicable to colour, particularly skin colour.
Yet, somehow, we have tagged people of different skins to so many different origins, so many different social statuses, deserving of so many different treatments.
The reality is that we have all been derived from a single colour. Derived from a single race, that is the race of a believer, named Adam.
“There is only one race in this world. That is the human race,” said Shaykh Bilal Phillips.
“A Dane, whiter than white who is of O-negative blood type is in dire need of a blood transfusion. His family, although just as white, cannot save him, as they don’t share his blood type.
Elsewhere, an Indian man, blacker than black, is of O-negative blood type. Had he known the Dane needed a transfusion, he could have saved the Dane’s life.
Now tell me, who is closer to the Dane in nature, in all his being? His whiter than white family members? Or that blacker than black Indian man?
There is only one race. The human race.”
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O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted. (Quran 49:13 – Sahih International)
