Don't Make Fun Of Muslims And Their Islamic Religion

Ace is getting quite good in his arabic lately.. a different teacher made all the difference!:) And perhaps of his better understanding of the culture, he has also started to assimilate things about this country into his mind... For example, he asked me if I have ever heard of the UAE national anthem and I have not.. so he sang it for me;)

Anyway, yesterday, when he was doing his homework, the daily prayers came on... and I was just goofing around and singing along with it and I told Ace, "Maybe when you are very good in arabic you can understand this and sing along too..'

And then my 7 year old tsk tsk tsked me and said, "Mummy, you shouldn't make fun of arabic people and their islamic religion..."

Already when he say tat.. I "chua" (surprised...)

All the more "chua" when he added after 1 second pause, "What is more, you are in dubai leh...  it is not nice to make fun of other people or to say bad things about other people who are different from you... wait they will get upset...."

My jaws dropped open lor!

Amazing! My 7 year old has good sense about this but some 30 something year old WOMAN in Singapore doesn't... and even lost her job as a result of that!:)

And most importantly, my little man added, "If the people here get upset, they will go to the poilce and the police will catch you..."

WAHAHAHAHAHAHA... ok, my bad!:)

I must say though that being in the middle east has helped me learnt more about the people and culture here. I used to think tat Dubai, Saudi, Afghanistan are all THE SAME. They are the middle east... filled with pple who are so deeply religious they will do anything... even die or kill... and that they think of women as second class citizens....

But after being in Dubai for about a year, I must say tat I now realize that these places ARE NOT THE SAME AT ALL!:) Saudi is very much more conservative than Dubai and has way stricter laws (a man who killed someone else in an accident cos he was speeding was beheaded), and afghanistan, strangely I now find out is really a mix of middle eastern and indian culture:) Women are not so much considered second class citizens in this part of the world, they are just respected and "protected" in a different way tat the westernize world might not appreciate... I even realize that there is great logical sense that they have themselves all covered up. Come walk here in the hot sun when there is a sandstorm and you will know wat I mean...

All in all, I believe that like what one of my teachers and friend, Lency, used to say.. "If you really got to know someone.. you will love them.." And it is always true.. if you really got to know someone, something or some culture.. you will get to appreciate them and love them too...

I believe I am making headway... I used to want to faint the moment i smell arabic perfume.. now I can tahan and realize it is actually pleasant if it is not quite so overpowering... :D

PS: Ace is really making headway in arabic now. He just got 10 housepoints again for getting full marks in his impromptu arabic quiz by the teacher!:) wow! I am impressed!:)

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