Allah states: “Oh, Humanity: Verily, We created you from a Male&Female & then made you Diverse-Nations&Tribes, to identify/respect one another. Verily, the Most-Noble amongst you to Allah are the Most-Pious. Verily, Allah is All-Knowing All-Aware.”.
(Noble-Qur’ān: Chpt.49, V.13)
Throughout the Duration of my Life Countless-Persons: both Muslims & Non-Muslims alike, even those whom I grew-up with/around, have confused me with having Ethno-Cultural Origins external of the United States. When this initially started happening, I simply took it as me being a Person with Many-Faces. However, it seemed a lot deeper than I originally anticipated. I mean…it literally doesn’t occur all the Time. But, even today it still happens to me. There’re very Random-Times People will actually spark Convos with me, exclusively to ask where I’m from…who I’m “mixed with”, etc. This has literally taken place, but my Default-Response to that is always: I’m mixed with my Biological Father&Mother. That usually ends the Convo, because Most-Persons don’t have enough Thick-Skin to handle Sarcasm.
Now, as per Ethno-Cultural Background: being that apparently I can “pass” for being Lots of Various-Peoples…it’s very interesting & insightful to me concerning how/why Certains Peoples think/feel that I may be from their Peoples.
I’ll give Some-Examples:
Hajj/Pilgrimage
In 1426, A.H./2005, C.E. I was in KSA/Saudi Arabia for the Annual-Hajj. While there, I was asked by just about everyone the Typical/Classic-Question “Where’re you from?!!!”: I was asked this via Arabic as well as English. As I informed Those-Persons that I’m from the U.S., they immediately followed-up with: “Where’re you really from?!!!”, and/or “Where’re you originally from?!!!”, and/or “Where’s your Family from?!!!”, etc. I found myself being bombarded with those Types/Kinds of Inquiries a lot more often than I would’ve cared for…it became quite annoying honestly though.
Traveling via Europe
This-Experience actually was a lot more simplex, because apparently I’ve such an “American-Accent”, that it was easier for Euros to tell whether or not I was a Local while traveling via Europe. However, even while traveling there: I was often asked where I’m from, in spite of the how should we say “Yankee-Accent”. 9/10 Everyone via Europe assumed that I was just a Typical-African. And, as per my Physical-Features, I can see how/why a Euro would come to that Type/Kind of Conclusion.
Traveling via the United States
Because there’s so many People from so many Parts of the World dwelling in the U.S. (coupled with the Fact that there’s a lot more Genetic-Commonalities amongst All-Humans as opposed to Genetic-Differences), I’d honestly say that I’ve gotten the most “Where’re you from?” Types/Kinds of Inquiries within the U.S. than external of the U.S.
Traveling via Canada
Much like the U.S.: Canada is a very Ethno-Diverse Place. So, you’re very likely to bump into Various-Peoples from Various Walks-Of-Life. I can say for myself: while spending Time in Canada there’s Specific-Places I’ve been to-The Locals would literally stare at me, attempting to assess where I may be from ethnically. They were immediately able to tell that I wasn’t Canadian (because of this so-called “American-Accent”). Yet, they still weren’t capable of detecting who I could possibly be ethnically. Most-Persons whom I engaged & interacted with via Canada never asked me where I’m from via their Speech, rather their Body-Language asked for them…they inquired via their Looks/Stares.
Being outside In-Public
I’ve literally been at Restaurants, Conventions, Sporting-Events, Fashion-Shows, Festivals, etc. & have had People approach me, asking me whether I’m from their People (keep in Mind they’ve literally asked via their Native-Languages which I don’t even speak). This was all because I apparently “Fit-The-Description”, as per what Certain-Persons deem to be Features which exclusively exists amongst their Individual-Demographics.
Being at Work
There’ve been Several-Instances via my Occupation as a Chaplain-I’ve been at Work doing my Patient-Visit Rounds, and came across Muslim-Patients whom’re Non-English Speakers, and (literally) only because I communicated with them via Arabic: they immediately assumed that I was from somewhere via the Middle-East/Arab-World. Even as per Muslim-Patients whom speak English: by virtue of me being a Muslim-Chaplain-It’s very often presumed/assumed where I’m from & very often insenuated that I’m Non-American. This ewually has occured via my Co-Workers.
The Conclusion which is most accurate/honest is that Most-Humans are simply more proficient at bonding with those whom’re like them. Because of that it actually makes Sense, to presume/assume those whom’re of Other Ethno-Cultures to be the same as us. It’s totally sensible/logical, to want Other-People to be a Part of our Peoples. It’s easy to think/feel that Certain-Features which Particular-Peoples have are exclusive to our own Peoples. There’s actually no “Right vs. Wrong”, regarding this: it’s really quite natural/normal for the Average-Human to rationalize like that. However, as the Ole-Saying goes: “You can’t judge a Book by its Cover.”. As Humans, we all are Individual-Books albeit there’s Lots of us whom possess similar and/or nearly Identical-Covers.
Gareth Bryant
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