REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, By Asma Nadia

There was an unusual treatment I experienced when heading to Tianjin and Beijing Airport. The airport officials inspected me tightly. It was very different from the usual.

They even asked me to open my veil (I had never experienced it before) and also asked me to undress because they thought the clothe I wore was a jacket (it's a misunderstanding). I was quite insistent in facing the officials. Finally I was able to leave Beijing without having to do what they "asked", that in Islam, the request can not be considered as respects.

Different attitude I felt right after arrived in Tianjin and Yunnan. The residents were friendly. They sent very warm smiles and welcomed me and my friends who were preparing a viewing location for the television series of "Assalamualaikum Beijing”.

After leaving Beijing, I thought that I was treated inappropriately. However, after reading some news, I began to understand why it happened.

Apparently, when we were in Beijing, there was a huge explosion in Tianjin. I heard the incident, but not in detail because of busy activities in Beijing with limited internet access. Variety of online news described the explosion that shattered hundreds of lives and thousands of cars and houses, looked like the explosion of the atomic bomb, equivalent of 21 tons of TNT.

Indeed, so far no one has accused Muslims as the cause of the explosion. However, many people criticized the non-transparent investigation over this incident.

I just was in the wrong time, thus experienced an unpleasant examination. Because, as I recalled that Beijing was so friendly when I visited seven years ago.

However, the explosion was not the core of this writing. My experience reminded me of the situation of how a Muslim, mainly a veiled Muslim because the identity was directly identified, always be a potential target of anger if there is another unexpected group of Muslim that do violation in a place.

In the easy of internet access, anger is so easily spread. Like it or not, Muslims are often associated with acts of terror. I know this accusation is unfair because a lot of groups and ideologies that use terror in their struggle. But, the fact, there is a Muslim terror, when this happens the news massively expose, so that it looks as if Muslims are always behind many acts of terror.

I ever had been hit hard on the back while in Paris by a tall white man who ran fast when we passed. In fact, in that time I walked with a friend, a French who was also white and non-Muslim. My friend tried to chase but failed.

In Korea, a grandmother had ever been yelled at me, "Muslim terrorists." Then, she showed a thumb down. I was not angry because I knew the grandmother was expressed a complaint with limited language. Then, I described that as Muslims, I also hate Muslims who use violence and terror.

This writing was just a reflection of how the violence could hamper proselytizing in other parts of the world. One violence can be a step backwards for proselytizing that was pioneered in decades.

Prophet Muhammad also chose the way of askari when his opposite used military force. But, Prophet Muhammad and his friends did not hurt the civilians who were not directly involved in the conflict, and also plants, animals, and other religions were forbidden to be hurt in war.

If military way is a must, then it must be aimed to the real target, can not be random. It was exemplified by the Prophet and his friends. If we read the history, whenever the Prophet and his friends came to a region to battle with despotic government, their presence was always awaited and by the local residents.

What had happened now is reversed. The local residents were increasingly hate Muslims and Muslims in other part of the world became victims of reprisals. We have to think again and again if we still found propaganda of violence is the best way to advance Islam.

Hopefully, as much as possible, love has always been a passion to make the world see how Islam is Rahmatan lil 'alamiin.

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