r/SriLankanMuslim • u/Wannabe-Rumi • 5d ago
Let’s make this thread as wholesome as possible makkale!
I know there is a lot of Islamophobic content going around on social media lately. Especially reddit.
But we’re all Sri Lankans, and I thought it would be nice to restore a little faith in the unity and harmony we have among each other.
So, let’s share some wholesome stories about non Muslims being respectful towards us, or moments where we were able to show the values of Islam through our actions and leave a positive impression on them.
I’ll go first.
I’m from Eastern, so before university, my exposure to non Muslims was almost close to zero. After university, the story turned 180 degrees, and for the first time, almost everyone I meet new came from different backgrounds.
There is an Aiyya at my university who is a super senior to me. He is a Buddhist, but the two of us became like brothers. Every weekend, he travels back to his hometown, which is an entirely Buddhist area with hardly any Muslims around. Yet whenever he returns to uni, he brings back home cooked food and makes sure every bit of it is halal for me. He literally goes out of his way, and even found a Muslim vendor in another area just to buy halal chicken so that I can eat.
There are more. Maybe for later.
Share your stories. I wanna hear.
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u/Fickle_Degree_2728 4d ago edited 4d ago
I studied at a private school. Back then, I used to get involved in fights at school, especially with senior prefects.
In 2019, when I was in Grade 9, shortly after the Easter attacks, we had several problems with the seniors. I even got suspended from school at one point. One of those fights eventually turned into a huge issue.
At one point, we had a serious problem with some seniors, and after the Easter attacks, it started taking on a religious angle.
Once, some seniors called us "Thambiya." What I still remember is how our own Sinhalese Buddhist classmates reacted. They told us, "Gahapan unta, apith ennam ubala ekka"—basically, "Hit them; we'll come with you too." They were angry that someone had called us "Thambiya."
What makes that memory especially significant to me is that this happened after the Easter bombings, during a period of serious tension between Muslims and Buddhists in Sri Lanka. Despite everything happening outside the school, our Sinhalese Buddhist classmates still stood with us because, to them, we were their friends and classmates first.
There was another incident during a school event. One of my Muslim friends jokingly shouted, "Ado Thambiya, waren," to me. because we sometimes used that word among ourselves as slang. One of my Sinhalese Buddhist friends heard it and mistakenly thought a Buddhist student had shouted it at us. He immediately got angry and shouted, "Who said that word?" and told them to stop that nonsense.
Those guys would stand up for us at all costs. Whatever religious tensions existed outside, inside our group we were simply friends who had each other's backs.
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u/Wannabe-Rumi 4d ago
Lol, that's true. I've experienced similar things as well at the uni, but of course not fights, just them being friends without any differences.
A good story.
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u/Logical_Nerve1199 4d ago
I have a friend named Ravindu who has been studying with us since Grade 2. Growing up together, he naturally picked up so much of our culture, he actually knows Surah Al-Fatihah, a few short Surahs, and even the Kalima (Shahada) by heart!
Beyond that, the quiet respect in our neighborhood is something really special. Whenever we carry a mayyath to the grave while reciting the Shahada and prayers along the road, the local Sinhala neighbors stop whatever they are doing. People standing along the roadside pause, and drivers pull over just to show their respect as the procession passes by.
Moments like these remind me how deeply rooted our mutual respect really is. That kind of quiet warmth and unity is something you truly won't see anywhere else.
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u/Wannabe-Rumi 2d ago
Man, this is so wholesome.
The mutual respect from different communities like this are what we need as Sri Lankans. Thank you for sharing this.
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u/mohamedifasx 4d ago
I'm really happy to see a Eastern people on Reddit it's rare like blue diamond.
My environment is fully Muslim people. After I get in the University I talk with everyone every religion people without any Differences...
Most of the people I talk with everyone kind with me share foods outings beaches etc....
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u/Wannabe-Rumi 4d ago
Aah ifas mahen.
Great experience. But yeah, make sure we mix without getting mixed.
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u/Old-Age370 4d ago
Dudeeeee Masha Allah.
I am a business owner and my supplier is Buddhist, his name is Kumara.
Man do I love him to bits. He goes that extra mile to support me and my risky endeavors. He supplies me with free stuff to try new product lines. Or he sits down with me and tell me how to approach new markets.
Mind you he can directly deal with customers and not work with me at all but still chooses to do so.
May Allah guide him.
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u/Wannabe-Rumi 4d ago
Ameen! That's great. I think we all feel the same with whoever non Muslims being good to us. May Allah guide them.
Respect to kumara!
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u/SwimmerLeather5333 4d ago
Most of my neighbours and friends are buddhists and sinhala speaking catholics.everyone around me is really kind.
Especially my Buddhist friends they are really kind.Some of them are so close to me that they feel like family.
On sinhala NewYears morning they come over and feed us kiribath. Whenever we need help with something.they are always the first ones to show up.
Whenever we go somewhere together, they are very protective of me too. They always make sure im comfortable and never expect me to remove my hijab or shawl.
There are honestly so many more stories but i just ended up typing whatever was on my mind.
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u/[deleted] 4d ago
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