Catatan Bangkok 1

A web search informed us that we could find a Muslim stall near the clock tower in the massive Chatuchak Market. My stomach grumbling, I was fortunate that the stall was easy to locate. With clear halal signage, the typical crescent and star symbols abundant, and hijabed (women) stall owners/workers, the place is hard to miss. “Assalamu’alaikum! Welcome,” one of the owners greeted us upon seeing us approaching the stall. That’s one of the things I appreciate about wearing a hijab – I’m easily recognized as a Muslim.

Subhanallah, betapa agama Allah telah berkembang di serata dunia. Wherever I go, there are people who identifies with me, who has many things in common with me, because we believe in the same one God. We speak of a globalising world, but Islam has been the global religion for a long long time. I find it beautiful – how Islam unites us all; we share the same belief yet we are different. Islam is not a culture; it’s a way of life. Islam doesn’t tell us how to cook our food, only that we should eat the halalan wa toyyibah. Islam doesn’t tell us what dress we should wear, only that we should cover our awrah. Unity in diversity. Indah, bukan?