أُكِلْتُ يومَ أُكِلَ الثورُ الأبيضُ (I was eaten the day the white cow was eaten)

This article was inspired by a Khutbah delivered by my son yesterday, 06/12/2024; I was reminded of the old Arabic parable of the four cows—one white and three black—and its profound relevance to our plight as a Ummah today. At its core, the story is a timeless warning against the dangers of disunity and betrayal. While simple, its lessons resonate deeply with the challenges we face.

For those unfamiliar, the story unfolds as follows: four cows lived together in harmony and solidarity, standing as one against the ever-present threat of a cunning lion. Knowing he could not overpower them as a group, the lion resorted to deception. He whispered to the three black cows, persuading them to abandon the white cow, claiming that its bright colour made them all more visible to predators and attracted danger. By sacrificing the white cow, he assured them, they would be safer and less likely to be hunted. Swayed by selfishness and the false promise of security, the black cows stood by as the white cow was devoured.

Soon after, the lion turned to the three remaining cows. One by one, he manipulated and deceived them into betraying one another, until they too met their demise. In the end, none survived. Their downfall began the moment they allowed the first act of betrayal. The tragic realisation, encapsulated in the phrase “I was eaten the day the white cow was eaten,” serves as a chilling reminder of the cost of disunity.

A Historical Parallel

Reflecting on this parable, it is impossible to ignore its striking parallel with the history of the Muslim Ummah. Before colonialism, we were like the united cows—a force to be reckoned with, bound together by a shared belief under the banner of the Islamic Caliphate. The lion in our story—Western colonial powers—sought to weaken this unity. Knowing they could not overpower a united Ummah, they turned to division.

The lion’s first major victory, the “eating of the white cow,” was the abolition of the Ottoman Caliphate in 1924. This was not merely the fall of a political structure; it marked the severing of our collective bond as Muslims. With the caliphate gone, the seeds of nationalism were planted—a deliberate project designed to fracture us into artificial nations, tribes, and allegiances.

Nationalism, often presented as a source of pride and identity, is in truth a colonial construct, born not of our values but of the minds of those who sought to divide and conquer us. The lion convinced us that we were Egyptians, Pakistanis, Saudis, Palestinians, or Turks first, and Muslims second. Colonial powers drew borders, divided lands, and fabricated national identities that we now defend fiercely, often at the expense of our shared Islamic identity.

This division left us vulnerable. The tragedy unfolding in Gaza today, the plight of the Rohingya, the suffering in Kashmir, and countless other injustices did not begin on 7th October 2023, nor in 1948. These are merely episodes in a longer story—a story that began when the lion devoured the first cow in 1924, with the abolition of the Islamic Caliphate.

The lion’s strategy has always been clear: divide and conquer. Sadly, we allowed ourselves to fall into the trap. By embracing nationalism, we abandoned our shared identity, leaving ourselves vulnerable to exploitation and domination.

A Take-Home Message

My son concluded his Khutbah with three powerful reminders, which I now share:

1. Call Out Nationalism for What It Is

Nationalism is not a source of strength or pride; it is a tool of division. It is the language of colonialism, designed to pit us against one another. We must reject the false pride of identifying as anything other than Muslims.

2. Expose Nationalism as a Colonial Project

Nationalism did not arise organically from within our societies; it was imposed upon us. The borders we defend, the flags we wave, and the anthems we sing were all crafted by those who sought to weaken our unity. Recognising this truth is the first step towards dismantling these divisions.

3. Do Not Let Man-Made Borders Divide Us Locally

Even within our own communities, we must reject the divisions of nationalism. Whether in the mosque, the workplace, or our neighbourhoods, we must see ourselves as one Ummah. Artificial constructs like nationality and ethnicity should never be allowed to divide our hearts.

A Call to Unity

The lesson of the four cows is clear: our strength lies in our unity. When we betray one another, we pave the way for our collective downfall. As Muslims, we are bound by a shared identity that transcends borders, languages, and ethnicities. We must remember that the lions of this world can only prey upon us when we are divided.

Let us strive to rebuild the unity we lost and honour the memory of the “white cow” by rejecting nationalism, exposing its colonial roots, and fostering solidarity within our global ummah. Only through political unity can we reclaim the strength we once had and protect ourselves from the lions that seek to devour us.

“I was eaten the day the white cow was eaten.”