As the sun of my life moves from Asr (evening) toward Maghrib (sunset), I look back not with fear, but with gratitude. Like the setting sun, I wish to color the world with beauty before I fade, leaving behind a glow that others may remember.

I am proud my heritage, a masala mosaic, to be mixed-blooded. My lineage is a long journey: from Persia to Baghdad, and to India, from Hyderabad to Myanmar, and finally to Malaysia. Along the way, my ancestors blended with Bama and Shan Buddhists, Chinese Muslims from Yunnan. My grandchildren carry this diversity proudly and added their other side parents’ Malays, Indonesians, and even a very distant Selangor royal blood.

My father once told us to put “SM” (Sheik Mohammad) before our names, claiming descent from Sheikh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani, the great saint of Baghdad. Only my late brother Abdul Razak Maung Maung Shwe Keraweik chose to carry that title. For me, official documents tied to my Burmese name made it impractical. But whether or not I use “SM,” my heritage remains rich and layered.

As a medical person, I learned early that genetic diversity is strength. Dominant mutations manifest when bloodlines are too close; recessive ones hide until both parents carry the same weakness. Royal families who married only among themselves suffered from hemophilia, dementia, and other diseases. That knowledge guided me to marry outside my race, refusing the offers of cousin marriages.

Faith confirmed what science taught: Allah created us from clay, and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) reminded us that no race or color is superior. We are all children of Adam.

In Burma, mixed-blooded Muslims were insulted as “unpure.”

The Bama Buddhists pretended to be “pure-blooded Sakian Aryans,” claiming descent from Buddha’s race, though history shows they migrated from Tibet and China. Even ethnic minorities, themselves mixed, looked down on others.

In Malaysia, Myanmar Muslims faced exclusion, denied privileges given to Western or Arab migrants. Even in so-called democracies, invisible barriers remain for migrants, especially Muslims.

Yet I stand firm. I am not “pure Aryan.” I am Masala — a rich blend of cultures and histories.

We are all migrants. More than 99% of humanity is mixed-blooded, shaped by centuries of movement, marriage, and exchange. Only a tiny fraction pretend to be “original pure-blooded superior races.” In truth, migration and mixing are the engines of human progress.

UNESCO’s Race Question (1950) already debunked racial superiority myths, urging the world to drop the term “race” and speak instead of ethnic groups.

The UNDP has shown that migrants boost economies, enrich societies, and send vital remittances home. Migrants are not a burden — they are a blessing.

My Declaration

To be mixed-blooded is not weakness. It is resilience. It is flavor. It is humanity itself. Those who cling to myths of purity deny both science and history.

So what if I am mixed-blooded? That is exactly what makes me whole.

And as my sun sets, I pray that my colors — my words, my family, my faith, my Masala heritage — will paint the sky with beauty, reminding the world that diversity is not something to hide, but something to celebrate.

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Google search of Sheikh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani

Sheikh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani (1077–1166) was a highly influential Persian Sufi scholar, preacher, and the founder of the Qadiriyya order, one of the oldest and most widespread Sufi orders in Islam. Known as Muhiy-ud-Din (Reviver of Faith) and Sultan-ul-Awliyah (Sultan of the Saints), he taught in Baghdad and is revered for his deep spirituality, humanity, and devotion to feeding the hungry.

Life and Education

• Birth: Born in 470 AH (1077/1078 CE) in the town of Nif in the Gilan province of Persia.
• Baghdad Years: He moved to Baghdad, the center of Islamic learning, where he studied Hanbali jurisprudence and trained in Sufism.
• Isolation: He spent 25 years as a wandering hermit in the desert regions of Iraq before beginning his public preaching in 1127. 

Teachings and Legacy

• Qadiriyya Order: He founded the Qadiriyya order, which remains influential across the world, including in Central Asia, China, and the Indo-Pak subcontinent. 
• Preaching: His sermons in Baghdad were renowned for attracting large crowds, including Christians and Jews, due to their simple, direct, and compassionate nature. 
• Philosophy: He emphasized, “A morsel of food for the stomach of a hungry person is better than building 1,000 mosques”. 
• Works: He authored several, including Ghunyat al-Talibin (Way of the Seekers) and various collections of sermons. 

Shrine and Recognition

• Death: He passed away in 1166 and was buried in Baghdad, Iraq.
• Shrine: His shrine, featuring a distinctive blue dome, remains a major pilgrimage destination, especially for Sufi devotees.
• Titles: He is widely recognized as a “Friend of Allah” (Wali Allah) and a leader of the Sufi masters.