Zohran Mamdani and the Value of Ihsan in Insan: A Lesson Beyond Racism for Malaysia

When New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani spoke about justice, dignity, and compassion in the face of racial and social divides, he reminded the world of something deeply spiritual yet profoundly human  the value of ihsan in insan. Ihsan, an Arabic term meaning “excellence through goodness,” and insan, meaning “human being,” together express the moral essence of what it means to live with empathy and conscience, beyond the walls of race, creed, or class.

In New York  a city known for its diversity and contradictions  Mamdani’s words were not just political. They were moral. He spoke to people across backgrounds about the power of seeing one another through the lens of shared humanity rather than inherited prejudice. He called for policies that prioritise dignity over division, understanding over fear, and justice over privilege.

At a time when conversations around race often lead to defensive walls and polarised camps, Mamdani’s tone was different. He reminded his audience that racism is not simply a matter of color  it is a failure of the heart, a loss of ihsan. When ihsan disappears, the insan becomes mechanical  driven by numbers, stereotypes, and politics  rather than by compassion and fairness.

Learning from Mamdani’s Message: Malaysia’s Challenge

Malaysia, though geographically far from New York, faces a parallel moral test. Our society has lived through decades of delicate racial balance  shaped by colonial manipulation, post-independence compromise, and continuous negotiation of power among ethnic groups. Policies intended to ensure equity have sometimes deepened ethnic divides. Discussions on rights, merit, and privilege often carry racial undertones.

Yet Malaysia, with its Islamic heritage and multicultural foundation, holds within its own heart the very concept Mamdani championed  ihsan. In Islam, ihsan is the highest form of moral consciousness. It is to “worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you do not see Him, know that He sees you.” In daily life, ihsan translates into doing good even when unseen, being fair even when others are unfair, and showing kindness even when society teaches competition.

Mamdani’s message urges Malaysia to look inward  not at race as a political category, but at insan as a moral being. A nation cannot heal its divisions through policies alone, it must nurture the moral excellence of its people.

Ihsan as the Moral Foundation of Policy

Imagine a Malaysia where ihsan shapes our institutions:

• Policymakers who see beyond ethnicity to ensure that justice reaches the kampung child as much as the city-born graduate.
• Teachers who nurture students not by comparing races but by cultivating adab, mutual respect, and curiosity.
• Citizens who engage not to “defend” their race but to strengthen the moral fabric of their nation.

When ihsan becomes the spirit of governance, insan becomes the soul of the nation.

A Universal Value, Not a Religious Label

What makes Mamdani’s message powerful is its universality. He did not preach ihsan as an Islamic term, but as a human principle. Just as insan transcends identity, ihsan transcends dogma. It is about seeing the divine reflection in every person, regardless of color or class.

In Malaysia, we too must learn to detach the moral from the political  to rediscover ihsan as a shared national ethic, not a religious slogan. The call to ihsan is not only for Muslims; it is for every citizen who believes in fairness, respect, and humanity.

From Structural Equity to Moral Maturity

Racial policies may create temporary balance, but they cannot create unity. True unity requires ihsan  the ability to feel another’s pain, to celebrate another’s success, and to act with sincerity even when no one applauds.

Mamdani’s voice from New York echoes across the world: Racism is not just an issue of policy, it is an issue of the soul. And Malaysia’s healing, too, will not come from legislation alone but from the cultivation of ihsan  the inner excellence that makes insan noble.

Towards a Malaysia of Ihsan

Zohran Mamdani’s reminder to the people of New York is one that Malaysia urgently needs to internalize: that the value of a nation lies not in its racial statistics or economic size, but in the moral quality of its people.

A Malaysia built on ihsan will be a Malaysia where differences are not feared but respected, where justice is not selective but sincere, and where politics serves humanity  not the other way around.

In the end, ihsan in insan is not about being perfect. It is about striving to be good, consistently, consciously, and compassionately. And that  more than anything  is what will make both Malaysia and New York worthy of their diversity.