By
Kaniz Fatma, New Age Islam
21 June
2019
Men and
women are equally created in their basic humanity. Discrimination on the basis of
gender, colour, lineage, class, race, or language is strongly prohibited in
Islam. Equality does not mean that all are completely alike since there is no
denial about natural differences. The two genders complete and complement each
other. Allah says in the Quran,
“O mankind, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul and created
from it its mate and dispersed from both of them many men and women. And fear
Allah, through whom you ask one another, and the wombs. Indeed Allah is ever,
over you, an Observer.” (4:1)
In
another verse, He Almighty says,
"O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female, and
have made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Indeed
the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous. Indeed,
Allah is Knowing and Acquainted" (Quran 49:13)
It is
reported that the Messenger of Allah said, “Allah does not look at your bodies
and your colours but at your acts and your hearts (i.e. outward deeds and
inward intentions) (Sahih Muslim)
These
commands are equally applicable to all human beings without any discrimination
due to class, race or social status. Allah Almighty says,
“Whoever does righteousness - it is for his [own] soul; and whoever does
evil [does so] against it. And your Lord is not ever unjust to [His] servants.”
(41:46)
Islam
dislikes all sorts of racism. For example, one of the companions of Allah’s
Prophet (peace be upon him), Hazrat Abu Dharr once said to a black slave, “O
the son of the black lady!” Upon hearing this, the Messenger of Allah turned to
Abu Dharr and said to him, “Are you
insulting this man with his mother? Truly, you possess some of the qualities of
the era of Ignorance (pre- Islamic times). That time is finished and over.
There is no virtue or merit for the son of the white woman over the son of the
black woman, except through piety and righteousness, or by good deeds and
actions” (Ahmad 4:145.)
It is
narrated that Abu Dharr, after hearing the Prophet’s words, put his head down
on the ground in humility for the slave to come and step with his foot on his
head, as expiation for his racist words. Though the Prophet did not command him
to do so, Hazrat Abu Dharr did it to discipline himself by humiliating himself
in this way so that he would never commit such disrespectful words in the
future.
This is
to assert that in Islam, a person’s worth is determined by his good deeds and
by his obedience to Allah.
Islamic
value of equality is based on the following principles;
1. All human beings are
created by One God.
2. The father of all human
beings is One, that is, Hazrat Adam (peace be upon him)
3. Allah is Just and Kind to
all His creatures, without having any partiality to any race, age or religion.
4. All human beings are
equally born, that is, none of them brings any possession with him, and they
die without taking back anything of their worldly belongings.
5. Allah judges every
individual on the basis of his merits and deeds.
6. Allah has conferred on
Children of Adam, that is, on all mankind, a title of honour and dignity.
These
principles are mentioned in the Quran and Hadith. For instance, the Messenger
of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “O Mankind! Your Lord is One. Your father is
one. All of you belong to Adam. And Adam is created of soil. Truly, the most
honourable person in the Sight of Your Lord, the Almighty Allah, is the most
pious among you. There is no superiority for an Arab over a non-Arab. There is
no superiority for a non-Arab over an Arab. There is no superiority for a red
(race) person over a white person. Likewise, there is no superiority of a white
over a red (race) person, except for the piety and God consciousness. (Musnad
Ahmad Hadith no. 411)
To sum
up, Islam declares all human beings equal in terms of human values, yet every
person is rewarded in accordance with his service that he offers. This concept,
if utilized in daily life, can greatly benefit the societies and develop
pluralism. There will be thus no room for prejudice, oppression or
persecution.
10:24 AM
Moderate Islamist here
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