Everyone remembers how black Africans were transported across the
oceans, packed in specially designed ships, thought of and treated
like livestock. They were made slaves, forced to change their names
and religion and language, were not entitled to hope for true freedom,
and were refused the least of human rights. Because among some Western
people the attitude to non-Westerners has unfortunately changed little
in modern times, the political and social condition of black people
often remains, even where they live amid the native Westerners as
theoretically equal fellow-citizens, that of despised inferiors.
When Allah's (SWT) Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, was
raised as a Prophet, the same kind of racism, under the name of
tribalism, was prevalent in Makkah. The Quraish considered themselves
in particular, and Arabs in general, superior to all the other peoples
of the world. Allah's (SWT) Messenger came with the Divine Message and
proclaimed that no Arab is superior over a non-Arab, and no white is
superior over black and superiority is by righteousness and
God-fearing alone (Surat Al-Hujurat, 49:13). He also declared that
even if an Abyssinian Black Muslim were to rule over Muslims, he
should be obeyed.
Allah's (SWT) Messenger eradicated the problem of racial or colour
discrimination so successfully that superiority is not by birth or
colour or blood, but by God-fearing and righteousness.
The message of Islam is for the entire human race. According to Islam,
Allah (SWT) is the God of the entire world and the Prophet Muhammad
(saw) is a messenger for the whole of mankind. Islam unites the entire
human race under one banner without any kind of discrimination.
Allah (SWT) says in Surat Al-Hujurat, "O Mankind! We have created you
from a male and female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you
may know one another. Verily, the most honorable of you in the sight
of Allah is he who has most Taqwa among of you. Verily, Allah is
All-Knowing, All-Aware." Noble Qur'an (49:13)
In surah Al-Room Allah (SWT) says, "And one of His signs is the
creation of the heavens and the earth and the diversity of your
tongues and colors; most surely there are signs in this for the
learned." Noble Qur'an (30:22)
With this verse, Islam declares equality among people as one human
race, one humanity, that is because Islam respect a human for being a
human not for any other reason; Islam does not distinguish between two
races, or two groups of people, or between two colors, and the Prophet
Muhammad (saw)addressed the people signifying that concept during the
last Hajj pilgrimage, saying: "O People! Your God is one; your father
is one; no preference of an Arab neither over non-Arab nor of a
non-Arab over an Arab or red over black or black over red except for
the most righteous. Verily the most honored of you is the most
righteous."
Not only did Islam emphasize the equality principle theoretically, but
did it practically in some of the worship acts that translated this
principle into a sensible fact that does not escape people minds,
thus: in the mosques where Friday prayer is held once every week, as
well as the five daily prayers; equality is exercised practically and
all the differences vanishes among people. That is, whoever came to
the Mosque first, took his place in the front rows despite his
financial states or position, and whoever come late, his place is late
and if you look at any row among the prayer's rows, you would find in
that row the rich and poor, the knowledgeable and the one with no
knowledge, the Arab and the non Arab, no differences all the same in
sight of Allah (SWT), their direction during prayer, as well as their
reveled book, as their Lord is one and also their movements during the
prayer following one Imam.
Also in the holy land where the annual Hajj pilgrimage and the Umrah
is performed, the equality is even clearer and stronger that is
because during prayer people may differ in their clothes but during
Hajj pilgrimage and Umrah the Ihram situation oblige every one to only
wear simple white clothes which equates the rich and the poor, the
governor and governed, all walking around the Holy Kaaba asking one
lord.
Also, another practical application of equality in Islam, is the
equality among people in front of the law and regulations. What is
allowed is for all people and what is forbidden as well upon all
people. The obligations are upon everyone, and whoever deserved
punishment gets it, regardless.
An example of such was when some of the companions (Sahaba)talked to
Osama Bin Zaid, the favorite of the Prophet Muhammad (saw), to
intervene for the sake of the well reputed woman from Quraish tribe
who deserved punishment for stealing (that is cutting her hand), Osama
Bin Zaid talked to the Prophet Muhammad (saw), the Prophet Muhammad
(saw) got angry and said, "Those before you were districted, that is
because the renowned is untouched when he steals, and the poor is
punished, verily if Fatimah daughter of Muhammadstole, I would have
cut her hand."
This is Islam: emphasizing the equality and applying it in the society
since 1400 years ago, when during that time mankind used to suffer the
worst distinction among people and individuals in society and readied
the enslaving of the human to his brother the human. The eradication
of racism consciousness is one of the outstanding moral achievements
of Islam.
This is the secrete that made Islam and Muslims prevail nations in the
past. It is a mistake to think that Islam prevailed only because
Muslims like dying in the battles as other like to live. Islam did not
prevail through battles only, but because Islam is a complete unique
guidance for life, unique in it's rituals, beliefs, dealings and
morals and from all with all that the religion of Allah is comprised,
and with all that Muslims won and prevailed in the past, and with it
Muslims can prevail and rule these days or any other time.
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