Issues and Questions
By Dr Muzammil
H. Siddiqi
Dated
February 04.2005
O mankind! We created you from
a single (pair) of amale and a female, and made
you into nations andtribes, that ye may know each
other (not that ye maydespise each other).
Verily the most honoured of youin the sight of Allah
is (he who is) the mostrighteous of you. And Allah
has full Knowledge and iswell-acquainted (with all
things). (Al-Hujurat 49:13)
Last week was the 40th Anniversary of the famousspeech
of America’s Civil Rights Leader Martin LutherKing,
“I have a dream.” Although there is
still agreat deal of work needed to bring racial
harmony inthis society, the speech certainly made
a great impactand contribution towards that direction.
Last week atthe 40th Annual Convention of the Islamic
Society ofNorth America (ISNA) held in Chicago,
special tributeswere paid to this speech and Muslims
were urged towork for racial and ethnic harmony
among themselvesand with all people.Ethnic and racial
harmony is highly emphasized inIslam.
Islam forbids racism, ethnocentrism, linguisticor
color prejudices. These prejudices are harmful forhuman
beings and for their societies. They createprejudice,
discrimination, unfair relationship,injustice and
oppression.
1. Islam teaches
us that all human beings come fromone and the same
family:O people, be conscious of your Lord, who
created youout of one soul and from it created its
mate and outof the two spread abroad many men and
women…(Al-Nisa’4:1)
Allah tells us here that the
human progeny proceededfrom one single soul. This
clearly means that allhumans are linked to each
other and they are membersof one and the same family.
Being members of the samefamily they are also equal:
2. Allah has
honored all human beings regardless oftheir colors,
races, languages or gender:“Indeed, We have
honored the children of Adam;provided them with
transport on land and sea; giventhem for sustenance
things good and pure; andconferred on them special
favors, above a great partof Our Creation.”
(Al-Isra’ 17:70)
3. Differences
of colors, languages and races are asign of Allah’s
creative power and greatness. Thisdiversity gives
beauty and variety to the world:And among His signs
is the creation of the heavens andthe earth, and
the variations in your languages andyour colors;
verily in that are signs for those thatknow. (Al-Qur’an,
al-Rum 30:22)
4. These differences
are only for the purpose ofknowing each other, not
to despise or discriminateagainst each, as mentioned
in Surah al-Hujurat 49:13quoted above.According
to the Qur’an, it is not the difference ofcolor,
which is bad, because that is the creation ofAllah;
but it is the color prejudice, which is wrong.The
evil does not lie in the differences of races ortribes;
the evil is in racism and tribalism. ProphetMuhammad
-peace be upon him- said in his famous speechduring
his last pilgrimage:People have descended from Adam
and Adam was made outof dust. There is no superiority
for an Arab over anon-Arab, nor for a white over
a black person …(al-Tirmidhi, Sunan, Bab al-Tafsir,
hadith no. 49; IbnHanbal, Musnad,5:41)The Qur’an
reminds us that taqwa (righteousness orGod-consciousness)
is the sole criteria of humandignity and honor.
Nobility according to the Qur’andoes not lie
in the color of one’s skin, in the bonesof
one’s ancestors or in the material possessions
orachievements which one may acquire.Taqwa comes
from a constant working of faith in one’slife.
It is a generic quality, which activates one’slife
under a true consciousness of divine presence,under
which a person moves works and deals with otherhuman
beings.
This consciousness may vary from time totime and
hence those of taqwa (or the muttaqin) areneither
a class in society, nor a sect, nor areligious order,
but these are individuals who throughtheir true
abiding by Islamic virtues acquire thepleasure of
Allah which in turn confers upon them aplace of
dignity, honor, love and respect among thehuman
beings.These teachings are emphasized in our actions
anddealings with each other. This equality andbrotherhood
manifests itself daily on the local levelduring
Islamic prayers, where without any differenceof
race, color, or material status all Muslims standtogether
in the Masjid five times a day.
On the globallevel it is also manifest when Muslims
from all overthe world go for the pilgrimage (Hajj).History
bears testimony to the fact that Islam hasuniquely
and without any parallel in world religionsand civilizations
overcome the problems of color andracial prejudices.
A historian like Arnold Toynbeefaithfully admitted
that Islamic civilization wasunique in establishing
social and racial harmony amongpeoples. He said:Two
conspicuous sources of danger - one psychologicaland
the other material- in the present relations ofthis
cosmopolitan proletariat with the dominantelement
in our modern Western society are raceconsciousness
and alcohol; and in the struggle witheach of these
evils the Islamic spirit has a serviceto render
which might prove, if it were accepted, tobe of
high moral and social value. The extinction ofrace
consciousness between Muslims is one of theoutstanding
moral achievements of Islam, and in thecontemporary
world there is, as it happens, cryingneed for the
propagation of this Islamic virtue.(Civilization
on Trial, New York, Oxford UniversityPress 1948,
p. 205)
Muslims must take this challenge
again and should workto establish social justice
and racial harmony amongthemselves and among all
people. We can do so byworking with like-minded
people and by taking someconcrete steps in this
direction.In our homes, in our educational institutions,
in ourcommunities we must promote this virtue. We
should notonly guard ourselves against any racial,
linguistic orethnic prejudice, but we should also
remind each otherto treat every person with respect
and honorregardless of his/her color, race, national
origin orlinguistic background.
1. We must
promote the Qur’anic idea that all humanbeings
are one family and that we belong to eachother.
(al-Nisa’ 4:1)
2. All people are
equal in the sight of God and theymust be equal
in society.
3. Justice to all
is the pre-requisite for human culture and civilization.
4. Bigotry, stereotypes
and prejudice should have no place among Muslims.
.
5. We are allowed
to compete with each other by doing good deeds,
not by putting down other because of their color,
looks, racial or ethnic background.
6. We must treat
each other with respect, fairness and justice. We
must not discriminate against any one because of
color, race or national origin.
7. We should try
to increase our inter-action with people of other
races and ethnic background and make deliberate
efforts to involve them in our communities and programs.
8. We must watch
our comments. We should not stereotype or generalize
about any race, nationality or group of people.
We must not say that all Arabs are that way, all
Pakistanis are this way, all blacks are that way
or all white do this.
9. When we dislike
something, we must be careful how to say it. Suppose
I do not like spicy food, I should not say, “I
do not like Pakistani food.” Rather I should
say, “I do not like spicy food.” Because
not all spicy food is Pakistani and not all Pakistani
food is spicy.
10. Also we should
not be too self-conscious about our race or color.
If someone makes a comment or criticizes us, we
should not immediately take it as an attack on our
race or color.
Let us behave towards others and treat
them as normally as possible. Let us recognize the
honor and dignity of every person. Let us also enjoy
the variety and diversity as a source of beauty
and strength for our community, not as a problem.
(Khutbah at ISOC - Rajab 8, 1424/
September 5, 2003)
- DrSiddiqi@aol.com
