Why Isn't Muslim Culture Embracing The Islamic Message Of Equality And Humanity?

By Kaniz Fatma, New Age Islam

10 March 2023

The Effect of the Islamic Message of Equality Is Not Visible In the Muslim Community

Main Points:

1.    Despite the fact that Islam promotes equality, Muslim culture has not been able to put this doctrine into practice.

2.    Islam clearly disapproves of any notions that degrade women to the lowest level of humanity and treat them as less than men just because they are women.

3.    Islam asserts that all people are equal in terms of human values, but that each individual is rewarded according to the services they provide.

4.    If the Islamic message of equality is properly practiced by Muslims, civilizations would tremendously benefit and pluralism would grow.

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Strangely enough, despite the fact that Islam promotes equality, Muslim culture has not been able to put this doctrine into practice. There will not be a single nation in the world where Muslims appear to be treated equally and rise beyond all forms of prejudice and discrimination. If there is a caste distinction in India, then there is a race difference between Arabs and Europeans. They suffer from racial discrimination in various nations around the world. All of this obviously goes against Islamic beliefs. Only when all Muslims strive to live up to Islamic principles will this world become an example of human equality.

The idea of equality states that everyone has equal rights. Islam has always defended human equality. Islam has demonstrated to the world that all people, regardless of gender, race, or colour, should have access to the same basic necessities. Because of this, women's standing in Islam was based on the principles upon which it was established, and if a person was declared to be respectable, it applied to both men and women. Muslims can only be identified from one another by their piety and Taqwa. If someone practises Taqwa strongly, they will be in a particular position.

Islam holds that righteous thought and behaviour are important components of well-being. Islam clearly disapproves of any notions that degrade women to the lowest level of humanity and treat them as less than men just because they are women. The foundational principles of Islamic teachings about equality and humanity are the ones listed below.

Allah 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)

This well-known verse supports our efforts to promote equality, pluralism, and mutual respect.  The words “…from a male and a female” refer to Hazrat Adam and Hazrat Eve (peace be upon them). The fact that humans are separated into nations and tribes shows how distinctions in ethnicity, country, tribe, race, and religion can be ways for individuals to more deeply understand the reality of the human experience.

In their fundamental humanity, men and women are equally formed. Islam strictly forbids discrimination on the basis of gender, colour, ancestry, class, race, or language. As there is no denying that people differ naturally, equality does not imply that everyone is exactly the same. Each gender completes and enhances the other. In the Qur'an, Allah declares:

“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) 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 instructions apply to all people equally, without regard to their social standing, race, or class. Almighty Allah declares:

“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 an 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 the 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 piety and God-consciousness. (Musnad Ahmad Hadith no. 411)

The aforementioned Hadith comes from the Prophet's farewell sermon (peace be upon him). This lecture eradicated the aspects that were against human decency and morals, as well as all the absurd rites that were against humanity before the advent of Islam. This sermon is most effective in promoting racial equality, women's rights, the proper treatment of slaves, respect for one another's lives and property, and the elimination of racial pride.

Islam asserts that all people are equal in terms of human values, but that each individual is rewarded according to the services they provide. If this idea were to be applied in daily life, civilizations would tremendously benefit and pluralism would grow. There will be thus no room for prejudice, oppression or persecution.

Notwithstanding the equality and human dignity that Islam teaches, we observe a very different environment among Muslims all across the world. In this aspect, the Muslim community is unable to observe the impact of the Islamic message. It is a shocking state of affairs, thus preachers and Ulama should focus more on it before taking any other action.

URL:  https://newageislam.com/islam-spiritualism/muslim-culture-islamic-message-equality-humanity/d/129287

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