Islam for Non-Muslims

• RELIGIOUS FAITHS VS IRRELIGIOUS IDEAS
• 1 The Present State of the World Religions
• 2 Religious System as a Historical Reality
• 3 The Evidences of God across the Universe
• 4 The Absolute Oneness of God
• 5 The Reality of the Afterlife
• 6 The Growth of Irreligious Ideas
• 7 Worshipping Natural Elements
• 8 Worshipping Imaginary Idols
• 9 Worshipping Human Beings
• 10 Inventing Relationship to God
• 11 Inventing the Idea of Reincarnation
• 12 Inventing the Theory of Evolution (Darwinism)
• 13 Inventing ‘Nature’ as the Creator of the Universe
• 14 Importance of Religion in this Secular World
• ISLAM AS A RELIGION
• 15 Addressing the Criticisms of Islam
• 16 Islam as a Magnet for the Non-Muslims
• 17 The Quran as the Original Divine Book
• 18 The Quranic Reality in Archeological Findings
• 19 Muhammad (pbuh) as the Great Prophet
• 20 Islam as the True Religion
• 21 Islam as the Universal Religion
• 22 Islam as the Eternal Religion
• 23 Islam as a Practicable Religion
• 24 Islam as an Enjoyable Religion
• 25 Islam as the Peaceful & Savior Religion
• 26 Islam as the Progressive & Rational Religion
• 27 Islam in Health & Hygiene
• 28 Islam in Promotion of Science
• 29 Muslims in Practices of Science
• 30 Islam & Other Monotheisms: Similarities & Differences
• 31 Islamic Tolerance for Other Religions
• 32 Islamic Rights for Non-Muslim Citizens
• ISLAM AS A WAY OF LIFE
• 33 Islamic System vs. Human Ideologies
• 34 Moral & Social Impacts of Islamic Rituals
• 35 Moral Discipline in Islam
• 36 Sinning of 3 W’s: Women, Wine and Wealth
• 37 Dignity & Equality of Man in Islam
• 38 Human Rights in Islam
• 39 Social Duties in Islam
• 40 Dignity & Rights of Labor in Islam
• 41 Dignity of Women in Islam
• 42 Rights of Women in Islam
• 43 Marriage & Family Life in Islam
• 44 Political Philosophy in Islam
• 45 Economic Principles in Islam
• 46 Islamic Economy vs. Capitalism & Communism
• 47 Patriotism & Internationalism in Islam
• 48 Understanding Controversial Issues in Islam
• 49 Conversion to Islam: Problems & Prospects
• 50 Conclusive Message to the Non-Muslims

37: DIGNITY AND EQUALITY OF MAN IN ISLAM

Introduction:  Islam awards the highest place of dignity to mankind by labeling them as the best of creations.  At the same time, it also declares that all human beings are basically equal so there cannot be any genuine ground for social classification for the sake of abuse or unfair treatment particularly of the weaker section. Attesting to this, Hitti therefore rightly remarks “Of all world religions, Islam seems to have attained the largest measure of success in demolishing the barriers of race, color and nationality” (pg. 136).

(1)  History of Human Disgrace: (i) Origin: The history of mankind is largely one of artificial classification and unfair discrimination in the society.  These features of human society had an origin in the distant past and maintained their presence even through remarkable civilizations like the Greeks, Romans, Indians and Egyptians. These societies were typically divided into various vertical classes or levels to serve purposes that were anything but human. For example, in the social pyramid, a small minority of powerful people at the top (e.g. landlords, priests etc.) were out there to suppress or oppress a great majority of common people at the bottom (e.g. untouchables, serfs etc.).  

(ii) Harms to Society: This type of social set-up was not only disgraceful for humanity but also a roadblock to the progress of the society.  The lower class people were denied God-given dignity and therefore they suffered mentally due to lack of due prestige. They were also deprived from opportunities (e.g. education, job etc.) required for self-development as well as making social contributions. As a result, they left the world without being able to do what they could to benefit the society.  For example, they could otherwise develop a career to make fortunes for themselves in addition to helping the society through inventions, discovery or other intellectual pursuits. Such regressive social condition went on ages after ages, without facing any effective challenge or sustained opposition from anyone or anywhere.  

(2)  Islamic Intervention: Then came a period when Islam made a breakthrough by taking a firm position and systematic steps against this historical evil of the society.  In this regard, you can hear the loud and clear voice representative of Islam in the emotional outburst of Umar, the second Caliph of Islam: “When have you started making slaves out of people whom their mothers delivered as free man?” The conspiracy of inventing unauthorized social classes as a basis for harmful discrimination against the unfortunate people was exposed by Islam through its revelation of real historical past of mankind. 

Apparent Diversity for Identification:  The Quran introduced mankind as the servants of God who are “created from the single (pair) of male (Adam) and female (Eve)” (49:13). There is no basic difference among men as they originally belonged to the same parents, a “single nation” (2: 213) and were subject to a single life pattern.  Subsequently, as they grew in number, they got scattered around the world and became diversified in features like appearance, complexion, language and cultures etc. under the influence of geographical and climatic factors.  The real purpose of God behind dividing people into different races and tribes etc. was to help the cause of their identity so you can tell one from another. “Mankind was but one nation, but differed (later).  Among His signs are the variations in your languages and color. I made you into nations and tribes so that you may recognize each other” (10:19; 30:22; 49:13).

(3)  Righteousness as Only Basis for God’s Blessings:

(i) No Basic Differences among Men: As seen above, any on-going classification or division in the society based on variables like tribes, race, color, languages etc. came up in a background of practical necessity for identification.  Therefore, such diversity arguably does not form any basis of bad treatment of the lower class by the upper one in the form of ignoring, hating, neglecting, exploiting and oppressing etc. Despite apparent differences among them, all people are created by God with similar body chemistry (like composition of body organs, color of blood etc.) and without any basic differences in their physical and psychological features. 

(ii) Man Honored as God’s Top Creation: In Islam, you are not held accountable for your birth which is decided by God and not by you.  All people irrespective of their gender, race, color, language etc. are created with dignity as “the best of creatures” (98:7). God claimed to have “honored the sons of Adam” and “conferred on them special favors” (17:70) and made them “inheritors in the earth” (35:39).  This is clearly a generic statement and in applied sense it means all types of people diversified by gender (males and females), color (blacks and whites), race (Arabs and non-Arabs) and other variables, are entitled to equal and impartial treatment from God. Keeping up with this spirit, He ruled that the Sacred Mosque of Mecca is “(open) to (all) men: (where) equal are the (local) residents and (foreign) visitors” (22:25).

God Himself does not discriminate among people because of differences in any of the above features.  Likewise, He also does not like His human creations to practice it among themselves.  That is why you are commanded to “do good” to other people in general, not sparing even the “needy”, “orphans” or “slaves” etc. (4:36). So the basic Islamic position is that all people, being the creations and servants of the same God, should live in a spirit of harmony and cooperation among themselves, by giving up any practices of discrimination, mistreatment and the like. 

(iii) Nearness to God Based on Virtues:  Even if all human beings in general are equally dignified in the eye of God, they can be particularly dearer and nearer to Him only through good deeds and piety and not by royal birth, fair complexion or an Arabian descent etc.  In the words of Quran, it is “belief” and “good deeds” and not “wealth” or “sons” (family status) that “bring you nearer to (Him)” for His special favor (34:37). “The most honored among you in the sight of God is certainly the most righteous among you, as God loves those who do good” (49:13; 3:134).  Given this provision, the neglected or marginalized groups like women, blacks, lower caste etc. can accomplish enough virtues in their lifetime and thereby they may end up as superior and luckier people in the Afterlife. God honored a B.C. era East African black slave Luqman for his wisdom and righteousness by naming Quranic verse #31 after him. Thus Islam holds out promising news for Afterlife salvation of good people who are neglected here on earth.

(4)  Practices of Equality in Islam:  Islam not only preached the theory of equality among people, but also took practical steps towards its application. 

(i) Rituals: The five times of daily prayers in the mosque is by far the most meaningful drill for imprinting a sense of equality upon the minds of Muslims. Here people coming from different walks of life line up for prayer in the same row, on ‘first come, first served’ basis, without any reservation or any special place for any late-coming high born or powerful person.  Likewise, upon completion of the two Eid prayers (most important festivals in Muslim calendar), the congregated Muslims have the tradition of hugging with one another regardless of social status.  This warms them up with a feeling of equality and unity and shatters any psychological barriers that might divide them in the name of status. Islam offers another avenue for practicing equality is through allowing any eligible Muslim the right to interpret the Quran, unlike Hinduism or Catholicism where usually only or mainly the priests retain that right with respect to their holy Books.

(ii) Prophet’s Farewell Address: Islamic position on the equality of man is further reinforced by the Prophet’s tradition that came to a height in his historic Farewell Address. On this occasion, He reminded you of the reality that your God is One and on the Day of Judgment, you will all be accountable to Him. All the believers are equal as the descendants of the same original parents Adam and Eve and all the Muslims are mutually like brothers. Then he warned you that no groups (like the Arabs and the non-Arabs, the Whites and the Blacks etc.) have supremacy over the other.  He emphasized on the rights of women including your kind treatment to your wives. Then he cited the need for showing good behavior to the slaves and servants, and the importance of feeding, clothing or housing them in the same standard of their masters.

(iii) Practices by the Prophet: The Prophet and his followers put forward plenty of model examples of practicing equality through behavior and dealings (e.g. eating, sitting, walking, marrying etc.) with the less fortunate people like the slaves, the orphans and the poor etc.  The early Islamic government gave all citizens equal access to the rights and privileges without any discrimination. Thanks to Islamic ideology, the black African slave Bilal was honored with the second highest position as ‘muezzin’ (summoner to prayer) of the Prophet’s mosque at Medina. Likewise, another slave Zaid ascended to the glory of being the personal secretary to the Prophet and a ranking general in the Muslim army as well.  Thus Islam upholds the ideal of equality, both in theory and practice.  

(5)  Islamic Equality Is Social and not Economic:

(i) Economic Equality Not Practicable: Islam recognizes the reality of inborn variation among people in respect of the talents, personality etc. Accordingly, it recognizes the possibility of differences in your income resulting from these variables.  This is a plain truth that Karl Marx failed to understand and therefore he planned a perfect economic equality in his brand of Communism.  By contrast, Islam sees a practical necessity for ‘division of labor’ in industrial economy. This means the job or production activity of making clothes, as for example, will be broken down into pieces like cotton harvesting, spinning of thread, weaving of clothes, tailoring etc. Each part of work is to be completed by different professionals like spinner, weaver, tailor etc. for reaping benefits from such specialization e.g. speedy production. It, therefore, appears that some degree of inequality in income or employment is not only natural but also desirable for the economy.  
(ii) Social Equality is Desirable: Islam, however, does not allow carrying over the above inequality from economic to social field.  For example, inside the factory or office, a supervisor may be formal in his behavior with his subordinate in compliance with office rules or personnel management protocol for helping discipline.  However, outside his office, say in the mosque, he must not hesitate to pray standing beside his subordinate colleague or elsewhere he cannot maintain a distance from him out of hatred.

Exceptions: Despite such provisions of social equality, Islam, however, does not shut the doors against applying common sense or doing things in proper natural order.  For example, in a formal social event, seating may be provided based on status (the VIP speakers are seated in front of others), unless it is otherwise justified like accommodating physical disability of a lower official or encouraging timely arrival for everyone, based on ‘first come, first served’. Likewise, in the case of marriage, quest for matching between husband and wife or between their families (based on their education, wealth, family status etc.) may contribute to their better adjustment.

Conclusion: It appears from the above that Islam provides a high measure of dignity to the mankind and treats them with meaningful equality that is hard to find elsewhere.