Brotherhood And Equality

Assignment # 2 SUBMITTED TO: SIR. ABDUL QADIR

BY:

Syed Owais Ali SP07-BB-0135

Topic: Brotherhood and Equality

Human Brotherhood and Equality Jamal A. Badawi, Ph.D. The corner-stone of belief in Islam is pure, pristine monotheism: the belief that there is only one sole Creator and Sustainer of the entire universe. This belief has a direct bearing on ideas of human equality and brotherhood because belief in a single Creator and Sustainer who created all mankind - male, female, black, white etc. - gives a clear idea that all human beings are equal as servants of Allah. In contrast, if one believed that God had one or more partners sharing in His power and authority, then there could not be one single humanity and brotherhood. Further, any belief in the existence of an intermediary between man and God would negate the ideas of human equality that Islam teaches. It is clear from the foregoing that monotheism definitely has important implications for human brotherhood and equality. Islam not only teaches the oneness of God, it also teaches that all prophets from Adam (AS) onwards, through Noah, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad (AS) were brothers, the cream of humanity, selected to convey the single message of guidance to their people. This guidance was essentially, a) knowledge of Allah; b) knowledge of the Self - our role on earth and the purpose of our existence and c) guidance for life. Thus, all the prophets are viewed as links in the same chain of revelation which stretches throughout human history. It follows therefore, that all who claim allegiance to these prophets and try to follow them belong to one brotherhood. 'The moral code of Islam and human equality and brotherhood' Islam docs not view life as consisting of separate compartments for religion, state, secular, sacred etc; all aspects of life are interconnected into an organic whole. Thus, there is a relationship between belief, worship, the moral code, economic life, political life, and social life and therefore Islam's teachings on human equality and brotherhood do have foundations in its moral teachings. Islam's moral code prohibits drinking, gambling, adultery, fornication, the taking of interest, etc. at an individual level. The prohibition is however, designed to have a social application because those who indulge in any of these prohibited acts would not only be harming themselves, but would harm society also. Similarly, the moral virtues that Islam enjoins on the believer are not just for individual moral piety, but for the collective social good also. If people were to practice the sincerity, forgiveness and compassion and were trustworthy, etc., the effect on society would be noticeable. Similarly, if these virtues were absent, then harmful results would equally be apparent. 'The story of Adam and Eve (AS) as depicted in the Qur'an' The story of Adam and Eve, as it is told in the Qur'an, forms part of the conceptual foundation of Islamic human brotherhood and equality. The story is part of a theme which runs throughout the whole of the Qur'an. The most interesting points to note are: a. The fact that the Qur'an does not throw the blame for the first mistake on the shoulders of Eve alone. Adam and Eve are said to be equally to blame for the mistake of disobeying

Allah and allowing themselves to be tempted by Satan. This point has important implications for human brotherhood because there is no blame attached to one section of humanity (i.e., women) for the 'fall of men'; thus, the true equality of all, men and women, is upheld by the Qur'an. b. The fact that the Qur'an relates how both Adam and Eve repented and prayed to God and was forgiven by Him means that there is no concept of 'original sin' in Islam - a stigma which, according to some teachings, all generations since Adam (AS) have earned. It follows from this that Allah did not put human beings on the earth by way of a punishment; on the contrary, they are on the earth for a noble purpose, that is, to be the Khalifah (trustee) of Allah. The story of Adam and Eve can thus be seen as a symbolic lesson in the consequences of obedience and disobedience, it is also proof of the fact that God is forgiving and has chosen mankind and guided them to a way of achieving happiness in this life and in the Hereafter. Thus, all human beings are equal in the sight of God and share a fundamental brotherhood despite their different sex, race, color, ethnic origin and status. Thus there is only one basic source of distinction between human beings in the sight of God, which is righteousness or piety (Arabic: Taqwa). Taqwa enshrines everything which is good - good in belief, good in moral qualities and good in relations with other humans. The Qur'an also lies that God created people in different nations so that they may 'know each other'. It is interesting to contrast this reason for the differences between people with the story as it is told in the Bible. The Bible says that God deliberately created differences in the languages of people so that they would not be able to communicate, because it says, God was worried that men were becoming too powerful. (Story of the building of the Tower of Babel). In the Qur'an, the differences between people are portrayed as a blessing which creates a mosaic of languages, races and nationalities on the earth. 'Attitude of the Prophet (SAWS) to the issue of human equality' The Prophet's attitude to the question of human equality is clearly illustrated in a number of fields: a. At a time when religious establishments dominated religious life (C7th AD), the clergy claiming an almost divine authority to be the spokesmen of God, the Prophet (SAWS) taught that although jurists and scholars could be respected and had the right to interpret the Scriptures, they could not equate their own interpretation with the word of God. Thus in Islam there is no institution equivalent to 'the Church': a religious institution which claims an exclusive right to interpret Scriptures and give its views with the authority of the divine revelation itself. The Prophet (SAWS) ensured that there could be no such religious domination by one group of people. b. He emphasized the fact that all human beings were equal to each other: including prophets. Thus he forbade people from adoring him because he said that this could lead to deification. c. He taught that the basic equality of the human race meant that no human being should kneel or bow down before any other person. Allah alone is worthy of prostration. d. He practiced Islamic teachings on human equality in an exemplary way also: when he joined a gathering, he never pushed his way to the front, but simply sat in the nearest

available space. He also spoke against those who claimed distinction for themselves whether on the basis of wealth, lineage, color or race. His final statement on the question of human equality was made in his Farewell Lecture on the Last Pilgrimage when he said: 'Oh! mankind, your God is one, your father is one, Lo there is no superiority of an Arab over a non-Arab, nor of a red or white over a black, except by the virtue of taqwa (piety)'. It is interesting to note that the people who first heeded to his call and became Muslim, came from a wide range of backgrounds and races: Abu Bakr was a rich noble; Bilal, a poor black slave; Suhaib, a Roman and Salman, a Persian, etc. On accepting Islam all were part of one single brotherhood around the Prophet. In fact some of the Quraish (the noble tribe who governed Mecca) indicated that they would be interested in the message of Islam if it were not for the fact that the poor and down-trodden were embracing it. The Prophet (SAWS) refuted them by saying, 'Oh God, may I live as a poor person and die as a poor person and resurrect me on the Day of Judgment in the company of the poor'. 'Should equal treatment be accorded to non-Muslims?' There is both implied and explicit evidence that equal treatment should be given to all mankind. Thus for example the Qur'an says that the penalty or compensation due to the family of a person who is accidentally killed (manslaughter) is exactly the same whether the victim is a Muslim or non-Muslim. The sanctity of life, honor and property of every person, including non-Muslim, who lives peaceably with Muslims is upheld by both the Qur'an and the teachings of the Prophet (SAWS). The Prophet (SAWS) said, "Whoever is unjust towards, or hurts a non-Muslim, who is living under the protection of Muslims, hurts me". The early Muslims who lived after the demise of the Prophet clearly understood this and, as the book by Abu Yusuf called 'Kharaj' says, tried to ensure that all who were living in the Islamic state were treated fairly: including, the Jews and Christians. In view of this, those scholars, (like Professor W. C. Smith), who say that Islam does not have guidelines for regulating relations between Muslims and nonMuslims are clearly wrong. Islam has a whole body of regulations to govern the proper relationships which should exist between Muslims and non-Muslims. Although there is a very definite blessing in being able to read Arabic - the language in which the Qur'an was revealed - it is wrong to say that a righteous person who does not speak this language is any less of a Muslim than one who does. The Qur'an, as the word of Allah is holy, no language however, including Arabic, can be regarded as holy and so no special superiority should be claimed by those who happen to know it. Again, there is a blessing and very great source of inspiration in living in or near the holy cities of Mecca and Medina: however, no resident can claim any superiority because of this. Behavior and understanding and practice of Islam are the only criteria which distinguish one believer from another together with faith, sincerity and good deeds. Islam allows no parochialism or nationalism: all Muslims belong to one single 'Ummah'. 'Meaning of 'Ummah' and its difference from the concept of 'nation" The word 'nation' is commonly defined as a group of people who share one particular language, or reside in one land / geographical area and/or share a common history and interests. Islam's brotherhood of faith, 'Ummah', is described in the Qur'an as a

community or fellowship of believers which transcends the boundaries of place and time. Islam rejects the principle of nationalism because the glorification of the 'nation' has been, and is, the root of many of the world's problems. The two World Wars fought in this century are proof of this. In one hadith, the Prophet (SAWS) said, "He is not of us who calls for 'asabiya (fanatical parochialism or nationalism), and he is not of us who dies for such a cause". When one of the companions asked for clarification, the Prophet (SAWS) said that, 'asabiya is to support one's own people in injustice - internally, where the majority suppresses and oppresses the rights of minorities and externally, where one nation or race claims superiority over his neighbors and therefore denies them their rights. 'Blood relationships take precedence over the brotherhood of faith?' In Islam, it is the brotherhood of faith which takes precedence over all other relationships, including the blood relationships. The brotherhood of faith has as its foundation belief in God and love of Him and therefore the Qur'an warns against allowing the relationship of blood to supersede that of faith (even though in Islam the believer must honor and respect his relations). The Qur'an also, however, advises the believer about how he can achieve a just balance in his relations with the brotherhood of faith on the one hand and relatives on the other, although the Qur'an teaches that if the spouse or close relative of a Muslim is a disbeliever, he/she must not allow this relationship of blood to supersede loyalty to Allah because in the end the believer will not be able to help his or her disbelieving relative/spouse achieve salvation. Salvation, though contingent on the grace of God, is also, for the most part, contingent on the practice of true faith and good actions and this is an individual responsibility. 'Specific examples of people who upheld the brotherhood of faith' The Qur'an gives four notable examples of how noble prophets and other pious people chose the brotherhood of faith and loyally to Allah in preference to their disbelieving relatives. The first example is that of a father who believed: Noah (Nuh (AS)) and his son who did not. The second is that of a believing son: Abraham (Ibrahim (AS)) and his father who chose to remain an idolater; on seeing his father's stubbornness. Abraham dissociated himself from him. Thirdly, there is the example of a husband who was pious. Lot (Lut (AS)) and his wife who was not and so was promised Hellfire because, she was of the wicked. Finally, the opposite, a pious God-fearing wife and an evil, disbelieving husband: Assiya (according to Muslim tradition) was the wife of the Pharaoh, she chose to remain steadfast in her belief even though she was ordered to renounce her faith by her husband, on pain of death. She refused to comply, praying that Allah' would count her among the people of Paradise. In addition to these four examples, the Prophet (SAWS) mentioned three other women who achieved 'perfection' because they chose faith in preference to the relations of blood and marriage: Khadijah, the first wife of the Prophet; Fatima, his daughter and Mary, the mother of Jesus (RA). It is interesting to note that each of the prophets in these examples could not save their respective, son, father and wife from the punishment of Allah.