Islam has always propagated mutual love and affection, harmony and tolerance among people. The early years of Islam reveal that the religion is opposed to racism and ethnic and racial harmony are highly stressed upon.
The society in the Pre-Islamic Arabia had strong overtones of language, color and racial prejudices. Non-Arabs were treated poorly. Black Africans were kept as slaves. When the Holy Prophet (PBUH) started spreading the word of Allah (SWT); he verily abolished these racial prejudices and established tolerance, equality, and harmony among people from different tribes.
Islam is Color Blind - No Race Can Claim to Be Superior to Another
The Holy Prophet (PBUH) said, “O People, your Lord is One, you are the progeny of the same father (who was created from dust). Hence it is not permissible for you to make any discrimination between high and low. Neither an Arab has superiority over a non-Arab, nor a non-Arab over an Arab. A white person is not superior to a black person, nor is a black superior to a white. The most honorable among you in the sight of God is the one who is the most righteous.”
Islam preaches that Allah (SWT) does not look upon outward appearance and the only thing that separates one person from another is their hearts and good/bad deeds.
Addressing a large gathering, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) emphasized on the harmony and brotherhood aspect of human relationships, “You are brothers and sisters. You are all equal. No matter to which nation or tribe you belong and no matter what your status is, you are equal. Just as the fingers of both hands are alike, nobody can claim to have any distinctive right or greatness over another. The command which I give you today is not just for today but it is forever. Always remember and keep acting upon it until you return to your true Master.”
Bilal – A Shining Example of Racial Harmony in Islam
The Holy Prophet (PBUH) gave Bilal al-Habashi (also known as Bilal ibn Rabah); a black person of Ethiopian origin; the honored position of being the first Muezzin in Islam to deliver the eloquent call to prayer (Azan/Adhan) in his own mosque in Mecca. Choosing Bilal as the first Muezzin cemented the fact that Islam stands for tolerance, harmony and racial equal.
Diversity is the Miracle of God
Islam takes note of the diversity in the world and celebrates it. In Islam, a person’s worth is not judged on the basis of his/her skin color, social rank, ethnicity or economic status.
The Holy Quran (49:13) teaches that all people were created equally by Allah (SWT) and makes this explicit in the following verse, “O mankind! Behold, We have created you from a male and a female, and We have made you into tribes and sub-tribes for the sake of easy recognition. Verily, the most honorable among you, in the sight of God, is the most righteous among you. Surely, God is All-Knowing, All-Aware.”
“And among his signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the diversity of your tongues and colors.” ~ Surah 30:22
It is not just about tolerating the other. Rather it is about recognizing and accepting people of all creeds as fraternal equals. As Tariq Ramadan states in his book Islam: The Essentials that “Diversity is the will of God, and it is incumbent upon humankind to transform it into a positive factor in its progression towards the good.”
In Islam, being a Muslim is not about race. Instead, it is about faith and the Universal Brotherhood (Umma) which is beyond skin color or race.
The society in the Pre-Islamic Arabia had strong overtones of language, color and racial prejudices. Non-Arabs were treated poorly. Black Africans were kept as slaves. When the Holy Prophet (PBUH) started spreading the word of Allah (SWT); he verily abolished these racial prejudices and established tolerance, equality, and harmony among people from different tribes.
| In Islam, no race can claim to be superior to another. |
Islam is Color Blind - No Race Can Claim to Be Superior to Another
The Holy Prophet (PBUH) said, “O People, your Lord is One, you are the progeny of the same father (who was created from dust). Hence it is not permissible for you to make any discrimination between high and low. Neither an Arab has superiority over a non-Arab, nor a non-Arab over an Arab. A white person is not superior to a black person, nor is a black superior to a white. The most honorable among you in the sight of God is the one who is the most righteous.”
Islam preaches that Allah (SWT) does not look upon outward appearance and the only thing that separates one person from another is their hearts and good/bad deeds.
Addressing a large gathering, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) emphasized on the harmony and brotherhood aspect of human relationships, “You are brothers and sisters. You are all equal. No matter to which nation or tribe you belong and no matter what your status is, you are equal. Just as the fingers of both hands are alike, nobody can claim to have any distinctive right or greatness over another. The command which I give you today is not just for today but it is forever. Always remember and keep acting upon it until you return to your true Master.”
Bilal – A Shining Example of Racial Harmony in Islam
The Holy Prophet (PBUH) gave Bilal al-Habashi (also known as Bilal ibn Rabah); a black person of Ethiopian origin; the honored position of being the first Muezzin in Islam to deliver the eloquent call to prayer (Azan/Adhan) in his own mosque in Mecca. Choosing Bilal as the first Muezzin cemented the fact that Islam stands for tolerance, harmony and racial equal.
Diversity is the Miracle of God
Islam takes note of the diversity in the world and celebrates it. In Islam, a person’s worth is not judged on the basis of his/her skin color, social rank, ethnicity or economic status.
The Holy Quran (49:13) teaches that all people were created equally by Allah (SWT) and makes this explicit in the following verse, “O mankind! Behold, We have created you from a male and a female, and We have made you into tribes and sub-tribes for the sake of easy recognition. Verily, the most honorable among you, in the sight of God, is the most righteous among you. Surely, God is All-Knowing, All-Aware.”
“And among his signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the diversity of your tongues and colors.” ~ Surah 30:22
It is not just about tolerating the other. Rather it is about recognizing and accepting people of all creeds as fraternal equals. As Tariq Ramadan states in his book Islam: The Essentials that “Diversity is the will of God, and it is incumbent upon humankind to transform it into a positive factor in its progression towards the good.”
In Islam, being a Muslim is not about race. Instead, it is about faith and the Universal Brotherhood (Umma) which is beyond skin color or race.
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