Islamic Morals [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

Lesson: 52 Undue Prejudice

It is obvious
that undue prejudice exists to some extent among almost all the nations and
groups of the world and truth loving people do dislike undue favouritism, be
it related to an individual or group or belief. Wise men regard such attitude
a proof of the weakness of logic and of inhuman tendency. Such prejudiced people
try to present their deeds as proper so that they can cover them in good clothing
to make them appear lovely. This type of people make endeavours perhaps to relieve
themselves from internal pressure of their soul.

The meaning
of prejudice

Prejudice Tassub
in the Arabic language is from the root A Sa Ba which means vein nerve. In the
past the Arabs used to call every kind of favouritism based on blood-relation
Tassub. Their tribes based on such family-relations were also called Usbah.
But now, these two wards have lost their limited meaning. That is why they call
all false and illogical tendencies Tassub prejudice. Accordingly whenever it
is seen that a group be it blood-related or not favours unreasonable or illogical
thing it is called prejudiced Usbah.

Verses

When those who disbelieved harboured in their hearts feelings of disdain, the
disdain of the days of ignorance, but Allah sent down His tranquillity on His
Apostle and on the believers, and made them keep the word of guarding against
evil, and they were entitled to it and worthy of it; and Allah is Cognisant
of all things.

It is not
fit for the Prophet and those who believe that they should ask forgiveness for
the polytheists, even though they should be near relatives, after it has become
clear to them that they are inmates of the flaming fire. And Ibrahim asking
forgiveness for his sire was only owing to a promise which he had made to him;
but when it became clear to him that he was an enemy of Allah, he declared himself
to be clear of him; most surely Ibrahim was very tender-hearted forbearing.

Regarding the
circumstances preceding the revelation of these verses great scholars say:

A group of
Muslims inquired from the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.): Do you not pray pardon for
our forefathers who passed away from this world in the time of ignorance? Then
the above verses were revealed and all were cautioned that no one has a right
to ask pardon for polytheists and the istigfaar seeking of pardon of Ibrahim
(a.s.) for Aazar was during his life time and the intention of Ibrahim (a.s.)
was that he might not die as a polytheist. But when he knew that Aazar was an
enemy of God and that his Aazars animosity was based on hatred he separated
from him and announced his estrangement and aversion.

And when
Our communications are recited to them, they say: We have heard indeed; if we
pleased we could say the like of it; this is nothing but the stories of the
ancients. And when they said: O Allah! if this is the truth from Thee, then
rain upon us stones from heaven or inflict on us a painful punishment.

Under the influence
of their extreme prejudice and stubbornness they imagined that the Shariat of
Islam was hundred percent baseless. Otherwise, anyone in whose mind there is
even a little possibility of its being the truth never curses himself like this!

In Majmaul
Bayan, below this verse, it is recorded thus from Imam Sadiq (a.s.): after the
Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.), in Ghadeer-e-Khum, appointed Ali (a.s.) as his caliph
and said Man Kuntu Maulaahu fa Aliyyun Maulahu this problem arose there and
Noman bin Haaris Fahri who was a hypocrite approached the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.)
and said: You asked us to give witness to the oneness of the God and to negate
the idols and to testify your Prophethood we agreed and complied with. Then
you gave us the command regarding jihad and Hajj and fasting and namaz and Sakata
and we accepted. But you did not suffice with this and made this boy that is,
Ali son of Abu Talib the caliph and said Man Kuntu Maulaahu fa Aliyyun Maulahu.
Well, is this the word of your own or is it the Order of Allah?

The Holy Prophet
(s.a.w.s.) said: By Allah, except Whom there is no God, this is the order of
Allah. Noman who was enraged due to his extreme dislike said: O God! If this
is true than send a stone one me from heaven and. Within no time a stone fell
on him and he got killed.

This hadith-e-Ghadeer
does not negate that the said verse was revealed in the matter of the unbelievers
of Holy Quran because the revelation of this verse was not due to the event
O Noman. Rather it was Noman who cursed himself by extracting words from a verse
which was revealed earlier. It is just as we extract our prayers from the Holy
Quran and, for example, say: When he said to his father and his people: What
are these images to whose worship you cleave? They said: We found our fathers
worshipping them. He said: Certainly you have been, both you and your fathers,
in manifest error.

Traditions

The Holy Prophet
(s.a.w.s.) said: The one who resorts to prejudice or who is the subject of prejudice
that is, if he is pleased with that prejudicial attitude of others have thrown
off the relation of Faith from their hearts.

The Holy Prophet
(s.a.w.s.) is quoted: Anyone who has prejudice in his heart even to the extent
of a little mustard seed will be raised by God, with the Bedouins of the days
of ignorance.

Imam Sadiq
(a.s.) has said: The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) used to seek Gods protection daily
from six things: Doubt, polytheism, prejudice, Anger, Rebellion and oppression
and Jealousy.

Amirul Momineen
(a.s.) is reported to have said: Verily God punished six groups due to six qualities:
Arab for his prejudice, the rich for their pride, Ameers for their oppression,
the Faqueehs for their jealousy and the traders for their dishonesty, and the
villagers for their ignorance.

Sinister
results of prejudice

If a man shows
prejudice or undue love or hatred toward anyone, he does not know the reality,
rather, sometimes, he imagines good to be bad and bad to be good. Explaining
this attitude in a very fine style, the Holy Quran says: What! Is he whose
evil deed is made fair seeming to him so much so that he considers it good?
is like the one who is seeking truth?

Wrong prejudices
and illogical traditions drag down men to such depths making them blind and
deaf that they become lower than animals. An animal has much affection for its
offspring in the beginning of life but man's prejudice crushes his internal
instincts to such an extent that child killing appears to him a good deed. Sometimes
he enjoys it and shows pride about it. In this respect the Holy Quran says:

And thus
their associates have made fair seeming to most of the polytheists the killing
of their children

And also Say:
Shall We inform you of the greatest losers in their deeds? These are they
whose labour is lost in this worlds life and they think that they are well versed
in skill of the work of hands.

Finally man,
under the effect of prejudices and multiple ignorance, falls in wrong alleys
in such a way that he thinks he is doing good but, really does not know that
he has ignited a fire and is burning both himself and the society in its flames.
Currently the problem of prejudice is clearly observed between groups and parties
and institutions: it is probable that we also do what the polytheists and the
idol-worshippers do. May Allah save from it.

Here a question
arises: is there, in Islam, any prejudice that can be considered as permissible
and desirable? In reply we say: no According to Islam one indulges in prejudice
when he follows a group unreasonably and when he knows that groups is working
on wrong lines. Otherwise, if man follows pious and suitable persons, it is
not only no prejudice but rather Islam has encouraged such deed, When somebody
asked Ali bin Husain (a.s.) about prejudice he said: Sinful prejudice is when
man considers that the evil fellows belonging to his folk are better than the
gentlemen of the other folk. But loving ones community is no prejudice. Helping
ones community in oppression is part of prejudice.