ISLAMS GIFTS TO THE WORLD [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

Islam and Racism

By Sayyid Mujtaba Musavi Lari

The Unity is the basis of Islamic
theology. and therefore Unity is the ground
of its philosophy of society. All humanity is one; a
great unit. Its individuals are members of one society
incorporate, which is so comprehensive that it includes
all differences within its oneness. The many find within
the one that brotherhood, affection, friendliness and
human blood-relationship which is of the essence. Hence
distinctions do not become differences - not colour, nor
culture, nor class, nor custom, nor conversational idiom.
Mutual respect as fellow-humans in pursuit of the common
good is the rule throughout the world-wide society of
Islam, without superiority or inferiority, since all
mankind were created in one human soul to start with,
from whom man and woman, black and white, poor and rich,
civilised and savage, all evolve, sharing one common
humanity Truly God made of one flesh all the
nations upon earth it haply they may feel after Him and
find Him.

So it is written (Qur'an: Sura IV Nisa'a-The
Women 1st verse). Reverence God Who created
you all from one person, leaving no room for
nationalistic divisions. Differences in skin and tongue
are merely tokens of the Creator's power. They call on
men to study the Holy Will and Might of Him Who from one
elemental root created so many variations of colour
countenance and conversation : as it is written (Qur'an:
Sura XXX Rome verse 21)Signs of
His Power are His creation of heaven and of earth, and
the varieties of tongues and skins; in all of which are
sermons for the wise.

It is further written (Qur'an : Sura II, Baqara
-The Heifer verse 213): Mankind was one
single nation. Then we sent messengers to them to give
them glad tidings and warnings; and with them we sent the
Book in truth to judge between people in matters wherein
they differed . . . and God by His grace guided believers
to the common truth on points about which they differed;
for God guides whom He will onto a path that is
straight. This verse reveals that in the beginning
mankind was one single nation without differences or
splits or conflicts but enjoying unity, cooperation and
harmony.

The martyred Imam Ali left us the priceless legacy of
the Nahj-ul-Balaghe, amongst which is his historic
address to Malek_iyAshtar in which he expresses this
truth as follows: Make thine heart a throne of
mercy towards thy people. Show them perfect love and
care. Never treat them as a ravening beast that tears and
rends their properties and their persons. For they are in
one of two groups. Either they are thy brothers in the
Faith- or they are thy fellow-human beings of one flesh
with thine own. This broad view embraces all races,
all cultures, all tongues.

Unity and union amongst individuals will subsist under
the aegis of unity of thought and spirit, oneness of
conviction and aim; nor can any unity obtain save under
that orderliness. Should a society fall into division of
thought and conviction, its bonds of affection will be
loosened: and. when adversity arises, material needs will
increase differences, conflicts and tensions. That is why
the strongest tie of unity amongst nations is the
religious bond.

It is in this bond of union that Islam has brought
people and peoples together, freeing them from the
trammels of division and difference, and calling them to
establish the bases of accord and agreement in a society
of brotherhood which is the natural state of man.

Islam treats mankind as one great family of brothers
and sisters. In the human family the relationship of
father and child is a stronger bond than that of
brotherhood. But the qualities of respect and of
difference of age deprive the father-child relationship
of full equality. That is why it is brotherhood which
Islam exalts as the expression of that perfect and
heartfelt affection which should reign within the human
family. It should reign on the surface and in the depths.
Brotherhood is therefore the Qur'an's call. The sublimest
levels of love and the most sincere of friendships are
those which arise between Muslims. They are called
brothers because of their brotherhood, because of the
existence of the fact of this most tender and beautiful
of manifestations of equality; it is not the command to
be brothers which called the fact into existence. The
command was uttered, but the natural upwelling of the
spirit engendered by that surrender (tasleem) to God
(which Islam is) issues in brotherhood.

This brotherhood is deeper and higher than mere
natural brotherliness, for it is the unity of a shared
aim, the unity of shared convictions, the unity of joint
beliefs, the unity of hearts.

It is written (Qur'an: Sura XLIX, Hujurat-The
Inner Apartments verse 10): Believers are a
single brotherhood. Make peace amongst your brothers and
fear God that ye may receive mercy.

The Prophet decreed: The members of the assembly
of the believers are by love and affection one body, and
any limb of that which is pained causes all the other
limbs to suffer in sympathy. If any individual Muslim
falls into a painful situation all the other members of
the community must run to his help and share in his
sorrow. (Safeenatu-l-Behar, Vol. I, p.13.)