That all men are equal and that all kinds of discrimination based on race or class or family are wrong and the principle that the sons of Adam, from the viewpoint of rights, are equal and that no one is superior to another due to his belonging to a particular skin colour or because of difference in language or hand is one the most important principles for collective or social affairs mentioned in the Holy Quran. There are many verses on this subject. Islam has thus cancelled, with red ink, all kinds of superiority-seeking on the basis of things like: race-worship, pride of language or skin colour and has thus ended the most complicated collective problems of today's world which even the most advanced industrial centre America has not been able to solve.
The Holy Quran discusses this problem in simple and easy language and logic and condemns the superiority complexes based on race, colour and language by pointing to the birth of man of one father and mother.
Verses
1. O you men! Surely We have created you of a male and a female, and made you tribes and families that you may know each other; surely the most honourable of you with Allah is the one among you most careful of his duty; surely Allah is Knowing, Aware.
2. O people! Be careful of your duty to your Lord, Who created you from a single being and created its mate of the same kind and spread from these two, many men and women; and be careful of your duty to Allah, by Whom you demand one of another your rights, and to the ties of relationship; surely Allah ever watches over you.
3. And about the creation of Adam (a.s.) the Holy Quran says: He it is Who created you from clay, then He decreed a term; and there is a term named with Him; still you doubt.
4. And He it is Who has brought you into being from a single soul, then there is for you a resting-place and a depository; indeed We have made plain the communications for a people who understand.
Traditions
1. It is recorded that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said on the day of victory: O people! God had, in the light of Islam, removed the distinctions of the days of ignorance and the boastings based on race from the society. All of you are born of Adam and he too was created from earth. The best man is he who refrains from sin and disobedience.
2. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said: O people! Being an Arab is not the basis of your personality or a part of yourselves but it is merely a vain talk and anyone who lacks in doing his duty does not get any uplift from the glorification of his forefathers. It does not compensate his short comings.
3. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said: All people, right from Adam to this day, are equal like the teeth of a comb. There is no superiority for an Arab over an non-Arab, nor for a red skinned over a black-skinned. The basis of superiority is piety and fear of Allah.
4. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) gave a sermon during the days of Tashreeq and said therein: O people! Beware, verily your Lord is One, remember that your father is one, be conscious that there is no superiority for an Arab over a non-Arab, for a non-Arab over an Arab, nor for a red over a black nor for a black over a red except because of piety. Truly the most precious among you in the sight of Allah is the one who is most pious. Have I conveyed this message to you? They said: Yes, O Prophet of Allah! Then he said: Those who are present here should inform those who are absent, about this.
And, practically in action also, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) removed all the imaginary and superstitious distinctions and for the same reason, gave Sabaaah daughter of Zubair bin Abdul Muttalib in marriage to Miqdad. Zubair was an uncle of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and likewise, arranged the matrimony of Zalfaa with Juwaibar.
As a resume, we must note that, in Islam, greatness is only with references to spiritual virtues that the Holy Quran has mentioned and admonished at four occasions:
1 and 2- Regarding Faith and Knowledge: Allah will exalt those of you who believe, and those who are given knowledge.
3. Concerning jihad: And Allah shall grant to the strivers above the holders back a mighty reward.
4 . Surely the most honourable of you with Allah is the one among you most careful of his duty; surely Allah is Knowing, Aware.
By the way, Islam has not only disregarded the imaginary and material superiorities but has explicitly rejected them.