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 non-
Muslims 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.