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The United Colors of Islam (part 1 of 3)
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Description: The racial equality espoused by Islam and practical examples from history. Part 1: Racism in the Judeo-Christian tradition.
By Ben Adam, www.Quran.nu, (edited by IslamReligion.com)
- Published on 27 Mar 2006 - Last modified on 02 Dec 2007
Viewed: 7599 - Rating: 2.4 from 5 - Rated by: 7
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Category: Articles
> The Benefits of Islam
> Benefits to Society
Category: Articles
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_001.jpg) “God said: ‘What prevented you (O Satan) that you did not
prostrate when I commanded you?’ Iblees (the Satan) replied: ‘I am better than
him (Adam). You created me from fire, and him You created from clay.” (Quran
7:12)
So begins the history of racism. Satan thought himself
superior to Adam on account of his origins. Since that day, Satan has misled
many of Adam’s descendants into also believing themselves superior to others,
causing them to persecute and exploit their fellow man. Quite often, religion
has been used to justify racism. Judaism, for example, despite its Middle-Eastern
origins, is readily passed off as a Western religion; but the entry of Jews
into all levels of Western society actually betrays Judaism’s elitist reality.
A pious reading of the bible verse:
“There is no God in all the world but in Israel.”
(2 Kings 5:15)
…would be to suggest that in those days God, or God, was
not worshipped except by Israelites. However, Judaism today remains centered
around its boast of ‘chosen’ racial superiority.
“Say: ‘O Jews! If you pretend that you are the beloved slaves
of God to the exclusion of the rest of humanity, then long for death if you are
really truthful.’” (Quran 62:6)
Conversely, while most Christians are overwhelmingly non-Jew,
Jesus, as the last of the Israelite Prophets, was sent to none but the Jews.
“And (remember) when Jesus, son of Mary, said: ‘O Children
of Israel! I am the Messenger of God sent unto you, confirming the Torah
before me and bearing glad tidings of a Messenger after me whose name shall be
Ahmad...’”
(Quran 61:6)
And likewise every Prophet was sent exclusively to his
own people, every Prophet, that is, except Muhammad.
“Say (O Muhammad): ‘O People! I am the Messenger of God sent
to you all…’” (Quran 7:158)
As Muhammad was God’s final Prophet and Messenger, his
mission was a universal one, intended for not only his own nation, the Arabs,
but all the peoples of the world. The Prophet said:
“Every other Prophet was sent to his nation
exclusively, while I have been sent to all of humanity.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)
“And We have not sent you (O Muhammad) except as a bearer of
glad tidings and a Warner to all mankind, but most of people know not.” (Quran
34:28)
Bilal the Abyssinian
One of the first to accept Islam was an Abyssinian slave
named Bilal. Traditionally, black Africans were a lowly people in the sight of
Arabs who thought them to be of little use beyond entertainment and slavery. When
Bilal embraced Islam, his pagan master had him brutally tortured in the
scorching desert heat until Abu Bakr, the Prophet’s closest friend, rescued him
by buying his freedom.
The Prophet appointed Bilal to call the believers to
prayer. The athan heard from minarets in every corner of the world
since, echoes the exact same words recited by Bilal. Thus, a onetime lowly
slave won a unique honor as Islam’s first muezzin.
“And indeed We have honored the Children of Adam...” (Quran
17:70)
Western romantics hail ancient Greece as being the
birthplace of democracy. The reality was that, as slaves and
women, the vast majority of Athenians were denied the right to elect their
rulers. Yet, Islam ordained that a slave could himself be ruler! The Prophet
ordered:
“Obey your ruler even if he be an Abyssinian slave.”
(Ahmad)
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The United Colors of Islam (part 2 of 3)
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Description: The racial equality espoused by Islam and practical examples from history. Part 2: Examples from the era of the Prophet.
By Ben Adam, www.Quran.nu, (edited by IslamReligion.com)
- Published on 27 Mar 2006 - Last modified on 02 Dec 2007
Viewed: 5168 - Rating: 3.7 from 5 - Rated by: 3
Printed: 338 - Emailed: 6 - Commented on: 0
Category: Articles
> The Benefits of Islam
> Benefits to Society
Category: Articles
> Current Issues
> Human Rights
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Salman the Persian
Like most of his countrymen, Salman was raised a devout
Zoroastrian. However, after an encounter with some Christians at worship, he
accepted Christianity as ‘something better’. Salman then traveled extensively
in search of knowledge, from the service of one learned monk to another, the
last of whom said: ‘O son! I do not know of anyone who is on the same
(creed) as we are. However, the time of the emergence of a Prophet is at hand.
This Prophet is upon the religion of Abraham.’ The monk then proceeded to describe
this Prophet, his character and where he would appear. Salman migrated to Arabia, the land of the prophecy, and when he heard about and met Muhammad, he immediately
recognized him from his teacher’s descriptions and embraced Islam. Salman
became renowned for his knowledge and was the first person to translate the Quran
into another language, Persian. Once, whilst the Prophet was amongst his
Companions, the following was revealed to him:
“It is He (God) Who had sent among the unlettered (the Arabs)
a Messenger (Muhammad) from among themselves... and (also to) others (i.e. non-Arabs)
among them who have not yet joined them (as Muslims)...” (Quran 62:2-3)
God’s Messenger then placed his hand on Salman and said:
“Even if the Faith were near (the stars of)
Pleiades, a man from amongst these (Persians) would surely attain it.” (Saheeh
Muslim)
Suhayb the Roman
Suhayb was born into privilege in the luxurious house of
his father, who was a client governor for the Persian emperor. While he was still
a child, Suhayb was captured by Byzantine raiders and sold into slavery in Constantinople.
Suhayb eventually escaped from bondage and fled to Mecca, a popular place of asylum, where he soon became a prosperous merchant nick-named ‘ar-Rumi’,
the Roman, due to his Byzantine tongue and upbringing. When Suhayb heard
Muhammad preach, he was at once convinced of the truth of his message and
embraced Islam. Like all the early Muslims, Suhayb was persecuted by the pagans
of Mecca. So, he traded all his wealth in exchange for safe passage to join
the Prophet at Medina, whereupon the Prophet, delighted to see Suhayb, greeted
him thrice: ‘Your trade has been fruitful, O [Suhayb]! Your trade has been
fruitful!’ God had informed the Prophet of Suhayb’s exploits before their
reunion with this revelation:
“And there is a type of man who ransoms himself to earn the
pleasure of God. And God is full of kindness to His servants.” (Quran 2:207)
The Prophet loved Suhayb a great deal and described him
as having preceded the Romans to Islam. Suhayb’s piety and standing among the
early Muslims was so high that when Caliph Umar was on his deathbed, he
selected Suhayb to lead them until they could agree upon a successor.
Abdullah the Hebrew
The Jews were another nation that the pre-Islamic Arabs
held in contempt. Many Jews and Christians had been expecting a new Prophet to
appear in Arabia during the time of the Prophet Muhammad. Jews from the Levite
tribe in particular had settled in large numbers in and around the city of Medina. However, when the much anticipated Prophet came, not as a Hebrew son of Israel, but as the Arab descendant of Ishmael, the Jews rejected him. Except, that is, for
a few like Hussein bin Salam. Hussein was the most learned rabbi and leader of
the Medinan Jews but was denounced and vilified by them when he embraced Islam.
The Prophet re-named Husayn, ‘Abdullah’, meaning ‘Servant of God’, and gave him
the glad tidings that he was destined for Paradise. Abdullah addressed his
tribesmen saying:
‘O assembly of Jews! Be conscious of God and accept
what Muhammad has brought. By God! You certainly know that he is God’s
Messenger and you can find prophecies about him and mention of his name and
characteristics in your Torah. I for my part declare that he is the Messenger
of God. I have faith in him and believe that he is true. I (for one)
recognize him.’ God revealed the following about Abdullah:
“And a witness from the Children of Israel testified to this (Quran
being from God) like (the Torah). So he believed while (most of) you (Jews)
are too proud (to believe).” (Quran 46:10)
Thus, in the ranks of the Prophet Muhammad’s Companions
could be found Africans, Persians, Romans and Israelites; representatives of
every known continent. As the Prophet said:
“Indeed, my friends and allies are not the tribe of
so and so. Rather, my friends and allies are the pious, wherever they may be.”
(Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim)
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The United Colors of Islam (part 3 of 3)
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Description: The racial equality espoused by Islam and practical examples from history. Part 3: The Hajj and the diversity found amongst the Muslims of today.
By Ben Adam, www.Quran.nu, (edited by IslamReligion.com)
- Published on 27 Mar 2006 - Last modified on 02 Dec 2007
Viewed: 5410 - Rating: 4.8 from 5 - Rated by: 4
Printed: 342 - Emailed: 19 - Commented on: 0
Category: Articles
> The Benefits of Islam
> Benefits to Society
Category: Articles
> Current Issues
> Human Rights
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This universal brotherhood preached by Islam was
championed by the Prophet’s Companions after him. When the Companion, Ubada
bin as-Samit, led a delegation to Muqawqis, the Christian patriarch of
Alexandria, the latter exclaimed: ‘Get this black man away from me and bring in
his stead another to talk to me! ... How can you be content that a black man
should be the foremost among you? Is it not more fitting that he be below you?’
‘Indeed no!’, Ubada’s comrades replied, ‘Though he is black as you see, he is
still the foremost among us in position, intelligence and wisdom; for black is
not despised among us.’
“Truly, the Believers are but brothers...” (Quran 49:10)
It is the Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca, which remains
the ultimate symbol of the oneness and brotherhood of man. Here, rich and poor
from all nations stand and bow in unison before God in what is the largest
gathering of humanity; testifying to the Prophet’s words when he said:
“There is truly no excellence for an Arab over a
non-Arab; or for a non-Arab over an Arab; or for a white man over a black man; or
for a black man over a white man; except through piety.” (Ahmad)
And this confirms the Quran, which says:
“O humanity! We have created you from a single male and
female and have made you into nations and tribes that you may know one another
(not that you have pride over one another). Verily, the most honorable of you
in the God’s Sight is the one most pious…” (Quran 49:13)
As for nationalism, with its factionalizing of Muslims
along ethnic and tribal lines, it is considered an evil innovation.
“If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your
tribe, the wealth you have gained, the commerce in which you fear a decline,
and the dwellings in which you delight are dearer to you than God and His Messenger
and striving hard in His Cause, then wait until God brings about His Decision.
And God guides not a rebellious people.” (Quran 9:24)
The Prophet said:
“... whoever fights under the banner of the blind,
becoming angry for nationalism, calling to nationalism, or assisting
nationalism, and dies: then he dies a death of jahiliyya (i.e. pre-Islamic
ignorance and disbelief).” (Saheeh Muslim)
Rather, the Quran says:
“While those who disbelieved placed in their hearts pride and haughtiness
- the pride and haughtiness of jahiliyya, God sent down His tranquility upon
His Messenger and upon the Believers…” (Quran 48:26)
In fact, the Muslims in and of themselves constitute a
single body and supra-nation, as the Prophet explained:
“The parable of the Believers in their mutual love
and mercy is like that of a living body: if one part feels pain, the whole body
suffers in sleeplessness and fever.” (Saheeh Muslim)
The Quran confirms this unity:
“Thus, We have made you (Believers into) a (single)
justly-balanced community...” (Quran 2:143)
Perhaps one of the greatest barriers to the acceptance
of Islam by many Westerners is the fallacy that it is primarily a religion for
Orientals or dark-skinned people. No doubt, the racial injustices against many
blacks, be they Abyssinian slaves of pre-Islamic Arabia, or 20th century Afro-Americans,
has prompted many to embrace Islam. But this is beside the point. The Prophet
Muhammad was himself of whitish complexion, described by his Companions as
being ‘white and ruddy’ - a description many tens of millions of believing
Arabs, Berbers and Persians share. Even blue-eyed blondes are not so rare
amongst Near Easterners. Furthermore, Europe has more indigenous white Muslims
than it has ‘colored’ immigrants. The Bosnians, for example, whose numbers
were decimated at the end of the 20th century but who, due to their heroism and
tradition of tolerance, have contributed most to Balkan peace and stability. Albanians
too, descended from Europe’s ancient Illyrians, are also largely Muslim. In
fact, one of the 20th century’s leading Muslim scholars, Imam Muhammad
Nasir-ud-Deen al-Albani, was, as his title suggests, Albanian.
“Truly, We created humans in the best stature.” (Quran 5:4)
Whites have been called ‘caucasian’ ever since
anthropologists declared the Caucasus Mountains, home to Europe’s highest
peaks, to be the ‘Cradle of the White Race.’ Today, the natives of these
mountains are Muslims. Amongst many a lesser-known tribe of fierce
mountaineers and fair maidens are the Circassians famed for their bravery and
beauty and who, as Mamluke rulers of Syria and Egypt, helped defend the civilized
world and safeguard its holy lands from the ravages of the Mongol hordes. Then
there is the brutalized Chechen, arguably the most unwieldy of all God’s
creatures, whose tenacity and resistance has helped them avoid the fate of the
Circassians. Meanwhile, over 1,000,000 American and North European Caucasian
whites - Anglo-Saxons, Franks, Germans, Scandinavians and Celts included - now
profess Islam. In fact, Islam peacefully entered parts of Europe before
Christianity, when: ‘In times long ago, when the Russian Slav had not yet
started to build Christian churches on the Oka nor conquered these places in
the name of European civilization, the Bulgar was already listening to the Quran
on the banks of the Volga and the Kama.’ (Solov’ev, 1965) [On 16 May 922, Islam
became the official state religion of the Volga Bulgars, with whom today’s
Bulgarians share a common ancestry.]
Every faith besides Islam calls for the worship of
creation in some way, shape or form. Moreover, race and color play a central
and divisive role in almost all non-Islamic belief systems. A Christian’s
deification of Jesus and the saints or a Buddhist’s deification of Buddha and
the Dalai Lamas has people of a particular race and color being worshipped in
derogation of God In Judaism, salvation is withheld from the non-Jew Gentile.
Hinduism’s caste system likewise checks the spiritual, socio-political and
economic aspirations of the ‘unclean’ lower castes. Islam, however, seeks to
unite and make one all the creatures of the world upon the Unity and Oneness of
their Creator. Thus, Islam alone liberates all peoples, races and colors in
the worship of God alone.
“And among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the
earth and the (wonderful) differences of your languages and colors. Verily, in
that are indeed signs for people of sound knowledge.” (Quran 30:22)
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