Islam is submitting and surrendering to one God (Allah). He is the Creator and the Owner of all that exits.“Say: He is Allah, the One and Only! Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; He begetteth not nor is He begotten. And there is none like unto Him”. Quran 112: 1-4. This is what Muslims believe in. And believing and understanding the oneness of Allah leads to believing in and understanding the oneness of man that is we are all equal before Allah regardless of our differences in color, race, or nationality. “O Mankind, We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other. Verily the most honored of you in the sight of God is he who is the most righteous of you” (Quran 49:13).
In His wisdom, Allah has made mankind into different peoples and tribes so that they may know one another, not so that they may despise one another. He tells us that our differences in color, language , and race are a sign of His greatness and power in creation. And to Him, all submit and surrender.This can be seen clearly in many aspects of Muslim societies. For example, in prayer, Muslims stand together before Allah without allocating any special place for a king, great man ,or scholar.In fasting, all people feel the same hunger with no favors shown to a ruler or rich man or noble.Also, in Hajj, Muslims of different colors, nationalities, and races wear the same clothes, stand in one place and do the same rituals. They are all one and worshipping one God.
Even when it comes to criminal laws, punishment is the same no matter who has committed the crime. It does not matter if it’s a king or even a weaver of clothes. They are all equal before the law.
A woman from the tribe makhzum committed theft at the time of the prophet peace be upon him and she was brought to him to be punished. This upset Quraish and they said ” who will intercede with us with the messenger of Allah so that she is spared the punishment?” Then they remembered that Usamah Bin zaid was dearly beloved by the messenger of Allah.. They spoke to him and asked that he intercede for that woman. So he spoke with the prophet but the prophet peace be upon him became very angry and said to him:Are you interceding concerning one of the haad punishments decreed by Allah?” Then he stood up and addressed the people , saying “Those who came before you were only destroyed because if a nobleman among them stole they would let him off but if one of the weak stole, they would carry out the punishment on him. By Allah, if Fatimah the daughter of Muhammad were to steal, I would cut off her hand.”
Some disagreement occurred between two companions of the prophet peace be upon him, Abu Dharr and Bilal. Abu Dharr said to Bilal, “You son of a black woman.” The Messenger of Allah peace be upon him was extremely upset by Abu Dharr’s comment, so he peace be upon him rebuked him by saying, “That is too much, Abu Dharr. He who has a white mother has no advantage which makes him better than the son of a black mother.” This rebuke had a profound effect on Abu Dharr, who then put his head on the ground swearing that he would not raise it until Bilal had put his foot over it.
Indeed, Islam is a religion of justice. It calls to worshipping one God without invoking anyone or anything besides Him.
“Allah is He, than Whom there is no other god;- the Sovereign, the Holy One, the Source of Peace (and Perfection), the Guardian of Faith, the Preserver of Safety, the Exalted in Might, the Irresistible, the Supreme: Glory to Allah! (High is He) above the partners they attribute to Him.He is Allâh, the Creator, the Inventor of all things, the Bestower of forms. To Him belong the Best Names . All that is in the heavens and the earth glorify Him. And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise. Quran 59: 23-24
.It’s understanding the oneness of God that leads to understanding the oneness of man.
I wrote the article based on the chapter 'Human Tendency" from the book Civilization of Faith by Dr. As-sibaii
