Equality of Mankind
“AND IN YOURSELVES CAN YE THEN NOT SEE?”
I greet you with the universal greetings of peace (Assalam alaikum) which is the greetings of all the prophets right from Adam, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Jesus to Mohammed (peace and blessings of God be upon them all).
God has blessed us with guidance and understanding. I think He blessed me to be able to express my path clearly to you – and He bless you to be able to receive my path in a proper way.
The glorious saying “And in yourselves, can you not see”, which was chosen as a title for this assembly is clearly distinguished by simple expression, concentration of words and depth of meaning, which is the wondrous nature of the Qur’an.
Immutable and valid for all places and times, the Holy Qur’an concludes its forty-first (41st) chapter with this verse:
“We will show them our signs in the (furthest) regions (of the earth), and in their own souls until they come to see the Truth. Is it not enough that your Lord does witness all things?”
The body of man (human being) which we see everyday in ourselves or in those around us whom we mix with in our daily lives, is a constitution of great delicacy, good image and beautiful coordination. God, praise be to Him wanted to attract our attention to this delicate constitution which contains many wonders and miracles.
It were planned on the best image and strictest composition. not understand?
The basis of the social system of Islam rest on the belief that all human beings are equal and constitute one single fraternity.
God created a human pair to herald beginning of the life of mankind on the earth all persons inhabiting this world today have sprung from this pair.
For some time in the early stages the progeny of this pair remained a single entity. It had one religion and spoke the same language. There were little or no differences among them. But as their numbers gradually increased, they spread all over the earth and as a natural result of their diversification and growth were divided into various tribes and nationalities.
Their languages became different; their modes of dress varied; and their manners of living also became distinct from one another. The climate and environment of various places altered their colour and physical features. All these differences are natural variations. They do not exist in the world of reality.
Hence Islam recognises them as matters of fact. It does not seek to wipe them out or to ignore them but affirms that their advantage consists in affecting the only possible means of distinguishing one from the other. But the prejudice which has arisen among are disapproved by Islam.
Islam regards all distinctions of birth, of high and low among men/women of upper and lower classes, of natives of the soil and aliens as manifestations of sheer ignorance. It announces to all men and women in the world that they have sprung from the same parents and therefore are brothers/sisters and are equal in the status as human beings.
THE OBSTACLE OF EQUALITY
If we carefully in the distribution of His bounties and favours but in His infinite wisdom has etc. etc. have not been granted to men in equal degree.
The same is the case with the material means of life. Human nature has been so ordained that divergences, variety and inequality among men in their modes and standards of living seems to be the most natural thing. Variety is the spice of life and the driving spirit behind human effort and excellence.
Consequently all those schemes and ISMs which want to force upon to be achieved. The equality in which Islam believes is equality in respect of the opportunities of struggle for securing a livelihood and for climbing the uppermost ladder of well-being and prosperity.
Islam desires that no legal, functional or traditional handicap should exist in the society to prevent an individual from struggling for a living according to one’s capacity and talent nor should any social distinctions subsist with the object of safeguarding the privileges of a certain class, race and dynasty or group of people.
All those schemes and ideologies which serve the vested interests or which want to perpetrate the hold of a certain group are also repugnant to Islam and can have no place in its scheme of things. Such movements seek to establish through force and resort to artificial means. Hence Islam aims at wiping them out and putting the economic system on the natural footing so that the opportunities of struggle may remain open to all.
Islam does not divide life into water-tight components of matter and spirit. It regards life as a unity. It stands not for life-denial but for life-fulfilment. It does not ask people to avoid or ignore material things. It holds that spiritual elevation is to be achieved by living piously in the rough and tumble of life and not by renouncing the world. The Lord says in Chp. 2 vs. 201:
“Our Lord gives us the good in this world and in the Hereafter” (2:201).
God strongly censures those who refuse to enjoy His blessings:
“say: (O prophet) By whose order have you forbidden (unto yourself) those amenities which God has created for His bondsmen and those good things to eat and use which He made for you!” (7.32)
Islam does not admit any separation between material and moral mundane and spiritual life. It enjoins men/women to devote their energies to the reconstruction of life on healing foundation.
The Prophet said: Verily there is a piece of flesh in the human body, which when good, the whole body is good and when bad, the whole body is bad; “that is the heart”.
I Qur’anic verses:
“God does not change the condition of a people unless they first change that which is in the hearts” (13:12)
“Man shall have nothing but what he strives for” (53:40)
Thank you for listening and God bless you.
[A lecture given on 10th July 1991]
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