The Remarkable Merits of the Islamic Society (Part 4)

5. Equality in Islam

Islam has enacted the principle of equality in a nonesuch method. All individuals of the society, whether male or female, white or black, Arabs or non-Arabs, celebrities or ordinary, rich or poor are the same, just like the teeth of a comb. The one and only measurement of preference is God-fearing and righteous deed:

All are subject to the Islamic laws and duties, without any distinction. The Prophet (PBUH) kept on confirming on the principle of equality so as to achieve the noble fraternity among Muslims: "Believers are each others brothers. (49:10)" As kings used to claim their being preferred to others, God, in the holy Qur’an, teaches the Prophet (PBUH) to declare his reality among people: "Say: I am only a mortal like you but I have received revelation that there is only one Lord. (18:110)" Hence, the Prophet and his immaculate progeny were the ideal examples of the application and the call to the principle of equality. The Prophet (PBUH) said: "by way of Islam, Allah took away the arrogance and taking pride in ancestors that were followed in the pre-Islamic era. All people are (the offspring) of Adam who was created from dust.

The honorable among them in the sight of Allah is the most pious of them." (5:46). One day, Jebb; the Western author, was astonished by the Islamic principle of equality. He therefore expressed his admiration in his book titled 'With Islam', saying that there is no single association can achieve the success that Islam has achieved in field of combining the disagreeing races of humankind under the principle of egalitarianism.

If disputations of the West and the East are decided to be studied, it will be obligatory to depend upon Islam for solving them. Having decided equality, Islam has used such a logic style befitting reason and sound nature and corresponding to immortal principles of justice and giving equal opportunities to everybody. Hence, the standard of distinction has been a matter that is within everybody’s capacity: The most honorable among you in the sight of Allah is the most pious of you. (49:13)" Meanwhile, Islam has decided distinction according to one’s values and worthiness: "Say: Are those who know equal to those who do not know? (39:9)" On this standard, too, God made a distinction between the prophets, each according to his efforts: "We gave some of Our Messengers preference over others. To some of them Allah spoke and He raised the rank of some others.

We gave authoritative proofs to Jesus, son of Mary, and supported him by the Holy Spirit. (2:253)" In the same manner, scholars were given preference to the ignorant and the believers to each other according to standings of knowledge, piety, and uprightness: "Allah raises the position of the believers and of those who have received knowledge. (58:11)"

6. Right of Knowledge

In his capacity as a member of the society, an individual has his own value and influence. According to the abilities and physical and mental qualifications of individuals, degrees of development and civilization of societies are estimated. From this cause, the civilized nations exerted remarkable efforts for educating their sons. In the Islamic society, the right of education was available and secured for every individual, apart from race or social class. This was the main reason beyond the prosperity and extensive scope of the Islamic knowledge.

Source: alhassanain.com