By: Dr Imam Shamsi Ali
We live in a fragmented world where the consequences of racism have produced a deep-seated sickness. Islam recognizes this issue, tracing it back to the devil, Iblis, who said: "انا خير منه" (I am better than him/Adam).
The devil claimed to be superior due to being created from fire, while Adam was created from clay. This is believed to be the “first rebellion to Allah committed by His creation in history.
This mentality, which involves feeling superior due to physical or material grounds, has been perpetuated throughout human civilizations, including ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, and others. In fact, the colonization of Asia and Africa in the past is just another evident justification of this sick mentality of certain nations.
In recent history, the struggle for racial equality has continued, with notable figures like Martin Luther King Jr. in America. Similarly, Arab societies have also grappled with racism prior to Islam.
# Main Principles of Islam
To understand Islam's stance on racial equality and diversity, it's essential to examine the main principles of the religion. Here are three key principles:
1. _At-Tauhid_: Emphasizing the unity of all people under One God, promoting a sense of shared humanity and equality.
1. _Al-Adl_: Islam stresses the importance of justice and fairness, regardless of racial and ethnic background.
2. _Ar-Rahmah_: Islam encourages compassion and kindness (ihsan) towards all people, recognizing the inherent value and dignity (karomah) of all individuals.
# The Quran as the main guidance
The Quran, as the main source of Islamic teaching, emphasizes the basic principles of human equality. These principles can be extracted from various verses of the Quran.
1. _Single Shared Origin_: The Quran states that all humanity was created from a single soul (من نفس واحدة), emphasizing the shared origin and equality of all people (Quran 4:1).
2. _No Superiority_: The Quran clearly states that no person is superior to another based on skin color or racial background (Quran 49:13).