Racism

Racism whether open or hidden, is an evil aspect of life which Islams seeks to eradicate. It is clear from the verses of the Quran; the book of the muslims, and many sayings of The Final Prophet  which have been narrated by his companions, that differences in colour, tribes, races, or traditions are not to be excuses for unjust behaviour or treatment. The Quran rehearses the words of the Almighty Allah which reasons against racial discrimination and puts an end to it.

"O Mankind, we created you from a single pair of a male and a female, and made you in to tribes and nations so that you may know each other (not that you despise each other). Verily, the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is he who is most righteous of you." (Al-Quran, Chapter 49, Verse 13)

Allah explains the reason behind why he created mankind and then put them in to alternative tribes and nations. It is made clear and all doubts are seized when the most merciful Allah states: "that you may know each other". Without distinguishable recognistion (e.g. clones) life would be very difficult. Some cultures have occupational or hereditary caste systems, such systems institutionalise the sin of pride, stagnate community development by class and are against the basic islamic principle of equality

Also referred to as: Islamaphobia, Taassub, Anti-Semitism, Neo-Nazi, Extremism, Fascism,racial discrimination, discrimination, prejudice, bigotry, intolerance, xenophobia, bias, racialism

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Islam & Racism

Racism? 
Islams view on racism with reference to the Quran 
The last prophets declaration to eradicating discrimination in race 
Scientific approach defining change in colour 
Compulsory acts in Islam justifying unity

Racism?
Racism is a innate belief in superiority in oneself over another. This mainly occurs in groups who have difference in colour. Discrimination also arises with difference in traditions also. However intolerance develops the most in colour alterations between communities. Although science has already proved the fact about everyone leading up to the same parents, Adam and Eve, the ideology still exists within many communities, tribes, and in generation until the truth is displayed and made manifest before them.
In the early nineteenth century racism was an open act made evident before the world. In U.S.A a group known as the K.K.K (Ku. Klux Klan) arose with objectives such as wiping out the black community. The majority of this suppressed community looked forward as the many states in America gathered together and supported the group of K.K.K who  fought against the black community trying to eradicate them from the face of the earth. In many states, the black community were compelled to separating from the white people. Each community had their own facilities. The living standards of the black community was made poor due to the lack of assistance in improving the facilities of this restrained group. However the final outcome was that the white community were far better treated than the black. One could almost call it "The days of ignorance in United States of America".
America was not the only country to accept this ideology, places such as South  Africa also suffered the same fate where racial discrimination was practised openly. There are many countries still present in this world in which many tribes and nations still have to put up with this inhumane torture. The above mentioned is a lot less than a brief account of the results in which any type of discrimination takes place. Many peoples lives are made difficult and the rate of suicide events increase due to suffering too many hardships in life from the oppressing group.

Islams view on racism with reference to the Quran (The word of Allah)
Racism whether upon open or hidden, is an evil aspect of life which Islams seeks to eradicate. It is clear from the versus of the Quran, the book of the muslims, and many sayings of our final prophet which have narrated by his companions, that differences in colour, tribes, races, or traditions are not to be excuses for unjust behaviour or treatment. The Quran rehearses the words of the almighty Allah which reasons against racial discrimination and puts an end to it in Islam.

"O Mankind, we created you from a single pair of a male and a female, and made you in to tribes and nations so that you may know each other (not that you despise each other). Verily, the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is he who is most righteous of you." (Al-Quran, Chapter 49, Verse 13)

Allah explains the reason behind why he created mankind and then put them in to alternative tribes and nations. It is made clear and all doubts are seized when the most merciful Allah states:

"that you may know each other".

This statement is made unquestionable if comprehended and looked at one step further. In one tribe, there are many generations and families in which one name resembles another. To pinpoint the exact individual the family name will be called out within a tribe so that no one else is puzzled with the one who is demanded. However in a governing country, the tribe name will also be used so that the one demanded is not puzzled in between nations and tribes. Nevertheless, if a person looks for someone world wide, than one can imagine himself how difficult a task would it have been to find someone if tribes, nations, generations and families were not made separate. This is why the most generous Allah has made us in to alternative tribes so that we may recognize each other.

"and made you in to tribes and nations so that you may know each other"

Allah the most generous, has in the above verse of the Quran withdrawn racism and expressed a golden point. This golden point is unity and equality in each and every human being existing upon the earth. Allah (S.T) has made apparent and shone light upon the fact that everyone has been created from the same mother and father. We are all brothers and sisters. The relationship has been illuminated in the very same verse:

"We created you from a single pair of male and a female"

The above sentence in the Quran also expresses one more aspect which is supposed to evolve around the human life.  Although the aspect of  racism is totally wiped out, Allah (S.T) has encouraged us to exercise one attribute. This attribute is righteousness.  Glory be to Allah (S.T) who mentions that the honoured is he who has the quality of righteousness in life. Allah (S.T) in the Quran has emphasized that in place of racism, righteousness should be practised, if you would like to be honoured in my sight.Almighty Allah has acknowledged in another verse in the Quran referring to why he created man in different colours:

"And amongst his signs is the creation of heaven and the earth, and variation in your language and colours; Verily, in there are signs for those who know" (Al-Quran, Chapter 30, Verse 22)

The above verse also identifies one of Allah (S.T) magnificent performance in separating the human kind in to groups. Allah (S.T) has first mentioned the heavens (the sky) which changes in many colours during the day as his first sign. After the sky Allah then informs us of the earth which also varies in colour. The earth can be green with grass like in rain forests, yellow in desserts and many other colours depending upon the environment. At the end of the verse, Allah (S.T) talks about people and variation in the language and colour. The all knowing Allah (S.T) then enlightens his reasoning to why he made variation in the surroundings of a person, variation in skin colour. The reason is that these are signs of Allah (S.T) for the believers, and also those who are intelligent. Allah (S.T) has cared and thought about his people so much that if they are to think about doing a sin, they will look around and by his signs they will return and repent to him for their mistakes and wrong practises. 

The last prophets declaration to eradicating discrimination in race
In Islam we believe that approximately 124000 prophets were sent down by Allah (S.T) to teach the people the word of god. Allah (S.T) sent some prophets, messengers, to only a certain group, some to a whole nation. However Allah (S.T) did not send a prophet to teach the whole world his word except the final prophet, Mohammed(). His teachings were to last until the end. This is why Mohammed () is known as a "guidance to Mankind". His actions, practises and traditions are Islam itself.
At the age of forty, Allah (S.T) blessed Mohammed () with prophet hood after which Mohammed () understood his objectives profoundly. During the era of his prophet hood, Mohammed () informed and emphasized to his people on the eradication of the traditions of ignorance. Within this category fell racial discrimination. This was an open act willingly practised at the time of our prophet Mohammed ().
Mohammed () had many companions who preached his word to the people living in the outskirts of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia and around the world when they entered the country for trade. Amongst his accomplice was Hazrat Abu Zar. He remained with the prophet and watched his actions, noted his sayings, and preached his commands. Hazrat Abu Zar reports that before the prophet Mohammed () demise from this world, he stressed strongly the equality of each being before Allah (S.T) and his honoured before him. Mohammed () mentions to the believers:

"You are no better than a red skinned person nor a black but he who has fear of Allah (S.T) in his/her heart"

In the above statement a law has been passed by Mohammed () to the muslims. This order is of equality. It is clear from the above that in Islam, the colour, beauty, wealth of a person does not make him more superior to anyone else, but his fear of Allah (S.T) and having faith in him gives him a higher status and elevates him in the eyes of Allah (S.T).Mohammed () only spoke of the red skinned and black skinned. The reason behind this is that the holy prophet included slaves amongst the liberated in his speech. The red being the one in liberty and the black skinned being the slaves, so that mistakes are not made in giving oneself priority over the labouring class too.
Mohammed () expresses his need to a group of his eminent companions about annihilating pride in oneself over another. However the main aim of mentioning the statement was that his associates could realize that self conceit and egotism have no value in Islam. The importance of sincerity in over these qualities is all that matters in the court of Allah (S.T). Mohammed () speech is recorded and narrated by Hazrat Abu Hurairah:

"Allah does not look at your appearances or wealth but looks at your actions"

It is understood from the above racism or any type of discrimination does not exist in Islam. Righteousness, sincerity, modesty is what all that is needed to gain honour and become loved in the sight of Allah (S.T), no matter if you are black, white, red or brown, everyone is equal. One is not superior to another. We are all the same. 

Scientific approach defining change in colour
The phenomena of the physical change in the human skin has been defined by biology which branches of the systematic study, science. Science has clearly explained and concluded correctly about the alteration of skin colour in different parts of the globe. The factor causing the change is the sun. Different concentrations of  light can defy the skin colour. In regions which have high concentrations of light, the probability of acquiring a dark complexion is at its peak. In regions where there is a low concentration of light such as the Antarctica where the sun shines very less, the probability of acquiring white skin is high. The final decision depends upon the sun.
The human body is always protecting itself from any harm which can be caused to it from the surroundings around it. The epidermis of the body is very sensitive and delicate. It reacts instantly to any affect caused to it from the outside. This is why when the skin is cut, the epidermis tries its utmost to try and heal itself before any further harm can be caused to the human body. Similar to this is the role of the sun on the skin. High concentration of sunlight is very harmful to the body because the chance of acquiring skin cancer increases enormously. The body counteracts this affect by darkening the skin. This allows the body to absorb the sun rays and with help of other substances in the body, together with a series of actions and changes produces vitamin D which is important in the every day diet.
The protein molecule allowing the above process possible is known as melanin. Melanin is what causes variation in colour. This is why people living near the equator have very dark skin colour and people living near the Arctic or the Antarctic have white skin. The final outcome is having Melanin in the skin which causes dark complexion on the body is a benefiting factor to the human.
Although nobody is to blame for the skin colour, many people believe that being white is a symbol of being unique over other people or being black is proof of their group being more superior. However both sides are wrong as proof of this is shown above. This ideology is full of deviation and to be prejudice or biased is clearly an act of ignorance.

Compulsory acts in Islam justifying Unity
The Hajj- the annual pilgrimage to Makkah is the prime example of the multi-racial aspect of Islam: muslims of all races gather with one common purpose to worship Allah. This is a compulsory act which should be done by all those muslims with the strength and ability to do it. During this act, it is also very important to wear two white pieces of cloth to cover the body. People of all nations, countries gather together with one purpose, to worship Allah (S.T). Each and everybody appear the same, do the same actions, speak identical words, so much to say that everyone is Equal. This is why Allah (S.T) states in the Quran:

"Only believers are brothers" (Al-Quran, Chapter 49, Verse 10)

Mohammed () has also commented about excessive unity in Islam to the muslims and Mohammed () also commentates on the above Quranic verse. It is reported by that the holy prophet Mohammed () stated and which was later narrated by Abu Hurairah that:

"A muslim believer is a mirror reflection of another muslim, A believer is a brother to another believer, he safeguards him from destruction and prevents his annihilation during his absence"

In the above statement of the holy prophet Mohammed (), the example of a believer is like a mirror reflection to another. The reason being is that a believer is he who cares about another believer as much as he cares about himself or his brother in reality; i.e. he safeguards him from destruction and prevents his annihilation during his absence. This is one of the foundation laws of a believer. To wish and desire for another believer that which is loved by you.The phrase "a mirror reflection" can also be notified as the actions of a believer. A believers actions are almost identical to another. The proof to this is the five time daily prayer performed by every muslim in its fixed times. The gathering of them and together bowing, supplicating and prostrating to the same lord is evidence of similarity and equality. The obligatory act of Hajj concerns around wearing a white cloth around the body. The shaving of the head after the completion of Hajj makes everyone performing pilgrimage a reflection of another. This is why the prophet Mohammed () has also been heard saying:

"The entire muslim group is like one single body, if the eye aches, then the whole body is in pain, and if the head aches, then the whole body is in pain"

The prophet Mohammed () explains to the muslims about the relation between one of them in comparison to another. The holy prophet Mohammed () informs the muslim community that if a group of muslims is taunted or suppressed, then consider those actions and feelings flowing through you, and if you cannot feel the pain, then you can be considered to be a  incomplete muslim.The Question of racism cannot be argued about in Islam and amongst the believers. As shown by the above versus of the Quran and the words of Mohammed () racism is such an aspect which cannot be manifested in the mind of a believer. The Quran clearly prohibits racial discrimination and the words of the prophet Mohammed () prohibits all type of discrimination or being prejudicial in Islam. The quality of human being in all matters is the same except piety (which we are encouraged to try and increase) is clear. Under no circumstance can a person be ill treated or abused simply because they happen to be of different race. In Islam, we are all brothers and sisters.

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racism in europe

Le Soir

A new report published by the European Network Against Racism (ENAR) details how racism in

Belgium increasingly manifests itself through Islamophobia. The country’s 600.000-strong Muslim community faces, according to the report, an increasing amount of structural discrimination in the employment and educational sector as well as in questions of access to public and private services.  Of the racism classified as religiously based, 80% is aimed at Muslims in Belgium. What’s more important however is the role of the Belgian media, which is presented as highly Islamophobic with 51% of the annul media complaints received to be connected to Islamophobia. Additionally,  19% of employment complaints and 11% of educational complaints were related to anti-Muslim and anti-Islamic sentiments and actions.

The ENAR also points out to the exclusion of students who choose to wear the hijab from the education system, even if no legal degree endorses these regulations. The organisation requests the Belgian government to implement and ensure the freedom of religion of Muslims by repealing all provisions on the prohibition of the hijab and other signs of convictional practices at school

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The Facts about Racism & Islam

by Hisham Zoubeir
http://members.tripod.com/etori/racism.html

Racist against other religions?

"Say: We believe 
In God, and in what
Has been revealed to us
And what was revealed 
To Abraham, Isma'il(Ishmael);
Isaac, Jacob, and the tribes,
And in (the Books)
Given to Moses, Jesus,
And the Prophets,
>From their Lord:
We make no distinction 
Between one and another
Among them and to God do we
Bow our will( in Islam)."
Holy Quran 3:84

"Let there be no compulsion in matters of Religion"
Holy Quran 2:256

"Verily, those who believe (in the Quran) 
And those who follow the Jewish( scriptures)
And the Christians and the Sabians,
Any who believe in God
And the Last Day,
And work righteousness 
Shall have their reward
With their Lord; on them 
Shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve."
Holy Quran 2:62 

Racism towards other races?

"(The Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca) was an exhilarating experience to see
people belonging to different colours, races and nationalities, kings,
heads of states and ordinary men from very poor countries all clad in two
simple white sheets praying to God without any sense of either pride or
inferiority. It was a practical manifestation of the concept of equally in
Islam."
Cassius Clay, now Muhammed Ali.  

"The Europeans in South Africa dread the advent of Islam, as they( Muslims)
claim equality with the white races. They may well dread it. If brotherhood
is a sin, if it is equality of the coloured races that they dread, then
their dread is well-founded."
Mohandas K. Ghandi

"I have been struck over again by this indivisible unity of Islam that
makes a man instinctively a brother. When you meet an Egyptian, an
Algerian, an Indian and a Turk in London, what matters is that Egypt is the
motherland of one and India is the motherland of another."
Sarojini Naidu

"Never have I witnessed such sincere hospitality and the overwhelming
spirit of true brotherhood as is practised by people of all colours and
races here in this ancient Holy Land, the home of Abraham, Muhammed, and
all the other prophets of the Holy Scriptures. For the past week, I have
been utterly speechless and spellbound by the graciousness I see displayed
all around me by people of all colours."
Malcolm X

"Allah is to be praised and thanked for ridding us of the vices and pride
of the days of ignorance. O People! Note that all men( the noun includes
women as well) are divided in two categories only: the pious and
God-fearing who are esteemable in Allah's reckoning, and the transgressors
and hard-hearted, who are lowly and contemptible in the eye of Allah."
Prophet Muhammed, peace be upon him.

"O Mankind!
Most certainly, it is
We( God almighty) who have
Created you all
>From a single (pair)
Of a male and a female,
And it is we who 
Have made you into
Nations and tribes,
That ye may recognise each other
(Not that ye may despise each other).
Verily, the noblest of you
In the sight of Allah
Is (he who is) the most
Righteous of you."
Holy Quran 49:13

"And mankind is naught but a single nation."
Holy Quran 2:213

"And among His Signs
Is the creation of the heavens
And the earth, and the variations
In your languages
And your colours; verily
In that are Signs
For those who know."
Holy Quran 30:22

"All men(includes women) are equal in Islam, the Arab has no superiority
over the non-Arab, nor does the non-Arab have superiority over the Arab,
save in the fear of God."
Prophet Muhammed, peace be upon him.

"The extinction of race consciousness as between Muslims is one of the
outstanding achievements of Islam, and in the contemporary world there is,
as it happens, a crying need for the propagation of this Islamic virtue."
Professor A.J. Toynbee in New York 1948

"I hope the time is not far off when I shall be able to unite all the wise
and educated men of all the countries and establish a uniform regime based
on the principles of the Quran which alone are true and which alone can
lead men to happiness."
Napoleon Bonaparte

Islam is not a racist religion, nor does it preach racism. The peoples of
other faiths have always enjoyed religious toleration under Islam; when the
Jews were being persecuted in the rest of Europe, they found freedom and
sanctity in Muslim Spain. Their historians regard that as one of their
Golden Eras. In the Muslim countries today, Christians are permitted to
practise their faith as freely as any country; the Churches in my home town
of Abu Dhabi are large in number, and one of my closest family friends, an
Anglican priest. Inter-cultural marriages are common in Islam; I am the
composite of five different cultures. 
 
Peace be upon you.

References :

by Hisham Zoubeir

http://members.tripod.com/etori/racism.html

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United Colors Of Islam

One only need look to the Nazis' brutal persecution of the Jews earlier this century or the more recent genocide of the Bosnian Muslims to see how ethno-religious groups can suffer so terribly at the hands of racists. Quite often however, religion is itself responsible for racist oppression.

 Middle-Eastern origins aside, Judaism is regarded as a Western religion. But the almost complete assimilation of Jews into all levels of Western society actually betrays Judaism's elitist reality.

        'There is no God in all the world but in Israel.' (2 Kings 5:15)

 A pious interpretation of such biblical verses would be to suggest that in those days, God (Allah) was not worshipped except by the Israelites. However, even today Jews still consider themselves as the exclusively chosen race of God.

 Conversely, while most Christians are overwhelmingly non-Jews, Jesus as the last of the Israelite Prophets was sent to none but the Jews. In the Bible, he is reported to have said:

'I have not been sent except to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.' (Matthew 15:24)[1]

 And likewise every other prophet was sent exclusively to his own people; every prophet that is, except Muhammad.

 Say (O Muhammad):  People! I am the Messenger of Allah sent to you all. (Qur'an, 7:158)

 As Muhammad was Allah's final Messenger to humanity, his message was a universal one with the capacity to unite not only his own nation, the Arabs, but all the peoples of the world.

 And We have not sent you (O Muhammad) but to the whole of mankind as a giver of glad tidings and a warner, but most people have no knowledge. (Qur'an, 34:28)

 BILAL THE ABYSSINIAN One of the earliest converts to 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 converted to Islam, his pagan master had him brutally tortured in the scorching desert heat until Abu Bakr, the Prophet's closest friend, rescued Bilal by buying his freedom. Muhammad appointed Bilal as his muezzin and the call to prayer announced from minarets in every comer of the world today echoes the exact same words proclaimed by Bilal. Thus, a onetime despised slave achieved one of the highest positions of honour in becoming Islam’s first muezzin. Although ancient Greece is accredited with being the birthplace of democracy, it was a democracy only for its Free citizens - the majority of its population, being slaves, were denied the right to elect their ruler. Yet Islam ordained that a slave could himself be ruler! The Prophet ordered: 'Stick to obedience (i.e. 'Obey your ruler) even if he be an Abyssinian slave.' (Ahmad)

 SALMAN THE PERSIAN Like most of his countrymen, Salman was raised a devout Zoroastrian but after an encounter with some Christians at worship in their Church he accepted Christianity as 'something better'. As a Christian, Salman travelled extensively in search of knowledge. His journey took him from the service of one learned monk to the next, the last of whom said to him:

 '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 will shade you. This prophet is on the religion of Abraham.'

 The monk then proceeded to describe this prophet, his character and where he would appear. Salman immigrated to Arabia, the land of the Prophecy, and when he heard about and met Muhammad, he immediately recognised him from hi, teacher's descriptions. Salman's long search for the truth was finally over and he embraced Islam.

 Salman became renowned for his knowledge and was in fact the first person to translate the Qur'an into another language, Persian. Once, whilst the Prophet was amongst his Companions, the following verse was revealed to him:

 It is He (Allah) Who had sent among the illiterates (i.e. the Arabs) a Messenger (Muhammad) from among themselves ... and (also to) others (i.e. non-Arabs) among them who have not yet joined them. (Qur'an, 62:2-3)

 Allah's Messenger placed his hand on Salman and said:

'Even if the Faith were near (the star of) Pleiades, a man from amongst these (Persians) would surely attain it.' (Muslim)

 One such man was Imam Muhammad Isma'eeI of Bukhara (a predominately Persian city). His famous collection of hadith (narrations of the Prophet) entitled As-Sahih was unanimously declared by the scholars of Islam to be 'The most authentic book after the Book of Allah (i.e. after the Quran).'

 SUHAYB THE ROMAN Blonde-haired and fair complexioned Abu Yahya SUHAYB was born into the luxurious house of his father, a client governor for the Persian emperor. Whilst still a child, SUHAYB was captured by a Byzantine raiding party to be eventually sold into slavery in Constantinople[2] 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 Greek tongue and Byzantine up-bringing. When SUHAYB heard Muhammad preach, he was at once convinced of the truth of his message and readily embraced Islam. Like the rest of the early Muslims, SUHAYB was persecuted by the idolatrous Meccans and had to trade all his wealth in exchange for safe passage to join the Prophet at Medina. When SUHAYB finally arrived at Medina, the Prophet, delighted to see him, greeted him thrice: 'Your transaction has been fruitful, O Abu Yahya. Your transaction has been fruitful.' Allah had informed the Prophet of Suhayb's exploits even before they were reunited:

 And there is a type of man who gives his life to earn the pleasure of Allah. And Allah is full of kindness to His servants. (Qur'an, 2:207)

 The Prophet loved SUHAYB a great deal and described him as having preceded the Byzantines to Islam. Suhayb's piety and standing among Muslims was so high that when Caliph Umar was on his deathbed, he selected SUHAYB to lead the Muslims whilst they were choosing 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 aI-Husayn bin Salam. Al-Husayn was a learned rabbi and leader of the Medinan Jews but was denounced by them when he embraced Islam. The Prophet renamed al-Husayn, 'Abdullah', meaning 'Servant of Allah' and in his own lifetime the Prophet gave Abdullah the glad tidings that he was destined for Paradise. Abdullah addressed his tribesmen, saying: 'O assembly of Jews! Be conscious of Allah and accept what Muhammad-has brought. By Allah, you certainly know that he is Allah'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 Allah. I have faith in him and believe that he is true. I recognise him.' Allah revealed the following verse about Abdullah:

 ... and a witness from the Children of Israel testifies that this Qur'an is from Allah like (the Torah). So he believed while (most of) you (Jews) are too proud (to believe). (Qur'an, 46:10)

 Thus, in the ranks of the Prophet Muhammad's Companions could be found Africans, Persians, Romans and Israelites; representatives of every then-known continent. 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.'

 (al-Bukhari & Muslim)

 This point was further emphasised by the Prophet when he said: 'There is truly no excellence for an Arab over a non-Arab, nor for a non-Arab over an Arab; nor for a white man over a black man, nor for a black man over a white man; except through piety.'(Ahmad)

 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 may have pride over one another). Verily the most honorable of you in the sight of Allah is the one most pious. (Qur'an, 49:13)

The Prophet Muhammad said: '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.' (Muslim)

 Such a universal brotherhood was championed by the' Prophet's Companions after him, including his immediate temporal successors: Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali (known collectively as the four Rightly-Guided Caliphs). When the Companion Ubada ibn as-Samit led a Muslim delegation to Muqawqis, the Christian patriarch of Alexandria, Muqawqis exclaimed: 'Get this black man away from me and bring 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, ‘for although he is black as you see, he is still the foremost among us in position, in precedence, in intelligence and in wisdom; for darkness is not despised among us.'

 Verily, the Believers are but brothers (to one another). (Qur'an, 49:10)

 The spread of nationalism with its separating of Muslims along ethnic, linguistic and tribal lines is an evil and divisive innovation in Islam. Allah says in His Book:

 Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your tribe, the wealth that you have gained, the commerce in which you fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you delight are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger and striving hard in His Cause, then wait until Allah brings about His Decision. And Allah guides not a rebellious people. (Qur'an, 9:24)

 In fact, the Muslims in and of themselves constitute one nation:

 Thus We have made you (Believers into) a (single) justly balanced nation. (Qur'an, 2:143)

 The Prophet said: 'Whoever leaves off obedience and separates from the Jam'ah[3] and dies, (then) he dies a death of jahiliyyah (i.e. pre-Islamic ignorance and disbelief). And whoever fights under the banner of the blind, becoming angry for nationalism or calling to nationalism or assisting nationalism and dies, (then) he dies a death of jahiliyyah.' (Muslim)

 While those who disbelieved placed in their hearts pride and haughtiness - the pride and haughtiness of jahiliyyah, Allah sent down His tranquillity upon His Messenger and upon the believers. (Qur'an, 48:26)

 A FINAL POINT Still repeated in some circles and perhaps one of the greatest barriers to its acceptance by Westerners is the fallacy that Islam is primarily a religion for blacks or dark skinned people. No doubt, the racial injustices against many blacks, be they Abyssinian slaves of pre-Islamic Arabia or twentieth century African-Americans, has prompted many to embrace Islam, but this is beside the point. The Prophet Muhammad was himself of pale complexion, described by his Companions as being 'white and ruddy'. And unbeknown to most people is the fact that Europe has more indigenous white Muslims than it has coloured immigrants. Albanians, for example, descended from the ancient Illyrian-Celts, are one of Europe's oldest tribes and amongst the earliest inhabitants of the Balkans. Today, 80%. of all Albanians Are MUSLIMS.[4] In fact, the world's leading Muslim scholar, the Reviver of Islam, Champion of the Sunna (practice of the Prophet) and mountain of knowledge, Shaykh Muhammad Nasir-ud-Deen al-Albani, is, as his title suggests, Albanian. Some anthropologists believed that the Caucasus Mountain region of SE Europe was the cradle of 'the white race' and white people are still described as 'Caucasian'. Today, six of Russia's seven autonomous Caucasus republics are Muslim republics. In fact, Islam peacefully entered parts of Europe long before Christianity. Over a thousand years ago, '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 civilisation, the Bulgar[5] was already listening to the Qur'an on the banks of the Volga and the Kama.' (S.M. Solov'ev, Istoria Rossis Drevneishikh Vremen. Moscow 1965, p.476)

 This century too has seen large numbers of Europeans embrace Islam. In the UK alone there are estimated to be tens of thousands of reverts to Islam (mostly Anglo-Saxon and Celtic women) and within the next 20 years their number is expected to overtake the immigrant Muslim population that brought the faith here (The Times, 11/9/1993). Neither has the large awakening to Islam gone unnoticed by US administration. Hillary Rodham Clinton recently remarked: 'Islam is the fastest-growing religion in America, a guide and pillar of stability for many of our people...' (First Lady Breaks Ground with Muslims, Los Angeles Times, 5/31/1996)

 Truly, We created (all) humans in the best of moulds. (Qur'an, 95:4)

 Every faith besides Islam calls for the worship of creation in some way, shape or form. Moreover, race and colour play a central and divisive role in almost all non-Islamic belief systems. In Christianity, through the Prophet Jesus and the saints and in Buddhism, through Buddha and the Dalai Lama men and women of a particular race and colour are worshipped as deities in derogation of Allah. In Judaism, salvation is withheld from the non-Jew Gentile. Hinduism's caste-system likewise degrades and checks the spiritual, not to mention social, 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 colours in the worship of Allah alone.

 Verily, I am Allah - there is nothing worthy of worship but Me. Therefore worship Me (alone). (Qur'an, 20:14)

 'No other society has such a record of success in uniting in an equality of status, of opportunity and endeavour so many and so varied races o mankind. The great Muslim communities of Africa, India and Indonesia, perhaps also the small community in Japan, show that Islam has still the power to reconcile apparently irreconcilable elements Of race and tradition.'

 (H.A.R. Gibb, Whither Islam, London, 193Z p. 379)

 'The extinction of race consciousness as between Muslims is one of the outstanding achievements of Islam and in the contemporary world there is, as it happens, a crying need for the propagation of this Islamic virtue...'

 (A.J. Toynbee, Civilisation on Trial, New York, p. 205)

 ,How, for instance can any other appeal stand against that of the Moslem who, in approaching the pagan, says to him, however obscure or degraded he may be "Embrace the faith, and you are at once equal and a brother." Islam knows no colour line.'

 (S.S. Leeder, Veiled Mysteries of Egypt)

 And among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the (wonderful) difference of your languages and colours. Verily, in that are indeed signs for people of sound knowledge. (Qur'an, 30:22)

P.O. Box 10528, Jubail 31961 - Tel.: 03-341-8639

 Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

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[1]. Hence every one of the famous twelve disciples of Jesus was an Israelite Jew. The one biblical passage where Jesus is supposed to have told his disciples to 'Go and preach unto all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.' (Matthew 28:19), commonly quoted to prove the Gentile mission as well as the Trinity, is not found in any pre-sixteenth century manuscript and is thus considered 'a pious fraud'.

[2] The Byzantine or East Roman Empire was finally brought to an end when its ancient capital, Constantinople, was conquered by the young Ottoman Sultan, Muhammad al-Fatih, in 1453CE. The conquest was a watershed in world history, marking the end of the Middle Ages as well as the fulfilment of a prophecy of the Prophet Muhammad.

[3] 'Al-Jam'ah' refers to the group of Believers who are united upon the pure, unadulterated Islam of Muhammad and his Companions.

[4] Other 'native' European Muslims include the Bosnians, Pomaks and Ajarians,

[5] In 922CE Islam became the official religion of the Volga Bulgars, a turkicised Iranic tribe originating from the ancient Afghan city of Balkh. The present-day Bulgarians, Volga Tatars, Chuvash and various Caucasus tribes all trace their ancestry back to the ancient Bulgars.

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