Killer speech by Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe:
"Racism will never end as long as white cars are still using black tyres.
Racism will never end if people still use black to symbolise bad luck and white for peace. Racism will never end if people still wear white clothes to weddings and black clothes to funerals. Racism will never end as long as those who don't pay their bills are blacklisted not white listed. Even when playing snooker. You haven't won until you've sunk the black ball, and the white ball must remain on the table. But I don't care, as long as I'm still using white toilet paper, I'm fine!"
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(pbuh). His teachings were to last until the end. This is why Mohammed (pbuh) 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 (pbuh) with prophet hood after which Mohammed (pbuh) understood his objectives profoundly. During the era of his prophet hood, Mohammed (pbuh) 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 (pbuh).
Mohammed (pbuh) 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 (pbuh) demise from this world, he stressed strongly the equality of each being before Allah (S.T) and his honoured before him. Mohammed (pbuh) 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 (pbuh) 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 (pbuh) 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 (pbuh) 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 (pbuh) 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.
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