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No
matter what color you are, you can always be a Muslim.
Picture©Microsoft.com
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People
thought it was impossible to go around the world in 80 days. So what would they
think about making that trip in only one day? Well, it is possible on the day of
`Arafah, the essence of Hajj. Taking a look around at all the pilgrims standing
on the Mount of Mercy on the day of `Arafah, they will all look pretty much the
same: A white mass of over 2 million people standing shoulder to shoulder, in
solemn humility to Allah. But on taking a closer look you will see beyond the
dress code and notice the diversity of ethnicities in Islam.
The
First Call
Some
may think that the first to mention Hajj was Prophet Muhammad (peace and
blessings be upon him). But in fact, it was Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham, peace and
blessings be upon him) who made the first call, as he was ordered by Allah:
(And
proclaim unto mankind the pilgrimage. They will come unto thee on foot and on
every lean camel; they will come from every deep ravine.) (Al-Hajj 22:27)
After
Prophet Ibrahim had finished the construction of the Ka`bah he stood on the
Mount of Mercy and made the call for Hajj. Although all that echoed back were
his own words, Allah conveyed his call, which is now answered by millions of
Muslims.
One
God, One Ummah
For
centuries, Muslims from all over the world have traveled to Makkah to perform
Hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam. Although the pilgrims are of diverse races and
cultures, they hardly take notice of these ethnic differences. They are all
performing the same rituals, praying towards one direction (the Ka`bah) and
supplicating to one God, Who unites them under His guidance and protection.
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Color,
nationality, and wealth were never an issue in Islam.
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Color,
nationality, and wealth were never an issue in Islam. During the lifetime of the
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) all his Companions were different.
Some were rich like `Abdur-Rahman ibn `Awf and `Uthman ibn `Affan, who were very
famous and successful tradesmen. Others like Abu Hurairah and Bilal ibn Rabah
were extremely poor. But despite all of their differences, they all lived united
by their love for Allah and His prophet.
In
fact, some of the Prophet's dearest and closest Companions, who proved their
devotion and valor for Islam, were non-Arabs. One was Bilal ibn Rabah, who was a
poor slave, originally from Abyssinia (modern-day Ethiopia). After embracing
Islam, Bilal was subjected to brutal torture by his non-Muslim master, so in
order to relieve his pains, Abu Bakr As-Siddiq bought Bilal and then freed him.
When commenting on this situation, `Umar ibn Al-Khattab used to say in
humbleness, "Abu Bakr is our master and has freed our master [Bilal]"
(Al-Bukhari). Bilal was also given the honor of being the first to call to
prayer in Islam, as he was known for his mellow voice.
Also,
Salman Al-Farisi was a slave, originally from a Persian town called Ram-Hurmuz
(Al-Bukhari). Being a salve or a non-Arab did not stop the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) from holding him in high esteem and saying that Salman
was one of the members of his household (At-Tabarani).
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The
only measure of superiority and goodness in Islam is a person's piety and
God consciousness.
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Abu
Hurairah reported that while some of the Companions, among them Salman Al-Farisi,
were sitting in the company of the Prophet, Surat Al-Jumu`ah was revealed. When
the Prophet recited (Others from amongst them (the believers) who have not yet
joined them) (Al-Jumu`ah 62:3), one of the Companions asked, "Who are
they?" So the Prophet placed his hand on Salman and said, "Even if
faith was as far as the Pleiades, a man from among these (the non-Arabs) would
surely seek and find it" (Muslim).
Arabs
ONLY?
Islam
is sometimes seen as a religion for Arabs only because Prophet Muhammad, who
conveyed this message, was an Arab. But a verse in the Qur'an rejects this
viewpoint and says what means:
(And
We have not sent thee (O Muhammad) save as a bringer of good tidings and a
warner unto all mankind; but most of mankind know not.) (Saba' 34:29)
The
Prophet himself clarified to all Muslims, in a sermon during the Hajj season,
that being superior has nothing to do with a person's ethnicity, language, or
race. Whether a person is Arab, non-Arab, yellow, black, or white is of no
significance. The only measure of superiority and goodness in Islam is one's
piety and God consciousness (Ahmad).
Allah
also says in one verse, concerning peoples' ethnical differences, what means:
(And
one of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the
diversity of your tongues and colors; most surely there are signs in this for
the learned.) (Ar-Rum 30:22)
On
another occasion, the Prophet stressed the point of equality in Islam by saying,
"Verily Allah does not look to your faces and your wealth, but He looks to
your hearts and to your deeds" (Muslim). This assures that Allah never
judges people according to their wealth or color, but what counts are their
intentions and deeds.
Islam
has broken down all boundaries of color, language, and race, so that all Muslims
could relate to one another, regardless of their differences.
So
whoever said that Islam is a religion for Arabs only?
Join
us on our discussion forum on non-Arab Muslims by clicking
here.
**Hala
Salah is an editor in the Discover Islam Section of IslamOnline.net. She has
a bachelro's degree in tourism and hotels from Helwan University and has
attended an English da`wah course in Al-Azhar University. You may reach her at IntroducingIslam@islamonline.net |
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