Life and Teachings of the Prophet Muhammad
9. Human Rights in Islam
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“And among His signs is the creation of the heavens
and the earth, and the diversity of your tongues and
colours. In that surely are signs for those who possess
knowledge. (30:22)
All the differences of race, community or tribe (49:13) are just
for mutual introduction (
Ta’aruf
) and not for discrimination. The
differences of race, community or tribe are not meant for
discrimination against one another. They exist rather for the
purpose of knowing and appreciating one another.
It is astonishing to note that the Quran had declared fifteen
hundred years ago the biological unity of human beings, a fact
which was scientifically established only during the sixties of the
20th century (Domenique Perri,
Building Peace
)
The fifth chapter of the Quran begins with this proclamation:
‘O mankind, be conscious of your Sustainer, who has
created you out of a single living soul and out of it
created its mate. And out of the two spread on the
earth a multitude of men and women... (4:1)
It was the realisation of this biological unity of the whole of
mankind that made the Prophet say in his night prayers:
“O God, I bear witness that all human beings are
brothers.” (Nasai)
In illustration of this fact, it was recorded that one day the
Prophet saw a funeral procession passing through a street in
