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Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Race and Tribe: Difference between revisions
Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Race and Tribe (view source)
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{{QuranHadithScholarsIndex}} | {{QuranHadithScholarsIndex}} | ||
An Islamic case against racism can be made using the Qur'an and various hadiths. Yet at the same time, Islamic scriptures fuel widespread anti-semitism (covered in a [https://wikiislam.net/wiki/Islamic_Antisemitism separate article]), while inter-Arab racism, and the appearance of black people in negative imagery and described in derogatory ways can be found in sahih hadiths. Furthermore, overt racism against black people and Arab supremacism are found in the works of many highly regarded Islamic scholars. | |||
==Anti-Racism in Islamic Scriptures== | |||
It is important to take note of the verses and hadiths that discourage racism (though as mentioned in the introduction, Islamic anti-semitism is covered in a separate article). | |||
{{quote|{{Quran|49|13}}|O mankind! Lo! We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that ye may know one another. Lo! the noblest of you, in the sight of Allah, is the best in conduct. Lo! Allah is Knower, Aware.}} | |||
The circumstances of revelation (Asbab Al-Nuzul) by Al-Wahidi for this verse says that it was revealed when a person derided another's lineage, and when another person made a racist complaint that a black man (Bilal) had been appointed by Muhammad to make the call to prayer. | |||
{{Quote|1=[http://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=86&tSoraNo=49&tAyahNo=13&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=2 altafsir.com]|2=(O mankind! Lo! We have created you male and female") [49:13]. Said Ibn 'Abbas: "This was revealed about Thabit ibn Qays when he made a remark about the man who did not make room for him to sit: 'What, the son of so-and-so [referring to his mother]'. The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, said: 'Who mentioned that woman?' Thabit stood up and said: 'I did, O Messenger of Allah!' The Messenger said to him: 'Look at the faces of those present'. And when he looked, he asked him: 'What do you see?' He said: 'I see white, red and black people'. The Prophet said: 'Well, you are not better than any of them unless it be through [the good practice of] religion and God-fearingness'. Allah, exalted is He, then revealed this verse". Muqatil said: "On the day Mecca was conquered, the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, ordered Bilal to climb on the roof of the Ka'bah and perform the call to prayer. 'Attab ibn Asid commented on this: 'Praise be to Allah, that Allah has taken my father to Him and made that he did not see this day'. Al-Harith ibn Hisham said: 'Did Muhammad not find any other caller to prayer except this black raven?' Suhayl ibn 'Amr said: 'Allah willing, he will change him'. Abu Sufyan, on the other hand, said: 'I am not going to make any comment; I am afraid that the Lord of heaven will divulge what I say!' Gabriel, peace be upon him, went to the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, and informed him about what they said. The Prophet summoned them and asked them about what they said and they admitted it. Allah, exalted is He, then revealed this verse warning them against boasting about their lineages and abundance of wealth and against looking down on the poor".}} | |||
In a hadith graded sahih by al-Albani<ref>[https://islamqa.info/ar/182686 Islamqa.info]</ref>, Muhammad said the following during the farewell pilgrimage (the word translated "righteousness" is taqwa - piety or reliosity): | |||
{{quote|1=[http://dailyhadith.abuaminaelias.com/2011/12/30/farewell-sermon-your-lord-is-one-your-father-is-one-your-lives-are-sacred/ Musnad Aḥmad 22978]|2= Abu Nadrah reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said during the middle of the day at the end of the pilgrimage,“O people, your Lord is one and your father Adam is one. There is no virtue of an Arab over a foreigner nor a foreigner over an Arab, and neither white skin over black skin nor black skin over white skin, except by righteousness. Have I not delivered the message?” They said, “The Messenger of Allah has delivered the message.”}} | |||
In a sahih hadith Muhammad criticises boasting and reviling based on ancestry, which could be interpreted to apply to tribe and even ethnicity. | |||
{{quote|{{Muslim|4|2033}}| Abu Malik al-Ash'ari reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: | |||
Among my people there are four characteristics belonging to pre-Islamic period which they do not abandon: boasting of high rank, reviling other peoples' genealogies, seeking rain by stars, and walling. And he (further) said: If the wailing woman does not repent before she dies, she will be made to stand on the Day of Resurrection wearing a garment of pitch and a chemise of mange. | |||
}} | |||
Unfortunately as we shall see in the following sections, such sentiments are somewhat undermined by some other sahih hadiths where we find prejudice against some Arab groups, and black people are used with negative imagery. In addition, some classical Islamic scholars of high repute are guilty of promoting explicitly racist attitudes. | |||
==Arabs== | ==Arabs== | ||
===Arab Superiority=== | ===Arab Superiority=== | ||
{{quote|{{Al Tirmidhi|46|6|46|3605}}|Narrated Wathilah bin Al-Asqa': | |||
that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Indeed Allah has chosen Isma'il from the children of Ibrahim, and He chose Banu Kinanah from the children of Isma'il, and He chose the Quraish from Banu Kinanah, and He chose Banu Hashim from Quraish, and He chose me from Banu Hashim." Grade: Sahih (Darussalam)}} | |||
{{Quote|{{Tabari|9|p. 69}}|'''Arabs are the most noble people in lineage, the most prominent, and the best in deeds.''' We were the first to respond to the call of the Prophet. We are Allah’s helpers and the viziers of His Messenger. We fight people until they believe in Allah. He who believes in Allah and His Messenger has protected his life and possessions from us. As for one who disbelieves, we will fight him forever in Allah’s Cause. Killing him is a small matter to us.}} | {{Quote|{{Tabari|9|p. 69}}|'''Arabs are the most noble people in lineage, the most prominent, and the best in deeds.''' We were the first to respond to the call of the Prophet. We are Allah’s helpers and the viziers of His Messenger. We fight people until they believe in Allah. He who believes in Allah and His Messenger has protected his life and possessions from us. As for one who disbelieves, we will fight him forever in Allah’s Cause. Killing him is a small matter to us.}} | ||
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{{Quote|{{cite web|url=https://sunnah.com/abudawud/25/32 |title=Sunan Abu Dawud 25:32 |publisher= |author= |date= |archiveurl= |deadurl=no}} See also [https://sunnah.com/ibnmajah/13/60 Sunan ibn Majah 13:60].|Narrated AbuHurayrah: The Prophet said: The testimony of a nomad Arab against a townsman is not allowable.}} | {{Quote|{{cite web|url=https://sunnah.com/abudawud/25/32 |title=Sunan Abu Dawud 25:32 |publisher= |author= |date= |archiveurl= |deadurl=no}} See also [https://sunnah.com/ibnmajah/13/60 Sunan ibn Majah 13:60].|Narrated AbuHurayrah: The Prophet said: The testimony of a nomad Arab against a townsman is not allowable.}} | ||
== | ==Black People== | ||
===Racism Against Black People=== | ===Racism Against Black People=== | ||
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The Prophet said, "I saw (in a dream) a black woman with unkempt hair going out of Medina and settling in Mahai'a. I interpreted that as (a symbol of) epidemic of Medina being transferred to Mahai'a, namely, Al-Juhfa."}}<!-- add back when reference is found {{Quote|Sahih Muslim |Muhammad said: "Blacks will steal when hungry; when cloy (full) they are promiscuous"}} --> | The Prophet said, "I saw (in a dream) a black woman with unkempt hair going out of Medina and settling in Mahai'a. I interpreted that as (a symbol of) epidemic of Medina being transferred to Mahai'a, namely, Al-Juhfa."}}<!-- add back when reference is found {{Quote|Sahih Muslim |Muhammad said: "Blacks will steal when hungry; when cloy (full) they are promiscuous"}} --> | ||
===Islamic Writers and Scholars on Black People=== | ===Islamic Writers and Scholars on Black People=== | ||
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{{Quote||It is disliked to trade in the land of the enemy or the land of the blacks. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, "Travel is a portion of punishment."<ref>[http://bewley.virtualave.net/RisSpeech.html The Risala of 'Abdullah ibn Abi Zayd al-Qayrawani/ 43.16 Trading abroad] - A Treatise on Maliki Fiqh (Including commentary from ath-Thamr ad-Dani by al-Azhari)(310/922 - 386/996)</ref>}} | {{Quote||It is disliked to trade in the land of the enemy or the land of the blacks. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, "Travel is a portion of punishment."<ref>[http://bewley.virtualave.net/RisSpeech.html The Risala of 'Abdullah ibn Abi Zayd al-Qayrawani/ 43.16 Trading abroad] - A Treatise on Maliki Fiqh (Including commentary from ath-Thamr ad-Dani by al-Azhari)(310/922 - 386/996)</ref>}} | ||
==See Also== | ==See Also== | ||