Slave market 1864
Throughout the late 19th century, and well into the 1950′s, Africans and in some cases Native Americans, were kept as exhibits in zoos. Far from a relic from an unenlightened past, remnants of such exhibits have continued in Europe as late as the 2000′s. Above photograph is from Brussels, Belgium in 1958.
See a list of such images from back then: http://www.popularresistance.org/deep-racism-the-forgotten-history-of-human-zoos/
Since she was elected as Italy’s first black minister in April, Cecile Kyenge has been the victim of racist attacks. In the latest incident on Friday, a spectator threw bananas at her while she was giving a speech at a party rally.
Barcelona defender Dani Alves responded to a racist taunt when a banana landed at his feet during Sunday's game at Villarreal by picking up the fruit, peeling and then eating it before proceeding to take a corner kick.
See report : http://www.aljazeera.com/sport/football/2014/04/dani-alves-takes-bite-out-banana-racism-2014427222340745497.html
Racism is something that is not alien to today's society. We have been seeing this indifference creep up throughout eras - in kingdoms, in rich households, in daily occupations like against farmers [ see the recent movie 12 years a slave and many like them depict such stories reminding us of this intolerable human behaviour and most recently even in entertainment shows like American Idol .
From hikes in killings; to daily events in society ; to educational institutes and what have you. All of these inconvenience and hatred spewed among humans, friends, associates, acquaintances and many a time even amidst strangers is due to a complex feeling, a notion what we may call as an allergic reaction to social inclinations of choices, assumptions of self supremacy, and the very dominating "looking down on others" syndrome which many are victim of , even in this very modern era.
WHY THE SHAR`IAH
1435 years ago, even before the imagination of any United Nations Equality charter , came a Messenger of Allah , to convey the truth, the remove falsehood, the establish justice and peace and eradicate evils both from within (social, customary) and without (political, etc). Without further ado , let me illustrate the teachings of Islam with regards to this sickness of racism giving the viewers a just solution to the crisis crept in our society since time immemorial.
Not to forget that back then, during the very time of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) himself, the society was very much inclined or let's say submerged in racism. In fact racism and tribal boastfulness were at it's very peak. Yet with noble characters and divine help from Allah, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) managed to impart this justice filled teaching, not only rescuing the poor and weak from the clutches of the rich but also re-defining the criteria of human equality thereby leaving an example to follow suite of. I shall enlist both the warnings as well as the commandments to be implemented so as to eradicate this evil dominant in our society.
Allah Says "O you who have believed, let not a people ridicule [another] people; perhaps they may be better than them; nor let women ridicule [other] women; perhaps they may be better than them. And do not insult one another and do not call each other by [offensive] nicknames. Wretched is the name of disobedience after [one's] faith. And whoever does not repent - then it is those who are the wrongdoers" [Qur'an 49:11]
What does Islam have to say on color , race and caste?
"The prophet, peace be upon him, said: "All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any "superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselves."
[Ref: Hafiz Ibn Hibban reported in al-Sahih 11 / 203 / 4862 , via his isnad, from Fadalah ibn Ubayd & Baihaqi. Also Narrated By: Abu Nadra In: Musnad ‘Abd Allah Ibn Al-Mubarak - #239 - See: http://www.islamweb.net/hadith/display_hbook.php?hflag=1&bk_no=28&pid=304844 ]
حدثنا عبد الله حدثني أبي ثنا إسماعيل ثنا سعيد الجريري عن أبي نضرة حدثني من سمع : خطبة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم في وسط أيام التشريق فقال يا أيها الناس ألا إن ربكم واحد وإن أباكم واحد إلا لا فضل لعربي على أعجمي ولا لعجمي على عربي ولا لأحمر على أسود ولا أسود على أحمر إلا بالتقوى أبلغت قالوا بلغ رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ثم قال أي يوم هذا قالوا يوم حرام ثم قال أي شهر هذا قالوا شهر حرام قال ثم قال أي بلد هذا قالوا بلد حرام قال فإن الله قد حرم بينكم دماءكم وأموالكم قال ولا أدري قال أو أعراضكم أم لا كحرمة يومكم هذا في شهركم هذا في بلدكم هذا أبلغت قالوا بلغ رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال ليبلغ الشاهد الغائب
تعليق شعيب الأرنؤوط : إسناده صحيح
"Narrated by Abu Dharr Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said to him, "You are not better than people with red or black skins unless you excel them in piety.
(Musnad Ahmad - Classed As Weak But Strengthened By Witnesses - Source. Classed Sahih By Shaikh Arna'oot, Number 23536 - Also In Bayhaqi Sha'ab al Emaan 4/1820 (slight difference in wording) - Declared Sahih By Albani - See here : http://islamport.com/d/2/ftw/1/15/1413.html, Al Waa'di in Sahih Al Musnad 1536, Saheeh Al Targheeb 2964, Al Busairi in إتحاف الخيرة المهرة 3/226 He said : Rijaalu Thiqah, Abu Na'eem in حلية الأولياء 3/119, Albani also delcared these wordings as sahih in Sharh Tahaawi 361 and Silsilah Ahadeeth al Saheeha 2700]
"Narrated Jabir Bin Abdullah: The Prophet (SAW) said: O People! Your Lord is one and your father (Adam) is one. There is no superiority of an Arab over a non-Arab or of a non-Arab over an Arab, or of a red man over a black man or of a black man over a red man, except in piety in the sight of Allah."
(Ghayat Al-Maram, 313 - Declared Hasan By Sheikh Albani. Also In Al-Targhib Wa-Al-Tarhib, 2964 (difference in wording) - Declared Sahih By Albani. See here : http://www.dorar.net/enc/hadith?skeys=%D9%84%D8%A7+%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%AF+%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89+%D8%A3%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%B1+%D8%A5%D9%84%D8%A7+%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D9%82%D9%88%D9%89+%D8%A5%D9%86+%D8%A3%D9%83%D8%B1%D9%85%D9%83%D9%85+%D8%B9%D9%86%D8%AF+%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D9%87+%D8%A3%D8%AA%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%83%D9%85]
يا أبا ذر بلغني أنك اليوم عيرت أخاك بأمه فقال : نعم فانطلق أبو ذر ليرضي صاحبه , فسبقه الرجل فسلم عليه , فذكر ذلك لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال : يا أبا ذر ارفع رأسك فانظر ثم اعلم أنك لست بأفضل من أحمر ولا أسود إلا أن تفضله بعمل ثم قال إذا غضبت فإن كنت قائما فاقعد وإن كنت قاعدا فاتكيء وإن كنت متكئا فاضطجع .
"The Prophet (saws) once reprimanded Abu Dharr for derisively calling Bilal, 'son of a black woman', then he went on to say, "Look! Surely you are not better than a brown man nor a black man except by fearing Allah more than them."
[Ref: Haafidh Al Iraaqi in Takhreej al Ahyaah 3/216 and 3/175 Albaani declared it sahih in Gayath al Maraam 307 : See : http://islamport.com/d/1/alb/1/67/632.html, in Imam Ahmad's Musnad 5/158] and similar wordings have been reported on the authority of Abu Nadhirah in Musnad 5/411]
عَنْ عُقْبَةَ بْنِ عَامِرٍ ، أَنّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، قَالَ : إِنَّ أَنْسَابَكُمْ هَذِهِ لَيْسَتْ بِسِبَابٍ عَلَى أَحَدٍ ، وَإِنَّمَا أَنْتُمْ وَلَدُ آدَمَ ، طَفُّ الصَّاعِ لَمْ تَمْلَئُوهُ ، لَيْسَ لِأَحَدٍ فَضْلٌ إِلَّا بِالدِّينِ أَوْ عَمَلٍ صَالِحٍ ، حَسْبُ الرَّجُلِ أَنْ يَكُونَ فَاحِشًا بَذِيًّا ، بَخِيلًا جَبَانًا
"Narrated Uqbah Bin Aamir: The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: These lineages of yours do not make you superior to anyone. You are all sons of Adam. No one has superiority over another except in piety and consciousness. It is sufficient shame for one to be foul, evil, or stingy.
[Ref: Declared Hasan By Sheikh Arna'oot In Musnad Ahmad, #17351 See: http://islamport.com/d/1/mtn/1/89/3483.html?zoom_highlightsub=%D2%C8%D1 and 17842, See : http://islamport.com/d/1/mtn/1/89/3484.html, Sheikh Arna'oot's Tahqeeq - which can be seen in the Footnote Of #17313 and even Shaikh Albaani declared this to be sahih In: Sahih At-Targhib, #2962 and Silsilah Al Saheeha Vol. 3 , 1038, At-Tabarani's Mujam Al-Kabir, #14252]
"'Praise be to Allah, there is only one book of Allah, and among you the believers are nations, red, white and black (wa fikum al-ahmar wa fikum al-abyad wa fikum al-aswad)'"
(Ibn Qayyim, Awn Al-Mabud, 3:59-60).
Narrated Ibn Jarir: The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: Allah will not inquire about your lineage on the Day of Resurrection. The most honorable in the sight of Allah is he who is most pious.
[Ref: Shaikh Albani declared this to be sahih in Ghayat Al-Maram, #311 and Silsilah Al Saheeha Vol. 3 , 1038]
إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ قَدْ أَذْهَبَ عَنْكُمْ عُبِّيَّةَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ ، وَالْفَخْرَ بِالآبَاءِ ، مُؤْمِنٌ تَقِيٌّ ، وَفَاجِرٌ شَقِيٌّ ، النَّاسُ بَنُو آدَمَ ، وَآدَمُ خُلِقَ مِنْ تُرَابٍ ، لَيَنْتَهِيَنَّ أَقْوَامٌ عَنْ فَخْرِهِمْ بِآبَائِهِمْ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ ، أَوْ لَيَكُونُنَّ أَهْوَنَ عَلَى اللَّهِ مِنَ الْجِعْلانِ الَّتِي تَدْفَعُ النَّتَنَ بِأَنْفِهَا "
Narrated Abu Huraira: The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: Thank God Who has removed from you the blemish of ignorance and its arrogance. O people, men are divided into classes: the pious and righteous, who are honourable in the sight of Allah, and the sinful and vicious, who are contemptible in the sight of Allah, whereas all men are the children of Adam and Adam had been created by Allah from dust
[Ref: Sunan Al Kubra Lil-Baihaqi, #19412 - Declared Hasan (Good) . See the different asaaned acting as its shawahid : http://www.islamweb.net/hadith/dyntree1.php?type=1&sid=4396&bk_no=673&cid=3541 , Hasan By Sheikh Arna'oot In Musnad Ahmad, #8721 & Classed Sahih By Ahmad Shakir In Musnad Ahmad, 16/300. Also Found In Sunan At-Tirmidhi, 3270 - (Narrated by Abdullah Bin Umar) - Declared Sahih By Sheikh Albani & Sahih By Ibn Al-Arabi in 'Aaradh Al Ahwadhi 6/337]
Sanad : سألت أبي عن حديث رواه رواد بن الجراح قال حدثنا أبو سعد الساعدي قال سمعت أنس بن مالك قال سمعت رسول الله ص
- يقول الناس مستوون كأسنان المشط ليس لأحد على أحد فضل إلا بتقوى الله
Narrated Anas Bin Malik (and others) who said: The Messenger Of Allah said: People are as equal as the teeth of a comb, they are differentiated only by piety in Allah."
[Ref: Tahir Al-Jazairi - Tawjih Al-Nazar Ila Usul Al-Athar - (2/627). Takhreej : This narration has been declared weak due to Its sanad by Al Suyooti and Shaikh Al Albaani (See : http://www.islamweb.net/fatwa/index.php?page=showfatwa&lang=A&Option=FatwaId&Id=36401) and Sheikh Asbahani - Kitab Al-Amthal Fi Al-Hadith Al-Nabawi - (1/203-204). However the text is acceptable, because it agrees with other narrations and this is what is explained here : http://www.islamweb.net/fatwa/index.php?page=showfatwa&lang=A&Option=FatwaId&Id=36401]
"Narrated By 'Ata bin Abi Rabah : Ibn 'Abbas said to me, "Shall I show you a woman of the people of Paradise?" I said, "Yes." He said, "This black lady came to the Prophet and said, 'I get attacks of epilepsy and my body becomes uncovered; please invoke Allah for me.' The Prophet said (to her), 'If you wish, be patient and you will have (enter) Paradise; and if you wish, I will invoke Allah to cure you.' She said, 'I will remain patient,' and added, 'but I become uncovered, so please invoke Allah for me that I may not become uncovered.' So he invoked Allah for her."
"Narated By Abu Huraira : A black man or a black woman used to sweep the mosque and he or she died. The Prophet asked about her (or him). He was told that she (or he) had died. He said, "Why did you not inform me? Show me his grave (or her grave)." So he went to her (his) grave and offered her (his) funeral prayer."
Note: Notice that Muhammad (s.a.w) was upset because they did not inform him of the black person's death! Also notice how prophet (s.a.w) offered the funeral prayer AFTER the black person was buried and in the grave. That's how concerned and favourable he was.
Narrated Abu Huraira: At the time of the Fajr prayer the Prophet asked bilal , "Tell me of the best deed you did after embracing Islam, for I heard your footsteps in front of me in Paradise." bilal replied, "I did not do anything worth mentioning except that whenever I performed ablution during the day or night, I prayed after that ablution as much as was written for me."
Sahih Bukhari, Book #21, Hadith #250
Note: Bilal (r.a) was a black Ethiopian slave before Abu bakr freed him from the atrocities inflicted upon him due to his acceptance of Islaam
Apart from these examples, the prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) himself displayed such humility and justice in his day to day dealings that those around him were eventually awe-struck to see the commander of such an influential nation himself practise what he preaches. See here for further details: http://the-finalrevelation.blogspot.com/2012/12/no-racism-in-islam.html
