Human Aspects in the Prophet's Farewell Speech
Equality in Human Values
After praising Allah, AIRA Secretary-General began his monthly article saying that the study of the Prophet’s biography needs a proper methodology and a decisive vision that leads to correcting the misconceptions and fallacies some extremist sects have tried to consolidate and spread in the scientific, intellectual and cultural fields.
Among these misconceptions that need clarification is the truth about equality between people, which is one of the issues addressed in the farewell sermon.
In Islam and its Sharia (laws), there is no room for any racial disputes, superiority views, nor nationalistic strife as they are all baseless. Thus, the Prophet (PBUH) commanded us saying “O people, your Lord is one, and your father is one. There is no preference for an Arab over a non-Arab, nor for a non-Arab over an Arab; a white is not better than a black, nor is a black better than a white, except by piety."
In this brief statement, the Prophet (PBUH) completely prohibited tribal fanaticism and the ensuing animosity, hatred and bragging, as all people are descended from Adam (PBUH).
Through this statement, the Prophet (PBUH) assured the importance and necessity of equality between people without differentiating between them on any basis of gender, color, race, language, religion or social status. All people are equal in the scale of Islam, there is no disparity except on one criterion: piety.
This standard has been stated in the Holy Qur’an; Allah Almighty said, “O humanity! Indeed, we created you from a male and a female, and made you into peoples and tribes so that you may get to know one another. Surely the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous among you. Allah is truly All-Knowing, All-Aware” (Qur’an, 49: 13).
In this respect, the Secretary General assured that piety is the basis for success and a tool for favoring some people over some others before Allah Almighty, while other criteria have no value or weight. The Almighty said: “Then, when the Trumpet will be blown, there will be no kinship between them on that Day, nor will they even care to ask about one another. As for those whose scale is heavy with good deeds, it is they who will be successful. But those whose scale is light, they will have doomed themselves, staying in Hell forever.” (Qur’an, 23: 101-103).
One who contemplates this prophetic declaration will find that it has two important pillars, upon which security and peace have depended every time and everywhere; they are the oneness of God and human being unity.
Finally, Ayyad stated that Islam is the religion of tolerance, coexistence and acceptance of the other regardless of his/her culture, creed, gender and color. Also, he mentioned that the Noble Prophet (PBUH) announced the principles of human brotherhood to all people in his Farewell Pilgrimage assuring the sanctity of the soul, property and honor.