Human values in Islam
By Bilal Ahmed Malik
FROM time immemorial humanity has been divided into groups owing to vanity and self-conceit, based on race, caste or creed. In early times Greeks hated the non-Greeks, Romans despised the non-Romans and Arabs held the non-Arabs in contempt, calling them “Ajam” (meaning dumb).
Similarly, Egyptians under Pharaohs treated Israelites as helots, reducing them to social and political serfdom. When the Israelites rose to power they tried to crush the Christians and other people. The Christians in their turn, left no stone unturned to eliminate the Jews from the face of the earth.
It is really one of the saddest moments for humanity that in the present age, considered to be the age of advanced civilization and culture, the evil effects of regional and racial discrimination continue create tensions in different parts of the world. The UN which originally aimed at stopping the exploitation of the weak by the strong and ensuring fundamental rights for mankind, has failed in its objective simply because some of its prominent members are still indulging in their old games of differentiating between whites and blacks, high caste and low caste people.
Going back through history, one finds that the concept of human values in Islam and its practical application have been totally neglected. Islam contains a message of human values as its basic law. Islam has a complete and comprehensive code regarding honour of human beings and there are injunctions of the Holy Quran and Sunnah in this respect. In Islam the right to honour is also guarded and much significance has been given to it in the Holy Quran. Muslims are commanded to respect others and not to abuse others. In this regard Allah says, “O ye who believe, let not some men among you laugh at others. Do not defame nor be sarcastic to each other by offensive nicknames ... nor speak ill of each other behind their backs.” (46:11-12)
The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), in his farewell pilgrimage, delivered a lecture at the pulpit of Kaaba in which he said, “No Arab has any superiority over a non-Arab, nor does a white man have any superiority over a black man. You all are children of Adam and Adam is created from clay.”(Sahi Muslim)
Islamic teachings give importance to moral virtues and human values. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) has said, “The Lord has sent me down as His Messenger in order that I may evolve the moral virtues to the highest perfection.” He also said, “The Muslims who possess better morals are the most perfect in faith.” The Holy Quran stresses the importance of human values in the following way: “Verily, we have honoured the children of Adam” (Surah al-Isra: 70)
Even in respect of persons who are hostile and maliciously disposed towards the Muslims they are directed to be kind and considerate and to return evil with good as far as possible: “the goodness and the evil deed cannot be equal (for goodness is the virtue and evil deed is a sin). Return the evil deed with one which is better.” (41:34)
At another place Allah says: “Return thee with that which is best. We are well acquainted with the things they say (against you).” 23:96 The Holy Quran declares at one place that those devout servants of Allah who practise returning evil with good will be given a double reward:
“Such persons will be given their reward twice over, for that they have kept patience, that they return evil with good and that they spent (in charity) out of what We have given them.” 28:54
The spirit of the teaching of the Holy Quran can well be observed from the fact that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) himself was advised by Allah to be kind and forgiving to his enemies and those who deceived him: “....Thou wilt not cease to discover treachery from all (of them) except a few (persons). But (in spite of this) forgive them and overlook (their misdeeds): for Allah loveth those who are kind.” (5:14)
If one wants to see the “Love thine enemy” in practical form he should see it in Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) life. Not only on one or two occasions but several times the merciful Prophet demonstrated it. For instance, Abu Sufyan, the worst enemy of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and Islam, the instigator of the battles of Badr, Uhud and Ahzab, the one whose sword had fed on Muslims’ blood, the person who had plotted the Prophet’s (PBUH) assassination several times, who opposed Islam at every step of its progress, was brought as a prisoner before the Prophet (PBUH) on the occasion of victory of Makkah. His record of heinous crimes deserved severe punishment, but the Holy Prophet, instead of taking revenge, not only forgave him but made his house a place of shelter and general pardon.
The wife of Abu Sufyan, the woman who sang songs of war to encourage the soldiers of Quraish against Muslims, the woman who treated with cruelty the corpse of Hazrat Hamza, the beloved uncle of the Holy Prophet, chewed his liver, cut his heart, nose and ears to make a garland of them, and when she came in front of the Prophet, he forgave her too. And she exclaimed, “Muhammad (PBUH)! I hated no tent more than yours but now I love no tent more than yours.”
Thus promotion of human values is one of the basic aims of Islamic teachings. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) has taught mankind to cultivate human values and moral virtues such as politeness, kindness, love, mercy, forgiveness, generosity and humility, etc. And if one was malicious, the Prophet also taught us how to deal with such a person, and how to bring about a change in him while practising Islamic teachings.
Islam does not approve the concept of “tit for tat”. It is a religion of peace and harmony, which spreads love not hatred. Let’s pray that Allah gives all of us wisdom to understand the teachings of Islam and act on them accordingly as exemplified by the Holy Prophet (PBUH).