By: Muhammad Aamir
Islam is “Deen ul Fitrah” which means the natural religion of Allah’s creation and it is a way of life with the complete guidance for the entire humanity. It calls the entire humanity the sons and daughters of the father Adam and mother Hawa and clears all the differences of cast, colour , creed and gender by saying :
﴿ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱتَّقُواْ رَبَّكُمُ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَكُم مِّن نَّفۡسٖ وَٰحِدَةٖ وَخَلَقَ مِنۡهَا زَوۡجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنۡهُمَا رِجَالٗا كَثِيرٗا وَنِسَآءٗۚ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِي تَسَآءَلُونَ بِهِۦ وَٱلۡأَرۡحَامَۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ رَقِيبٗا ﴾
[ النساء: 1]
O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam), and from him (Adam) He created his wife [Hawwa (Eve)], and from them both He created many men and women and fear Allah through Whom you demand your mutual (rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship). Surely, Allah is Ever an All-Watcher over you.
And this is the verse that indicates that Islam is calling mankind towards universal brotherhood and it trains its believers not only mentally but physically as well from the beginning till the end. If we just see the five fundamental pillars of Islam we will find how Islam is training Muslim ummah for unity, equality, integrity, and social justice. On one side it unites mankind mentally and spiritually under one belief system of Tawheed and on other side it unites them physically five times a day in Masjid locally and then Internationally on Hajj.
If you see the first and basic pillar of Islam is known as “Tawheed” which means monotheism: the belief in one God as opposed to dualism, polytheism, or Atheism. This belief system unites human beings mentally and spiritually and makes them believe in one and only God the creator of the entire universe.
Then it comes on “Namaz” with the congregation in a Masjid which unites Muslims of the locality daily five times a day every Muslim is supposed to pray towards one Direction of the Kaaba, behind one Imam the leader of prayers and this way, Islam is training the Muslim ummah locally to unite behind a leader five times a day and then trains them to obey and follow the commands of Imam. And unites them without any discrimination in one and a single row. That is why the famous point of Indian subcontinent Allamah Muhammad Iqbal said “Ek Hi Saf Mein Khade Ho Gaye Mahmood-o-Ayaz Na Koi Banda Raha Aur Na Koi Banda-Nawaz” which means “Sultan and slave in single file stood side by side. Then no servant was nor master, nothing did them divide”
Then it comes on “Soum” in the month of “Ramazan” which trains this ummah in diverse ways for example mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually, and socially. In this month Muslims unite for prayers, gives sadaqah to those who are in need, and realizes the pain of a hungry man by keeping fast from sunrise to sunset and on the day of Eid Muslims again unite in huge number in a massive open ground for Eid prayers.
Then we see the system of zakat that every rich is supposed to donate 2.5 percent of his wealth to the poor of the society and this way, the hearts of humans get united and social imbalance get balanced.
Then it comes on the last pillar and the fifth pillar of Islam known as “Hajj” which gives this unity a global touch and sets an example of universal brotherhood and unites Muslims from every corner of the world without the discrimination of color, creed, sex, wealth and designation in Makkah that too in one color two piece stitch less and one design of uniform known as “Ehraam”.Here no one remains inferior or superior. Everyone is in uni color and uni design dress bows before one creator in one direction and this thing finishes all the differences between mankind and reminds us that we all are one and equal and united as well.
As we remember the last sermon of our beloved prophet saw in which he 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 a 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.”
In conclusion let me tell you that Allah has commanded all the believers to adhere to His religion and to be united, and not to be divided. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allaah (i.e. this Qur’aan), and be not divided among yourselves
[Aal ‘Imraan 3:103]
Division, differences and disputes are the cause of the ummah’s defeat, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And obey Allaah and His Messenger, and do not dispute (with one another) lest you lose courage and your strength departs, and be patient. Surely, Allaah is with those who are As-Saabiroon (the patient)”
[al-Anfaal 8:46]
Author is the President of Islamic Fraternity Kashmir, Chairman Of Islamic Global School Kashmir, Editor in chief of The Islamic Revival Magazine).
