By Kaniz Fatma, New Age Islam
09 January 2020
If we analyze the global public opinion, we can come across a propaganda where an idea is aired with all strength that Islam teaches terrorism and that it is antithetical to humanity. Responsible for such disappointing state are definitely those organizations which have been carrying out terror activities for decades in the name of Islam, Jihad and Sharia. On the contrary, those who study Islam with sincere heart and mind get to know that Islam teaches respect of humanity, brotherhood, peace and forgiveness.
Respect of humanity as mentioned in the Quran, such as “We have honoured the Children of Adam” (17:70) is a moral aspect that has inspired the entire world. In the Islamic civilization and practices of Sufis and Mashaikh, we surely discover the highest intellectual and practical traces of human-respect, following which we can leave the people with moral impressions of Islam and practically remove the doubts related to Islam and Muslims.
Certainly the teaching of human-respect is demonstrated by the fact that when the Prophet (peace be upon him) appointed a governor in an area, he would instruct him to be kind and gentle and not to terrorise anyone. There is an incident narrated in Sahih Muslim that when the Prophet sent Hazrat Muaz bin Jabal as the governor of the Yemen, he said,
“Make things easy and do not make things difficult. Give glad tidings and do not repel people. Cooperate with each other and do not become divided”. (Sahih Muslim and Sahih Bukhari)
And when Hazrat Ma'ad ibn Jabal was ready to go and put his foot in the stirrup, the Prophet further said, “Make your character excellent for the people, O Muaz ibn Jabal” (Muwatta, Sahih Muslim)
Hazrat Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him said, “Surely the religion (Din) is ease and no one burdens himself in religion except that it overcomes him. So be moderate, seek closeness to Allah, give glad tidings and gain strength for worship in the morning and the night” (Sahih Bukhari)
It is very interesting to mention here that the Prophet warned Hazrat Muaz ibn Jabal not to use his position of authority to wrong or oppress anyone, even if the people are disbelievers, as Hazrat Anas ibn Malik reported that the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him said, “Beware of the supplication of the oppressed, even if he is a disbeliever, for there is no screen between it and Allah” (Musnad Ahmad, Grade – Sahih)
Hazrat Umar would ask people about the attitude of governors. Once he asked Jarir about Hazrat Saad b. Abi Waqqas, he replied saying, “I left him (Saad b. Abi Waqqas) in governorship while he was the gentlest man. He was as kind and friendly to the citizens as a mother is to her children. He would manage livelihood of the citizens as the ants do” (Al-Isaba fi Marifat al-Sahaba, vol. 3, p.3)
Islam holds equal status on respect of humanity. Once the Prophet peace be upon him said, “All creatures of Allah form the family of Allah and he is the best loved of Allah who loves His family best” (Mishkat Sharif)
The prophet is also reported to have said, “…I affirm that all Human beings are brothers to one antoher” (Abu Dawood) and “…respect the ways of Allah (or the laws inherent in the Nature) and be affectionate to the family of Allah” (Baihaqi).
We should note here that the addresses in all these Ahadith are not just the believers or Muslims but all human beings and they form one family. (One should not be confused with the word ‘family’ used metaphorically to indicate ‘the people of Allah’).
The attitude of human-respect takes one to the path of development. In the holy sayings of the Prophet (peace be upon him) we find several traces of a true believer and his spiritual development. One of the traces is that the believer always succeeds in good deeds and will keep doing so as long as he does not shed forbidden blood, because if he kills anyone unjustly and creates disorder (Fasad) in the land, he will get frustrated and fail in his path of success. (Abu Dawud)
The Quran and Sunnah have strongly prohibited bloodshed. And wherever and whenever any war was allowed in the era of the Prophet peace be upon him, it was solely for the safety of humanity. The Qur'an declares it in clear words that “whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land - it is as if he had killed mankind entirely. And whoever saves one - it is as if he had saved mankind entirely. And our messengers had certainly come to them with clear proofs. Then indeed many of them, [even] after that, throughout the land, were transgressors” (5:32)
These teachings are enough for respect of humanity. Those who are believers understand such Islamic teachings and try to practice them. In Islamic texts, the true believers witness that human-respect, protection of human rights, peace and safety are of fundamental issues of Islam. Therefore today we need to follow and promote teachings of human-respect so that the doubts and hatred towards Islam can be removed from the people and all people become closer to appreciate values of humanity.
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