EQUALITY IN ISLAM

Islam considers all human beings as equal. There is no difference between them because of their
race, colour or tongue. All of them belong to one family and come from one origin.

This was not the case before islam came to the Arabian peninsula. Before islam, each tribe
considered its members to be superior to those of other tribes, and this made life very difficult
between them. They could not deal with each other properly, and they led a difficult life, there was
severe fighting almost continuously between the tribes of Arabic because of their attitude towards
one other. Might was right, so the weak had practically no rights.

When islam came, it was along step towards correction the attitudes of the arab people, and making
them aware of their brotherhood with other. The poorer people and the humbler tribes were quick to
follow the prophet because they saw in islam a hope of leading a good life, for in islam they heard
something they had never heard before. The voice they heard gave them hope that people could live
as equal human beings.

But at the same time, their accepting islam was a reason for the leaders of the tribes to object to the
call of the prophet, because it was hard for them to consider these weaker people as their brothers.

The prophet himself emphasized this by his actions and his behavior, by treating all human beings
as his equals, even his slaves.

There is an interesting story about this. It is related that the prophet’s wife, Khadija had a slave
called Zaid, whom she gave to the prophet to help him with his personal affairs. The prophet treated
him as his son, and the youth never left he was a slave. According to the law of Arabia before
islam, when war broke out between two tribes the winner could take the woman and children of the
defeated tribes as slaves. Zaid had become a slave on one of these occasions, and he moved from
one hand to another until finally he reached the hand of the prophet. His father and uncle were
looking for him everywhere. At last they discovered that he was in Mecca with the prophet
Muhammad, and they went to Mecca and asked the prophet to return Zaid to them.

They offered the prophet whatever he wanted as exchange for the boy. When the prophet heard this,
he called Zaid to him and said ; “This is your father, and this is your uncle.”

Zaid recognized them, and said he knew who they were. The prophet said : “if you want to go with
them, you are free to go, and if you want to stay, you are welcome to stay”. The prophet left the
choice with the boy, and what Zaid answered astonished his father and his uncle : Zaid refused to
go with them, and said to the prophet : “ I will never prefer anyone to you, not even my father.”

His father and uncle were surprised and annoyed, and said : “what are you saying, Zaid, do you
prefer slavery to freedom?”

“No, “ said Zaid, “but there is no one who could treat me like the prophet treats me.”

When the prophet saw that, he wanted to please the father and uncle of Zaid, and he went out in
public and announced that Zaid was not his slave, but his son. This shows us the new system the
prophet introduced among Arabic people, with equality for each man, no matter what his tribe or
colour.
 GRAMMAR IN FOCUS

Word Order : Nucleus Structure

1. S - V – O (Verb : Transitive)

Example :

• The prophet treated him as his son

• I like teaching English
• Ali plays tennis every Sunday
• Did you read that book yesterday ?
• Islam considers that all human beings are equal
• The voice they heard gave them hope
• Zaid recognized them

2. S – V (Verb : Intransitive)

Example :

• When islam came, it was a long step towards correcting the attitude of Arab
people
• War broke out between two tribes
• He moved from one hand to another
• Zaid said that he knew who they were

3. Subject – Be – Adjective / Noun

Example :

• This was not the case

• Might was right
• Their accepting islam was a reason
• He was in Mecca
• His father and uncle were surprised

4. There is / There are / There was / There were / There has been etc.

Example :

• There is no difference between them because of their race, colour, or tongue

• There was severe fighting between two tribes
• There is an interesting story about this
• There is no one who could treat me like the prophet

5. Subject – Be – Participle

Example :

• It is related that the prophet’s wife, Khadija, had a slave

• You are welcome to stay
• The shop is closed
• The glass of the windows was broken
• The trip to Australia was very exciting
• The story of the Super Hero is interesting