Originally published in Enjoy Ohio
Now that it is Black History Month, we cannot forget about the cruel racism and slavery that had resided in our world once. As a Muslim American, I find interesting Islam’s teachings in relation to racial equality. The Holy Prophet of Islam once stated that “a white has no superiority over a black, just as a black has no superiority over a white.”
From our American history, we find that Malcolm X stated: “America needs to understand Islam, because this is the one religion that erases from its society the race problem.”
This statement is supported by the teachings of the Holy Quran, which states that the most honorable is judged by one’s righteousness, not by race (49:14). In fact, the Quran celebrates different races when it states, “And among his signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the diversity of your tongues and colors” (30:23).
We have come a long way, but racism in our country, not only toward blacks but also other races, can’t be shrugged off.
If we can come together and use the principles of racial equality taught by Islam, and most religions for that matter, some of the remaining challenges faced today can be tackled.
