Originally published in The Post
Black History Month is a very special month for a multitude of reasons. It serves not only as a time of celebration of accomplishments, but also as an important reminder to reflect on our current disparities in racial equality. This includes many of the recent claims to police brutality, multiple police shootings and protests, disproportionate incarceration of minorities and a wide socioeconomic divide based on race.
In response to these issues, the Holy Quran indubitably erases all racial biases by proposing a simple mechanism to gate this problem: superiority of righteousness. This is mentioned when the Quran states, “We have created you into tribes and sub-tribes that you may recognize one another. Verily, the most honorable among you, in the sight of Allah, is he who is the most righteous among you” (49:14).
Additionally, the Holy Prophet of Islam effectively created a racially equal society, by stating in his Farewell Address that a white is not superior to a black nor the other way around, except by “piety and good action.”
Taking into account both the beautiful verse and saying of the Prophet Muhammad, the conclusion can be drawn that Islam is foremost in offering a principle that can serve as a solution to the problems of racial strife and inequality. Therefore, recognition of this can come a long way in successfully bridging the gap between all races in our society.
