All Human Beings are Equal
After an incident in Makkah, the Prophet received a revelation from God Almighty, which has been recorded in the Quran in the chapter Abasa (He Frowned). The chapter begins thus:
He frowned and turned away when the blind man approached him, for how can you know that he might seek to purify himself, or take heed and derive benefit from [Our] warning? As for him who was indifferent, you eagerly attended to him – though you are not to be blamed if he would not purify himself – but as for one who comes to you eagerly and in awe of God you pay him no heed. (80:1-10)
The background to these verses is that, one day, the Prophet was engrossed in a conversation with some influential persons of Makkah, hoping to convince them – and, through them, the Makkan community at large – of the truth of his message. At that point, he was approached by one of his followers, Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum, who was blind and poor – with the request for a repetition or elucidation of certain earlier passages of the Quran. Annoyed by this interruption of what he momentarily regarded as a more important endeavour, the Prophet “frowned and turned away” from the blind man – and was immediately, there and then, reproved by the revelation of the first ten verses of this chapter. In later years he often greeted Ibn Umm Maktum with these words of humility: “Welcome to him on whose account God has rebuked me!”
This incident, recorded in the Quran, teaches the universal lesson that every human being is worthy of respect and should be treated on an equal basis, regardless of whether he is poor or rich, a common man or a highly placed person.
Equality is not simply a moral value, it is more than that. Equality means equal regard, equal opportunities, equal freedom, equal right to development and progress.
Equality has an absolute value in Islam. Muhammad was a Prophet of God, but in terms of equality, the Quran did not differentiate between the Prophet and a common man.
A Duty-Conscious Society
One unique aspect of the Quran is that it always lays stress on duties rather than on rights. There are many verses which tell us to do this or do that. But you will not find a single verse in the Quran that encourages human beings to make demands. No verse suggests that people should be able to expect that they can make claims on society. The whole of the Quran is based on this norm.
One such Quranic verse says:
God commands justice, kindness and giving their [due to] near relatives, and He forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and transgression. He admonishes you so that you may take heed! (16:90)
Any ideology based on individual entitlement is unnatural, while any ideology based on duty is natural. Those who are conscious of their own rights will always make demands upon others. Their formula is: Others have to give to us. While the duty-conscious person will always think in terms of self-construction. He will always try to fulfil his own duty. The formula of a rights-conscious person is: They must do it. While the formula of a duty-conscious person is: I will do it. A rights-based ideology is focused upon what has to come from others, whereas a duty-based ideology starts with the self. The rights-based ideology is based on the ‘we and they’ concept, while the duty-based ideology is based on the ‘we and we’ concept.
A rights-based ideology leads to social anarchy, for it is bound to create different rival classes, while a duty-based ideology leads to harmony, solidarity, peace and compassion.
This same principle is laid down in a saying of the Prophet: “Give to others what others want from you and ask for your rights from God.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 7052) This means that you should fulfil your duty towards others and achieve what you want to achieve by your own efforts. This is the only feasible formula in this world. According to the creation plan of God, this world is based on challenge and competition. No one is going to give you what you want: you have to work hard for everything on your own.
A person who is obsessed with what is due to him from others will fail to plan his life on a realistic basis. He is doomed to live a life of failure and tension. A duty-conscious person, on the other hand, will fulfil his duties towards others. And according to the law of nature, he will certainly be requited by others. It is this fact that reflects in the saying: ‘It is in giving that we receive.’
This world is based on the principle of give and take, so you have to give something to others before you can expect anything from them, and if you ask others to fulfil your needs, no one will pay heed to your demands.
No-Problem Person
In the chapter Al-Waqi‘ah (The Inevitable Event) the Quran tells us about Paradise. How people will live in Paradise is portrayed as follows:
They will not hear therein any vain or sinful talk, only words of peace and tranquillity. (56:25-26)
Paradise of the Hereafter is an ideal society. The present world is like a recruiting ground, in which people are being put to the test. Those who qualify in this test will gain entry to Paradise. The present world is a selecting ground and Paradise is a place where those selected will be settled. One quality required of the people of Paradise is the ability to refrain from creating a nuisance for others, i.e. the ability to live in society in complete peace and tranquillity.
According to the Quran, there are two criteria for anyone to be included in the society of Paradise; the first is that they should live in complete peace, thus ensuring peace and tranquillity for other members of society. Then the second condition is that they should refrain from creating a nuisance for others. In other words, they must prove to be no-problem members of society. Although the above-mentioned verse is about the society of Paradise, it tells us what kind of social values are acceptable in the present world as well. When we keep in mind that the present world is a selecting ground, then it becomes very clear that in both the places the same ethical norms are required – in the present world as well as in the world Hereafter.
Any part of your behaviour that is found undesirable by your fellow beings is a nuisance. You cannot say that you did not act in this manner for the sake of creating a nuisance for others; it is not your opinion that determines what is a nuisance and what is not; it is your fellow beings who have the sole right to determine what is a nuisance and what is not.
In this situation, you have no excuse; you have no right to say that your intentions were good. If your behaviour is acceptable to your fellow beings, then it is not a nuisance and if your behaviour is not acceptable to your fellow beings, then it is certainly a nuisance.
