According to Islam, all human beings have been created by one and the same God, and for this reason, belong to one great brotherhood. So far as their earthly origin is concerned, they are all descendants of the first pair of human beings created by God— Adam and Eve. In their subsequent spread over different parts of the world, variations in geographical conditions produced a diversity of skin colouring, languages and other racial characteristics.

The teaching of Islam in this regard is that despite differences of colour, language, etc., people should harbour no ill-will towards those who are apparently unlike themselves, for discriminating between one man and another is not approved by God. They should rather promote fellow feelings towards others, even if at first glance they appear like total strangers to them. Bearing in mind that they are all traceable back to Adam and Eve, they should be each other’s well-wishers and willingly come to one another’s assistance, like members of the same large family.

Ideally, the relationship between one man and another ought not to be one of strangeness but one of familiarity; not of distance but of nearness; not of hatred but of love. All human beings are descendants of the same progenitors, which means that all are equal: no one is superior or inferior. The distinction between great and small is not between one human being and another but between God and men. And before God, certainly, all human beings are equal; all are equally His creatures and His servants. For God does not discriminate between one and the other of His creations.

This is the concept of universal brotherhood in Islam.

Source: Spirit of Islam August 2016

According to Islam, all human beings have been created by the one God. As such, all human beings are of one brotherhood. Differentiating between one person and another is not approved of by God.

Humanity began with one human pair called Adam and Eve. Human beings, wherever they are or in whatever country, all belong to the same race of Adam and Eve. The differences that are found in colour and language and in other cultural matters are due to geographical factors. So far as origin is concerned, all human beings are the progeny of Adam and Eve and have now settled all over the world.

When all human beings have the same mother and father, it means that all human beings are equal. Here neither is anyone small nor is anyone great. The difference between great and small is not between one person and another but between an individual and God. So far as human beings are concerned, all have the same position as all others but as compared to God, there is no human being greater than Him. All human beings are equally God’s creatures. God looks upon everyone with the same eye. He does not differentiate between his creatures.

The teaching of Islam is that differences in language, colour, and features should not cause people to regard others as strangers. On the contrary, people should have good feelings and love for others. They should be of help to one another. All human beings in the vaster sense, should live in unity and amity just as they live in their own families.

Source: The Spirit of Islam

The message of universality of brotherhood calls for one to adopt a comprehensive principle in one’s dealings with others. The Prophet observed:

   “No one can be a believer until and unless he begins to like for his brother what he likes for himself”.

It is the principle of treating others just as one would like to be treated by them. All individuals are sure about their likes and dislikes. Now what is required is that they simply follow the principle that whatever behaviour they want from others, they should themselves accord to others. Conversely, whatever behaviour towards themselves they abhor in others should likewise be eschewed by them.

This is such a comprehensive principle that it is useful in every kind of relationship. It is needed between individuals, society, and nations as well. If people were to adhere to this principle, their family life as well as their social life would improve. National life as well as international life would run more smoothly. It is like a master key to human ethics; one single key which suffices to open all locked doors.

Islam teaches us not to differentiate between one’s own people and others, and to deal with all people in the same way as we would like other people to deal with us.

Source: Spirit of Islam March 2018

Objective thinking arouses universal approach. The more objectively a person thinks the more universal he becomes. Normally people think subjectively and are not able to think keeping the entire humanity in mind. They restrict themselves to their family, society and community. Each person therefore must introspect and get to know whether he has a self-centered or a universal approach. A man can get to know this himself and can also work on it himself.