Islam is distinguished by its clear, firm, and intrinsic humanitarian nature in its beliefs, acts of worship, legislations, and guidance. It is the religion of humanity.
Between Divinity and Humanity
At first glance, many people may imagine a contradiction between affirming the characteristic of "divinity" and the characteristic of "humanity" at the same time.
The apparent assumption in their minds is that the affirmation of one of these characteristics negates and excludes the other, just like any two opposing elements that cannot coexist. If Allah exists, then there is no place for man!
If we have stated in the characteristic of "divinity" that it means—on one hand—the divinity of purpose and direction, in the sense that maintaining a good relationship with Allah and seeking His pleasure is the ultimate goal of man and the purpose of Islam,
And that—on the other hand—it also means the divinity of source and methodology, in the sense that Islam is a divine path, whose author and legislator is none other than Allah, while the Messenger is merely a conveyer of it, then this would imply that there is no place for man.
Where, then, is the place of man, if Allah is the ultimate goal and His pleasure is the target and direction, and if Allah is also the One who sets the methodology toward that goal?
Man is Not a Rival to Allah
The primary and fundamental mistake in this viewpoint is looking at Allah and man as if they were two opposing rivals. These individuals forget who Allah is and who man is.
The undeniable truth is that Allah is the Owner of this universe, its Lord, and its Controller: "Say, ‘Shall I take as a lord other than Allah while He is the Lord of all things?’" (Al-An‘am: 164)
Man, on the other hand, is a created being, one of the creations of Allah, the Most Glorious. It is inconceivable that a created being could be a rival to its Creator, nor that a transient being could be equal to the Eternal, nor that the perishable could be comparable to the Everlasting: "Say, ‘He is Allah, [who is] One, Allah, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, nor is there to Him any equivalent.’" (Al-Ikhlas: 1-4)
Man is a creation of Allah, yet he is a creation of special status, with a role and purpose in this existence. The One who granted him this status, and assigned him this role and purpose, is his very own Creator—Allah, Blessed and Exalted be He.
Let us, therefore, view man on this basis and through this perspective.
He is a creation, but he is the most honored creation before Allah, and he is unique among all others.
No Contradiction Between Divinity and Humanity
Once we recognize these truths, it becomes clear that Islam, despite its divine purpose and direction, is also human in its purpose and direction. Hence, we say that man has a place—an esteemed place—within the supreme objectives and major aims of Islam, alongside affirming and emphasizing its divine purpose. There is no contradiction between the divine purpose and the human purpose; rather, they are complementary.
Indeed, in Islam’s perspective, there is no conflict between divinity and humanity. Acknowledging the humanity of man is part of the divine essence upon which Islam is founded.
Allah is the One who has honored this human being, breathed into him of His spirit, made him a vicegerent on earth, subjugated to him what is in the heavens and on the earth, and bestowed upon him both apparent and hidden blessings.
If the source of Islam is "divine," then it is "man" who understands this source, derives from it, strives in its light, and translates it into a tangible, practical reality.
If divinity is the goal of the Muslim community just as it is the goal of the individual Muslim, then the content of this goal is the happiness of man and his eternal success in the presence of the Lord of the worlds.
If divinity is the mission of the Muslim, then the objectives of this mission are to achieve goodness for man, elevate him, and prevent his deviation and downfall.
The divine meanings that guide the Muslim—such as faith, monotheism, devotion, hope, and fear—are, in their essence, human meanings, because they are part of man’s nature as Allah created him. This is one of the secrets of His saying: "And I breathed into him of My spirit." (Sad: 72)
The Islamic perspective is that man cannot be truly divine without being truly human, just as he cannot be truly human without being truly divine.
Divinity—as a goal and direction—necessitates sincerity in intention, action, and orientation solely for Allah, making His pleasure and reward the ultimate purpose and final destination behind every movement, word, or deed.
But the entire purpose of this is to liberate man, make him happy, honor him, protect him, and elevate him.
These are all objectives and goals that Islam values, seeks, and strives by every means to achieve and realize.
The Quran... The Book of Humanity
When we examine the primary source of Islam—the Quran, the Book of Allah—reflect on its verses, and contemplate its themes and concerns, we can describe it as the "Book of Humanity." The entire Quran is either addressing humanity or speaking about humanity.
The word "insan" (human) is repeated in the Quran 63 times, in addition to being mentioned in other forms such as "Banu Adam" (Children of Adam), which appears six times, and "nas" (people), which is repeated 240 times in both Meccan and Medinan revelations.
One of the most striking indications of this is that the very first revelation of the Quran to the Messenger of Islam—Muhammad (peace be upon him)—consisted of five verses from Surah Al-‘Alaq, in which the word "insan" appears twice, and their overall theme is the concern for human affairs.
These verses are: "Recite in the name of your Lord who created – created man from a clinging substance. Recite, and your Lord is the Most Generous – Who taught by the pen – taught man that which he knew not." (Al-‘Alaq: 1-5)
Muhammad… The Human Messenger
When we look at the person whom Allah chose to embody Islam, making him a living example of its teachings—whose character was the Quran—we can describe him as "the human messenger." His life story is not that of a deity, nor part-deity, nor an angel free from flesh and blood, but rather the biography of a human prophet.
The Quran is keen, on multiple occasions, to emphasize the human nature of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), as in the verse: "Say, ‘I am only a man like you, to whom it has been revealed that your god is one God.’" (Al-Kahf: 110)
The Human Aspect of Islam’s Message
Anyone who studies Islam—through its Book and the traditions of its Messenger—will clearly recognize that it pays immense attention to the human aspect, allocating a vast space for it in its teachings, guidance, and laws.
If we examine Islamic jurisprudence, we find that acts of worship take up only about a quarter or a third of its total scope, while the rest is concerned with human affairs—personal status laws, transactions, criminal laws, penalties, and other matters.
Moreover, even within the major acts of worship, we find one that is inherently humanitarian—Zakah (almsgiving). It is taken from the wealthy individual and given to the poor individual. For the giver, it serves as purification and sanctification, and for the receiver, it provides sustenance and liberation.
Other acts of worship also carry humanitarian elements within them:
- Salah (prayer) serves as support for humans in their struggles in life: "O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer." (Al-Baqarah: 153)
- Sawm (fasting) trains the human will to endure hardships and fosters empathy for the suffering of others, encouraging acts of solidarity. That is why the Prophet (peace be upon him) referred to Ramadan as "the month of patience" and "the month of compassion."
- Hajj (pilgrimage) is a divine-human gathering where Allah calls His believing servants: "That they may witness benefits for themselves and mention the name of Allah on known days." (Al-Hajj: 28)
Here, witnessing benefits represents the human aspect of Hajj’s objectives.
Beyond this, the Prophet (peace be upon him) elevated every act that benefits another human—whether materially or emotionally—to the level of worship.
The Fruits of Humanitarianism in Islam
Brotherhood, equality, and freedom—this deep-rooted humanitarian spirit in Islam forms the foundation of:
- The principle of universal human brotherhood that Islam promotes.
- The principle of general human equality that Islam advocates.
- The principle of freedom that Islam firmly upholds.
Islam does not merely call for these principles in theory but establishes practical frameworks for their application, integrating them with its beliefs, rituals, and ethics in a profound manner. Thus, they do not remain mere poetic aspirations that appeal to some souls, or idealistic notions imagined by some minds, or mere ink on paper recorded by certain pens.
Here, I will focus on the principle of equality, as it is closely tied to brotherhood and is one of its key outcomes.
The Principle of Human Equality
The foundation of the principle of human equality in Islam is that Islam respects and honors a person for being human, regardless of any other factor. A human being is honored regardless of their lineage, race, or color, with no discrimination based on ethnicity, nationality, or skin tone. The Quran states: "O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted." (Al-Hujurat: 13)
People may differ in their origins: some are Aryan, some Semitic, some Hamitic, some Arab, and some non-Arab.
They may differ in lineage and social standing: some belong to distinguished families with a history of prestige, while others come from humble, unknown backgrounds.
They may vary in wealth: some are rich, some are poor, and some are middle class.
They may differ in professions and positions: some are rulers, while others are ruled; some are high-ranking engineers, while others are laborers; some are university professors, while others are gatekeepers.
However, none of these differences elevate one person’s human worth above another based on race, lineage, wealth, occupation, or any other status.
The value of humanity remains equal for all. An Arab is a human. A non-Arab is a human. A white person is a human. A black person is a human. A ruler is a human. A subject is a human. A wealthy person is a human. A poor person is a human. An employer is a human. A worker is a human. A man is a human. A woman is a human. A free person is a human. A servant is a human.
Since all are human, they are therefore equal—like the teeth of a comb.
This is why Islam considers any attack on a human life to be an attack on all of humanity, and saving a single life to be equivalent to saving all of humanity. This principle is explicitly stated in the Quran: "Whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land—it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one—it is as if he had saved mankind entirely." (Al-Ma’idah: 32)
The Rituals of Islam Affirm the Principle of Compassion
Islam did not merely establish the principle of equality in theory or affirm it intellectually; rather, it reinforced it practically through a set of rulings and teachings that transformed it from an abstract idea into a tangible reality. Among these are the ritual acts of worship that Islam prescribed as foundational pillars upon which its great structure stands—prayer, almsgiving, fasting, and pilgrimage.
Equality Before the Law of Islam
One of the practical aspects of equality that Islam proclaimed and implemented is equality before Islamic law and its rulings.
What is lawful (halal) is lawful for all, what is forbidden (haram) is forbidden for all, obligations apply to all, and punishments are enforced upon all.
When one of the tribes embraced Islam, they requested an exemption from prayer for a period of time. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) refused and said, "There is no good in a religion that has no prayer in it."
Similarly, when the Companions tried to intercede with the Prophet (peace be upon him) through Usama ibn Zayd—his beloved and the son of his beloved—on behalf of a woman from Quraysh, from the Banu Makhzum clan, who had committed theft and was liable for the punishment of cutting off the hand, the Prophet (peace be upon him) became angered. He expressed his well-known historical outrage and uttered his timeless words:
"Indeed, those before you were destroyed because if a noble person among them stole, they would let him go, but if a weak person stole, they would apply the punishment on him. By Allah, if Fatimah, the daughter of Muhammad, were to steal, I would cut off her hand."
During the era of the Rightly Guided Caliphs, many examples demonstrated the application of the principle of equality among all people, without discrimination or favoritism. One significant example is the story of Jabala ibn al-Ayham, the Ghassanid prince, and the Bedouin who complained to the Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab that Jabala had struck him without cause. Umar immediately summoned Jabala and demanded that he allow the Bedouin to retaliate—a slap for a slap—unless he chose to pardon him.
Jabala, unable to accept such justice, protested to Umar, saying, "How can he retaliate against me when I am a king and he is just an ordinary man?"
Umar replied firmly, "Islam has made you both equal."
Jabala, failing to comprehend this profound principle, fled from Medina, renouncing Islam, which imposed equality between the king and the commoner before the law of Allah. His misfortune overtook him, and he was among the losers.
Neither Umar nor his fellow Companions were troubled by this outcome, for the loss of one individual from Islam was far less significant than compromising a great principle of Islam—equality. The loss of a single person cannot be compared to the loss of a fundamental principle.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Published By al-qaradawi.net
