How does Islam View Diversity?

How does Islam View Diversity?

The principle in Islam is respect for the human being—who is the best of God’s creation—without the slightest distinction in terms of gender, whether male or female, or in terms of color, language, or ethnicity. The Almighty God says: “O mankind! Indeed We created you from a male and a female, and made you nations and tribes that you may identify with one another. Indeed the noblest of you in the sight of God is the most Godwary among you. Indeed God is all-knowing, all-aware.” (Al-Hujurat 49:13). The sole criterion is piety—nothing else.

It is narrated from the Noble Prophet (pbuh&hf) that he said: “O people! Your Lord is one, and your father is one. You are all from Adam, and Adam is from dust. The most honored of you in the sight of God is the most Godwary of you. An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab except through piety.” (Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 73, p. 350)

Islam condemns using race, lineage, or color as a basis for arrogance and boasting over others, and prohibits fanaticism toward race, lineage, or color. It is narrated from Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) that he said: “Whoever practices chauvinism, or has chauvinism practiced on his behalf, has removed the noose of faith from his neck.” (Al-Kulayni, al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 307)

Indeed, it is not objectionable for a person to love and be loyal to his people, clan, or tribe. It is narrated from the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him): “…And honor your kin, for they are the wing with which you fly, and your root to which you return…” (Al-Radi, Nahj al-Balaghah, Sermons, vol. 3, p. 57). However, to prefer them over others without just cause—such as knowledge, virtue, or piety—and instead for an invalid reason like race, lineage, or color, is detestable and entirely unacceptable. Even worse, more blameworthy, and more disgraceful is when a person prefers the wicked among his own people over the virtuous of another people; that is the height of reprehensibility. It is narrated from Imam Zayn al-ʿAbidin (peace be upon him) that when asked about fanaticism, he said: “Fanaticism for which its possessor is sinful is when a man considers the wicked of his people to be better than the righteous of another people. It is not fanaticism for a man to love his people, but fanaticism is to support one’s people in wrongdoing.” (Al-Kulayni, al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 308)

Islam views faith as the foundation of relationships between human beings—not color, race, or lineage, as God says in the Quran: “Indeed the believers are brothers.” (Al-Hujurat 49:10)

It is narrated from the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): “The example of the believers in their affection, compassion, and mercy for one another is like the example of a body: when one limb suffers, the whole body responds with sleeplessness and fever.” (Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 58, p. 150). He also said: “The believers are brothers; their blood is of equal value, and they are united against those other than them.” (Al-Mufid, al-Amali, vol. [number not provided], p. [number not provided])