Muslims vs. Arabs

Muslims vs. Arabs

Like many parts of the world throughout history, 7th-century Arabia was afflicted with the social plague of tribalism, genealogy, and racism. Nearly 20 years after the emergence of Muhammad, almost all the tribes of the Arabian Peninsula had been united as one nation and after nearly 100 years this unity had extended to India, Africa, Central Asia, China, and Europe. 

In his final sermon, known as the ‘Farewell Sermon’, the Holy Prophet (pbuh&hp) reiterates a fundamental stance of Islam, saying:

“O’ people, indeed, your Lord is One. You all come from Adam (p) and Adam is from clay. The best among you in the sight of God is the most righteous. There is no superiority for an Arab over a non-Arab and vice-versa. Neither is the white superior over the black nor is the black superior over the white–except by piety.” [i]

Indeed, it is obvious that there is a linkage between Islam and the Arabian environment. After all, God revealed his final message to humanity in the Arabic language, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh&hp) was born in Mecca, and Islam emerged from Arabia. Islam emphasizes that all mankind descends from Adam (p) and Eve (p). Therefore, superiority is not given  Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor does a non-Arab have any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black nor does a black have any superiority over white except by piety and good action. The religion of Islam and being Arab, and by extension any race, background, ethnicity, etc.) are mutually exclusive subjects. In fact, the majority of Muslims across the world are non-Arabs. Vise-versa, many Arabs are Christians, Jewish, and other sects. Muslims in Far-east Asia, Africa, China, Latin America, and those who are from the states of the former Soviet Union/Russia such as Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, etc, are the majority of Muslims and they are non-Arab at all. 

[i] Page 34 of Tuhaf al-Uqool by Ibn Shu’bah al-Harrani and Page 3629 of Mizan al-Hikma by al-Mohammadi.