By Dr. Emdad Khan.
Allah swt created human being to be diverse and inclusive.
Races and Tribes: Surah Al-Hujaraat v49.13
يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقۡنَـٰكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ۬ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلۡنَـٰكُمۡ شُعُوبً۬ا وَقَبَآٮِٕلَ لِتَعَارَفُوٓاْۚ إِنَّ أَڪۡرَمَكُمۡ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ أَتۡقَٮٰكُمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ۬ (١٣) سُوۡرَةُ الحُجرَات
O mankind, We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into races and tribes, so that you may identify/know one another. Surely the noblest/most honoured of you, in Allah’s sight, is the one who is most pious/God Conscious of you. Surely Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware. (49.13) Surah Al-Hujraat
Languages and Color: Sura Al-room v30.22
وَمِنۡ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ خَلۡقُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَٱخۡتِلَـٰفُ أَلۡسِنَتِڪُمۡ وَأَلۡوَٲنِكُمۡۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٲلِكَ لَأَيَـٰتٍ۬ لِّلۡعَـٰلِمِينَ (٢٢) سُوۡرَةُ الرُّوم
And of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the difference of your languages and colours. Indeed, these are signs for the persons of knowledge. (30. 22)
If analyze these two verses, we see our ethnicity, community or our body color or speaking languages, the Almighty created so we may know each other and deal with each other with respect and we are near to the Creator by our righteous actions only.
Arab /Non- Arab Superiority: “All humans are descended from Adam and Eve,” said Muhammad. “There is no superiority of an Arab over a non-Arab, or of a non-Arab over an Arab, and no superiority of a white person over a black person or of a black person over a white person, except on the basis of personal piety and righteousness.”
Here our beloved prophet, PBUH, also explicitly declared Arabs or non-Arabs or blacks or whites, each one is equal except piety and righteousness.
No Racism in Islam: Everyone equal, no difference based on ethnicity, color, language, let us all learn and respect, tolerance, and inclusiveness and accept the ethnic, cultural, and religious diversity in a multicultural Canada. The integration of ethnic and religious minorities with larger immigrants and mainstream Canadian society is an important social issue for Canadian mosaic.
Religious freedom and Tolerance: In Canada everyone have guaranteed freedom to practice religion, build religious institutions and celebrate religious festivals. So, it is important, we all be tolerant towards those whose religion or ethnicity or opinion differs from ours. We should not oppose or discriminate other religious or ethnic minorities. We may not agree with their practices, but we should be tolerant and inclusive.
