Islam & Equality (Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies B)

Muslim Teachings Regarding Inequality

The nature of inequality

• Equality means all humans being equal to one another, especially relating to their rights and opportunities

• Equality is stated as a human right in the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, which states in Article 1 that ‘All humans are born free and equal in dignity and rights’

• It is protected in UK law by the Equality Act 2010 which aims to ensure that discrimination is outlawed in society, including schools and workplaces

• However, there are many situations in which inequality persists, relating to race, ethnicity, gender, age, physical ability, and more 

• Inequality is caused by ignorance, selfishness, and greed

  • People may not have fair and equal access to opportunities, services, and employment

  • This can lead to anger

Muslim teachings about equality

• For Islam, equality is a key idea. One of the meanings of the word Islam is ‘peace’ and equality is needed for a peaceful society

• The Qur’an teaches that everyone was created equal by Allah and so has equal worth in His eyes

• Allah sees all humans as equal and looks past the differences that cause inequalities between humans, such as colour or ethnicity

• Everyone has the opportunity to know Allah because He sent messages to all via the prophets, as the Qur’an says, ‘we sent a messenger to every community’ (Qur’an 16:36)

• One of Allah’s names is Al-’Adl or ‘The Just’ 

  • Muslims must reflect this quality by being just in their own lives, and this includes treating all fellow humans as equal and working for equality everywhere

• All Muslims are part of the Ummah and are equal, wherever in the world they are

Case study on equality from the Hadith

• At the time of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) there was a respected woman in the Quraish tribe in Makkah who had committed theft

• The people were unsure what to do so Usumah, who was a friend of Muhammad (pbuh), asked him to overlook her crime to save any shame for her family

• Muhammad (pbuh) refused this request, saying

• This response shows the emphasis the Prophet placed on equality. He would be willing to enforce even the most severe punishment on his own daughter if she committed theft

  • Therefore no one should think of themselves as more important than the law - everyone should be equal

• The message for Muslims today is to follow the example set here.

  • If there was true equality, situations where people bend the rules to their own ends and get away with it, to the anger and frustration of others, should not exist.

  • Muslims should be just as committed to equality as the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was

Divergent Muslim Teachings and Practices Regarding Equality

• Many Muslim practices reflect the religion’s emphasis on equality for all

• The Qur’an makes it clear that men and women share the same religious obligations

• Every Muslim has the same duty to follow the Five Pillars of Islam and these show the idea of equality in action

  • Salah, the daily prayers, where all Muslims pray the same prayers, shoulder to shoulder, shows the idea of equality

  • The Hajj pilgrimage requires all Muslims, regardless of their social standing, to observe the same rituals and wear the same simple clothing

  • Zakah, the system of charitable giving, is intended to promote economic equality

• What matters is how good a Muslim they are, not whether they are male or female

• The Qur'an also teaches that men and women also share an equal responsibility for creating a better society

• Although men and women were created by Allah to be equal, they are not the same because their traditional roles are different in some respects

• While men are allowed to marry more than one wife, the Qur’an says that they must treat each wife equally (Qur’an 4:3) and states that this is very difficult (Qur’an 4:129). Therefore, polygamy is rare even in countries where it is permitted by law

• Muslim women are permitted to work and earn money and their husbands have no right to their earnings, although a wife has a right to her husband’s earnings

• Islam also allows women to have rights to property and inheritance

• Women do not have to attend the mosque for prayer, although they can

• At the mosque, women pray separately from men to avoid distractions for both genders

• While women cannot lead prayer in mixed groups, they can lead female groups in prayer and there is a growing movement working for women to have a more prominent role in Islam

• Many women are prominent and influential throughout the history of Islam, including the Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) wife Khadijah, and Maryam (Mary) the mother of Isa

• The Qur’an teaches that everyone who lives a good life will be equally rewarded by Allah

Islamic Solutions to Inequality

• Muslims seek solutions to inequality in the teachings of the Qur’an, Hadith, and Sunnah

• They respond to the teachings on equality and the example set by the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) by acting fairly to everyone in this life so that they will be rewarded in the akhirah

• Imams lead prayers for equality and peace throughout the world

• Mosques have many volunteers who work for equality in the local community by providing food, care, education, and counselling to those who need support

• Islam places a great emphasis on charity as a way to counter inequality

  • Zakah, the system of charitable giving, promotes economic equality

  • Khums, which is the additional money given by Shi’a Muslims to use for causes the community considers necessary to support, can also improve the quality of life for many and reduce inequality

  • Sadaqah, or optional giving to charity, is practised by many Muslims worldwide

    • Charities such as Islamic Relief and Muslim Aid work tirelessly towards a world with more equality for all