Islam & Racial Harmony (Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies B)
Revision Note
Muslim Teachings About Racial Harmony
Racial harmony means the idea that people live together in harmony, no matter what their ethnicity, race, or culture.
A society where this happens is known as a multi-ethnic society, and most people, including Muslims, see this as a positive thing
The Qur’an teaches that all humans come from the same starting point, the same 'single soul’
‘People, be mindful of your Lord, who created you from a single soul, and from it created its mate, and from the pair of them spread countless men and women far and wide’ (Qur’an 4:1)
All humans were created equal by Allah and so have equal worth in His eyes. This is known as the sanctity of life
Allah looks past the differences that cause inequalities between humans, such as colour or ethnicity
It is important that all live in racial harmony:
‘And among His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the difference of your languages and colours’ (Qur’an 30:22)
The final sermon of Muhammad
Muslims have a role model in the teaching and example set by the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in thinking about issues of racial harmony
In the Prophet’s Final Sermon (or Farewell Sermon) at Hajj, before he died, Muhammad (pbuh) taught about the importance of racial harmony
‘All mankind is from Adam and Eve. An Arab is not better than a non-Arab and a non-Arab is not better than an Arab; a white person is not better than a black person, nor is a black person better than a white person except by piety and good actions. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims form one brotherhood.’
No racial group is better than another. What marks people out in the eyes of Allah is their ‘piety and good actions’, meaning their faithfulness to Allah and their good deeds
Muslims believe that they are all Muslims part of the worldwide Ummah and are equal, wherever in the world they are
Racial harmony is an important part of living in the Ummah
Work of Muslims to Achieve Racial Harmony
There are many examples of racial harmony in Islam
The Hajj at Makkah is one of the greatest examples of racial harmony because people come from all over the world but are united and equal in the clothes they wear (ihram), the actions they perform, and the prayers they share as they worship Allah
Prayer is another example of racial harmony in action: Muslims worldwide all share the language of Arabic to worship Allah and everyone faces the same direction, towards Makkah for their prayer
At Ramadan, the worldwide Ummah unites in solidarity through fasting
At festivals such as Id ul-Adha and Id ul-Fitr, Muslims worldwide celebrate the same way and show unity before Allah. Muslims will pray for their brothers and sisters worldwide
Individuals and groups have worked for racial harmony throughout the history of Islam.
Individuals have included the famous civil rights campaigner Malcolm X in the USA during the Civil Rights Movement, and boxing champion Muhammad Ali
Groups include MuslimARC
Benefits for Muslims of a Multi-Ethnic Society
Living in a multi-ethnic society has several benefits for Muslims:
It is a richer lifestyle, allowing people to learn about different celebrations, food, languages, and costumes
It brings opportunities for people to meet and get to know people from different backgrounds to their own
It broadens everyone’s culture, as people learn to identify with others and find mutual understanding
It encourages racial tolerance as this is often driven by ignorance, and living in a multi-ethnic society wipes out such ignorance
It helps to reduce discrimination and race attacks
It brings people together and makes life more varied and diverse for everyone
Worked Example
Outline three reasons why Muslims seek racial harmony
(3 marks)
One reason why Muslims seek racial harmony is because the Qur'an teaches about its importance (1 mark)
Another reason is because they believe that all humans were created equally by Allah (1 mark)
A third reason is that they think that everyone is part of the ummah and this demonstrates equality (1 mark)
Examiner Tips and Tricks
You can find much more about the work of Islam for racial harmony in the next section, Islam and Racial Discrimination.
Be aware that the teachings from the Qur’an throughout these pages can all be used in a discussion about Islam and equality. They can be referred to when answering a 5-mark or 12-mark question on any of these topics. Therefore it is a good idea to revise these sections together so that you are sure you have a complete understanding of Islam and equality as it applies to several social issues
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