213- The Qur’anic Message and A Call for Unity of Mankind (Series: Inviting Reflections)

The message of the Holy Qur’an is twofold: One for the Mankind in general including people of all world religions, particularly the Jews and the Christians, to adhere to the common religious dictates and higher values; and second for the Muslims to establish a society on the basis of Social Justice where neither the individual nor the society exploits each other.

Being a Universal and the Last Message of Allah, when the Holy Qur’an addresses mankind at large, it uses the phrase: 

  ."???????????? ???????? ????????? ????????? ??????? ????????? ???? ??????? ????????? ???????? ??????? ?????????"

(O people! Fear your Lord (Allah), Who created you from a single soul [Adam], and created from it its mate). Surah: 4, Verse: 1

Since Muhammad, peace be upon him, is the last in the chain of prophethood; he, peace be upon him, is commanded by Allah to announce before the mankind:

."???? ???????????? ???????? ?????? ??????? ??????? ?????????? ???????? ??????? ????? ?????? ????????????? ???????????? ??? ??????? ?????? ????"

([You Muhammad!] Say, "O people, I am the Messenger of Allah to you all---He to whom belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. There is no god but He). Surah: 7, Verse: 1.

In Madinah, when Muhammad, peace be upon him, was laying the foundations of a new society, with a different World View, the Holy Qur’an, without any coercion or compulsion to embrace Islam, repeatedly invited the People of Book, both the Jews and the Christians, to come to the common terms. In this regard, Muhammad, peace be upon him, was ordained to invite the People of Book, for example, one of such verses reads:

"???? ?????????? ?????????? ??????????? ?????? ???????? ???????? ????????? ???????????? ?????? ???????? ?????? ??????? ????? ???????? ????? ???????? ????? ????????? ????????? ??????? ?????????? ???? ????? ???????"

(O Muhammad!) Say, "O People of the Book, come to terms common between us and you: that we worship none but Allah, and that we associate nothing with Him, and that none of us takes others as lords besides Allah). Surah: 3, Verse: 64.

The other group which has been addressed by the Qur’an is the believers in Him and in the prophethood of Muhammad, peace be upon him, of all times. They have been addressed using the phrase: “???????????? ????????? ????????” (O you who believe!), educating them how to build a peaceful and caring society. For example, a Qur’anic verse reads:

."??? ???????? ????????? ??????? ???? ?????????? ??? ??? ???????????"

(O you who believe! Why do you say what you do not do?) Surah: 61, Verse: 2

For building a caring society the Holy Qur’an taught the believers higher values and warned and urged the rulers, those who are on the helm of affairs and the business community to be honest and God-fearing. A Qur’anic verse reads: 

."????????? ????????? ????? ?????????? ???? ?????????????? ? ????????? ?????????????? ?????????????? ? ????? ??????????? ???????? ?????????????"

(Give full measure, and do not cheat. And weigh with accurate scales. And do not defraud people of their belongings). Surah: 26, Verse: 181-183

Public Money and the National Resources are a Trust (???????) ) with the Ruling Elite for which they will be accountable before Allah on the Day of Judgement.

The Rulers of the Islamic States and Policy Makers are ordained to devise the Financial Policies through which the national wealth should not get accumulated in a few hands. On the contrary, the wealth in an Islamic society should circulate from the highest level to the gross roots. Allah says:

".???? ??? ??????? ???????? ?????? ??????????????? ??????? ? ????? ???????? ?????????? ????????? ????? ????????? ?????? ???????????......"

(….so that it (money) may not circulate solely between the wealthy among you. Whatever the Messenger gives you, accept it; and whatever he forbids you, abstain from it). Surah: 59, Verse: 7.

Muhammad Asad, in The Message of The Qur’an, while giving translation and explanatory notes, has commented very rightly that the expression [in the verse]: “It is, therefore, the duty of the Islamic state to bring such financial system in which wealth is not accumulated in a few hands and the circulation of money takes place from top to the ordinary people of the society”.

The Holy Qur’an warns the mankind and particularly the world nations which do not adhere to the morality and higher values that such systems which are based on coercion will not persist long and will change. The Divine Design is very well elaborated by Allah as He (Allah) says:

."...???????? ??? ??????? ???????? ?????????? ??? ???????? "

(…while that which is for the good of mankind remains on the earth). Surah: 13, Verse: 17

Mentioning His bounties and blessings on mankind, Allah says:                                    

"???????? ?????????? ????? ?????" (We have honored the sons of Adam). Surah:17, Verse:70

The Holy Qur’an dismisses all discriminations between people by claiming Unity of Mankind. Addressing the whole mankind, Allah says:

."????????? ???? ??????? ????????? ????? ?????? ??????? ?????????"

(He created you (all) from a single person: then created, of like nature, his mate). Surah: 39, Verse: 6

 No pre-Islamic civilization guaranteed basic rights to human beings which Muhammad, peace be upon him, presented in his address at Hijjah al-Wada‘ (The Farewell or Departing Pilgrimage) centuries before Magna Carta. Usually, Magna Carta is taken to be the first document on Basic Rights, whereas the Holy Qur’an had centuries before announced the exaltedness and respect of human life and honor, regardless of their creed, color and race. In the following, we give here a portion of the Last Address of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, as reported in a hadith by Ahmad bin Humbal in his Musnad: The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said: "O people! Indeed, your Lord is one and your father is one. Indeed, there is no superiority of an Arab over a non-Arab, nor of a non-Arab over an Arab, nor of a white over a black, nor a black over a white, except by taqwa. Have I conveyed the message?" They replied, "You have conveyed it, Messenger of Allah!" Then he said, "What day is this?" They replied, "A sacred day." Then he said, "What month is this?" They replied, "A sacred month." Then he said, "What city is this?" They replied, "A sacred city." He said, "Allah has made your blood and your property (the narrator said, 'I don't know if he said "and your honor" or not') as sacred as this day of yours, in this month of yours, in this city of yours. Have I conveyed the message?" They replied, "You have conveyed it, Messenger of Allah!" He said, "Let whoever is present tell whoever is absent." Ahmad bin Humbal, Musnad, Hadith # 22977.

The religion of Islam encompasses all dimensions of human life, may it pertain to individual or social life; therefore, Muhammad, peace be upon him, taught his followers that:

."??? ?????? ?????????? ???? ?????????? "                                                                  

(Good never brings forth but Good) which means that Good and lawful means bring good [results] only, implying that ends never justify means. Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith # 6427

I appeal to the scholars of the world religions, the international intelligentsia and the policy makers of world organizations to get united under the banner of Unity of Mankind before it is too late and the world is pushed towards endless wars---transcending ourselves from the boundaries of color, creed and spoils.

For those who do not pay any heed to the dictates of the Qur’an, the Holy Qur’an has illustrated their position in a comprehensive and most impressive way:

?????????? ??? ??????? ???????????? ???????? ??????? ?????????? ??????? ??? ?????????".                                              ”

(Truly it is not their eyes that are blind, but their hearts which are in their breasts). Surah: 22, Verse: 46.