Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalamalaikum , Respected Brother Burhan. May Allah reward you appropriately for your services for Islam. There is a question which is bothering me for a while. I hope you will answer it in detail and clearify my confusion. Allah swt has said clearly in Quran that all human beings are equal and there is no distinction among them regarding race, caste,complexion etc. But somehow i can`t understand that if all human beings are equal why has Allah Subhanah created some races/ castes superior to others ? for example , The Tribe of Quraish in which our beloved Prophet Muhammad salalahu alai wasallam was born , was superior to other tribes of that time...isn’t that true?? infact not only among humans ,among animals and birds too , there is superiority for some and inferiority for others. like everyone knows that there is a difference betwen an alsatian dog and an ordinary street dog. there is difference between same birds and same animals because of their breed. isn`t it so ? i can go on and on giving such examples , like i have felt that Allah Subhanah has given fair complexion some kind of superiority over the tanned one....! and if you say that this is not right then why did Allah Subhanah give a fair complexion to the Prophet salalalu alai wasallam ? obviously the Prophet salalalu alai wasallam was perfect in all respects and it means that fair complexion does hold a superiority in the sight of Allah Subhanah......? I hope you have understood my question and please do pray for me that i am not held accountable for this kind of query.

waiting for your immediate reply.

Jazak Allah.

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Answer:

Fair complexion superiority

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: Allah swt has said clearly in Quran that all human beings are equal and there is no distinction among them regarding race, caste,complexion etc. But somehow i can`t understand that if all human beings are equal why has Allah Subhanah created some races/ castes superior to others ?

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 43 Surah Zukhruf verse 32: Is it they who would portion out the Mercy of thy Lord? It is We Who portion out between them their livelihood in the life of this world: and We raise some of them above others in ranks so that some may command work from others. But the Mercy of thy Lord is better than the (wealth) which they amass.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 17 Surah Israa verses 18-21:

18 If any do wish for the transitory things (of this life) We readily grant them--such things as We Will to such persons as We Will: in the end have We provided Hell for them: they will burn therein disgraced and rejected.

19 Those who do wish for the (things of) the Hereafter and strive therefor with all due striving and have Faith, they are the ones whose striving is acceptable (to Allah).

20 Of the bounties of thy Lord We bestow freely on all these, as well as those: the bounties of thy Lord are not closed (to anyone).

21 See how We have bestowed more on some than on others; but verily the Hereafter is more in rank and gradation, and more in excellence.

Dear and Beloved Sister in Islam, there is absolutely no doubt that in the life of this world Allah Subhanah has preferred some over the others; some He has given more wealth than the others, some He has given kingdoms and some not enough to eat; some He has given good looks and made others average, some (most) He has given all faculties of hearing, seeing, talking, etc. and for some He has withheld, etc. And thus involved mankind in a test!

Regardless of whatever He has bestowed on each, everyone, absolutely everyone, is equal in His Sight. Let no one who has been bestowed more than another think that it has anything to do with him, or that the Lord loves him more than the others, or that the Lord is pleased with him and his deeds and has thus rewarded him with the good of this life! It is not as if the one who has been bestowed with more in this life will have a better reward for his deeds, or will have an easier accounting on the Day of Judgment, etc.

The life of this short transitory world is nothing but a place of test; the day of rewards and punishments is the Day of Judgment! The ones who have been bestowed with more than the others are involved in a test of gratefulness; and the ones upon whom the Lord has withheld some of His mercies and bestowed only in strict measure are involved in a test of patience! Everyone is involved in a test, and everyone is absolutely equal in the sight of the Lord, the only exception being the pious and rigtheous amongst them; they are the only ones who are most honored in the Sight of the Lord!

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 49 Surah Hujuraat verse 13: O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).

There is absolutely no doubt that some are bestowed with abundance in all or some things from the Lord, and some are given in strict measure in the life of this world; and thus each and every one is involved by the Lord in a test to see who amongst them are grateful or ungrateful, patient or impatient! And only on the Day of Judgment will the results of the test be declared; and the successful ones will be separated from the unsuccessful!

On that Day there will be absolutely no discrimination or differentiation between the rich and the poor, the fair and the dark, the king and the pauper, etc.; but rather the differentiation will be based and sorted out in regards to one’s good and evil deeds. Everyone who passed the test of life will be graded and according to the level he passed will be allocated his portion of the Mercies and Bounties of the Lord; and everyone who failed the test will be graded and according to the level of his failure he will deserve his due punishment!

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan