"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)." (Surah 49, Verse 13).
This magnificent principle of Islam makes it clear that no single nation, race, or tribe is better than the others. God created us all equal. In God's eyes, the best of us are the most righteous and most kind ones.
God created mankind as different races and nations although He could have created us all as one nation, with one language and one religion. However, as stated in the verse mentioned above, God created the different nations and tribes so that we get to know each other. Hence there is no reason to hate each other because we are different. This tells us that we should celebrate our differences and not hate each other based on them. Islam also teaches us to realize that no single race or people have supremacy over others, and that we are judged solely based on our actions. As a matter of fact diversity in nature is a matter of beauty and not conflict. This universe is beautiful because it is diverse and not homogeneous.
This verse also teaches us that we should live peacefully with other nations and tribes and we should respect each other and our differences. We should learn to live together and to get to know each other, and to engage in dialogue amongst all nations and treat every human being as being equal.
Restraint and Forgiveness
Islam places very premium on the attribute of restraint and forgiveness in human beings. As a matter of fact anger and vengeance are the animalistic instincts and being a human is to become superior to animals. The anger and vengeance have been the major causes of conflicts, fights and wars both at individual as awell as at global level. If a person is able to control his anger and shun the desire of revenge, he or she has in fact, done a wonderful job to achieve the peace. The holy Quran says in this regard:
“Those who restrain their anger and forgive the offences of their fellow men; and Allah loves Muhsieen .(Sura 3, Verses 132-34)
According to the above verses the dwellers of ‘ihsaan’ have to ‘restrain their anger’. Obviously in this we are dealing with a social problem the solution of which is clear: if it happens that somebody utters fowl words, the believer should pass over it peacefully and pay no heed to it. If his anger bursts into flames, he should keep himself away from violence, which is a kind of madness. He should suppress his anger and calm it down with the water of patience.
Anger is a natural psychological reaction in a social situation. One may therefore not object if a person feels insulted, but in spite of his wounded feelings he is expected to restrain his anger and behave peacefully. This is the duty of the dwellers of ‘ihsaan’, who form the majority, and such rules are within their own power.
Forgiveness is a more dignified state in which the wayfarer resides beyond the realm of anger and hatred. He does not think of revenge and will not become violent, for he understands the ignorance behind all hostile acts. So he forgives passionately.
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