The Prophet ﷺ said:
االناس سواسيه كااسنان المشط
An-naasu sawaasiyatan ka-asnaani' l-masht.
People are equal like the teeth of a comb.
And he ﷺ also said:
لافرق بين عربي ولا اعجمي الا بالتقوى
Laa farqa bayna arabiyywa laaajamiyy illa bi’t-taqwa.
There is no difference between Arabs and non-Arabs (one race and another) except in piety.
Prophet ﷺ didn't say “mu’mineen” or “Muslims” are equal, he said, “human beings are equal.”
He was able to say “mu’min” and “Muslim,” but he made people happy that Islam includes everyone. “Sawasiyatan” means human beings are equal, at the same level, just as all the teeth of a comb are equal, or it doesn’t work.
So human beings in the eyes of Allah (swt) and Prophet ﷺ are equal; there is no difference between an Arab or non-Arab except in piety.
Today, there is too much racism even within the Muslim community and also within mu’mins; one says, “Our race is better than yours!” and the other says they are better. Prophet ﷺ didn’t say that, nor did Allah (swt). Prophet ﷺ said “Illa,” there is difference in one thing (between people) and it is taqwa.
And taqwa is the indicator, the gauge. For example, if you take gems, diamonds and normal stones, and you bring the gauge and place the stone on it, it doesn’t move. Then you put an emerald on it, it moves a little and if you put a sapphire, it moves more, and then you put the diamond and it moves all the way.
So today, people are all under a heavenly gauge to show how pious they are.
Mawlana Shaykh Hisham Kabbani
