“Brotherhood in Islam”: Responding to the Killing of George Floyd

“America needs to understand Islam, because this is the one religion that erases from its
society the race problem.”

– Malcolm X

I want to be brutally honest.

When a heinous crime like the death of George Floyd happen, we see Muslims across the
world come up readily in outrage and demand justice for the deceased. we do not prefer
silence against inhumane treatment with a human being that claimed his life, even though
nobody talks about sufferings of Muslims. This is great and it is what should happen.

People in the west always blamed religion of Islam as barbaric and in recent times, racist
regimes in different countries of the world are relating terrorism with Islam, Often referring
acts of violence as “Islamic Terrorism”. However, the behaviour and attitude of Muslims
towards other communities is always guided by teachings of Prophet (PBUH) and injunctions
of Holy Quran itself.

It is often stated that “ Islam is the cause of many of today’s problems and does not bring
about peace and unity but hate and disunity!” From the intellectual point of view many of
the today’s problems derive from the fact that the world in which we live is rapidly
becoming one world. With modern technology, communication and transport, mankind is
no longer isolated from each other; instead mankind out of necessity must learn to live
close together in intimate contact with each other. But this requires many adjustments.

First of all mankind needs some sort of rules of conduct to help them interact with each
other. Since all mankind desires peace, then the only real way to achieve is through religion.
Religion is not the cause of many of today’s problems: it is misuse of religion.

Let’s understand what does religion in Islam mean?

Religion is a divine system of beliefs, acts of worship, and rules of conduct to enable human
beings to achieve nearness to Allah and to lead a peaceful life.

But a faith, if it is to fulfil man’s needs today, must, therefore, transcend tribal, national,
racial, and cultural limits, and must speak to men at universal level, this is achieved by Islam.
The Holy Quran opens with the verse:-

“All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all the worlds”. (Ch. 1: verse2)

This present the reader with a unified concept of humanity and of the Universe. The
message of Islam is not confined to any section of mankind; instead it embraces the whole
of mankind and the entire universe. As the Holy Quran relates:-
Say: O mankind! Truly I am a Messenger to you all from Allah to Whom belongs the
Kingdom of the heavens and the earth. There is no God, but He . He gives life and He causes
death....” (Ch.7: verse 159)

The advent of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) is described in the holy Quran as:

“A mercy for all people” (Ch. 21: verse 108)

Furthermore, Islam proclaims to be for the universal brotherhood of man.

“And hold fast, all together, by the rope of Allah and be not divided; and remember the
favour of Allah which He bestowed upon you when you were enemies and He united your
hearts in love, so that by His grace you became as brothers; and you were on the brink of a
pit off re and He saved you from it. Thus does Allah explain to you His commandments that
you may be guided” (Ch. 3: verse 104)

Islam recognises mankind’s diversity of colour, race, language etc. The Holy Quran relates:

“And among His signs are the creation of the heavens and earth, and the diversity of your
tongues and colours. In that surely are signs for those who possess knowledge (Ch. 30: verse
23)

But it proclaims that the standard that we should judge one another, should be that same
standard that God judges us by; not by the position, wealth or colour but by the purity and
righteousness of person’s life. Islam makes no distinction or privilege, whether pertaining to
colour, race or caste or derived from family, rank, or wealth. Instead it makes all mankind
one great brotherhood, and exhorts all of us to seek and win the pleasure of God through
the righteousness and beneficence of our conduct towards each other.

Therefore the only real answer to resolve many of today’s problems is to have one universal
religion for all mankind and Islam claims to be that religion. Through following the teachings
of Islam it will enable man to recognise his God and be able to interact with God.

Author: Tajamul Islam, is a student of Law at Kashmir University and can be reached at
tibhat84@gmail.com