All Praises are due to Allah (SWT), the Most Merciful, the Swift in Reckoning, the Supreme, the One who is Just and has commanded us to be just and treat each other equally. We praise Him, we seek his forgiveness, we hope for his mercy and his unlimited blessings upon us.

Whomsoever has been guided, whomsoever has drank from the fountain of guidance from Allah and His Messenger, there is none, there is no individual who can misguide that person.

Whomsoever has been misguided, and is preparing himself to live in fire in this life and to be of the inhabitants of the fire in the next .life, whomsoever has disobeyed and rejected Allah and His Messenger, preferring to drink liquid iron in the next life, there is none who can guide this person.

I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah (SWT) alone, the Supreme, the Giver of life, the Giver of affection, justice and tranquility.

I bear witness that the Prophet Muhammed (SAW) is his last and final Prophet to humanity. The one sent by Allah (SWT) to guide and was sent to us to convey the message of la illah ha illah. The one who was sent by Allah as a mercy to mankind, the best of all examples, who's guidance we must firmly cling on too. The one who has ordered us to be equal and just with each other, to love and to show compassion to each other.

The Prophet Muhammed (SAW) was indeed a unique individual, who's noble character, who's noble manners was of such it has built and embedded a solid example for humanity.

Our discussion today will be of the crucial subject of equality, equality is an important and crucial element of Islam. Islam, indeed, the message of La illah ha illah, none has the right to be worshipped except Allah was sent, so that man may worship the Creator alone and establish love and affection amongst humanity.

History of the life of our beloved Prophet, Allah's Messenger, the Prophet Muhammed (SAW), is filled with pages and pages of love, this unique sense of equality, the protection of the honor of women, the weak, the poor, without any discrimination in race and color. The Prophet Muhammed (SAW) embedded a solid example of equality and justice, and has ordered his companions, and us today as his ummah, his nation, to continue this.

The Supreme Lord, Allah (SWT) says in the Quran:

O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honourable of you with Allâh is that (believer) who has At-Taqwa [i.e. one of the Muttaqûn (pious - see V.2:2). Verily, Allâh is All-Knowing, All-Aware.

For indeed Allah (SWT) has created us from our fathers and bore us in the wombs of our mothers, then we have grown to be apart of different nations and different tribes, belonging to different races, being of different levels of our society, yet the fact of the matter is, as Allah (SWT) says, that indeed the best of you is he who is the most righteous. The best individual is not the white, or the black, or the rich or the poor, however the best individual is the one who is the most righteous, the one who has taqwa, the one who fulfills his covenant with his Lord Allah (SWT). The one who honors and follows the footsteps of the Prophet Muhammed (SAW), the one who's heart is filled with the light of faith and guidance. The individual whom Allah says is the most "honorable" is the same individual who honors his guest, fulfills the needs of his neighbor, through his efforts he tries to look after the weak, the widowed, and the poor.

This is our duty, Allah (SWT) sent Islam to humanity so that mankind may reestablish justice, love, mercy, all of mankind in the sight of Allah (SWT) is equal to the teeth of a comb.

Near to the end of the of our beloved Prophet Muhammed (SAW), when he was performing his pilgramage to Makkah, he stood upon the sacred mountain of Arafat, and delivered a sermon that is unique and filled with a sea of guidance to the people.

This sermon of our beloved Prophet Muhammed (SAW) were as his final instructions to humanity.

I will quote a portion of this sermon to widen our understanding about the subject of equality.

The Prophet Muhammed (SAW) said instructed us, and this I quote is the first portion of his sermon, he (SAW) said:

"O People, lend me an attentive ear, for I know not whether after this year, I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore listen to what I am saying to you very carefully and TAKE THESE WORDS TO THOSE WHO COULD NOT BE PRESENT HERE TODAY.

O People, just as you regard this month, this day, this city as Sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners. Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you. Remember that you will indeed meet your LORD, and that HE will indeed reckon your deeds."

Another crucial element in this sermon that highlights our subject and will further broaden our understanding is:

"O People, it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women, but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under Allah's trust and with His permission. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers. "
 

Now I am sure it is easier for you to grasp a better comprehension of this subject, however listen on to the unique advice of our beloved Prophet (SAW), and your mind will just realize why was he indeed the mercy to mankind! The Prophet Muhammed (SAW), the best of all creation and the best of all guidance said:

All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselves.

A huge portion of this sermon is dedicated and further highlights the subject of equality.

Our race, our status, our nationalities, and wealth that we accumulated, the reality of the matter is that our souls, the very souls that our bodies posses, was sent to this world by Allah (SWT) empty handed and we will return to Allah (SWT) empty handed taking only the good and bad actions that we have done while we were alive.

Therefore, whatever blessings we have in this life, it is not for us to be proud of, it is not for us to think of ourselves as better than others, however it is a trust from Allah (SWT) granted to us, and verily we will be accountable for every bit of this trust.

A Muslim is the one who submits himself, his heart, his tongue, the limbs of his body, and his desires to will of his Creator, Allah (SWT) and to the message delivered to us by the best of all teachers, the Prophet Muhammed (SAW).

Equality of race is the main reason why Islam was and is the fastest growing religion in the world, it is the reason why many, literally thousands and thousands have accepted, it is a universal message of equality, justice and love.

Abu Dhar Al-Ghafari (R.A), a great companion of the Prophet Muhammed (SAW) once uttered out of ignorance words of disrespect the great companion from Abysinnya, of black skin tone, Bilal ibn Rabah (R.A). As soon as the Prophet Muhammed (SAW) heard of this, his blessed face displayed anger and unacceptance, and he rebuked Abu Dhar (R.A) for what he said by saying to him that elements of Jahillyah igrnoace are still present in Abu Dhar (R.A). Thereafter, Abu Dhar (R.A) realize his mistake and immediately placed his face in the ground ordering Bilal bin Rabah (R.A) to step upon his head.

This my brothers and sisters displays very clearly the equality or race in Islam. Another benefit we extract is from the fact of Abu Dhar Al-Ghafari (R.A)'s unique ability to realize his mistake and to immediately find ways to solve the mistake.

I pray to Allah (SWT), the Supreme Lord of the heavens earth, the lover of justice, I pray to Allah to allow us, the Muslims of today to be of those who continue to establish love, mercy, and equality!

I pray to Allah (SWT) to remove the blackness that has deeply rooted our hearts, to allow our hearts to be filled with the unique lantern of iman, to expand our chests with guidance.

I pray to Allah (SWT) to give us a thirst for knowledge, to fill our hearts with love for Him and love for the ways and the life of the Prophet Muhammed (SAW) and the lives of his companions. To allow us to walk in their blessed footsteps, to remove the dirt and the filth from our hearts, from our intellect, and from our eyes.

May Allah (SWT) reward you for listening to my talk, and I pray that we are the ones who put our knowledge in to practice!