O people! Your God is one and your forefather (Adam) is one. An Arab is not better than a non-Arab and a non-Arab is not better than an Arab, and a red (i.e. white tinged with red) person is not better than a black person and a black person is not better than a red person, except in piety.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- All humans are equal before God; superiority comes only from piety, not race or ethnicity.
- In plain terms
- Racial or ethnic superiority is invalid; only piety matters.
- What can you take from it?
- Judge people by character, not background.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How can societies embody this equality?
- What obstacles exist to piety‑based merit?
Another view
Historical biases may resist this teaching.
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