Muhammadul-fareed Ajimoti, Student of Philosophy and Al-Fawaz Ajimoti, Student Jamia Ahmadiyya International Ghana
Beyond the veil of the physical world lies a realm where human existence and racial identity intersect. Philosophers and theologians have studied this complex area for centuries to uncover the deep mysteries of what it means to be human.
The metaphysical nature of our human race is a profound subject hidden beneath multiple layers of mystery which requires a delicate approach to uncover. For years, philosophers have sought to shed light on matters relating to our collective existence, considering the biological and socio-political implications of the matter.
The term “race” has several meanings, depending on the context in which it is used. According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the definition of race falls into:
1. Any one of the groups that human beings can be divided into based on shared distinctive physical traits
2. A group of people sharing a common cultural, geographical, linguistic, or religious origin or background
3. A major group of living things considered as a category (“Usage of Race”, www.merriam-webster.com)
The biological definition is that race refers to groups of humans who share certain distinctive physical traits. These traits are often regarded as common among people of shared ancestry. The categories of race include racial and national origins, as well as sociocultural groups. Over the years, race has been used to categorise people based on cultural, geographical, linguistic, and/or religious origin. For instance, the term has been applied to groups such as the Saxons, Norwegians, and Catalonians. In the holy books, like the Quran and the Bible, we find references to the “race of mankind”.
Do races exist?
Historically, one of the earliest ways human races were evaluated was in the form of a hierarchy. This hierarchy placed the ‘Caucasian’ race at the top, with other races increasingly lower down. ‘Negros’, as they were called, were often at the bottom as this was the time of European colonialism and white Europeans wanted to justify the exploitation of West Africa – hence this notion of them being less intelligent and even less human was popular. This period of biological determinism and overt racism could be seen as the origin of the concept of race.
Initially, the idea of race as a categorising term for human beings emerged in the late 16th century with a generalised meaning similar to other classifying terms. “Perhaps the first, unconscious stirrings of the concept of race arose within the Iberian Peninsula. Following the Moorish conquest of Andalusia in the eighth century C.E., the Iberian Peninsula became the site of the greatest intermingling between Jewish, Christian, and Muslim believers. During and after their reconquista (reconquest) of the Muslim principalities in the peninsula, the Catholic Monarchs Isabel and Ferdinand sought to establish a uniformly Christian state by expelling first the Jews (in 1492) and then the Muslims (in 1502).” (“Race”, https://plato.stanford.edu)
The status of race: Biological or socio-political?
The concept of race historically involved dividing humanity into distinct groups based on biological characteristics, but this traditional view has faced challenges, with some thinkers questioning the coherence and existence of races: “If the way people LOOKED entailed that they belonged to a distinct race, then GINGERS would be an individual race. After all, they are distinctly identifiable by their pale skin, freckles, and orange-red hair. But, gingers are not a distinct race. In short, ‘looking a certain (distinctive) way’ is not a sufficient condition for being of a distinct race.” (“The Metaphysics of Race”, race.pdf (colorado.edu))
Many philosophers believe that race is socially constructed. This means, “in simple terms, that it is a human invention and not a biological fact. The concept of ‘race’ has developed over time in order to accommodate different societies’ needs of organising themselves as separate from the ‘other’.” (“Race and society”, www.wikipedia.org)
However, by the seventeenth century, the word ‘race’ started to acquire a different meaning. In Britain, for example, it began to be used to define those who held power as ‘white’. Those who were not considered ‘white’ often experienced discrimination, no matter what the colour of their skin was. (“How was the concept of ‘race’ invented?”, www.open.edu) This classification system was used to justify the subjugation and exploitation of certain groups, particularly those from Africa and indigenous populations in the Americas.
Insights from Islamic literature
It is no news that Western philosophy has historically grappled with the concept of race, often linking it to notions of essence, identity, and hierarchy. However, it’s incredible how, before both Renaissance thinkers’ and philosophers’ attempts to solve the issues relating to racial identity, the Holy Quran dealt with the matter extensively over 1400 years ago, offering solutions to both aforementioned questions. Thus, Allah the Almighty states:
یٰۤاَیُّہَا النَّاسُ اِنَّا خَلَقۡنٰکُمۡ مِّنۡ ذَکَرٍ وَّاُنۡثٰی وَجَعَلۡنٰکُمۡ شُعُوۡبًا وَّقَبَآئِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوۡا ؕ اِنَّ اَکۡرَمَکُمۡ عِنۡدَ اللّٰہِ اَتۡقٰکُمۡ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ عَلِیۡمٌ خَبِیۡرٌ
“O mankind, We have created you from a male and a female; and We have made you into tribes and sub-tribes that you may recognise one another. Verily, the most honourable among you, in the sight of Allah, is he who is the most righteous among you. Surely, Allah is All-knowing, All-Aware.” (Surah al-Hujurat, Ch.49: V.14)
In the Five Volume Commentary, we read: “The verse, in fact, constitutes the Magna Carta of human fraternity and equality. It has firmly laid the axe at the false and foolish notions of superiority, born of racial arrogance or national conceit. All men having been “created from a male and a female” as human beings have been declared equal in the sight of God. The worth of a man is not to be judged by the pigment of his skin, the amount of wealth he possesses or by his rank or social status, descent or pedigree, but by his moral greatness and the way in which he discharges his obligations to God and man.” (Five Volume Commentary, Vol. 5, p. 2964)
The whole human race is one family. The division into tribes, nations, and races is meant to give them a better knowledge of one another so that they might benefit from one another’s national characteristics and good qualities. This, according to Islam, is the criterion of a person’s greatness and this is the only true and real criterion. (Ibid)
Similarly, The Holy Prophetsa beautifully explained this idea during his farewell pilgrimage speech. He instructed: “O men, your God is One and your ancestor is one. An Arab possesses no superiority over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab over an Arab. A white man is in no way superior to a black nor for that matter, is a black man better than a white.” (“The Holy Prophet: A Messenger of Peace and Reconciliation”, www.alislam.org)
These noble words spoken by the Holy Prophetsa epitomise one of Islam’s loftiest ideals and strongest principles. It emphasises the unity and equality of humanity, regardless of racial or ethnic disparity. It highlights that true nobility is based on righteousness and piety, not physical characteristics. Therefore, man cannot be categorised as being superior to another simply based on his looks or power. Rather, as opposed to the modern-day hierarchy system, the Islamic standard for measuring superiority is taqwa (righteousness).
Conclusion
A comparative analysis of philosophical and Islamic perspectives on race reveals both convergence and divergence. While modern philosophy grapples with determining the nature or status of the human race, Islam acknowledges both the diversity of human physical differences and the spiritual ranking of individuals based on their righteousness.
Scientifically speaking, most species are created with high genetic diversity. Humans, however, have DNA that is more than 99.9% similar between all individuals. Take a moment; look at the person to your left and to your right. You are almost identical to all these people – 99.9%. Other species have a genetic diversity at least 50 times greater than our own. It is astonishing just how alike Allah has made all of us.
This means the difference between us as human is 0.01%. This number is so infinitesimal, that we could round off and one could say Allah has made us as one. (“Islam – Beyond Culture and Ethnicity”, www.alislam.org)
The Promised Messiahas said: “Allah desires to make all of mankind as if they were one person. This could also be called a democratic singularity. Under this concept the diversity of mankind could be considered as one individual. The purpose of religion is also that the human race be united in the form the beads of a tasbeeh (rosary) through one thread.” (Malfuzat, Vol. 4, p. 100)