Belittle No One

“ O you who believe, stand out firmly for justice as witnesses to God, even against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it concerns, rich or poor, for God can best protect both.”_Quran 4:135

As Muslims, we should try our best to treat people fairly because we don’t know the true position of anyone before Allah SWT. 

Those whom we hold in high esteem are not necessarily so in the sight of God, and those whom we may be tempted to ignore could be the special ones before the Almighty.

A historical case in point happened when the Prophet (SAW) addressed the chieftains of Makkah with the hope and strong desire for them to accept Islam. 

While in their midst, a blind man, Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum (RA) came up to him and said: “O messenger of God, teach me from what God has taught you.”

However, the Prophet (SAW) didn’t attend to him because he (SAW) was focused at the moment on the prestigious group of Quraish leaders. 

Apparently, at that time, those Quraish leaders had the highest social capacity to support and strengthen the mission by their acceptance of Islam.

But as soon as the Prophet (SAW) had finished speaking to the leaders of Quraish, Allah SWT immediately sent down a revelation regarding that incidence (in Suratul Abasa Quran 80 verses 1-16) to teach us a lesson on fair treatment.

Allah said:

“He frowned and turned away when the blind man approached him! 

Yet for all you knew, (O Muhammad), he might perhaps have grown in purity or have been reminded of the Truth and helped by this reminder.

Now as for him who believes himself to be self-sufficient, to him do you give your whole attention, although you are not accountable for his failure to attain purity.

But as for him who came unto you full of eagerness and in awe of God, him did you disregard. 

Nay, this is but a reminder and so whoever is willing may remember Him in the light of his revelations blessed with dignity, lofty and pure, borne by the hands of messengers, noble and most pious.”

By that account, we are thus reminded by Allah Himself that everyone around us should be treated with fairness and respect because we are all slaves of Allah and no one is truly superior to others except the one who fears Allah, SWT, the most.