NOVEMBER 9

Respect for All

On seeing a funeral procession pass along a street in Madinah, the Prophet of Islam is recorded by one of his companions, Jabir ibn Abdullah, to have stood up. When his companions saw the Prophet standing, they too stood up. Then one of the companions asked the Prophet if it was not the funeral of a Jew. The Prophet replied: “You should stand up on seeing any funeral pass by.” According to another tradition, Sahal ibn Hunayf and Qays ibn Sad were in Qadsiya when a funeral procession passed by. On seeing it, both of them stood up. When told that it was the funeral of a non-Muslim, they immediately pointed out that when the Prophet had stood up for the funeral procession of a Jew, and a similar remonstrance had been made to him, he had replied: “Was he not a human being?” (Fathul Bari, 3/214).  This teaches us an extremely important principle of Islam, namely, that a human being is worthy of respect, regardless of his origins and traditions. This applies even if he belongs to an inimical community. Irrespective of his cultural and religious background, he will be looked upon as a human being and will be accorded all due honour. Man is a peerless creature of God. In the words of the Quran, man has been created in the noblest image: he is a masterpiece of creation. All human beings are specimens of God’s miracles. Therefore, in spite of the many ways in which they may differ from one’s own people, they are worthy of respect. All strangers deserve to be given due honour—simply in their capacity as human beings. The true believer sees divine light in everything. He sees in His own creation the miracle of the Creator. By an extension of the awe he feels for God’s handiwork, the believer is compelled to see all other human beings as creatures worthy of the greatest regard.