Nationalism is incompatible with the unity and brotherhood of Muslims because Islam prioritizes religious ties over blood, tribal, and patriotic ties, considering piety and virtue as the criteria for superiority. In Islamic teachings, no one is superior to another based on their nation, tribe, language, race, or homeland. Allah Almighty has made these characteristics the means for human beings to know each other. The Holy Quran beautifully depicts this issue and explains the reason for the existence of groups, languages, and other human differences.
Islam has explicitly ruled out bigotry and has prohibited any kind of linguistic, ethnic, or tribal prejudice. In Islam, the best person in the sight of Allah is the one who is pious and conscious of Allah in all matters. Below, we refer to some verses and hadiths that prohibit bigotry:
A) Quranic Verses
1. Allah Almighty said: «یَا أَیُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاکُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلْنَاکُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا ۚ إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِیرٌ» Translation: “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. Indeed, the most honorable of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Aware.”
2. Allah the Almighty said: «قُلْ إِن كَانَ آبَاؤُكُمْ وَأَبْنَاؤُكُمْ وَإِخْوَانُكُمْ وَأَزْوَاجُكُمْ وَعَشِیرَتُكُمْ وَأَمْوَالٌ اقْتَرَفْتُمُوهَا وَتِجَارَةٌ تَخْشَوْنَ كَسَادَهَا وَمَسَاكِنُ تَرْضَوْنَهَا أَحَبَّ إِلَیْكُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَجِهَادٍ فِی سَبِیلِهِ فَتَرَبَّصُوا حَتَّىٰ یَأْتِیَ اللَّهُ بِأَمْرِهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ لَا یَهْدِی الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِینَ» Translation: “Say: If your fathers, your children, your brothers, your wives, your relatives, your wealth, your trade, and the homes you love are dearer to you than Allah, His Messenger, and striving in His way, then wait until Allah brings about His decree. And Allah does not guide the disobedient people.”
This verse clearly warns Servants against ties of nationality and tribe that go beyond faith and belief.
3. Allah the Almighty said: «وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِیعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا» Translation: “And hold fast all together to the rope of Allah and do not become divided.”
This verse calls upon the servants to unite and avoid division and disagreement because division will cause the weakness and defeat of the Islamic nation.
4. Allah the Almighty said: «إِنَّ هَٰذِهِ أُمَّتُكُمْ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً وَأَنَا رَبُّكُمْ فَاعْبُدُونِ» Translation: “This is your nation, one nation, and I am your Lord, so worship Me.”
This call for unity encourages Muslims to maintain togetherness and avoid anything that causes division.
B) Hadiths of the Prophet (PBUH)
1. The Prophet (PBUH) said: «یَا أَیُّهَا النَّاسُ، أَلَا إِنَّ رَبَّكُمْ وَاحِدٌ، وَإِنَّ أَبَاكُمْ وَاحِدٌ، أَلَا لَا فَضْلَ لِعَرَبِیٍّ عَلَىٰ عَجَمِیٍّ، وَلَا لِعَجَمِیٍّ عَلَىٰ عَرَبِیٍّ، وَلَا لِأَحْمَرَ عَلَىٰ أَسْوَدَ، وَلَا أَسْوَدَ عَلَىٰ أَحْمَرَ، إِلَّا بِالتَّقْوَىٰ.» Translation: “O people, know that your Lord is One and your father is One (Hazrat Adam, PBUH). No Arab has any superiority over a non-Arab, no non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab, no white has any superiority over a black, and no black has any superiority over a white, except through piety.”
2. In another hadith narrated by Imam Muslim (may Allah bless him), the Prophet (PBUH) said: «وَمَنْ قَاتَلَ تَحْتَ رَایَةٍ عِمِیَّةٍ یَغْضَبُ لِعَصَبَةٍ، أَوْ یَدْعُو إِلَىٰ عَصَبَةٍ، أَوْ یَنْصُرُ عَصَبَةً فَقُتِلَ، فَقَتْلَةٌ جَاهِلِیَّةٌ.» Translation: “Whoever fights under a banner that is incited by national fanaticism or calls for fanaticism and dies in that state has died the death of ignorance.”
3. The Prophet (PBUH) said: «لَیْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ دَعَا إِلَىٰ عَصَبِیَّةٍ، وَلَیْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ قَاتَلَ عَلَىٰ عَصَبِیَّةٍ، وَلَیْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ مَاتَ عَلَىٰ عَصَبِیَّةٍ.» Translation: “He is not one of us who calls for fanaticism, fights on the basis of fanaticism, or dies on the basis of fanaticism.”
4. In another hadith, Abu Dawood narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) was asked about fanaticism. He said: «أَنْ تُعِینَ قَوْمَكَ عَلَىٰ الظُّلْمِ.» Translation: “This is to help your people in oppression.”
These verses and hadiths show that Islam strongly condemns all forms of prejudice, racism, and nationalism, and warns Muslims against it.
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