Where does it come from?

Contrary to popular belief, Lorem Ipsum is not simply random text. It has roots in a piece of classical Latin literature from 45 BC, making it over 2000 years old. Richard McClintock, a Latin professor at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia, looked up one of the more obscure Latin words, consectetur, from a Lorem Ipsum passage, and going through the cites of the word in classical literature, discovered the undoubtable source. Lorem Ipsum comes from sections 1.10.32 and 1.10.33 of “de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum” (The Extremes of Good and Evil) by Cicero, written in 45 BC. This book is a treatise on the theory of ethics, very popular during the Renaissance. The first line of Lorem Ipsum, “Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet..”, comes from a line in section 1.10.32.

The standard chunk of Lorem Ipsum used since the 1500s is reproduced below for those interested. Sections 1.10.32 and 1.10.33 from “de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum” by Cicero are also reproduced in their exact original form, accompanied by English versions from the 1914 translation by H. Rackham.

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No matter how much it is tried, truth never remains hidden. We will see in this message how Abu Jahl, who was one of the staunchest of the enemies of Islam, had himself reasoned why he didn’t accept Islam and always gave pain to Prophet Muhammed ﷺ.

Those leaders of Makkah whose daily work was to bring agony to Muslims, defame Islam, and stop people from accepting Islam, used to listen to the Quranic verses while hiding themselves. By doing this they used to quench their thirst which they had for Arabic literature.

Once Akhnas bin Shareeq, Abu Sufyan (who had not accepted Islam by then), and Abu Jahl hid themselves and kept listening to the Qur’an for three consecutive days while Sayyiduna Rasoolullah ﷺ recited it. The following day Akhnas bin Shareeq asked Abu Jahl: “Tell me the truth. You have listened to what Mohammed (ﷺ ) has been reciting. Tell me what you think of it (Qur’an).” Abu Jahl replied: “We always competed against the children of Abd Munaf. When they distributed food among people we did the same. When they helped the travellers in transportation we did the same. When they practised charity we did the same. But while we were working with them shoulder to shoulder, the people of Abdul Munaf said: ‘We have a prophet among us, who receives revelations from the heavens.’ From where can we bring this match and equality? I swear that we will never believe in it (Qur’an).” (Ibn Hisham: 1:338, Egyptian print)

This was that a reason why Abu Jahl and other prominent leaders of Quraish rejected Islam, Quran, and the noble message brought by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Their leadership and their statuses were more important to them. Believing in Prophet Muhammad ﷺ they thought would result in losing all of them. It’s a different thing that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ never challenged their leadership, but mean and materialistic mind of Abu Jahl thus couldn’t see the truth. Additionally, his denial was not on the basis of rationality or proof, but because of his own stubbornness, jealousy, narrow mindedness, prejudice and opposition just for the sake of opposing.

Learning: Despite all this, Sayyiduna Rasoolullah ﷺ never ill-willed for Abu Jahl. This in itself is a miracle. But the bitter opposer of Islam didn’t change himself. Hence if we see today people with similar mentality, we can just pray for their hidayah and carry on.

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Prophetic teachings against Racism:

Prophet Muhammed ﷺ was sent as a mercy to the universe, and thus he was merciful towards all the people irrespective of their race, colour or ethnicity. The finest example of his anti-racist practice can be seen from the fact that he got Hazrat Bilal (a companion who was once a black slave) freed from slavery and honored him to such an extent that he not only made him his companion but also assigned him as the first Muaddhin (caller to prayer). Some of his Anti racists teachings from Ahadith are mentioned below.

Abu Musa al-Ashari (ra) reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Verily, Allah Almighty created Adam (a.s.) from a handful which He took from the earth, so the children of Adam come in accordance with the earth. Some come with red skin, white skin, or black skin, and whatever is in between (smooth and rough, bad and good).” (Sunan al-Tirmidhī # 2955)

Ibn Umar (ra) reported: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ delivered a sermon to the people on the day Makkah was liberated. The Prophet said, “O people, Allah have removed the slogans of ignorance from you and the exaltation of its forefathers. The people are only two kinds: either a righteous, Godfearing believer dignified to Allah, or a wicked, miserable sinner insignificant to Allah. The people are all the children of Adam and Adam was created from dust. Allah said: O people, We have created you male and female and made you into nations and tribes that you may know one another. Verily, the most noble to Allah is the most righteous of you.” (49:13)   (Sunan al-Tirmidhī # 3270)

Uqbah ibn Amir (ra) reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Verily, these lineages of yours cannot be used to disparage anyone. You are all the children of Adam, going back to him equally and cannot be exceeded. “No one is better than anyone else, except by religion or good deeds/ piety. It is enough sin for a man to be obscene, vulgar, miserly, or cowardly.” (Musnad Ahmed #17313 ; Bayhaqi, Shu’ab al-Imān # 4782)

Abu Dharr (ra) reported: The Prophet ﷺ said, “Behold! Verily, you have no virtue over one with white skin or black skin, except by favor of righteousness.” (Musnad Aḥmad # 21407)

Jabir ibn Abdullah (ra) reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ addressed us during the middle of the day at the end of the pilgrimage in the farewell sermon. The Prophet ﷺ said, “O people, your Lord is one and your father Adam is one. There is no virtue of an Arab over a foreigner, nor a foreigner over an Arab, and neither white over black nor black over white, except by righteousness. Have I not delivered the message?” They said, “Of course, O Messenger of Allah.” The Prophet ﷺ said, “Let the witness inform those who are absent.” (Bayhaqi, Shu’ab al-Imān # 4774; Musnad Aḥmad # 23489)

Umm al-Husayn (ra) reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ delivered a sermon during the farewell pilgrimage, saying, “Even if an Abyssinian slave were appointed in charge over you and he leads you with the Book of Allah, you must listen and obey.” (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim # 1838)

Equality in treating servants & slaves

Al-Ma’rur ibn Suwayd (ra) reported: I met Abu Dharr while he was wearing the same clothes as his servant boy. I asked him about it and he said, “I once abused a man and insulted his mother, so the Prophet ﷺ said to me, ‘O Abu Dharr, you insulted him by his mother? You are a man with ignorance in you. They are your brothers and your assistants. Allah has placed them in your hands. Whoever has his brother in his custody, let him feed him with the same food he eats and clothe him with the same clothes he wears. Do not assign them a task they cannot do; if you do so, then help them.” (Ṣaḥiḥ al-Bukhārī # 30, Ṣaḥiḥ Muslim # 1661)

The messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “When the slave of anyone of you brings his food to him, for which he (the slave) has worked hard and endured heat, let him invite him to eat with him, and if he does not do that then let him take a morsel and put it in his hand.” (Sunan Ibn Majah # 3290)

Narrated Abu Huraira (ra): A black person, a male or a female used to clean the Mosque and then died. The Prophet ﷺ did not know about it. One day the Prophet ﷺ remembered him and said, “What happened to that person?” The people replied, “O Allah’s Messenger ﷺ! He died.” He said, “Why did you not inform me?” They said, “His story was so and so (i.e. regarded him as insignificant).” He said, “Show me his grave.” He then went to his grave and offered the funeral prayer. (Sahih al-Bukhari # 1337)

Equality in Justice and punishment

Sayyida Aisha (ra) reported: The Quraysh had been anxious about a woman who had committed theft and they said, “Who will speak to the Messenger of Allah about her?” Some said, “Who would dare to but Usama (ra), one beloved by the Messenger of Allah?” Thus, Usama (ra) spoke to him and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Do you intercede regarding a punishment prescribed by Allah?” The Prophet ﷺ then stood up and addressed the people, saying, “O people, those who came before you were destroyed because if a person of high status committed theft among them, they would spare him, but if a person of lower status committed theft, they would apply the punishment upon him. By Allah, if Fatima the daughter of Muhammad were to steal, I would have cut off her hand.” (Sahih al Bukhari # 6788; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim # 1688)

Once a man from the Muslims killed a man from the People of Book (Jew or Christian). The case was presented to the Prophet ﷺ and he said “I am most responsible of all for fulfilling the rights of those under his care (non-Muslim citizens). Then he ordered (the killing of the Muslim killer by way of retribution) and he was killed. (Musnad al Shafi’i , 1/343)

Equality in treating Wives

Abu Huraira (ra) reported the Prophet ﷺ as saying, “When a man has two wives and does not treat them equally he will come on the day of resurrection with a side hanging down.” (Sunan Tirmidhi # 1141)

Equality in treating children

Narrated An-Nu’man ibn Bashir (ra): The Prophet ﷺ said: Act equally between your children; act equally between your sons. (Sunan Abi Dawud # 3544)

Sayyiduna Anas (ra) reported: A man was with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ when his son came. He kissed him and sat him down on his thigh. Then, his daughter came and she sat to his side. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Why do you not treat them equally?” (Tahawi, Sharḥ Maʻānī al-Āthār # 5847)

Friendly treatment with Villagers (Bedouins)

In today’s modern world, most of the people dwelling in cities look down upon villagers and they don’t prefer to mingle with them or treat them with same dignity with which they treat city dwellers. But Holy Prophet ﷺ didn’t make any such discrimination and he used to be friendly and fondly with villagers giving them their due honor. Here is one beautiful example of his treatment with one Bedouin companion.

Sayyiduna Anas ibn Malik (ra) said:”There was a man among the people of the desert — his name was Zahir — and he used to bring the Prophet ﷺ a present from the desert, so the Prophet ﷺ would equip him when he wished to go out to battle. “The Prophet ﷺ said:‘Zahir is our desert, and we are his towns’. He ﷺ used to love him, though he was a homely man, Prophet ﷺ  came to him one day while he was selling his wares, and embraced him from behind so that he couldn’t see who it was. So he said: ‘Who is this? Let go of me!’ Then he turned around and recognized the Prophet ﷺ. Once he recognized the Prophet ﷺ, he kept his back pressed to the Prophet’s chest, so the Prophet ﷺ proceeded to say (jokingly): ‘Who will buy this slave?’ Zahir said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, in that case, by Allah, you will find me an unsellable commodity!’ The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘But you are not an unsellable commodity in the view of Allah,’ or he said: ‘You are precious to Allah!’“

(Tirmidhi, Shamail al Muhammadiya # 238)

It should be understood that, when Islam talks about equality, it doesn’t mean to defy or neutralize the virtues or positive qualities of a person against a person lacking them. It only means that one should not discriminate or act partially based on natural traits like gender, race, colour, place etc but when it comes to acquired/developed qualities of people, absolute equality cannot be practiced. Those having positive qualities of humanity like knowledge, wisdom, good manners, kindness, intelligence etc cannot be termed as ‘equal’ to illiterate/ ignorant, unwise, ill mannered, cruel, foolish respectively. Therefore, it would be unrealistic to assert the absolute equality of human beings, although humans are basically equal in rights, duties and accountability. Concept of equality is to be kept general and not to be applied unjustly such that both the deserving and undeserving ones get the same benefit & treatment.

-By Sister Sarah Firdous

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Reference: Al Bidayah wan-Nihayah by Imam Ibn Kathir ؒ, 6:41, 42; Beirut print

This message tells you how Prophet Muhammad ﷺ took care of the poor, and how much he was concerned for their well being.

Once, Prophet Muhammed ﷺ visited a cloth merchant and purchased a shirt for 4 dirhams. When he started using it and ventured out of his sacred house, an Ansari man suddenly came in front of the beloved ﷺ and said: “Ya RasoolAllah ﷺ! Please clothe me (the Ansari man was probably not wearing a shirt). The merciful prophet ﷺ gave away his shirt to the person.

Subsequently, Prophet Muhammed ﷺ went to the cloth merchant once again and bought another shirt for himself for 4 dirhams, yet he had 2 more dirhams left with himself. Eventually, while returning from the market, the Holy Messenger ﷺ saw a slave girl crying.

The beloved Prophet ﷺ enquired for the reason, to which the girl said that her owners had given her 2 dirhams to purchase flour, which she lost. Prophet Muhammed ﷺ gave away the remaining 2 dirhams to the slave girl, asked her to purchase flour from them, and moved on for his other activities. While returning, he ﷺ saw that the same slave girl crying again. When asked by the merciful Prophet ﷺ, the enslaved girl reasoned that she fears of getting beaten by her owners for being late to return home.

Keeping the servant girl’s safety in mind, Prophet Muhammed ﷺ accompanied her till her house so that her master doesn’t strike her. When he ﷺ reached her house he said to the owners “Assalamualaikum”, to which either there was no response from the owners or they recognized the prophet’s ﷺ voice but said salam very quietly. This happened for the second time too. However, when Messenger Muhammed ﷺ was about to return after saying salam for the third time, the owner of the slave girl came out happily and replied to the salam.

The King of Kings ﷺ asked the owner of the slave girl if he had listened to his salam, to which the owner said he did. However, he reasoned that he wanted more salams to be conveyed to him and his family members by the prophet ﷺ for which they remained almost quiet, as salam is a prayer, and whose prayer would be more accepted than Prophet Muhammed’s ﷺ?

The owner then asked as to how come the Master of the universe ﷺ had come, to which Prophet Muhammed ﷺ said that he had accompanied his slave girl to save her from being beaten for returning late from the market.

The owner said: “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Far goes being beaten, this slave girl is now free forever, because you’ve come to save her.” Prophet Muhammed ﷺ gave the owner and his family the glad tidings of blessings and place in haven.

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