RESPECT FOR ALL

Jabir ibn Abdullah, a Companion of the Prophet of Islam, narrates that once, a funeral procession passed through a street in Madinah. Upon seeing it, the Prophet of Islam stood up, and we all stood up with him. Then, we said, “O Messenger of God, this is the funeral of a Jew.” The Prophet replied, “When you see a funeral, stand up” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 1311).

In another narration, Sahal ibn Hunaif and Qays ibn Sa›d were sitting in Qadisiyyah when a funeral passed by them. Both stood up, and when they were told that this was the funeral of a non-Muslim, they replied, “When a funeral passed in front of the Prophet of Islam, he stood up. We asked, ‘O Messenger of God, this is the funeral of a Jew,’ and you replied, ‘Is he not a human being?’” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 1312).

This highlights an important principle of Islam: that every person, in every circumstance, is worthy of respect, even if they are a non-Muslim or belong to an enemy group. Regardless of other aspects, they should be seen as human beings and treated with respect and honour at all times.

Human beings are a distinguished creation of God. In the words of the Quran, they were created in “the best of stature.” In terms of their design, humans are the masterpiece of creation. Whether a person is a friend or a stranger, in every circumstance, they remain a creation of God. In every condition, they are a reflection of the Creator’s perfection. Therefore, despite any differences with a person, they are still worthy of respect. Even if someone is a stranger, their human essence makes them deserving of honour.

The believer sees God’s signs in everything. They perceive the Creator’s miraculous power in every creature. This belief compels the believer to treat every human being with dignity and respect. For every individual, there is a deep feeling of appreciation for their inherent value.