Islam is not founded upon equity and fair play but on inequity and discrimination

Claims are made that Islam is the best of religions. This claim loses its sanctity when concurrently claims are made of its being the 'right' religion. Questions arise as to what is the basis of such assertion, about comparative goodness or its being the 'right' one. Assertions are made, that islam is the only one created by GOD, how can this be universally appreciated- this being the mental frame or faith of an individual. To accentuate palatability, Islam is reported to be the religion of equity,peace, tolerance and forgiveness. Other faiths do not contain these humanistic virtues at all and islam abounds in it; QED Islam is the right and best of religions.

Concatenation of the qualities enumerated above in any belief, faith or religion can certainly earn epithet 'best' certainly.If islam exhibits the assembly of qualities then no reason can be found to avoid award of the “Best” epithet amongst all forms of faith, belief or religion. Do these attributes really abound in islam? In an article, of this dimension, analysis of attribute by attribute concurrently by religion by religion is not feasible. We shall proceed to discover the extent to which Islam contains all or some of these attributes.

To our intellect, it was Carl Marx and Fred Engels who pioneered the concept of “equality” to the mankind. Some, however, dispute this and claim that it was Muhammad who discovered the idea if equality and propounded the theory and introduced effectively in the religion propounded by him- Islam. Marx & Engels plagiarised the thought from Islam. This is fantastic. Our discussion is presence or otherwise of equality and equity in islam. Casual acquaintance and perusal may look confirmatory to the suggestion. Because this religion does not differentiate caste or creed and some personal examples set by the prophet may mislead one into thinking that “equality” is identifiable. Current Muslim society is rampant with social and ecumenical differences and differences of interpretation of “true islam, but pristine islam was devoid of this. All mussalman were equal before Allah—rich or poor, freeman or slave,of high birth or low,learned or illiterate, wise or dislexic, respected or not, Allah did not appear to have discriminated.The individual, whom the Allah chose to declare as the last messenger and finest speciman of humanity was a destitute and unlettered. In the annals of islam and history of islam Bilal and Osama son of Jayd, have found respectable mention. The prophet nominated the first as Muazzem, a person originally a slave. A muazzem is entrusted with calling the faithful to prayer and is an esteemable office.Sahabees( close associates of Muhammad) did have persons well endowed with worldly goods and who were high in eminence, in preference to whom elevation of a former slave to muazzemhood created a precedence indicating erasure of disequality amongst followers.Jayed was a slave, whom muhammad liberated and adopted as a son. The son of that, Jayed, Osama was appointed commander of the army against Syria. Specially eminent persons like Abu Bakr,Omar Faruq, osman Ghani,Ali, persons who subsequently became Khalifa, were instructed to fight under the leadership of Osama, thereby creating an unprecedented instance of daring, and a message of erasure of social discrimination. Social discrimination between unmarried and widowed women prevalent in some faiths, Islam does not recognise the difference. Of the 22 wives of Muhammad( there are no accurate statistic of spouses of muhammad), 21 were widows. Equating the respect for virgins and widows do surely represent egalitarian sentiment of his faith.In many societies entry into places of worship, have restrictive regulations, whites and non-white discrimination is too well known to bear repetition.In Islam, any person can become Imam. Ram an incarnation of God in Hindu mythologyhad shot an arrow to kill a chandal's son for the sin of studying the vedas. Eklavya, a scion of inferior caste had to sacrifice his thumb as preceptor fee for having learnt archery, to which, the then custom did not permit, for protecting the reputation of the preceptor's favorite high caste student,Arjuna. In islam, however, any man can be maulana, mufti, hafez or quarri.In the social melieu, muhammad did introduce customs and had taken steps, which can be construed as egalitarian. In soite of all these, Islam has failed to secure the recognition of being an egalitarian institution, in the social history, though, there are persons who claim loudly from the house top to register such a nomenclature. The Umma have never attempted to discover and analyse the reasons, which led to such lack of universal recognition.These thought leaders attributed the indifference to religious bigotry of those professing other faith and belief, and argued the lack of liberalism and dogmatism of others. This assertion arose out of blind dogmatic adherence to their own faith, and is fundamentally flawed.If religious regulation are designed to benefit mankind and development of humanity, then comparative bigotry alone cannot preponderate continuoussly,recognition must necessarily ensue. Islam and its egalitarian message has failed to attract universal admiration is not due to dogmatic bigotry of other faith followers, but there are three main contributory reasons. (1) Islamic egalitarianism is not universal but seriously discriminatory. (2) Islamic egalitarianis is heavily supportive to the economically advantaged and is silent on methods of neutralising effects arising out of the economic discrimination. (3) Islam has enhanced gender discrimination and accentuated the male domination of society. In addition, there are many other incidents and tenets in scripture and Muhmmad's life style, which do not exhibit traces of egalitarian thought and sentiment. In the contrary, exposes an image of inequality with great severity. On a casual examination, Islam may exhibit a few semblance of egalitarianism, but in reality, such is not bourne out. Appearence at casual examination and the error arising out of such a study will be violently dispelled by a deeper consideration. Egalitarianism calls for erasure of all discrimination and distance amongst humanity, providing equal rights and opportunities of livelihood and living, dispensing impartial justice to all and total neutrality, equal respect to all among other rights. In short applicability of all rules and regulation should be totally uniform. Islam, on the contrary, fundamentally, creates a chasm in human thought, in stead of eliminating all devisive notions, and created two entitys-- Believers and non-believers! Those who believe in Allah and Rasool muhammad are 'believers' and the rest are 'non-believers. Islam provides for different dispensation for life on earth and afterlife for believers and non-believers. Allah has erected an impassable mountain, in Islam, between the believers and others. Islamic fraternalising is limited between believers and is not universal, in fact extremely exclusive. Islamic internationalism slogan is “Mussalmans of the world are brothers”, islam does not admit the possibility of intimacy between believers and non-believers. Allah is said to have informed, that non-believers cannot be friends to believers, they always crave evil on muslims. “O you who have believed, do not take as intimates those other than yourselves[i.e. believers], for they will not spare you[any] ruin. They wish you would have hardship. Hatred has already appeared from their mouths, and what their breasts conceal is greater (Ali Imran,3:118). A claim is often made, that islam is a religion of forgiveness, and Allah and His Rasool Muhammad are extremely kind and merciful. Allah's mercy and kindness is however, denied to the non-believers, eternally. Only mussalmans can seek Allah's mercy and hope to receive it, non muslims, never. Muhammad's show of kindness is stated to be exemplified by his extending perdon, after his conquest of Makka, to all those, who reportedly forced him out of Makka in the past. This claim is not bourne by facts. His extension of pardon was limited to those, who embraced islam, only. Quran confirms this. Quran states: “And when the sacred months have passed, then kill the polytheists wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and sit in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they should repent, establish prayer, and give zakat, let them[go] on their way(At Tawba, 9:5). A further Ayat: “But if they repent, establish prayer, and give zakat then they are your brothers in religion; and We detail the verses for a people who know(At Tawba,9:11).Both these Ayats were said to have been revealed after conquest of Makka. These two Ayats amply define that forgiveness is exclusively for mussalmans and others are not at all eligible..

Islam has no place for justice and impartial dispensation for all. Islam professes, that everybody will be judged in afteerlife after the Destruction(Quayamat). There are provision for two dispensations, Behast for some; Behast will have provision for each resident, all elements of enjoyment and entertainment, like heavenly virgin courtesaan, and surfiet of wines. Others will reside in Dozkh or Jahannum(hell or hades). Hell will have large fireplace and unlimited equipments of torture. On the last day,humanity will be classified in two lots: believers and nonbelievers, and all nonbelievers will be forthwith consigned to hell. However good their past earthly performance be, they will not be evaluated for such credits, because they have failed to place their belief on “Allah” and His acknowledged “Rasool”. This is the facad of socalled egalitarianism of Islam,where egalitarianism is devisive at the outset.

Economic difference in men are a human creation. States economic perception influences these discrimination. Consequently the gap between the rich and poor goes on increasing. Erasure of this hiatus and installation of egalitarianism and equality is impossible without basic change in the system of governance of the state. Islam has failed to provide any direction in the matter of creating economic egalitarianism.On the contrary, Islam declares that the disequality in economic status is Allah's creation and is said to be blessed by Him. Quran declares “Indeed, my Lord extends provision for whom He wills of His servants and restricts [it] for him (Saba,34:39).*{2:112 in bengali appears inappropriate-please check up}. Islam does not recommend protest by the downtrodden against the economic oppressors. The faithful are encouraged to ask assistance from Allah-because apparently his Eeman(faith in Him) is under test. Still claims are made by the apologists for islam, that islam is egalitarian! In what manner? Introduction of Zakat and partial abolition of slave system is held out as instances. Zakat is an important provision in islamic economic system. This regulation instructs every capable mussalman to donate two and a half percent of his accumulated wealth, every year, compulsorily. Money thus realised, was to have been beneficially spent for general benefit-- mainly for the welfare of the poor.This is kind of a relief for the poor. Additionally, there is a provision for “Fitra”, an economic programme, directed at assisting the poor.In this regulation, head of every muslim family is meant to donate a predesigned amount, per head (adult or underage), at or before the festival of Eid-ul-Fitr Namaz. A further provision concerns the sales proceeds of the hide of the sacrificed animals offered in Qurbany. This income is meant to be spent for benefit of the poor and some of it may be spent for madrasa education.

These relief programmes for the poor are well appreciated in human society. These programmes, in the upliftment of the poor were excellent precursors of similar schemes. A permnent crutch for relief can certainly not be considered as desirable as a prop. These superficial exposition of welfare have intrinsic negativity. A society, that perpetuates the coexistence of the ultra rich and the ultra poor, in which the haves will loll in extraordinery pleasure and wealth while the rest will drudge through existence depending on table scraps and hand outs, the poor who will perish in hunger, unclad and destitution, while the other will occasionally donate and live in a continuum of pleasure, cannot find approval in modern thought process. Zakat,Fitra may well have been appreciated as a forerunner of welfare, but as a permanent economic dispensation cannot be held in perpetuity. Muhammad's dispensation does not even touch the fringe of dreaming about an egalitarian society.Muhammad did not dream of a hunger-free human society, let us not mislead ourselves into atributing him as a precursor of an egalitarian society.

Slave system made its appearence at a juncture of the development of human society.Mankind was devided into serfs and freemen.In litteral terms, man was a slave or a purchaseable commodity.Human being could be bought, sold or killed like animals, like cattle and hunting animals.Slaves would be made to toil day and night. Extortion and oppression of man by man rose to its pinnacle, at that time. In the Arab society, at the time of advent of islam, the system, though in decay, but was in existence. In human perlance, the slave system was the most reprehensible measure, though in its early stage, this did contribute to progress. In several other societies, revolt and protest against the slave system was perceptible,the demand for abolishment of the system was gathering strength. Islamic protagonists claim, that, it was islam only, that raised its voice against slavery and abolished it. In reality, this claim is not capable of being sustained. True, Muhammad, personally,in some instance exhibited sympathy towards some slaves, but he never raised his voice against the system, on the other hand, evidence exists, that he supported the slave system and even approved it. Muhammad led many Jihads while propagating Islam. In the event of a conquest in jihad, there were prisoners of war, whom muhammad would render free against ransom only, or sold them for money as slaves, or even allow the followers to use them as captive productive labour, without pay and generate wealth. Utilisation of prisoner of war wemen in personal sexual gratification has been authorised by Quran. This will be shown later. Another Ayat provides “Allah is ever Knowing and Wise and whoever among you cannot [find] the means to marry free, believing women, then [he may marry] from those whom your right hand possess(An-Nisa, 4:25). Apparently, the thesis, that Muhammad was the precursor of ablition of slave system, is totally baseless- on the contrary, slave system was one of effective ammunition in extending the hegemony of islam. Male domination of society preceeded the advent of religion, much earlier. Male domination robbed rights of women, step by cruel step. 1400 yers ago, when, muhammad began propagating Islam, male domination of society was nearly at its peak. All religions, that appeared on the face of earth, have uniformly, enhanced the male domination in the name of god and consequently, the difference in status between men and women progressively disadvantaged the womenfolk.Their suffering and torture supplemented continuously. In the matter of male domination and whittling away of women's rights, Islam is in no way better than any other religion, on the contrary, it accentuated under Islam. Pre-islam, in the middle east women did enjoy a few freedoms, particularly in Arabia, where islam made its appearence, status of women was pretty elevated. They could freely engage in commerce and pertake in wars. Evidences exist in Quran and Hadis. Muhammad's first spouse, Khadija, does not find frequent mention in quran, hadis or in Islamic history. She conducted an independent business. She was a wealthy person, in possession of a strong personality and was a learned person, her personality was such, that, during her life time, muhammad could not marry another. After the demise of Khadije, muhammad married innumerable times, though, no dependable count has been established and opinions differ. Reportedly he had 22 marriages. Muhammad did not like a woman having personality or leadership traits. That is why, though quran and hadis and islamic history contains many refferences about muhammad's youngest wife Ayesha and his daughter Fatima, but Khadija is not refered that way. Pre-islam priveleges, respect and honour and rights, that, women were enjoying were progressively demolished by Muhammad. Women were hi-jacked from commerce and militery and interned them and quarantined them indoors. Sermonised: “do not display yourselves as [was] the display of the former times of ignorance”-(Al-Ahzab,33:34). Further, “bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments”(Al Ahzab 33:59);”tell the believing women to reduce of their visionand not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [aportion of] their head covers over their chests (An-Nur,24:31). Women were relegated to “place of cultivation [ie. Sowing of seeds]”, (Al Baqarah. 2:223. Servicing your man is the all embracing purpose of existence. Whenever she is called to the bedside for satiation of lust, everything must be held up and satiation provided, (Hadis).Muhammad relegated women to the feet of her spouse.He has stated, that the feet of husband is the heaven for women. According to muhammad, a woman is unacceptable as a witness. He sermonises, that the evidence given by a woman is worth half that of a man,(Al-Baqara,2:282). Earlier, a woman could divorce her husband in case of provocation, this right was banished by Muhammad. Muhammad had introduced discrimination between men and women in the matter of rights of inheritance of property, sermonised: “ Allah instructs you concerning your children[ie. their portions of inheritance], for the male, what is equal to the share of two females”,(an-nisa, 4:11). He prohibite leadership by women, and the Imamate, instructed women not to visit graveyard. Instructed men not to meet a woman frontally, but from behind a partition,(Al-Ahzab,33:53). In Islam, the status of a slave woman is far more tragic compared to non-slave women. For 'free' women, four wives are permitted, but possession of slave women permits unlimited lusciousness, with unlimited individuals,”guard private parts except frrom their wives or those their right hand possess'(al-Mu'minun,23:6). Such women have been deprived all rights under islam. Thus, islam has at every step humiliated,disenfranchised,victimised, insulted, disempowered,and in fact have relegated women from human being to goods of commerce and sub-human specie. Supporting on the one hand the economic disparity, gender discrimination, and concurrently sprouting egalitarianism cannot be construed as emerging classless society.Islamic savants and their echoing camp followers of the muslim intelligentia may go on trumpeting “classlessness” of the creed, but the hollowness of the claims are supported by scripture itself and the mirage is destroyed. Conversely, the truth is, that Islam, barring a very few exceptions of professing social equity, supports and encourages the discrimination in economic devide, gender devide and the devide between the muslims and the non-muslims.Research into the existence of egalitarianism in islam will be counterproductive, because, in fact, islam has emphasised the division and discrimination.

It would be worth while, discussing the oft-professed approach to classless society of islam, to glance at the personal commitment in his personal life and practise, how muhammad, the originator and proslyteur of islam practised the concept. At the outset, it should be understood, that, whatever has so far been discussed, are based on Quranic regulation introduced in islam, for the muslims, and it has been found, that, Muhammad has been regarded as being above the laws and regulations for the mussalmans. Every muslim, at the time of marriage must pay the bride-price (mahr) and the marriage is invalid without this. Muhammad found exemption from this. There is controversy about whether, at all he followed this edict.At the time of wedding with khadija, they were both idolators. Subsequently, after muhammad attained Nabuyat, and the conversion of Khadija, whether the regulation was observed, is still unknown. After Khadija's demise, muhammad married twentyone more times, and question about the brideprice has still not been established, in fact it is almost certain, that the trifle was overlooked. Islam permits having upto four wives at a time. At the time when the relevant Ayat was revealed, Muhammad and his Sahabees(intimates),many of them had more than four. Muhammad instructed all to divorce all supernumeral wives. Although this unpalatable edict was harsh, but the Sahabees complied, muhammad, however did not comply. He sermonised, that Allah's directive was not for him. At the time of Muhammad's demise, there were nine widows.These facts ridicule the claim of islamic egalitarianism and emphasizes the inborn devisiveness and discrimination in Muhammad and islam. A satisfactory explanation eludes all rsearchers, as to why Allah was so partial to muhammad and disliked muhammad's close followers and camp followers. The only conclusion could be, that, muhammad enjoyed special privileges and was interested in enlarging on the same and he wanted to encourage discrimination and devisiveness. That was why, Allah was constrained to provide complimentary “wahi” to fulfil the desires of His Nabi. These two occasions are not exceptions, Allah had to proliferate many “wahi”s to be sent to muhammad, in fulfilment of muhammad's desire,whim and interest. This tendency prompted muhammad's youngest wife Ayesha, distraught at proliferating wahi, to react. This comment is well recorded. She said “Allah seems to be anxious to fulfil your desires”. There are innumerous instances of muhammad enjoying many privileges and advantages and personal interests compared to his companion, in Quran itself. Wealth looted in Jihad, were devided in a manner, wherby, one-fifth would be muhammads and the rest would be devided amongst the followers.Muhammad's claim was, that, this edict came from Allah. Quran edicts; “And know that anything you obtain of war booty -then indeed, for Allah is one fifth of it and for Messenger and for [his] near relatives and the orphans, the needy and the [stranded] traveller,(Al-Anfal, 8:41). The loot from the defeated in addition to money and valuables, contain other items, like human beings, which was also subject to same regulation.All loot is termed as “Ghanimat” and this barbaric act of robbery was claimed by muhammad to be as permissible under the regulation courriered by Allah. Muhammad, however, was not content with this one-fifth provision! His claim was to enjoy the entire Ghanimat and possess all of it. At the Badr campaign (first jihad of islam and muhammad) muhammad wanted to wolf the entire loot, including the men slaves, the wealth and goods in the caravan. He sermonised to his followers,'all wealth obtained in jihad is owned by Allah and His Rasool. In support of this claim, he reffered to a Wahi, which runs as follows: “They ask you[O Muhammad], about the bounties [of war]. Say, 'The [decision concerning] bounties is for Allah and the Messenger.' So fear Allah and amend that which is between you and obey Allah and His Messenger.”(Al Anfal,8:1).It is not known as to whether they 'feared' Allah, but a rebellion against the Wahi did occur. Immediately, thereafter, a new wahi with modified loot-sharing arrangement was necessarily revealed.

Natural justice and impartial adherence to norms are a precondition to an egalitarian society. Even class devided democratic systems of society are unanimous in advocating establishment of these criteria. But it is uncertain, if Muhammad had in his personal or public life had adhered to this concept. Non-muslims were certainly not on the radar of Muhammad's thought process, he was extremely uncharitable and harsh to them, without exception. But his own kith and kin amongst the non-muslims, his kindness and magnamity was unlimited. Amongst the captives of the Badr campaign, was present “Aash”, muhammad's son in law. Aash had not converted to islam, and was still an idolator. Aash was amongst those, who came to save Abu Sufian, a quoreish leader, as he and his caravan was ambushed by numerically stronger bandit brigade led by Muhammad, in jihad. Muhammad freed some captives, who could pay the ransom, but the poor amongst the captives, incapable of paying the ransom, were not freed. But “Aash”, incapable of paying ransom, was freed with honour. Example abundant of 'egalitarian' propensity of Muhammad. He did not deal with his followers, close and general, with equity and justice at all, either. Islam permits polygamy upto four wives and unlimited sex slaves. But, when Ali, muhammad's son in law expressed a desire to acquire a second spouse, Muhammad opposed violently, and did not dare allow himself the delight during muhammad's life time. After the demise of Muhammad, and Fatima, Ali married nine more. Muhammad's attitude to other women and his behaviour to them has already been discussed. It is apparent, that women have been discriminated against in a limitless way, their honour, rights and privileges have been mercilessly widely robbed, he could not show the least of compassion in this regard. His concern for his daughter, her honour and privileges, however, attracted unusual attention and care and alertness, and as a doting father he was ultra sympathetic and kind. Does one still consider Islam as a precursor of an egalitarian society? The Muslims are still led to believe so, and a section of non-muslim population appear to consider such a wrong concept. This assertion is false, chimeral and misleading. This wrong thesis, has brought no benefit to the muslims, conversely, has harmed the muslim society. Consideration from a free thought-free mind, and an unbiased study of life and times of Muhammad will vindicate the fact, that, an intrusive details study of Islam, will not bring out an iota of egalitarianism in Islam, or a semblance of egalitarian philosophy. In reality evidences abound of disequality,discrimination,devisiveness and biased behaviour.