The Holy Qur’an expressly tells that the human race is one family. Man was created with a heart of compassion, and our hearts respond to the feelings of fellow human beings. Compassion, love, care, and affection are innate qualities that are developed or suppressed by man. All world religions and philosophical ideas share the same concept that serving and treating fellow human beings with kindness and care is the core to good moral conduct.
You are the best community ever brought forth for (the good of) humankind, enjoining and promoting what is right and good, and forbidding and trying to prevent evil, and (this you do because) you believe in God. (3:110) (1)
Humanity is what you do and say when you think no one is looking. Humanity is how you feel and react when you see another person suffering. Islam places a lot of emphasis on serving humanity. Humans were created to be the mirror of the attributes of God-Almighty. We were created with a holy secret that can make us equal to the universe via the strength of our character. This strength is one that can and needs to be developed. (2)
The Qur’an also explicitly tells us that all human beings are to be treated with dignity, regardless of gender, race or religion. All human beings were created by the One Creator, God-Almighty, and for this reason, no one is superior due to their place of birth or race. God-Almighty alone can judge the character and whether or not a person has lived up to the dignity and compassion we were all born with. Islam guarantees the right to life, freedom of religion, freedom of lifestyle, the right to security and right to family. These rights are guaranteed regardless of the faith of a particular person.
O humankind! In due reverence for your Lord, keep from disobedience to Him Who created you from a single human self, and from it created its mate, and from the pair of them, scattered abroad a multitude of men and women. (4:1) (1)
Taking the significance of treating one another with dignity into account, Prophet Muhammad said: God-Almighty has made seven rights obligatory upon a believer towards another believer: To respect him, to love him, to share his property with him, to consider it prohibited to backbite about him, to visit him when he is sick, to escort his funeral procession and to say nothing but good about him after his death.
Serving humanity is serving God-Almighty. Islam teaches that a Muslim must open their hearts and minds to help those in need. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) taught us that all of humanity is God-Almighty’s family and God-Almighty loves most from this family the one who benefits the family most.
Unal, Ali. “The Miraculous Quran.” The Miraculous Quran.
