When I looked for the meaning of the word ‘racism’, Merriam Webster’s dictionary provided a comprehensive answer: “Racism is a belief that certain races of people are by birth and nature superior to others” or “Discrimination or hatred based on race.”
“Racism is a false classification of people that is not based on any real or accurate biological or scientific truth.” “Race is a political construction,” Paul Kivel mentions in his book “Uprooting Racism: How White People Can Work for Racial Justice”.
In the book “Theories of Race and Racism: A Reader” it is said that: “The growth of human civilization in the European Paleolithic (Old Stone) Age has cultural but not racial continuity… Wherever we look the truth is forced upon us that many different races have contributed to the growth of our culture and that we hold culture as the constant, race is variable.” In simpler words, whatever we may contribute to the learnings of a race is in fact learnt from other races. For example, Greeks learnt from Egyptians. The gunpower and steel culture came to the West from China, India and Turkistan, while mathematics and algebra from Asia. Printing press and literateness came to us from China. Races diminish but the teachings go on as culture. People of different races can have the same culture and ethics. So, it is not appropriate to prefer one race over another.
Islam on Racism
Abu Musa al-Ashari (rtam) narrated that Prophet Muhammad (sa) said: “Allah (swt) created Adam (as) from a handful of dust taken from different lands, so the children of Adam (as) have been created according to the composition of the land. Therefore, from humankind we have white, red, black and yellow ones; we have good and evil, ease and sorrow, and what comes in between them.” (Bukhari)
This simple Hadeeth shows that there was no distinction amongst the men when they were made. We all come from one father, and all ‘races’, as we may call them, and no matter to what race one may belong, humans are humans and can be either good or bad by the choice of their own free will.
Interestingly enough, the very first sin ever committed – the sin of pride – can be called as the foundation stone of racism.
The Quran mentions: “[Satan] said: “I am better than him. You created me from fire and created him from clay.” (Al-Araf 7:12) This statement of Shaitan very much resembles the racism of today, when one assumes to be better than another based on his/her colour of skin or ethnic belonging.
As I was asked to write about the black Sahabahs, I could only think of Bilal (rtam). This got me thinking – why do we not know much about the outward appearance of the Sahabahs? The following statement of the Prophet (sa) gave me the answer: “There is no superiority for an Arab over a non-Arab, nor for a non-Arab over an Arab. Neither is the white superior over the black, nor is the black superior over the white – except by piety.” (Musnad Ahmad)
Piety is the absolute parameter in our Deen. Because of the weight of this wise and profound advice given by the Prophet (sa), Muslims have perceived the companions as devoid of any colour.
We have known them for their virtuous characters rather than the colour of their skin, except for those who are particularly pointed out like Bilal ibn Rabah (rtam), so as to illustrate the anti-racial ethos of Islam. In this time and age, it has become of utmost importance to understand that Bilal (rtam) was not the only Afro-Arab figure in the early days of Islam. There were many more like him, all of whom formed the multi-cultural society of Madinah.
Umm Ayman (rtaf) and Her Family
We see the people of colour around the Prophet (sa) from the time of his birth. One of the first Muslims Barakah, also known as Umm Ayman (rtaf), was an Ethiopian woman. She was a servant of Abdullah, the father of the Prophet (sa). Umm Ayman (rtaf) helped deliver the Prophet (sa) and when Aminah died, she was for a while the primary caretaker of the Prophet (sa). This is why he said of Umm Ayman (rtaf) that: “Umm Ayman (rtaf) is my mother after my biological mother.” The Prophet (sa) freed Umm Ayman at the time of his marriage to Khadijah bint Khuwaylid (rtaf). She was one of the early people to accept Islam, who faced persecution from the Quraysh and migrated to Madinah.
Umm Ayman (rtaf) had a particularly close relationship to the household of the Prophet (sa). She shared intimate moments with his family, such as being present at the marriage of Fatimah (rtaf) and Ali (rtam). When the Prophet (sa) passed away, she grieved along with his family.
Umm Ayman’s (rtaf) first marriage was to Ubayd bin Zayd (rtam). Ubayd (rtam) himself was dark in colour though his lineage was from Bani Khazraj, a prominent Arab tribe. Ubayd (rtam) was later martyred at the battle of Khaybar.
Umm Ayman (rtaf) and Ubayd (rtam) bore a son named Ayman ibn Ubayd (rtam).
Ayman (rtam) embraced Islam in Makkah and migrated to Madinah. He was a shepherd and was entrusted by the Prophet (sa) to look after his goats. At the Battle of Hunayn, when some of the Muslims panicked, Ayman (rtam) was one of eight Muslims, who stood by the Prophet (saw) and defended him. Muslims ended up winning the battle but Ayman (rtam) achieved martyrdom. After his martyrdom, Abbas (rtam), one of the Prophet’s uncles, composed a poem praising the steadfastness and bravery of Ayman (rtam).
After Umm Ayman’s (rtaf) husband and son were martyred, the Prophet (sa) went to the Sahabah and said: “Who would like to marry a woman from the people of Paradise.” And he then called Umm Ayman (rtaf) – from there started another story of her. It was Zaid bin Haritha (rtram), the foster son of the Prophet (sa) who stepped up and married Umm Ayman (rtaf). Zaid (rtam) is also described as having the same skin colour as Bilal (rtam) – as a black Arab. They gave birth to a son named Usamah bin Zaid (rtam) whom the Prophet (sa) loved so much that he called him Al-Hibb ibn Al-Hibb, beloved son of the beloved because, of course, he loved Zaid (rtam) whom he raised like a son. So this woman whose name literally meant blessing, Barakah, married a blessed man and gave birth to a blessed son. Much of Usamah’s (rtam) upbringing was done in the house of the Prophet (sa) during the same time, when the Prophet’s (saw) grandson Al-Hasan bin Ali (rtam) was growing up.
Usamah (rtam) was the last appointed commander of a campaign during the life of the Prophet (sa). This young black man as a teen was appointed over some of the greatest of the Sahabahs like Abu Bakr (rtam) and Umar (rtam). When some of the companions actually questioned such choice, the Prophet (sa) said: “O people! I have been informed that some of you object to my appointing Usamah as commander of the detachment. You now object to my appointing Usamah as commander in chief as you objected to me appointing his father commander in chief before him. By Allah, his father was certainly competent for his appointment as commander in chief and his son is also competent for the appointment.” (Ibn Sad, At-Tabari, and Ibn Atheer) Note that Usamah’s (rtam) father Zaid (rtam) was also a commander.
Sumayyah bint Khabbat (rtaf) and Her Family
Another similar family is of Sumayyah bint Khabbat (rtaf), the first female martyr of Islam. She is described in the sources as being black-skinned and of Ethiopian origin. She, Yasir (her Yemeni husband) and Ammar (her son) suffered a lot of persecution. Although described as “a very old and frail woman”, Sumayyah (rtaf) remained steadfast and refused to abandon Islam. One evening, Abu Jahl began to insult her verbally and then killed her by stabbing and impaling her with his spear. When Abu Jahl was killed at Badr, the Prophet (sa) said to Ammar (rtam): “Allah (swt) has killed your mother’s killer.”
Ammar bin Yasir (rtam), the son of Sumayyah, like his mother was also one of the earliest Muslims and was regularly tortured along with his family. Once while being severely tortured, he unwillingly recanted Islam. He later came to the Prophet (saw) crying and saying that he verbally renounced Islam but did not mean it, in which the Prophet (saw) wiped away his tears and recited: “Whoever disbelieves in Allah after his belief, except for one who is forced [to renounce his religion], while his heart is secure in faith…” (An-Nahl 16:106)
After much persecution, Ammar (rtam) with other companions migrated to Abyssinia. He later migrated to Madinah making him within a select group of companions that made two migrations for the sake of Allah (swt). Ammar (rtam) also participated in the major campaigns, including Badr and Uhud.
Prior to the death, the Prophet (sa) told Ammar (rtam): “A group of rebels would kill you.” (Muslim) Ammar (rtam) served as the governor of Kufa in the Khilafah of Umar ibn al Khattab (rtam) and later accompanied Ali’s (rtam) army at the Battle of Jamal and defended him against the Khawarij movement. Ammar (rtam) achieved martyrdom at the Battle of Siffin through being killed by a man from the army of Muawiyah.
King Negus
The ruler of Abyssinia Najashi (King Negus), although he did not see the Messenger of Allah (sa) and is not technically a companion, had the unique privilege of the Prophet (sa) performing his funeral Salah in absence after he passed away. He offered refuge to a group of Muslims, who sought asylum in his land from the oppression of the Makkan Quraish. He embraced Islam, corresponded with the Prophet (sa), and passed away as a believer.
Sad Al-Aswad As-Sulami (rtam)
As his name suggests, Sad Al-Aswad As-Sulami (rtam) was dark and suffered severe discrimination in Madinah, although he was an Ansari. Due to inferiority complex, Saad (rtam) asked the Prophet (sa), if he too could enter into Jannah, because of his low position among the Muslims. The Prophet (sa) replied to him that he was entitled to the same reward as other believers. Sad (rtam) then inquired that if he was an equal believer, then why would none of the Arabs allow him to marry one of their daughters.
The Prophet (sa) then told Sad (rtam) to go to the home of Amr bin Wahb (rtam) and ask him for his daughter in marriage. When Sad (rtam) told ibn Wahb (rtam) that the Prophet (sa) sent him to request for his daughter in marriage, Ibn Wahb (rtam) became angry at the proposal and asked if he didn’t know that his daughter was known for her beauty? When Ibn Wahb’s daughter heard this, she told her father that she could not turn down a proposal that came at the suggestion of the Messenger of Allah (sa)! Sad (rtam) was later martyred in a battle, in which it is narrated that the Prophet (sa) wept over him, while holding him in his lap.
Julaybib (rtam)
Another companion of the Prophet (sa), who is mentioned in a number of texts, is Julaybib (rtam). Julaybib means dwarf-like. He was described as Aswad (black) and Damim (ugly, deformed or of repulsive appearance). To top it off, his linage was unknown, with no record of his mother, father or the tribe he belonged to. It was a grave disability in the society of the time, and, hence, he was a social outcast.
Knowing this, the Prophet (sa) proceeded to find a wife for him. When he (sa) went to the home of one of the Ansar, a father opened the door and the Prophet (sa) told him that he had come for a marriage proposal. The father immediately said yes, thinking that his daughter would get the honour of being one of the Prophet’s (sa) wives. The Prophet (sa) told him that he did not come for himself but was asking on behalf of Julaybib (rtam). The father then said that he was going to defer the decision to his wife.
When the wife of the Ansari came, the Prophet (sa) told her that he had a marriage proposal. The wife also became happy and said yes. Then the Prophet (sa) told her that he had come on behalf of Julaybib (rtam). The wife then replied that she would not allow her daughter to marry a man like Julaybib (rtam)!
Upon hearing noise, the daughter of the two came out and asked the reason for the Prophet (sa) coming to their home. The mother told the daughter that he came on behalf of Julaybib (rtam), but that she was not accepting for her to marry him! The daughter replied: “Do you refuse the request of the Messenger of God (sa)? Send me to him, for sure he will not bring ruin to me!” The Prophet (sa) later performed the marriage between Julaybib (rtam) and the lady.
In a battle after the marriage, Julaybib (rtam) achieved martyrdom. When the companions were looking for their close ones after the battle, the Prophet (sa) said: “But I have lost Julaybib (rtam), look for him in the battlefield.” When the Prophet (sa) saw the martyred Julaybib, who had died after battling and killing seven of the polytheists, he immediately recognized him and took him in his arms, wept and said twice: “This [man] is from me, and I am from him.” The Prophet (sa) personally dug the grave of Julaybib (rtam) and placed him in the grave without washing him, signifying his status of a martyr.
Mihja bin Salih (rtam)
Mihja bin Salih (rtam) was also one of the early adherents of Islam in Makkah and is described as having black skin. He was enslaved in the Hijaz and suffered as other enslaved men did. He was later emancipated by Umar bin al-Khattab (rtam) and migrated to Madinah. After migration, Mihja (rtam) was the first to be martyred at the battle of Badr. It is narrated that the Prophet (sa) said: “The best of the blacks are three: Bilal, Luqman [who is mentioned in the Quran] and Mihja.”
Abu Dharr (rtam)
One of the honorable companions, known for his faithfulness and concern for the poor, was Abu Dharr (rtam). Abu Dharr’s (rtam) full name was Jundab bin Junadah from the tribe of Ghifar. He was described as being tall with brown (Asmar) skin.
In the era of ignorance, the Ghifari tribe was known for banditry, alcohol consumption and worshiping idols. Abu Dharr (rtam), however, turned away from these tribal norms, even before embracing Islam. When he heard of a man enjoining good and forbidding evil (that is, the Prophet [sa]), Abu Dharr (rtam) set out for Makkah to meet him and swiftly accepted Islam. After that he went to the Kabah and declared his faith, for which he was beaten up badly. He did the same again the next day and was beaten up again. The Prophet (sa) told him to go back to his tribe, so he could declare his message to them. He later migrated to Madinah and participated in many expeditions with the companions, including Badr.
During the government of Uthman (rtam), Abu Dharr (rtam) was one of the outspoken companions against the lavish lifestyle and large amounts of money, which particular Muslims were receiving from the treasury. After conflict between Abu Dharr (rtam) and Marwan ibn Al-Hakam (rtam), a cousin of Uthman (rtam), over a 500,000 Dirhams payment that he received, Abu Dharr (rtam) was sent away from Madinah to Damascus. While in Damascus, Abu Dharr (rtam) continued to speak out against luxuries and neglect of the poor, which brought him into conflict with the Governor of Damascus Muawiyah bin Abi Sufyan, who was also a cousin of Uthman (rtam).
The Prophet (sa) had predicted to Abu Dharr (rtam): “You will live alone, die alone, rise from the dead alone, and enter Jannah alone.” This prediction of his living and dying manifested itself. Due to these conflicts, Abu Dharr (rtam) left Damascus with virtually no possessions for Ar-Rabdhah desert, in which he eventually died alone.
An-Nahdiah (rtaf), Lubaynah (rtaf) and Umm Ubays (rtaf) were Afro-Arab enslaved women. When they converted to Islam, they were tortured and persecuted by their pagan slave-masters. They were all later freed from slavery.
A lot has been narrated about some companions, while about others not so much. But the fact remains that people of all colours came together to form the society of Madinah, and that Muslims of African origin have played and continue to play a particularly important role in the Islamic civilization as ascetics, reformers, leaders, revolutionaries, and scholars.
About author
