Promoting Equality Through Education

Equality is to give equal right to everybody in the society regardless of the religion, cast, color, ethnicity and status. Equality can b attained by giving proper education and through awareness and b setting up rules and regulations to make sure that rights of the people are respected.

The Islamic shariah, in accordance with original uncorrupted creation, does not propound such equality as may ignore individual differences and talents and the natural variety among humans. The very diversity is a great source of good for mankind that the Islamic School of thought has realized. This may be supported with the following verse from the Holy Qur'an:

"0 Mankind ! we created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other." (49, 13).

It is obvious at the same time that diversity among humans in traits and talents is natural to them; therefore there will be limitations in natural, social and political positions, as one inquirer did notice. Some of the limitations are temporary, some permanent; some are infrequent, some frequent. However, a limitation is specific. It may not be generalized to inequality in other rights. A person who is morally upright is not equal to a crook in terms of morality, but they may be equal otherwise. Nor is an intelligent person equal to a dull one, but they are equal in other spheres. In the same way, woman is not identical to man in her traits, gifts, and abilities ( as we shall be discussing in detail later on ).

The limitations in these examples are natural. The social limitations are those imposed by society as a result of experiences and practice. They are, in the final analysis, intellectual attitudes related to the above-mentioned traits. There is, for instance, the established difference between the ignorant and the learned. No one would assign to an ignorant person major responsibilities that are crucial to the community.

Political limitations are those accepted by politicians and administrators which sanction barring certain classes from positions of authority for political or military reasons. There are restrictions on military personnel's marriage to foreign women, and many other limitations. It is under such rules that non-Muslims are forbidden in the Muslim state from occupying certain key positions. For similar reasons, non-Muslim men are forbidden from marrying Muslim women. But of that later.

Through Quran Recitation we come to know that equality has got mere importance in Islam. Children should be such education that they respect the right of everyone equally.

If absolute equality were maintained, it would lead to unendurable complications. Men would underestimate their abilities and neglect their talents, with deleterious consequences for mankind. The system of life is absolutely linked to recognizing legitimate privileges and rights, and no progress is possible without accepting these facts. The collapse of communism is a glaring example for those who have insight.

Therefore variance in talents and their use and employment must be reflected in real terms where abilities are used for the good of society. People will be graded in a hierarchy in offices and departments.