alone are the standards to judge others and not through the power of a man as seen by race or nationality. Muhammad did not just preach equality, he also practiced it during his life time. In fact, one of Muhammad’s closets friends was a former Negro slave named Bilaal. Muhammad also had an Iranian lieutenant called Salmaan, and many others, all of which he did not view as different due to language and heritage. They were all of the same brotherhood. O mankind We have created you from male and female and made you into peoples and tribes so that you may come to know one another. Verily, the most honorable among you in the sight of God is the one who is most God-conscious. Indeed God is All-Knowing All-Aware.(Qur'an: Surah al-Hujurat,49:13)A typical misconception is that Muhammad's Islamic traditions oppress women. On the contrary, the prophet came to father the orphans and support those women who were weak and needed help during times of crisis. He cared deeply for women and children. The prophet displayed his care by taking woman and their children into his custody to provide food and shelter. The prophet also aspired to granting women an equal opportunity to an education. Furthermore, his mission was to give women the right to hold property and inheritance, and most importantly, to give women the right to vote and pray. He held great respect for all his wives and their children. He also felt strongly about family values. According to Qur'an, Your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him, and [show] kindness to parents. If one or both of them attain old age while with you, do not say 'uff to them but speak to them with honor and kindness. Treat them with humbleness and say 'My Lord have mercy upon them, as they raised me when I was small. (Qur'an: Surah al-Isra', 17:23-24)It is important, however, that one differentiates between Islamic law and the oppression that some Muslim countries induce towards women. In other words, ...
