Another thing that the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said during his Hajj speech was: “All matters from Jaahiliyyah (The pre-Islamic era) are under my foot (i.e. valueless)” (Muslim).

During Jaahiliyyah the shedding of blood was easy and widespread; killing was simple and done as a business and initiating wars was a common practice. The people were unguided with no divine message or faith to purify and regulate them. Then Islaam came to change and uplift their principles and use these as a basis to govern all areas of life. Islaam valued the sanctity of human life and made murder a crime against humanity, Allaah says that which translates as, “We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it is as if he had slain mankind entirely” (Al-Maa’idah: 32).

Before the message of Islaam, tribalism was deeply rooted in society and well structured, yet the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was able to eliminate all types of prejudice and racism, which people lived for, praised and boasted about. Stressing this point in his speech, he sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said: “All of you descend from Aadam and Aadam was created from clay; The most honourable amongst you in the sight of Allaah are the most pious. There is no preference for an Arab over a non-Arab, a non-Arab over an Arab, a coloured person over a white person or a white person over a coloured person except based on piety” (Al-Bayhaqi, Ahmad and others). Therefore, based on this, all worldly values and differences vanish. People’s colour, wealth, worldly position and lineage are not to be taken into consideration when evaluating a person, because these are things which where granted by Allaah without a person having any choice on whether to accept these or not. Therefore, the only criterion is as Allaah says that which translates as: “Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allaah is the most righteous of you” (Al-Hujuraat: 13). Having mentioned all of this, it is distressing to see some of our own people trying to revive the tribalism and racialism of Jaahiliyyah, boast about it and trying to spread its evil, despite the fact that the messenger of Allaah sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said: “Abandon it (tribalism and racialism), for it is foul” (Bukhaari & Muslim).

He sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam further said: “The first Ribaa (interest-based transaction) I cancel is that of Al-‘Abbaas Ibn Al-Muttalib (his uncle) - I cancel it all” (Muslim). Allaah forbade Ribaa because of its great harm and evil; it ruins man’s conscience and corrupts societies due to it causing greed and selfishness to spread. It also kills the sense of community spirit, causes enmity between people and instils hatred in their hearts. For all these reasons, Allaah declared war against all those who deal with Ribaa and spread it. The war in this life is by causing prices to inflate, financial crises, psychological problems and the deprivation of the sense of cooperation and sacrifice. As for the Hereafter, the war is in the form of a painful punishment. Allaah says that which translates as: “Those who consume interest cannot stand (on the Day of Resurrection) except as one stands who is being beaten by Satan into insanity” (Al-Baqarah: 275). The Ribaa based financial-system of the world is responsible for many of the financial and economical crises that have overwhelmed individuals, communities and countries throughout recent history.

Islaam has honoured women and protected their rights; the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said in his speech: “Fear Allaah in your dealings with women, for they are entrusted with you” (Muslim). Islaam honoured the woman as a mother, wife and daughter; it took care of her from the time of her birth until her death; Islaam protected her body and made it unlawful to be looked at after it was openly on display for all to see; Islaam gave her the right to inherit, be educated and made her equal to man in worship, obligations and rewards. Allaah says that which translates as: “Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, and has faith – We will surely cause them to live a good life” (An-Nahl: 97). We will not address women’s rights as deceitful hollow theories or thoughtless conventions, instead, we invite all people to read the biographies of the believing women like Khadeejah, Sumayyah, Asmaa’, ‘Aa’ishah, Hafsah and Al-Khansaa’, may Allaah be pleased with them all. This will show the glorious pages of our history and present the lives of the Muslim women as living examples and brilliant role-models. We invite everybody to observe and reflect on how Islaam elevated the status of women, purified her soul, reformed her behaviour and made her objectives and wishes far more dignified and honourable than what they were prior to Islaam.