In simple words,
“Discrimination” is to treat an individual or group of people less favourably
than others of their race, color, nationality, or ethnic origin. To understand
the concept more appropriately, we many divide it into two kinds: direct and
indirect.
Direct discrimination occurs when a ‘protected characteristic’, such as race,
color, nationality, or ethnic origin is used as an explicit reason for
discriminating. Indirect discrimination occurs when there are provisions,
criteria or practices operating, which have the effect of discriminating against
certain groups of people by putting them at a disadvantage compared with others,
and which cannot be justified as proportionate.
People sometimes say that discrimination is created when prejudice is combined
with power; prejudice is attitude of someone whose opinion is not based on fact.
Prejudice can be triggered by differences of religion, race, colour, sex,
language, disability or age. Prejudice is not illegal, as an attitude can’t be
illegal, but discrimination is illegal. Though prejudice is not illegal, it
affects the process of development and may cause discrimination at some stage.
Discrimination is an element that creates a sense of inequality, insecurity and
confusion, and worsens the attitude of the individuals and become cancer for any
society. There are many forms of discrimination, like cast-based discrimination,
religious discrimination and gender discrimination. Due to these discriminative
activities we are facing crises both domestically and internationally. Poverty,
illiteracy, bad governance and international isolation are all results of the
bad impression of our domestic conflicts. Discrimination is of very close
concern to human rights. All forms of discrimination go against the first two
articles of the United Nations declaration of Human Rights:
Article# 1: All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They
are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a
spirit of brotherhood.
Article #2: Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in
this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex,
language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin,
property, birth or other status.
Not only modern laws, but Islamic teaching are also against discrimination and
teach equality. The Qur’an (the Divine Book revealed to the prophet Muhammad)
teaches that everyone was created by Allah (God) and that everyone is equal: “Of
His Signs are the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the diversity of
your tongues and colours” (Surah 30:22)
“O mankind, we have created you from male and female: and we have divided you
into tribes and sub-tribes for greater facility of intercourse. Verily, the most
honoured among you in the sight of Allah is he who is the most righteous among
you. Surely, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware” (Surah 49:14)
Therefore there is no reason to treat people differently. The Prophet Muhammad,
peace is upon him, showed how important this teaching was in his last sermon,
when he said:
All mankind is descendent from Adam and Eve, and Arab is not better than a
non-Arab and a non-Arab is not better than an Arab; a white person is not better
than a black person, nor is a black person better than a white person except by
piety and good actions. Learn that every Muslim is the brother of every other
Muslim and that Muslims from one brotherhood”
Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
“ Believers are in relation to one another as parts of one structure. One part
strengthens the other (Bukhari-Hadith 8:88)
“The most excellent jihad is the uttering of truth in the presence of an unjust
ruler”. (Tirmidhi Hadith 17)
In Pakistan, discrimination, as I mentioned above, may be racial or ethnic, by
gender, caste, employment, and sexual orientation, due to language or disability
or religious in nature. Discrimination is very common and every group of
society, more or less, claims to be a victim of discrimination. However, the
most prominent issue is gender discrimination and this is the main barrier in
the development of our society. Women are half of our adult population and they
are excluded from active participation in the development process. Many
activists are working hard towards equality.
It is believed by some scholars that because of the strong influences of
Hinduism over the Pakistani nation, it is difficult to achieve equal rights for
women without reconstructing the entire culture that the country base on.
Hinduism regards women as “born to serve”. Pakistan, however, is one of the more
advanced developing nations in terms of women’s rights.
Islam also teaches that men and women are equal in the sight of Allah. They are
individually accountable for their actions, and will be judged equally by Allah.
They are individually accountable for their actions, and will be judged equally
by Allah.
However, although men and women are equal, they are not the same. They have
different purposes. It is part of Allah’s design and purpose for men and women
to have different physical characteristics; likewise it is the duty of a man to
provide for the financial needs of his family, and for a woman to look after the
home and family.
Some of these differences and responsibilities are mentioned in the following
words from the Quran.
“O Prophet, direct why wives, daughters and women of the believers that they
should pull down their outer cloaks from their heads over their faces. This will
make it possible for them to be distinguished so that they will not be molested”
(Surah 33:59)
“Wives have rights corresponding to those which the husbands have, in equitable
reciprocity, though; in certain situations have, in equitable reciprocity,
though; in certain situations men would have the final word and would thus enjoy
a preference” .(Surah 4:35)
Although the rights of women are different to those of men, they do have the
right to choose whom they marry, to divorce, to study, to own property, to
conduct business and to take part in Politics.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) stressed the importance of women and
the respect that should be shown to them when he said: Paradise lies at the feet
of your mother. (Sunan An-Nala’i)
Despite of all laws and Islamic teachings, we experience the following crimes:
domestic violence, acid throwing, bird burning, sati, dowry death, honour
killing, and murder of pregnant women, human trafficking, sexual slavery, forced
prostitution, sexual violence and rape against women in our society.
Why? There is something wrong. We need reforms in our education system. We need
to raise awareness amongst people of their rights and responsibilities and
develop rational thinking towards the path of national prosperity and dignity.