In their prayers...

In their prayers, the Muslims say: "Al-hamdu lil lâhi Rabbi 'l-âlamin — Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Universe." (Qur'an 1:2) God is a reality without parallel, beyond all human attributes and likeness; He is not like the gods of some religions who are presented in the form of a human, an animal or a thing. The God of Islam is One without equal; He has no son or mother or father; neither partner nor associate.

This is the message of a short chapter of the Qur'an which the Muslims recite every day in their prayers so as to be far away from the possibility of associating anything with Him. (B) EQUALITY IN ISLAM: Superiority of race or segregation is not only eliminated and void in the eyes of Islam, but the equality of man is an absolute 5 Bihar al-Anvar, vol. 2, p. 34. reality in Islam.

Islam says that all human beings are equal, all are from one father and one mother, and are members of one family— so from the aspect of nobility, origin and connections, they are equal partners. No one is better than anyone else, except in purity and devotion to God. The Qur'an says: O mankind, We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into races and tribes so that you may know one another. Surely the noblest among you in the sight of Allah is the most God-fearing of you.

Allah is All-Knowing, Allaware. (49:13) (c) ISLAM & FREEDOM OF THOUGHT: Islam is a firm supporter of rational argument and freedom of thought. Imposition of ideas or beliefs, or the stifling of voices does not exist in Islam. The Qur'an says: There is no compulsion in religion [because] the truth has become clear from the error. (2:256) In Islam, investigation of the foundations of beliefs is a duty for every individual, and it is an obligation for everyone not to accept anything without proof.

Islam censures those who blindly follow the beliefs of their fathers and ancestors, and commends self-investigation and deep examination. It rejects feeblemindedness and vain speculation, and urges only to the perusal of knowledge and certainty. The Qur'an says: And pursue not that you have no knowledge of; the hearing, the sight, the heart — all of these shall be questioned of.

(17:36) Islam grants its opponents the right to set forth their queries in reasonable discussion and to enumerate their proofs and listen to the answers.