Chances are, if I name a well-known building, you would know where it is in the world – the country and maybe the city too. For instance; The Empire State Building in New York, Big Ben in London, Sydney Opera House in Australia and The Taj Mahal in India. Throughout the world, these famous landmarks are iconic, provocative symbols of the cultural heritage of the cities they adorn. Unspoken backdrops, they speak volumes about the prestige, power and magnificence of their construction – as pen is to ink, so too is brick to mortar. What is the history, what are the stories behind the building of such monuments? With their architectural designs, they are steeped in history and have become immortalised in fiction and poetry.
Have you ever wondered about those people who actually worked on these projects, meticulous to every detail – cement, concrete, glass and bricks – assembled from raw materials to become a piece of art? I’m sure each would have a story to tell you – sweat, tears, muscle fatigue… The Great Pyramids – tombs of powerful Pharaohs in ancient times – only came into existence through the back-breaking toil of slaves. Are these modern feats of wonder any different?
I was spending a few days in UAE with my family and like all tourists we made our way to Downtown Dubai – the heart and cultural hub of Dubai city. There were hotels, luxury apartment towers, a massive mall, restaurants and the like. The skyscrapers cramming for space in the lucrative capital seemed to converge as we looked up to their dizzying heights. At a crossroad between East and West, Dubai is a cosmopolitan city like no other – the native Emiratis are a mere minority where a large percentage of the residents are expats and would-be fortune seekers from around the globe. As we walked down the sidewalk, trying to take in the ultra-modern surroundings, I noticed a group of workers – having finished their shift, they were headed for the metro to take them home. It occurred to me that labourers like these were responsible for constructing these high rise hotels with their studio flats but they would probably never be given the opportunity to live in them, themselves. A light -bulb moment – just like all the great cities in the world from the time of antiquity, there is a stark contrast between those that have and those who don’t – between rich and poor. All great cities have areas of affluence and splendour and areas of slums or cheap housing. Within these great cities, microcosms of the world, there is inequality, despite all their advances in technology and infrastructure.
The only true system of equality for all is Islam; where the rich and the poor bow in prayer together, where the annual payment of zakat ensures that wealth circulates in society and is not monopolised by the few, and where the great pilgrimage to Makkah necessitates that all dress the same – again symbolising equality and harmony.
Allah says in the Qur’an:
“O mankind, verily We have created you from a single (Pair) of a male and a female, and have made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other. Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Almighty Allah is the most righteous” ( 49:13)
Throughout his life, the Prophet (peace be upon him) exemplified the teachings of the Qur’an and he re-iterated the concept of the equality of man in his final message:
‘All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety (taqwa) and good action.’ (Tirmidhi).
May Allah help us to be humble and increase in piety. May Allah help us to be just and fair to all, seeking His pleasure. Ameen.