Are You a Son of Islam

Ibn Abu Uqba (radi Allahu anhu), a Sahabi from Persia related: “I was with the Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) at the Battle of Uhud. I had struck down one of the disbelievers and at the same time said, ‘Take that! I am a son of Persia!’ The Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) looked at me and said, ‘Wouldn’t it be better to say, ‘Take that! I am a son of the Ansar!’” [Abu Dawud]

The Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) was always concerned about the training of his Ummah in order that it should be preserved from anything which did not draw its force and essence from the solid rock of Islam. Thus, we find him encouraging them to find their identity within the ranks of the Muslims.

In essence, he was telling the Sahabi that a Muslim is a Muslim first, ethnicity second. It is his Islam that will qualify him for Jannah, not his ethnicity or “nationality.”

Thus, our religion is the most important aspect of our identity. From it should spring our thoughts and feelings.