Cursed For What Your Forefathers Did

Question: Is someone cursed by the fact that they are from a certain race or because of their forefathers’ sins?

Answer:

Wa alaykum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

Dear questioner,

Thank you for your important question.

No one is answerable for anyone’s sins but their own. ‘And no one shall bear the sin of another sinner’ (Qur’an, 35: 18).

No race is closer to Allah than any other and racism is completely un-Islamic. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, ‘O people, indeed your Lord is one, and your forefather is one. No Arab is better than any non-Arab, no non-Arab is better than any Arab, no white person is not better than any black person, and no black person is not better than any white person, except if one fears Allah more than the other’ (Ahmad).

The best of people — the Companions of the Last Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace, and be well pleased with all of them) were of different races: Arab, Jew, Persian, Ethiopian, Copt, and others.

Any ideas that suggest Islam prefers one race over another, or deems any race to be accursed is clearly erroneous.

I pray this helps.

[Ustadh] Farid

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Farid Dingle has completed extensive years of study in the sciences of the Arabic language and the various Islamic Sciences. During his studies, he also earned a CIFE Certificate in Islamic Finance. Over the years he has developed a masterful ability to craft lessons that help non-Arabic speakers gain a deep understanding of the language. He currently teaches courses in the Arabic Language