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5. Other Aspects of the Family Life
Closely connected with the family life is the treatment of
"servants", other family members, relations, and neighbors.
To those who keep permanent inaids Prophet Muhammad
has given advice and good tidings. "Masters" are enjoined to
treat their servants like brothers, and not like slaves, because
whoever treats his servant well, said the Prophet, God will
make his death easy and pleasant, a moment which is ordi-
narily painful and difficult. Servants are entitled to justice,
kindness, mercy, food, clothing, accommodation and other
personal expenses. The Prophet goes as far as to say that
they should be fed and dressed of the same stuff as used by
their masters, and this is to be provided by the masters them-
selves as a part of their obligations to the servants. These are
not to be persecuted or disdained or overcharged with work.
This stipulation is designed to show how Islam dignifies hu-
manity and honors labor without inviting the ciass warfare
or the despotic authority of the proletariat. Being a servant
or iaborer does not deprive any person of his rights or affect
his dignity as a human being. Nor does it make him addicted
to the opium of the utopian proletariat. Ali citizens of a real
Muslim Society stand on equal footing, because Islam does
not recognize the caste system or the second class citizen-
ship. The only superiority acknowledged by Islam is that of
piety and good deeds in the worship of God (Qur'an, 9:105;
49:13).