Will there be racial discrimination in the Hereafter?
By: Musa Conde
Introduction:
In recent discourse, certain interpretations of 3:106 suggest that the Quran indicates that there will be racial discrimination in the Hereafter. This article aims to address such interpretations and to instate the correct interpretation in the light of Quranic evidence. The verse in question is the following:
[3:105-106] Those shall have a great punishment on the Day when some faces will be whitened, and some faces will be blackened. As for those whose faces are blackened: "Did you disbelieve after having believed? Therefore, taste the punishment for what you used to deny."
Translation source:
https://www.quran-islam.org/main_topics/quran_in_english_(P1223).html
The words above speak about some events during the Day of Resurrection where faces will either be whitened or blackened. The verse addresses two categories of people: those whose faces are whitened (the believers) and those whose faces are blackened (disbelievers).
Misinterpretation and Critique:
Critics have misinterpreted this verse as advocating a literal transformation of individuals into white or black-skinned beings, thereby attributing racial connotations to the Quranic verses. However, such interpretation lacks textual support within the Quran itself and misrepresents the Quranic message.
To examine the words in 3:106 in the light of the Quran, we need to incorporate the verdict of the following verses:
[66:8] O you who believe, repent to God a sincere repentance. It may be that your Lord will wipe out your bad deeds and admit you into Gardens beneath which rivers flow. That will be on the Day when God will not disgrace the prophet and those who believed with him. Their light will stream out ahead of them and to their right.
[57:12] On the Day you see the believing men and the believing women with their lights streaming out ahead of them and to their right: "Good news is yours today of Gardens beneath which rivers flow. Therein, you shall permanently remain. That is the great triumph."
[57:13] On the Day the hypocrite men and the hypocrite women say to those who believed, "Wait for us so that we can acquire some of your light," it will be said, "Go back behind you and seek a light." A fence is then placed between them that has a gate; on its inner lies mercy, and on its outer lies the punishment.
The verses above clearly depict believers to be granted a light from God that will be ahead of them and on their right on the Day of Resurrection. In contrast, the hypocrites and disbelievers are described as devoid of light, facing darkness and punishment. For that, they will plead with the believers to acquire some of their light.
If 3:106 was about a physical transformation of believers into white people and the disbelievers into black people, then why would the disbelievers tell the believers to wait so that we can acquire some of your light (57:13)?
It is the light granted to the believers by God that will result in their faces being whitened. It is also the lack of light for the disbelievers that will leave them in the dark and thus their faces will be blackened (dark).
The words in the verse do not speak of racial distinctions but rather they emphasize the light that is either granted or deprived.
Conclusion:
The misinterpretation of 3:106 as propagating racial divisions within the Quran is unfounded and it has led many to unjustly criticize the Quran. The Quran teaches us that God created people in different colours not to elevate some above others but simply for diversity:
[30:22] And from among His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the diversity of your languages and your colours. Indeed, in that are signs for the knowledgeable.
The Quran also speaks about the criteria which God uses (and so should we) to distinguish between people; that being their reverence and not the colour of their skin
[49:13] O people, We created you from a male and female and rendered you various peoples and tribes so that you may get to know one another. The most noble of you in the sight of God is the most reverent. Indeed, God is Knowledgeable, All-Aware.