The Meghan Markle and Prince Harry interview has five lessons for us

The interview garnered mixed reactions from people throughout the United Kingdom as well as the rest of the world, thanks to social media!

Whether you agree with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry or don’t, we can all agree that the interview has the following lessons for all of us especially as Muslims.

1. Empathy

Whatever the rights and wrongs, and whatever the finer points, there can only be one answer when someone says they are having suicidal thoughts. Empathy is a virtue. This does not imply that you support or believe anything that person says about their situation without question. It means you believe them when they say they’re in deep emotional distress, that you prioritise them, and that you do whatever you can to help them.

“A noble Messenger has come to you from among yourselves. He’s grieved by your hardships and cares about your well-being, for the believers he is compassionate and kind.”

(The Majestic Quran 9:128)

2. Racism has no place

When Meghan said that certain members of the royal family were concerned about the skin colour of her future children, Oprah’s jaw dropped. Racism is a despicable concept. We must not delude ourselves into believing that discrimination is a thing of the past. We can’t fool ourselves into believing that others are racists and that we are totally free of racism.

“Believers, debate courteously with People of The Book – except the oppressors among them – and tell them: “We believe in what’s revealed to us and what’s revealed to you, Our God and your God is One, and we submit to Him.”

(The Majestic Quran 29:46)

3. Admitting that you need help is a sign of strength and courage

Our ego also stops us from seeking help. We yearn to be self-sufficient, but God did not mean for us to be so. We’re relying on each other and on him. Meghan and Prince Harry were correct in stressing that embracing support is a symbol of resilience, not vulnerability. They were correct in seeking help and admitting their difficulties to one another.

Allah’s Messenger ﷺ said in a Hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه):

“A strong believer (Qawi) is better and is more lovable to Allah than a weak believer..”

(Portion of a Hadith from Sahih Muslim, 2664)

4. Discord has a negative impact

This interview has the potential to be helpful, and ideally it is. However, it is impossible to offer any form of reconciliation or redemption to the royal family’s relationships. Whatever our feelings towards the people involved, we should all hope for their recovery, redemption, and reconciliation. Not only for the royal family, but also for our own relationships.

“Believers, find strength through patience and prayer – Allah is with those who are patient.”

(The Majestic Quran 2:153)

5. Take lessons from the past

As the interview came to a close, Prince Harry continued to emphasise this point. He saw comparisons in what had happened to his mother and what had happened to his wife, especially in terms of the media. If you agree with him that history is repeating itself in this situation or not, the general idea that we should learn from the past is unmistakable.