Great civilisations such as the Greeks, Romans and Persians rose to prominence primarily due to their emphasis on human rights and the rule of law— a principle that also played a key role in the expansion of Islamic civilisation. Islam is by far the most powerful social movement the world has ever seen. It brought revolutionary changes to the socio-economic and political values of people. Allah sent Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as a gift to the whole humanity. He became the most significant social reformer in human history and helped usher in a new period of peace and prosperity. The Prophet's (PBUH) actions as a reformer are still admirable today. He prioritised humanity over castes, creeds, and colours and regarded all men as equal.  He taught that the only one greater than the rest is the one who has Takwa (fear of Allah) and discarded the idea that ‘might is right’.
When Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was born, Arab women hardly had any rights or dignity. They were traded like commodities. The Prophet (PBUH) instructed his followers to treat women with respect and gave women the rights to marry, possess property and get a divorce. The Arab people used to bury their female children alive for fear of poverty and social humiliation. The Prophet (PBUH) put an end to this evil practice.  He taught, “If a female child is born to a family, but the parent does not cause sufferings to her or become displeased at her birth and does not prioritise a male child over her, then Allah will give him access to Heaven.”
In the pre-Islamic era, slavery was a common practice in Arab society. Slaves endured terrible mistreatments and humiliation at the hand of their masters. The Prophet (PBUH) urged everyone to treat their slaves with compassion. In this regard, he said, “They’re your brothers. Allah subjected them to you. Give them to eat what you eat and let them wear what you wear. You must not impose any work on them that they’re unable to do. If you impose any work of such kind on them, then you must help them to do it.” The Prophet (PBUH) himself cultivated a respect for the slaves Bilal bin Riba and Salman Farsi, who later became prominent figures in the Muslim society.
As for political reforms, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) introduced the constitution of Medina, the first ever written constitution in human history, with the aim of establishing a multi-faith state, based on justice and equality. And Islam, being a universal religion, protects the rights and dignity of humans regardless of their religious beliefs. In the holy Qur’an, Allah says, “There is no compulsion in religion” (2:256). Some polytheist parents in Medina wanted their children to grow up in the monotheistic Jewish tradition. But when the Prophet (PBUH) came to the city, the parents changed their minds and protested their children being taken away by the Jewish priests. Then, the Prophet (PBUH) forbade the parents from forcing their children to convert to Islam.
Moreover, the Prophet (PBUH) allowed Christian priests to offer their prayers in his mosque and to conduct open religious dialogues before an audience. As for the cultural reforms, Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH) outlawed all sorts of wrong activities like gambling and intoxication. In order to create a peaceful society, the Prophet (PBUH) helped the Arabs overcome their pre-Islamic racial biases.  
When we look at the educational reforms, we find that the Prophet (PBUH) famously declared that “learning is obligatory for every believing man and woman” and that “he who gives the best education and training to his daughters will enter Paradise.”
Besides, our Prophet (PBUH) introduced economic reforms, banned usury, emphasised zakat (obligatory charity), introduced Islamic land and protection laws, and distributed the spoils of war among the warriors with justice.
In his famous Farewell Address, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) declared: "There is no superiority of an Arab over a non-Arab or of a non-Arab over an Arab. A white has no superiority over a black, nor has a black any superiority over a white, except by piety and good action." In this sermon, he outlined the core moral and theological principles of Islam, the religion he practiced and preached.
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The writer is a Senior Sub-Editor at the Daily Sun