why you folks bring relegion into everything?

It is a little odd. The prophet ate with his slave Bilal for sake of equality, but Bilal still remained a slave. Was not slavery also forbidden for sake of eqauality?

Living in London for almost a decade now, I feel the biggest difference is that people serving us here are treated with dignity and respect. They may not earn as much as the ones who employ them but the people show courtesy by looking at the waiters, taxi drivers and cleaners in the eye and thanking them for their work. Our own cleaner and gardener sit on the same table and eat with us the same food. I must say, I never saw even educated corporate well travelled frequent flyers doing that in Pakistan. No wonder Pakistanis are willing to drive taxis and do jobs in restaurants in Europe and North America but not in their own country.

I don't think that eating or not eating with servants is important - it is just symbolic. What is important is how you treat them. I have seen people treating their servants badly. They have no respect for them. They don't talk to them the same way as they talk to their family members. Some even beat them. The servants do their job and get paid. There is no reason to treat them in an insulting manner.

I saw ex army general and ex sephai traveling in same PIA flight . It's a money which make difference finally. In western countries I have no excess in many high end country club, and also every events there is always VIP entry and other is for commoner. Please stop giving fancy stories about America .

First of Caesar is even before Christ. And secondly this is call socialism or communism which Muslim fought against in Afghanistan .

that's not entirely true. There are a certain amount of restaurants which allow pets in North America and Europe.

I am supporter of uniformity in treating all humans in terms of their self esteem and basic needs. However, grooming up people from this deprived section of the society will take time and a change in mindset of 'cultured' section of the society. Till that time neither it is possible nor appropriate to bring the household helpers really become part of the family. By the way when everyone gets educated enough then household helpers become hard to find.... example is Singapore where maids are 'imported' mostly from Indonesia & Philippines, but as education is improving there as well, I don't know what will be their source in future. We must get ready to do our chores ourselves.

Inequality in islam

Sir Butt you would be surprised but there are people in the world especially in the real Muslim, where I have seen maids eating on the same table with the employers. Travel in same class when they travel and have rooms that might not be palaces but a lot better and comfortable than maids would have. BTW you might even check in US this fair and loving treatment that our beloved Prophet practiced is done there too along with the Arab world.

the difference is of authority not the status

Islamic society especially in the time of the Prophet (PBUH) and the rightly guided caliphs presented a model of the kind of behavior referred to by the author. Also Western societies today are also very open minded and tolerant in this respect. I have personally seen enlisted men and officers traveling in the same carriage of the metro in Washington.

Of course my comments refer to norms in England and not to civilised countries with musawaat like ours

The author probably asked a rhetorical question at the end but having observed and having worked with and lived close to military folk I assure Mr Butt that outside their work environment society does treat soldiers and officers, even exalted generals, pretty much the same. Every creature is entitled to being treated decently, even a dog.

What about Pets.In civilized countries, such as Canada, no pets are allowed in restaurants

Once Caesar of rome asked why is islam spreading so fast. The person replied that i will tell you tomorrow after your banquet that you hosted in honor of the muslim king. Next day caesar met the person again. The person asked him so what happened in the banquet. Caesar replied when the muslim king sat , all of his servants also sat with him on the table to eat dinner. Then the person asked caesar, what about your servants. He replied they all converted to Islam.

I have shared meals with my driver when I visited Pakistan. Prophet (PBUH) used to eat with Bilal Habshi his slave. Are we better than the prophet?

Finally something politically incorect but true. I fully endorse your views.

rules are rules ..it should be equal for every one ..If our prophet Muhamman (PBUH) can sit and eat with their subordinate then why not we