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... the science of peace |
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Many of us believe that
Human Rights are granted by the government or legislative assemblies,
while Islam considers Human Rights are granted and sanctioned by God.
History had demonstrated that governments and rulers have altered Human
Rights to benefit and reinforce circumstances in their favor. One of the most important
issue among the Human Rights is Justice. Since justice is the
buttress and spirit of Human Rights. And that is why Islam highly
emphasized on justice though it might not be favorable to some
people. The first and the foremost basic right
is the right to live and Whosoever kills a human being
without (any reason like) man As far as the question of taking life in
retaliation for murder or the Do not kill a soul which Allah has
made sacred except through the due Here also homicide has been
distinguished from destruction of 'The Right to Life' has been given to
man only by Islam. You
...And
act justly. Truly, God loves those who are just.
(Quran, 49:9)
Racism is not allowed in Islam, for the Quran
speaks of human equality in the following terms: Islam rejects certain individuals or nations
being favored because of their wealth, power, or race. God created human
beings as equals who are to be distinguished from each other only on the
basis of their faith and piety. The Prophet Muhammad said: {O people!
Your God is one and your forefather (Adam) is one. An Arab is not better
than a non-Arab and a non-Arab is not better than an Arab, and a red (i.e.
white tinged with red) person is not better than a black person and a black
person is not better than a red person, except in piety.} The life and property of all citizens in an
Islamic state are considered sacred, whether a person is Muslim or not.
Islam also protects honor. So, in Islam, insulting others or making fun of
them is not allowed. The Prophet Muhammad said: {Truly your blood, your
property, and your honor are inviolable.} In the address
which the Prophet delivered on the occasion of the Farewell Hajj, he
said: "Your lives and properties are forbidden to one another till you
meet your Lord on the Day of Resurrection." The Prophet has also said
about the the non-Muslim citizens in the Islamic state: "One who kills a
man under covenant will not even smell the
fragrance of Paradise." The Holy Quran lays
down: "You who believe, do not let one (set of) people make fun of
another set." "Do not defame one another." The Quran has laid
down the injunction: "Do not spy on one
another." (49:12) Islam has laid down
the principle that no citizen can be imprisoned unless his guilt has
been proven in an open court. To arrest a man only on the basis of
suspicion and to throw him into a prison without proper court
proceedings and without providing him a reasonable opportunity to
produce his defense is not permissible in Islam. Among the rights
that Islam has conferred on human beings is the right to protest against
government's tyranny. Referring to it the Quran says: "God does not love
evil talk in public unless it is by someone who has been injured
thereby." (4:148) In Islam, as has
been argued earlier, all power and authority belong to God, and with man
there is only delegated power which becomes a trust; everyone who
becomes a recipient of such a power has to stand in awful reverence
before his people toward whom and for whose sake he will be called upon
to use these powers. Islam gives the
right of freedom of thought and expression to all citizens of the
Islamic state on the condition that it should be used for the
propagation of virtue and truth and not for spreading evil and
wickedness. The Islamic concept of freedom of expression is much
superior to the concept prevalent in the West. Under no circumstances
would Islam allow evil and wickedness to be propagated. It also does not
give anybody the right to use abusive or offensive language in the name
of criticism. It was the practice of the Muslims to enquire from the
Holy Prophet whether on a certain matter a divine injunction had been
revealed to him. If he said that he had received no divine injunction,
the Muslims freely expressed their opinion on the matter. Islam has also
given people the right to freedom of association and formation of
parties or organizations. This right is also subject to certain general
rules. Islam has laid down
the injunction: "There should be no
coercion in the matter of faith." (2:256) On the contrary,
totalitarian societies totally deprive the individuals of their freedom.
Indeed, this undue exaltation of the state authority curiously enough
postulates a sort of servitude, of slavishness on the part of man. At
one time slavery meant total control of man over man - now that type of
slavery has been legally abolished but in its place totalitarian
societies impose a similar sort of control over individuals. Along with the
freedom of conviction and freedom of conscience, Islam has given the
right to the individual that his religious sentiments will be given due
respect and nothing will be said or done which may encroach upon his
right. Islam also
recognizes the right of the individual not to be arrested or imprisoned
for the offenses of others. The Holy Quran has laid down this principle
clearly: "No bearer of
burdens shall be made to bear the burden of another." (35:18)
Islam has
recognized the right of the needy people for help and assistance to be
provided to them: "And in their
wealth there is acknowledged right for the needy and the destitute."
(51:19) Islam gives its
citizens the right to absolute and complete equality in the eyes of the
law. A woman belonging
to a high and noble family was arrested in connection with theft. The
case was brought to the Prophet, and it was recommended that she might
be spared the punishment of theft. The Prophet replied: "The nations
that lived before you were destroyed by God because they punished the
common man for their offenses and let their dignitaries go unpunished
for their crimes; I swear by Him Who holds my life in His hand that even
if Fatima, the daughter of Muhammad, had committed this crime, I would
have amputated her hand." "And their business
is (conducted) through consultation among themselves." (42:38)
The "Shura" or the
legislative assembly has no other meaning except that the executive head
of the government and the members of the assembly should be elected by
free and independent choice of the people. Lastly, it is to be
made clear that Islam tries to achieve the above mentioned human rights
and many others not only by providing certain legal safeguards but
mainly by inviting mankind to transcend the lower level of animal life
to be able to go beyond the mere ties fostered by the kinship of blood,
racial superiority, linguistic arrogance, and economic privileges. It
invites mankind to move on to a plane of existence where, by reason of
his inner excellence, man can realize the ideal of the Brotherhood of
man.
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Since Human Rights are a part of the parcel in the Islamic creeds, every
person who claims to be a Muslim has to accept and practice these
creeds. If one fails to do so by denying, altering, or violating these
doctrines while paying lip-service, that person clearly will not be
considered a Muslim. The Holy Quran states:
One of the most important issues among the Human Rights is Justice which
is the buttress and spirit of Human Rights. That is why Islam highly
emphasizes on justice though it might not be favorable to some people.
But, by justice there shall be no Racism, Abuses, Harassments, etc.
A person has to be just with all people whether he likes them or abhors
them:
"Those who do not judge by what God has sent down are the
disbelievers." 5:44
But, by justice there shall be no Racism, Abuses, Harassments, etc.
A person has to be just with all people whether he likes them or abhors
them:
And
let not the hatred of others make you avoid justice. Be just: that is
nearer to piety.... (Quran,
5:8)
The Right to Life
respect human life. The Holy Quran lays down:
slaughter, or corruption on earth, it is as though he had killed
all mankind ... (5:32)
question of punishment for spreading corruption on this earth is con-
cerned, it can be decided only by a proper and competent court of
law. If there is any war with any nation or country, it can be decided
only by a properly established government. In any case, no human
being has any right by himself to take human life in retaliation or for
causing mischief on this earth. Therefore it is incumbent on every
human being that under no circumstances should he be guilty of
taking a human life. If anyone has murdered a human being, it is as if
he has slain the entire human race. These instructions have been
repeated in the Holy Quran in another place saying:
process of law ... (6:151)
life carried out in pursuit of justice. Only a proper and competent
court will be able to decide whether or not an individual has forfeited
his right to life by disregarding the right to life and peace of other
human beings. The Prophet, may God's blessings be on him, has
declared homicide as the greatest sin only next to polytheism. The
Tradition of the Prophet reads: "The greatest sins are to associate
something with God and to kill human beings." In all these verses of
the Quran and the Traditions of the Prophet the word 'soul' (nafs) has
been used in general terms without any distinction or particularization
which might have lent itself to the elucidation that the persons belong-
ing to one's nation, the citizens of one's country, the people of a
particular race or religion should not be killed. The injunction applies
to all human beings and the destruction of human life in itself has
been prohibited.
will observe that the people who talk about human rights if they have
ever mentioned them in their Constitutions or Declarations, then it is
clearly implied in them that these rights are applicable only to their
citizens or they have been framed for the white race alone. This can
clearly be gleaned by the fact that human beings were hunted down
like animals in Australia and the land was cleared of the aborigines for
the white man. Similarly the aboriginal population of America was
systematically destroyed and the Red Indians who somehow survived
this genocide were confined to specified areas called Reservations.
They also penetrated into Africa and hunted down human beings like
wild animals. All these instances go to prove that they have no respect
for human life as such and if they have, it is only on the basis of
their
nationality, color or race. Contrary to this, Islam recognizes this
right
for all human beings. If a man belongs to a primitive or savage tribe,
even then Islam regards him as a human being.
The Prophet Muhammad said: {People, beware
of injustice, for injustice shall be darkness on the Day of Judgment.}
Truly
God commands you to give back trusts to those to whom they are due, and when
you judge between people, to judge with justice....
(Quran, 4:58)
O
mankind, We have created you from a male and a female and have made you into
nations and tribes for you to know one another. Truly, the noblest of you
with God is the most pious. Truly, God is All-Knowing, All-Aware. (Quran,
49:13)
The Security Of Life And
Property:
The Protection Of Honor:
"Do not insult by using nicknames."
"Do not backbite or speak ill of one another." (49:11-12)
Sanctity And Security
Of Private Life:
"Do not enter any houses unless you are sure of their occupant's
consent." (24:27)
The Security Of Personal
Freedom:
The Right To Protest Against
Tyranny:
Freedom Of Expression:
Freedom Of Association:
Freedom Of Conscience
And Conviction:
Protection Of Religious
Sentiments:
Protection
From Arbitrary Imprisonment:
The Right To Basic
Necessities of Life:
Equality Before Law:
Rulers Not Above The Law:
The
Right To Participate In The Affairs Of State:
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