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Islamic concept of Human Rights
Sartaj Ahmad Sofi
Email: [email protected]
Abstract
More often from the time of 9/11 onwards, Islam began, portrayed by western media as the
terrorist religion and destruction for humanity. For derogating the very image of Islam,
primarily the international media took the black sheeps from the community and portrayed
them as the exemplary Muslims. Secondly, the Quranic text and prophetic traditions were
taken either out of context or were wrongly interpreted for proving Islam as the major cause
for the problems of the contemporary people. The so called Muslim preachers and
propagators, on the other side, presented Islam with a conservative approach, considered all
other human beings not only inferior but enemies as well. The conservative approach of
Muslims and misinterpretation of non-muslims while dealing with Nasus created an
ambiguity about Islam. The present paper is a pitiable endeavour to present Islam as it is,
free from all false allegations and explicit its very concept of human dignity and equality
and, to cautious its followers to perform their duties in a better way for the cause of human
elevation which Islam demands from them.
Key Words: Barbaric, Black Sheeps, Dignity, Human Rights, Media, Portray
Introduction
Not more than three decades of time passed after the sad demise of Prophet Muhammad ‫ﷺ‬,
during the caliphate of Hadhrat ‘Ali (R.A.) (656—661C.E.), Khawarij—the first Religiopolitical sect of Islam got emerge. Who not only succeeded in creating the chaos and
confusion among the Muslim ummah by using Islam as a tool to get the political interests
but also paved a way for the hypocrites and extremist Muslim groups to defame Islam with
Islam. By interpreting the terms like Jihad, Fasaad, Qitaal etc either out of context or on the
basis of literalistic predilections, the so called muslims, hindered a good number of western
people1 to embrace Islam and explicit Islam as the violent and antagonism to human welfare
as well.
From here, the enemies of Islam take the advantage of these Muslims and their ideologies,
began to portray them as exemplary Muslims and their teaching as the real spirit of Islam,
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through media, which proved a fruitful weapon for them to succeed in defaming the Islam at
global level and label the pure Muslims as terrorists to get the opportunity to eliminate them
from the clime of earth.
The issue of the nature of Islam, though been the matter of debate from the rule of last
pious caliphate of Islam, got momentum in the modern contemporary era. Now antimuslims began to authored works against Islam and to misinterpret the Islamic texts as well.
The Muslim scholars began to defend Islam on the same stern as it was attacked by nonmuslims. They came forward to respond all queries about the teachings of Islam as well as
to eradicate the false allegations to Islam and Muslims.
The issue of Human rights is the weltanschauung of the contemporary era. Muslim Scholars,
both traditional and modern, are busy in discussing the issue very immensely. Innumerable
works had been done and hundreds and thousands of scholars both from East and West are
busy in working on the subject. More attention is yet needed to deal with the issue of human
rights academically to present it in a proper way.
Islamic Concept of Human Rights
At the very outset, it is to be understood very clearly that the basic concept of Islam in
regard to the human rights is based upon the dignity and respect for humankind and the
equality of humanity. Both are described in detail in Quran and Hadith. Al-Quran describes
the dignity and respect for humankind in the below mentioned verses;
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‫ولقد كرمنا بنى ادم وحملنهم فى البر والبحر ورزقنهم من الطيبت وفضلنهم على كثير ممن خلقنا تفضيال‬
And no doubt, We honoured the children of Adam and got them ride in the land and
sea and provide them with clean things and preferred them over many of Our
creations.
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‫لقد خلقنا االنسان فى احسن تقويم‬
Undoubtedly, We have made man in the fairest stature.
The very concept of equality of humankind without any association and affiliation but
purely on humanitarian grounds is revealed by Al-mighty Allah as;
‫ياايهاالناس اتقوا ربكم الذى خلقكم من نفس واحده وخلق منها زوجها وبث منهما رجاال كثير ونساء واتقوا‬
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‫هللا الذى تساءلون به واالرحام ان هللا كان عليكم رقيبا‬
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O people! Fear your lord who created you from a single soul and made it mate from
within it, and from that pair spread many men and women and fear Allah in whose
name you ask for (your rights) and pay attention to the ties of relationship.
Undoubtedly Allah is watching you all time.
‫ياايهاالناس انا خلقنكم من ذكر وانثى وجعلناكم شعوبا وقبائل لتعارفوا ان اكرمكم غند هللا اتقكم ان هللا غليم‬
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‫خبير‬
O people! We created you from one man and one woman and made you branches and
tribes that you may recognise one another. Undoubtedly, the most respected among
you in the sight of Allah is he who is more pious; verily, Allah is knowing, Aware.
Prophet Muhammad ‫ ﷺ‬said in the farewell Pilgrimage as;
‫ياايهاالناس اال ان ربكم واحد وان اباكم واحد اال ال فضل لعربى على عجمى وال لعجمى على عربى وال‬
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‫ال احمر على اسود وال السود على احمر اال بالتقوى‬
O people! Undoubtedly your lord is one—the Absolute and undoubtedly your
ancestors are same, neither is Arabian superior to non-Arabian and non-Arabian
superior to Arabian, nor is red superior to black and black superior to red but by
virtuous deeds.
As is clear from the above mentioned verses of Holy Quran and prophetic traditions, Allah
Almighty has endowed on human beings the status of being superior to all other creations
(‫)اشرف المخلوقات‬. The holy Quran has described the position enjoyed by the human beings in
a great detail that at the time of creation of Hadhrat Adam (RA), Allah Almighty enjoined
upon the angels to bow before Hadhrat Adam (RA). The Quran portrays the image of
angel’s prostration to Adam in the following manner;
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‫واذ قلنا للمالئكة اسجدوا الدم فسجدوا اال ابليس ابى واستكبر وكان من الكافرين‬
And recall, when We ordered the angels to prostrate before Adam, then all prostrated
save Iblees. He refused and boasted and became disbeliever.
After laying the foundation of respect and equality of man, Islam prescribed a complete
charter of rights for humanity ranging from moral rights to religious, economic, social and
political rights. Islamic concept of human rights and freedoms is uniform and of universal
character, which is independent of historical and regional boundaries of time and space. The
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Islamic concept of human rights originates from the commandments of Allah Almighty,
which were conveyed to the Ummah through the Holy Prophet ‫ﷺ‬.
Categories of rights
Islam had divided the rights into three broad categories;
1)
Rights of Allah (Haquq al-Allah): means to worship Him alone without associating
any partners and to renounce everything besides Him. The ‘Ulema’ of theology had called it
as Tawhid-i-Talbi or Iradi— which according to them refers to those verses of Quran that
describes the rights of Allah while describing His Tawhid. Allah says in Quran as;
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‫ان هللا ربى وربكم فاعبدوه هذا صراط مستقيم‬
It is Allah Who is my Lord And your Lord; Then worship Him. This is a way That is
straight.
The Prophet Muhammad ‫ ﷺ‬had said as;
‫عن معاذ ابن جبل قال قال رسول هللا يا معاذ اتدرى ما حق هللا على العباد قال هللا و رسوله اعلم! قال ان‬
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‫يعبدهللا وال يشرك به شيئا قال اتدرى ما حقهم عليه اذا فعلوا ذالك فقال هللا و رسوله اعلم قال ان ال يعذبهم‬
Mu‘adh ibn Jabal said that Prophet Muhammad ‫ﷺ‬said to me: O Mu ‘adh! Do you
know the rights of Allah towards his Servants (‘Abd)? He replied Allah and His
apostle knows best. He [Prophet Muhammad ‫ ]ﷺ‬said “Worship Allah and do not
associate any one with Him”. Prophet again said O Mu‘adh! Do you know the rights
of Servants towards Allah, when they do so? He replied Allah and His apostle knows
best. Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said: “that He did not torment them”
2)
Rights of Self (Haquq al-Nafs): The second category of rights is the rights towards
our own self. It means to do justice within. While performing the rights of Allah and his
creatures, be cautious about your own self and don’t donate yourself for whole day and
night for the remembrance of Allah but adopt the moderate approach to do the Dhikr of
Allah. Be connected with your family relations and other corporal relations while connected
with Allah. Don’t renounce the world but be with your creator while performing the social
duties. Islam provides a moderate approach while describing the concept of human rights. It
is explicit in the below mentioned Hadith;
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‫يا عبدهللا ! الم اخبر انك تصوم النهار وتقوم‬: ‫عن عبدهللا بن عمرو بن العاص قال ! قال رسول هللا‬
‫الليل قلت ! بلى يا رسول هللا قال فال تفعل صم وافطر وقم ونم فان لجسدك عليك حقا وان لعينك‬
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.‫عليك حقا وان لزوجك عليك حقا‬
“Hadhrat Abdullah bin ‘Amru bi al-‘Aas says that Prophet Muhammad said to me O’
‘Abdullah! The news came to me that you are spending your days in fast and awake in
nights (for the Remembrance of Allah). I [‘Abdullah] said, Yes O’ Muhammad ‫ﷺ‬. He
said don’t do that. Fast and Eat, awake and sleep. Because you have the rights towards
your body, you have the right towards your eyes; you have the right towards your
wife.”
Rights of Allah’s Servants (Haquq al-‘Ibād): This is the more important and crucial
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category of rights in Islam. It means to perform the rights of human beings which have been
laid upon by creator. Islam enforces to perform the rights of others instead of demanding the
rights. Everyone is entitled with rights towards others. Allah mentioned the rights of one
towards other human beings as;
‫واعبدهللا وال تشرقوا به شيئا و بالوالدين احسانا و بذى القربى واليتمى و المساكين و الجار ذى القربى‬
‫و الجار الجنب و الصاحب بالجنب زابن السبيل وما ملكت ايمانكم ان هللا ال يحب من كان مختاال‬
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‫فخورا‬
And worship Allah, and do not associate anyone with Him and do good to parents, and
to relatives and to orphans, and the needy, and the near neighbour and the distant
neighbour and the companion of your side and the wayfarer and to your male and
female servants. Undoubtedly, Allah loves not the proud, boastful.
While focussing on the human rights, Prophet Muhammad has said as;
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.‫عن انس بن مالك قال قال رسول هللا ال يومن احدكم حتى يحب الخيه ما يحب لنفسه‬
Narrated by Anas bin Malik, Prophet said that “none of you would be a
believer until he chooses the same thing for others as he wishes for
himself”
The rights given by Allah are in the form of blessings and there is no role of any human
effort in their acquirement. Contrary to the violable nature of rights given by the earthly
law-makers, these rights are permanent, unchangeable, inviolable and sacred. Since Divine
intent underlines them, therefore, they can’t be suspended, amended or changed. In a real
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Islamic state, these rights are to be enjoyed by every citizen. Neither can any state nor an
individual violate them.
Another unique feature of Islamic concept is that here rights and duties are interdependent
and complement each other. That is why obligations and duties have equally been stressed
upon as rights.
‫واعبدهللا وال تشرقوا به شيئا و بالوالدين احسانا و بذى القربى واليتمى و المساكين و الجار ذى القربى و‬
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‫الجار الجنب و الصاحب بالجنب زابن السبيل وما ملكت ايمانكم ان هللا ال يحب من كان مختاال فخورا‬
And worship Allah, and do not associate anyone with Him and do good to parents, and
to relatives and to orphans, and the needy, and the near neighbour and the distant
neighbour and the companion of your side and the wayfarer and to your male and
female servants. Undoubtedly, Allah loves not the proud, boastful.
Islam preaches fulfilment of rights rather than demand of rights. The basic teaching of Islam
is that every person is under obligation to realize the rights of others in every possible way.
The society will become an ideal society where duty of one individual is the right of other.
When people are engaged in the fulfilment of their rights with this consciousness, such
societies become the paragon of respect for rule of law and human rights.
The Holy Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬has presented such a system of human rights, which has reciprocal
relationship and proportionality between rights and duties. That means that no person will
be justified in demanding his rights unless he performs his obligations. Since the main stress
is laid on the performance of duties, therefore, no individual can raise his voice for rights as
long as he does not perform his duties. Thus the rights stand fulfilled automatically in the
process of performance of duties.
Conclusion
To conclude it can be said that it is wrong to pick isolated example and incidents to typify
the character of Islam. Islamic teachings and values are universal without any discrimination
and biases of caste, creed, colour and religion. It is clear that Islam guarantees what no other
religion, school of thought or philosophy can claim to guarantee. It is also clear that the
depth of the Islamic conception of human rights has no equal in its authenticity and
harmony with human environment
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References:
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By western people, I mean all other than Muslims like Jews and Christians.
2
Al-Quran, 17: 70 (Surah Bani-Israeel)
3
Ibid, 95: 4 (Surah Al-Teen)
4
Ibid, 4: 1 (Surah Nisa)
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Ibid, 49: 13 (Surah Al-Hujraat)
6
Hanbal, Imam Ahmad; Al-Musnad, H.No. 23536
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Al-Quran; 2: 34 (Surah Baqarah)
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Ibid, 3:51 (Surah Al-Imran)
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Bukhari and Muslim
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Bukhari and Muslim
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Al-Quran; 4: 36 (Surah An-Nisa)
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Bukhari and Muslim
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Al-Quran, 4: 36 (Surah Nisa)
The author is the Research Scholar in Shah-i-Hamadan Institute of Islamic Studies,
University of Kashmir, Srinager, 190006
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