31 August 2010 By Mohammed Adamu
Islam, the world’s second
largest and the fastest growing religion, demands of
its faithfuls, the placement of absolute loyalty and
obedience to the teachings of the Qur’an and Hadith
(the sayings and deeds of the prophet Muhammad S.A.W)
above all other things. These teachings, mainly
centered on the belief that only one God “Allah”
deserve to be worshipped and Muhammad (S.A.W) through
whom the Qur’an was revealed to s
Aside the five pillars upon
which Islam stands, the religion also provides its
faithfuls with clear principles of conducting their
daily affairs as they affect their lives both
individually and in relation with others. Inspite of
social, economic and political changes that affects
the life of man in relation to time and places, these
beliefs and practices have remarkably remained the
same in the lives of muslims.
The Qur’an has laid down
guiding principles on which human life should be
based, and no person , whatever his/her status has the
right to decide for another person other course of
life or set standard as regards worldly authority. In
today’s world, just as in ages past, Islam and
Muslims have often found themselves in sharp
disagreements with many other people as well as
established authorities in the world as regards some
“agreed-upon standards” for mankind. One of such
areas of dispute had been on the issues of Human
Rights.
HUMAN RIGHTS IN ISLAM:
In recent times, the
clamour for the defence and promotion of Human rights
has occupied and captured a prominent place in world
affairs as well as govrnment and public opinion. The
issues of human rights is well embedded in western
societies and has helped shaped the conduct of
International Diplomacy, military strategy and even
international trade. Before now, attitude and opinion
varies and conflicts as regards what constitute basic
human rights.
As the apex international
body, the United Nations Organisation (UNO), has been
the principal authority in deciding and defining what
constitute human rights. However, when in december 1948,
the UN came up with the Universal Declaration on Human
Rights (UDHR), enjoining all nations of the world to
strive towards the achievement of equal rights and
better standards of living for their people, the
declaration was received with mixed feelings in many
quarters as the UN itself was seen as the brain child
of some particular nations, established with the aims
of using it to achieve some of their interests. Moreso,
the western concept of human rights has failed to
recognise the fact that, to some societies, their
religion determines their ways of life.
In Islam, human rights are
granted by God and not any worldly authority, king or
legislative bodies. History is full of instances where
rights granted by humans through authorities were
been withdrawn especially when the benefits of these
rights seem to threaten the powers of such
authorities. But the rights confered on man by God
cannot be withdrawn by anybody or institution.
Even in this advanced stage
of human civilisation, conflicting beliefs, ideologies
and interests cannot allow for the proper protection
of human rights and freedoms sincerely. Infact, even
the ‘Magna Carta’ which many consider as
origin of lots of rights and freedoms the west enjoy
today had special preference for the nobles. Islam,
absolutely recognises the equality and rights of men
irrespective of class, race, sex and nationality. In
this regard, the Qur’an says:
“O mankind, we have
created you from male and female, and
Have made
nations and tribes that you may know each
other (not to despise each other)”.
Qur’an s49:13
Islam recognises the basic
rights of man whether he/she is a muslim or a non-muslim.
It is also the duty of all muslims to respect and
proetect these rights in their everyday dealings with
their fellow men. Some among these rights includes:
THE RIGHT TO LIFE
The foremost of all rights
is the right to life. In this regard, Islam prohibits
the taking of human life except when demanded by the
due process of law. The Qur’an says-
“Whoever
kills a human being without any reason like murder or
Spreading
mischief in the land, it would be as if he killed all
Mankind”.
Qur’an 5:32
Moreso, unlike in the
western concept of human rights where reference to
human rights in constitutions or declarations in many
contries exclusively protects citizens or the whites
alone, the islamic concept of human rights does not
place one man above another based on skin colour or
race . For example, as late as the 1800s, the British
were still hunting human beings (the Aborigenes), down
like animals in Australia , seizing their lands and
forcing them into the dry desrsert to die while they
settle their citizens in the rich areas of the
country.
“ It is forbidden
to resort to any means , which could result in the
genocidal annihilation of mankind”.
Cairo declaration on human rights in Islam,
article 2 (a).
In the same way, the
Aboriginal population of America was systematically
destroyed or reduced to sub-humans by the governments
and the merchants of the west just as they did in
Africa . All these were occuring more than One
Thousand Two Hundred years after Islam has clearly
stated the equality of man as regards rights to life
irrespective of race or colour.
Therefore, any muslim who
carries out any act which leads to the death of
another person(s) without the act comforming with
teachings of the Qur’an and the Hadith is guilty of
murder and does have a hidding place in Islam.
‘‘ Life is a
God-given gift and the right to life is guaranteed to
every human being. It is the duty of
indivuals to, societies and states to safeguard this
right against any violation, and it is prohibited to
take away life except for a shari’a prescribed
reason’’.
Cairo declaration on human
rights in Islam, article 2(a).
RIGHT TO JUSTICE
Islam enjoin Muslims to be
just when deciding legal issues. This also is not
restricted to dealing with Muslims alone, but even
non-Muslims are to be treated justlly when it comes to
deciding legal matters. Non-muslims living in an
Islamic state where the Shari’a code is practiced ,
have the right to seek for justice in a secular court
when engaged in dispute with a Muslim. On the issue of
justice amongst men, the Qur’an says-
“ O you who
believe ! stand out firmly for Allah, as witness to
fair
dealings,
and let not the hatre of others to you make you swerve
to
Wrong and
depart from justice. Be just, that is next to piety.
Qur’an 5:8
Even where accussed persons
are perceived to be clearly guilty, they must be given
the oppurtunity to be heard and put up defence in a
fair trial.
“ A defendant
is innocent until his guilt is proven in a fast trial
in
Which he shall
be given all the guarantees of defence”.
Cairo
declaration on human rights in Islam, article 19(c)
PROHIBITION AGAINST
RACISM
Islam prohibits all forms
of discrimination on racial grounds. Even among
non-Muslims, many admit the fact that, no religion or
way of life in the world has tackled the problems of
racism with equal degree of success as Islam. Unlike
in other religions, there is no place or time in the
history of Islam anywhere in the world where people
were made to worship in separate Mosques or sit in
separate places during prayers based on racial
distinction. As a result, there are no such names as
‘African Mosques’ being established because the people
were dissatisfied with the attitude of the Arabs or
any other people who came to evangilize for them.
Islam is a universal
religion, and does not treat or allow the treatment
of people with distinction based on skin colour, race
or language. On the diversity of races and language,
the Qur’an says-
“ Indeed the
most honoured among you before God are the most
heedful
Of you”.
Qur’an 4
9:13
That means only God
consciousness, purity of character and good morals
rather than a man’s race or language places one man
above another in the sight of God. Similary, on the
issue of racism, the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) said-
“ No Arab has any
superiority over a non-Arab, no does a non-Arab has
any superiorty over a Blackman, or the Blackman any
superiority over the white. You are the children of
Adam, and Adam was created from clay”.
(Bayhaqi and Bazzaz)
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
Unlike in the western
concept of human rights, where anyone can say or
express him/her self in any manner he/she deem fit,
Islam cautiously restricts the freedom of expression
to the propagation of virture and the spreading of
evil and mischief. Thus, Islamic concept of freedom
of expression forbids Muslims from arbitrarily
blackmailing or insulting others under the cover of
free expression. Rather, Islam enjoin Muslims to
freely and openly condemn all acts of evil whosoever
is the perpetrator be it individuals, institutions or
government, and point to the right things.
The Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W)
said-
“ If anyone
of you comes across evil, he should stop it
With his
own hands (using force or authority), if he is
Not able, he
should then stop it with his tongue (speak
Out against
it). And if he is not able even so, he should
Then condemn
it in his heart”.
The Prophet said, the third
is the weakest degree of faith. Therefore, the use of
freedom of expression to condemn evil and promote
virtures for the benefit of mankind and the society in
general is not only a right in Islam but an
obligation.
FREEDOM OF WORSHIP
Apart from guaranteeing the
individual to worship in accordance with his own
religion, Islam goes futher to respect his religious
sentiments and forbid anything that will injure his
feelings either by action, speech or writing. On this
aspect, the Qur’an says-
“Do not
abuse those they appeal to instead of God”.
Qur’an 6:108
This includes not only the
idols and other deities that non-Muslim people
worship, but also their religious leaders and heroes.
Therefore, Islam forbids the use of abusive or
defamatory languages, inscriptions or pictures on
religioius personalities or structures that injure the
feelings of people of other faiths. From the time of
the Prophet, Christians, Jews and others have being
living alongside Muslims and they have enjoyed the
full rights to worship their ways. The Qur’an says-
“ Allah!
There is no compulsion in religion….”
Qur’an 2:256
And,
“Do not kill
the monks in Monastries and do not kill the people
Who are
sitting in the palces of worship”.
(Mushab of
Ibn Hanbal)
Islam does not the cases
where people of other faith were being attacked and
denied religious freedoms in some Muslim countries as
a reaction to the persecution Muslims are facing in
France, Germany, Denmark or elsewhere.
“ Everyone shall
have the right to live in security for himself, his
Religion, his
dependent, his honour and his property”.
Cairo declaration on human
rights in Islam, article 18(a)
FREEDOM FROM
ARBITRARY ARREST AND DETENTION
Islam has made it clear
that no man shall be imprisoned until found guilty in
a competent and independent court of justice. A
situation where people are been arrested and put in
jails on the basis of suspicion is prohibited in islam.
Similary, parents, colleagues or friends of suspects
shall not be arrested or denied any of their basic
rights for crimes committed by someone close to them.
Here, the Qur’an says-
“ Every
soul draws the need of its acts on none but itself: no
Bearer of
burden can bear the burden of another”
Qur’an 6:164
By this, Islam forbids the
transfer of someone else’s acts of crime to another
person(s), rather, everyone bears responsibility for
his /her acts and the consequences they carry.
This, indeed is a common
violation of human rights today, particularly with
regards the so-called ‘war on terrororism’.
The governments of the West and their
Middle East allies are particularly guilty of these
acts where families and friends of people suapected of
‘terrorist’ acts are rounded-up and bundled
into jails and dungeons.
It is really a shame to the
entire world in this century to sit back and watch the
establishment of such horrible places as
‘Guantanamo jails’ and the hedeous human rights
violation s being perpetrated in the Abu-Graib prisons
in Iraq and Afghnistan, ironically by those nations
and governments who parades themselves as vanguards
in the protection of human rights and democratic
values. Even the recommendations by the United
Nations (UN) for the total and immediate scrapping of
the Guantanamo Bay jails were met with rebuff by the
United States Government.
RIGHT TO EDUCATION
The seeking for a balance
knowledge and its use for the benefit of mankind is an
obligation in Islam. To this effect, Islam considered
it a basic right of everyone to seek and gain
knowledge from every source, be it Islamic or
otherwise. In this aspect also, Islam does not place
restriction on Sex, age limit or class. Everyone has
equal rights to the acquisition of knowledge.
In fact, Islam places lots
of emphasis on the education of women that the holy
prophet Muhammad(S.A.W) said;
“ Educate a man,
you educate an individual, but when you educate a
woman you educate a whole nation”.
Aisha (RA), wife of the
Prophet has remained till date one of the greatest
scholars Islam has produced.
EQUALITY OF MEN AND
WOMEN
Islam as religion and a way
life stressed the equality of Men and Women as
regards law, justice, acquisition of wealth, right to
inheritance and all other basic human rights. What
Islam clearl distinguishes between Men and Women is
in the aspects of roles. Islam made it the duty of
Men to provide food, shelter, clothing and security
for their wives.
Role equality among Men and
Women has always been a bone of contention between the
western and Islamic concepts of human rights.
For instance, Islam does not consider it the rights
of Muslims to dress anyhow they like. On this, the
Qur’an says-
“ And say to
the believing women that they should lower their gaze
and guard
their modesty; that they should not display their
beauty
and ornaments
except what (ordinarily) appear thereof; that they
should draw
their veils over their bossoms and not disply their
beauty
except to their
husbands, their sons, their husband’s sons, their
brothers
or their
brother’s sons, or their sister’s sons, or their
women, or the
slaves whom
their right hands posses, or male attendants free of
sexual desires
or small children who have no canal knowledge of
women…”
Qur’an
24:31
In another chapter, the
Qur’an says;
“ O Prophet tell
your wives and daugthers; and the believing women,
They should
cast their outer garments over their persons (when out
of doors)….”
Qur’an 33:5
For men, Islam requires
them to dress such that their navel and kneels are
properly covered.
On the issue of
inheritance, Islam accepts the rights of women to
inherit their fair share from whatever wealth their
late husbands, fathers or other relations left behind.
Islam forbids making women objects of inheritance for
their deceased husbands’ relations or the denial of
certain basic comforts for widows such as enough
food, sleep or personal hygiene as is the case in some
societies and cultures.
Also, Islam does not accept
the holding of widows responsible for the death of
their husbands as is the case in some societies where
widows are made to drink from the water with which the
corpse of their late husbands were washed.
“ Woman is equal
to man in human dignity, and has her own rights
To enjoy as
well as duties to perform, and has her own civil
entity
And financial
independece, and the right to retain her name and
lineage”.
Cairo declaration of human rights in Islam, article
6(a)
Islam also made it a right
of men and women to a free choice of their partners.
The cases where women are often forced into arranged
marriages without their consents as is the practice in
some socities is purely cultural and do not have any
Islamic bases.
However, parents owe it as
a duty and responsibility to ensure their wards marry
the right people with upright characters.
“ O you
who believe ward off from yourselves and you
families
a fire
whereof the fuel is men and stones….”
Qur’an 66:6
About association, Islam
allows Muslims to associate freely so far that will
not lead to the spread of mischief , and that is why,
Islam forbids the free mixing of adult males and
females.
This is just very little
about what Islam considers as human rights, as the
religion encompasses every aspect of a muslim’s life.
WALLAHU ALAMUN. Mohammed Adamu, Kano , Nigeria Mohammedadamu57@yahoo.com Comments 💬 التعليقات |