All Praise is due to Allah. May the peace and blessings be
upon His slave servant, Messenger, Muhammad (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him).
Every society
has a set of rules and principles that guarantee and ensure
its individuals the rights and security. This enables them to
feel a sense of belonging, attachment, tranquility.
Individuals need to have this feeling of belonging, peace and
security in order to perform their tasks and duties in a
satisfactory manner.
Presently,
three distinct trends are discernable in our global society.
The first trend exaggerates the right of the individual on the
society. This trend gives the individual full freedom to do as
he pleases. This, no doubt, leads to a chaotic social
situation. Because of this unlimited freedom granted to the
individual, the entire society suffers immensely. Crime rate
increases. Materialistic impact overwhelms. This trend is
found in the capitalist society.
The second
trend is contrary to the above. It advocates the right of the
society over individual. It assigns society superiority over
general masses. The latter is stripped of all their individual
rights. Only rights that serve the government are granted to
the individuals of such society. This trend is known as
communism.
The third
trend neither emphasizes the right of the society over the
individual, nor the right of the individual over the society.
Each is rather given its due right in life. The individual
members in a society enjoy their own rights, and the society
has its own rights as well. Both rights are governed and
controlled by strict rules and conditions. In this trend, the
public interest is given priority over the interest of an
individual in case of a conflict.
In this
booklet, we shall address, in a general way, the human rights
in the light of Islam. These rights are based on the Divine
Book of Muslims, the Glorious Qur'ân and from Sunnah practice
of Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him), the two main sources of Islamic life and jurisprudence.
Both the Glorious Qur'ân and the Sunnah practices of Allah's
Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), aim to
produce an ideal individual, in interactions with other
individuals in his own society and any other society all over
the globe.
We firmly
believe that the application of the social rules and the
principles of the third trend will definitely make the entire
humanity happier. Furthermore, the application of these
principles will enable the society to achieve optimum peace
and security. These social rights and principles are not a
result of previous experiences, social ideologies, temporary
and immediate needs and/or political drives and motives.
The essential
reason for our firm belief in such social rights and
principles is the fact that these are set out by the Creator
of man Who knows well what suites his creation at all times.
The Almighty Allah knows best what benefits man, what harms
man, what makes man happy, what saddens him, what makes man
successful, what makes man miserable and so on and forth. He
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is the Best Knower.
He knows what suits best and fulfills the entire needs of His
creatures on earth and makes their lives successful, secure
and joyful.
The Glorious
Qur'ân, which was revealed and sent down unto Muhammad (peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him), some fourteen hundred
years ago, contains a great deal of these essential social
rules. Additionally, the Sunnah practices of Allah's Messenger
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), the second source
of Islamic law, contain a lot of guidelines for the same.
These social rules and principles were set forth by Allah's
Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) some
fourteen hundreds years ago in the best form and manner. Both,
the Glorious Qur'ân and Sunnah practices of Allah's Messenger
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) honored man and his
individual rights in the society. On the other hand, both
sources of Islamic law did not overlook the needs and rights
of the society and the public interest. In fact, The Almighty
Allah states in the Glorious Qur'ân Sura Isra [Night Journey]
17:70 the meaning of which is translated as:
“ Take alms from their wealth in order to purify them and
sanctify them with it” (At-Taubah:103). According to
Ibn Abbass, may Allah be pleased with him,
“ We have honored the sons of Adam; provided them with
transport on land and sea; given them for sustenance things
good and pure; and conferred on them special favors, above a
great part of Our Creation”.
Such honor to
mankind entails offering him a set of rights that ensures his
life's continuity, freedom and provision. Consequently, man is
honoured and made him super being on earth. Yet, in order to
execute the role of the super being on earth, there should be
classes and categories of mankind in order to perform specific
tasks by specific individuals. As such, the society will have
better foundations and performance. This concept is
illustrated by the Almighty Allah in the Glorious Qur'ân Sura
Anam [The Cattle] 7:165 the meaning of which is translated as:“
It is He Who has made you (His) agents; inheritors of the
earth. He has raised you in ranks, some above others that He
may try you in the gifts He has given you. This is because
Your Lord is quick in punishment. Yet, He is indeed Oft
Forgiving, Most Merciful”.
In fact, we
should point out here that the human rights according to Islam
reflect continuous process that never ceases even after man's
death. Man is entitled to be properly washed, or rather bathed
gently, upon his death. Man is also entitled to be wrapped in
one, or a set of three to five, white, new, clean shrouds[1]
, then he is entitled to a funeral prayer to be offered as a
farewell to his body and soul in this life. Furthermore, Islam
forbids to tamper with a deceased cadaver, cutting an ear, a
tongue, poking an eye, pulling a tooth, removing a nose,
cutting off a leg, or the like. This is based on the Hadith of
Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him),“
Breaking a bone of a deceased is identical in sin to breaking
a living person's bone”[2].
Furthermore,
after death, a deceased is further honored with the following
rights: the grave of a Muslim deceased must not be dug up for
no significant and honorable reason, no body is allowed to sit
on top of the grave of a Muslim deceased and no body has the
right to walk over the grave of a Muslim deceased. This is
also based on the Hadith and instruction of Allah's Messenger
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him):“
It is far better for a person to sit on a burning charcoal
that burns his clothes, then he feels the burn on his skin,
than to sit down on a grave”[3].
Yet, a Muslim
deceased is also entitled for protection against gossip and
ill memories, even after his death. This is based on the
following Hadith of Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him):“
(only) mention the good things of your deceased and shun away
from mentioning any defaming items (they were known with while
alive”
[4].
In fact,
there are more rights for a Muslim deceased as follows: the
deceased is entitled for the prayers, supplications and
charity donated on his behalf after death. A Muslim deceased
is also entitled for the full execution of his will and
whatever he promised or pledged to do while alive, but could
not fulfil it due to abrupt death. This is based on the Hadith
of Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him):“
A man asked Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him):Oh Prophet of Allah! My parents died. Is there
anything I can do to please them and be good to them, even
after their death? Allah's Messenger r replied
immediately,Yes. Pray for their souls. Honor their friends and
be generous to them. Remain in touch and on good terms with
their kin and kith, and fulfil their pledge of allegiance
(which they committed themselves to do while they were alive)”.
Yes, we can
notice that some international human organizations, nowadays,
call to principles similar to what we stated above. However,
Islam established these human rights some fourteen centuries
ago. Conversely, the rights enumerated by modern international
organizations are characterized with deficiencies and flaws.
Such rights are enumerated established not for the interests
of the human beings in the first place, but rather to the
benefit of such organizations. This case becomes evident as we
see many human rights all over the world are being violated,
yet, there is no organization that gets up to defend such
abused human rights. The poor are not supported. The weak are
neglected.
Humanitarian
organizations do not come to the aid of the oppressed persons
because by helping them, their interests are not served.
Surely, if such organizations wanted to help, they can do it.
However, since their interests are not served by providing
such help to the oppressed ones, they would not interfere to
protect the interests of the oppressed. Such organizations, in
such cases, raise a slogan of "Don't interfere in internal
affairs of other countries or people." Islam, on the other
side, calls for the protection, defense and the support of the
oppressed ones, by sacrificing the personal interests. Islam
urges to remove any oppression of the oppressed ones, if one
is capable to do so, provided no personal injury is occurred
to the remover of oppression or others, and provided as well,
that the rules and regulations of a Muslim governor or
government are not trespassed. The Almighty Allah states in
the Glorious Qur'ân Sura Nisa [Women] 4:75 the meaning of
which is translated as:“
And why should you not fight in the cause of Allah and of
those who, being weak, are ill-treated (and oppressed)? Men,
women, and children, whose cry is: Our Lord! Rescue us from
this town, whose people are oppressors; and raise for us from
you one who will protect; and raise for us from you one who
will help!”.
It is
important to point here that the implementation of the human
rights in the Islamic countries is inextricably linked with
the commitment to implement the Islamic teachings and
principles. Some Islamic countries turn their back completely
to Islam, while other only take what serves their own purposes
and interests. Still, there are some other Islamic countries
who just pretend that they are implementing the Islamic
teachings and principles but, in reality, they are trying to
destroy or distort Islam from within. Therefore, we would like
to point out here that an objective person, who would like to
study Islam, should do so by studying it on its own merits as
a fully developed system. The behavior and courses of actions
of certain individuals, groups, people, countries or
governments must not influence such a person. As we pointed
out earlier, the implementation of Islamic principles and
Islamic law vary according to the commitment to Islam in the
first place. If the system is good, and we noticed some
shortcomings and faults in the application. Accordingly, we
must examine the application itself and not the system. For
example, if we come across a person who claims to act as a
good Muslim, but as we examine his behavior, attitudes and
personality, we notice totally something else, then we should
question it. If we notice lying, cheating, breaching of
contracts and deception in the attitude of such a person we
must not accuse the system itself, i.e., Islam, with
deficiencies, but rather the person himself. We should,
thoroughly, examine what the system itself and consider its
byproducts. A simple example may be given here, if a person
needs bread he would go to the bakery, or at least to a place
where bread may be sold such as a grocery shop or a
supermarket. If a person in need of bread goes to a butcher or
a fruit shop he would not be able to find bread there. There
is a general statement in the Glorious Qur'ân explaining such
a case. The Almighty Allah states in the Glorious Qur'ân Sura
Anam [The Cattle] 6:116 the meaning of which is translated as:“
If you to follow the common run of those on earth, they will
lead you away from the Way of Allah. They follow nothing but
conjecture: they do nothing but lie”.
Regretfully,
we observe that many Muslims all over the world nowadays, are
not true representatives of Islam. Many Muslims commit a lot
of mistakes and have many deficiencies as well. This is very
unfortunate situation, but it is true. The reason for
presenting such a statement in this introduction is simply to
warn out in advance any and inform all those who would like to
accept Islam as a way of life. They should not be influenced
or deceived by the attitudes and vices of such Muslims.
We hope such
interested individuals would not be despaired. On the other
hand, we mean to urge and encourage Muslims to maintain the
best of practice and the application of their faith in every
aspect of life. Moreover, we call non-Muslims to examine
Islam, try to understand its principles, and try to live by
its standards.
I was once
informed of a new American Muslim, who accepted Islam
recently, came to an Islamic country. He was shocked to
observe the situation of Muslims in the Islamic society. He
noticed how distant they were from the beautiful and ideal
Islamic teachings and principles. He said, 'I thank the
Almighty Allah for enabling me to accept Islam as a way of
life prior to coming to this country. Have I come to this
country before I accepted Islam, I would have never thought of
joining Islam'.
This new
Muslim made this assertion because of what he saw of the
malpractice of Muslims. This is indeed a very unfortunate
situation.
Abdul Rahman A. Al-Sheha
E-mail:
ALSHEHA@ISLAMLAND.ORG
P.O. Box 59565, Riyadh 11535, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
[1] A shroud in Islam is a pice of white, cottony cloth
material to warp the deceased with upon death. Deceased is
buried with this shroud only.
[2] This Hadith is reported by Ibn Majah, Hadith No. 1616,
Ahmad Hadith 24362 and Abu Dawoud 9:18.
[3] This Hadith is reported by Muslim Hadith No. 1024.
[4] This Hadith is reported by Abu Dawoud 9:35 and
Tirmithee Hadith No.971.
