HUMAN RIGHTS IN

ISLAM
 Introduction

• It is to be understood very clearly that the basic concept of Islam in regard to

the human rights is based upon equality, dignity and respect for humankind.
As it is clear from the Holy Quran, God has endowed on human beings the
status of being superior to all other creations.

• In actual practice, it was the first religion in the human history, which gave
a charter of human rights and freedom.

• The life, liberty and property of everybody was honored and protected in the
light of the Holy Quran. Almost equal rights were granted to the Non
Muslims as well.
 Foreword
It is a difficult topic, particularly, when we come across a general bias, that:

1. Islam does not profess any Human Rights in its jurisprudence or it has
nothing to do with these Rights

2. There is some kind of relationship between Human Rights Violations and

Islam
 Sources of Information on
Human Rights in Islam
•The Quran is the primary source of every
Muslim’s faith and practice.

•It is the first document dealing with all the

possible aspects of Human Rights.

All information on •It deals with all the subjects which concern
day to day affairs human beings, such as, wisdom, doctrine, worship,
including Human trade, day to day affairs, transactions and law.
Rights are explicitly
given in Quran.
•It provides guidelines and detailed teachings for a
Hadith Provides just society, proper human conduct and an
Detailed equitable economic system.
Explanations and
Interpretations •The other source of knowledge on Human Rights
in Islam is Hadith which comprises traditions and
sayings of Prophet Mohammad.
 Islam Addresses All
Human Rights
• Issues
Before Going in to the details of Human Rights related issues, it is
important to present some key documented evidence on significance
of Human Rights in Islam.

• Some quotes are being provided here which come from Holy Quran
and Hadith.

• These are the only two sources of information available to us on

Human Rights in Islam.

• There is plenty of literature available on Human Rights in Islam but

it is on interpretation and elucidation of the issues discussed in the
Basic Sources – Quran and Hadith
 What Quran and Religious
Scriptures Say?
• Do not kill a soul (this implies animals too) which Allah has made sacred
except through the due process of law ... (Quran 6:151)

• Whosoever kills a human being without (any reason like) man slaughter, or
corruption on earth, it is as though he had killed all mankind ... (Quran 5:32)

• "And whoever saves a life it is as though he had saved the lives of all
mankind" (Quran 5:32).

"One who kills a man under covenant will not even smell the fragrance of
•
Paradise" (al-Bukhari and Abu Dawud).

"Do not kill any old person, any child or any woman" and do not kill the
• people who are sitting in places of worship" (Abu Dawud & Musnadof Ibn
Hanbal).
With this background
we may now proceed to
the main topic
…….
 The Islamic Approach
to Human Rights
• Human Rights in Islam we really mean that these rights have been granted by God
and not by any Government.
• The rights granted by Government can be changed or withdrawn in the same
manner in which they are conferred.
• In Islam, Human Rights have been conferred by God and therefore these are
permanent and can not be changed.

Implications in India

It is with this approach towards Human Rights and Rights to Civilians that
Muslims in India are very sensitive to any effort by the Government to bring
Uniform Civil Code and the debate on this issue continues since Independence.
 Summary of Various Human Rights
in Islam
• The Right to Life

• The Right to the Safety of Life

• Respect for the Chastity of Women

• The Right to a Basic Standard of Life

• Individual's Right to Freedom

• The Right to Justice

• Equality of Human Beings

• The Right to Co-operate and Not to Co-operate

 Rights to Life and Safety of Life
The first and the foremost basic right is the right to live and respect
human life. The Holy Quran lays down very explicitly:

• Whosoever kills a human being without (any reason like) man slaughter, or
corruption on earth, it is as though he had killed all mankind (5:32)

• Do not kill a soul which Allah has made sacred except through the due
process of law (6:151)

• Saving a life it is as though he had saved the lives of all mankind (5:32).

Implication
Islam is clearly against terrorism of all kinds and those who are involved in such
activities can not be called Muslims
 Rights to Life
• Every person has the right to live and respect human life.

• Islam respect a human for being a human not for any other
reason; it does not distinguish between two races, or two groups
of people, or between two colors.

• Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) addressed

the people signifying that concept during the last pilgrimage to
Makkah saying: "O People! Your God is one; your father is one; no
preference of an Arab neither over non- Arab nor of a non Arab over
an Arab or red over black or black over red except for the most
righteous. Verily the most honored of you is the most righteous."
 Respect for the Chastity of Women
Another important thing that we find in the Charter of Human Rights as granted
by Islam (given in both Quran and Hadith) is that:
“A woman's chastity has to be respected and protected under all
circumstances, whether she belongs to our own nation or to the nation of
an enemy, whether we find her in the wild forest or in a conquered city;
whether she is our co-religionist or belongs to some other religion or has
no religion at all.”

Implications

Because of very strong words on this issue in Quran and Hadith, the crimes
against women are rarest of rare in Islamic countries. If something like what
happened in Delhi or Mumbai is reported, it is punishable by death sentence.
It is significant that death sentence for such crimes is now being demanded
by political parties and Women’s Organizations in India.
 Right to a Basic Standard of Life
Speaking about the economic rights the Holy Quran enjoins upon its followers:

“And in their (rich and prosperous people) wealth there is acknowledged right for
the needy and destitute. (51:19)

Therefore the clear meaning of this verse is that anyone who asks for help
and anyone who is suffering from deprivation has a right in the property
• and wealth of the Muslims. If a Muslim is in a position to help poor and
destitute, it is his duty to do so. God has established the right of poor over
wealthy Muslims, honouring which is one of the 5 mandatory acts of a
Muslim.

• This act in Islam of helping poor and needy persons is called Zakat.
 Right to a Basic Standard
of Life Contd…
• Zakat is one of the 5 Pillars (absolutely mandatory acts) which makes it
mandatory for Prosperous Muslims to help poor and needy people.
• Zakat is a tax that rich people have to pay by way of helping destitute. The
word has also been adopted in Marathi language meaning “tax”.
• The purpose of Zakat is TO PROVIDE BASIC STANDARD OF LIFE to
poor in the neighborhood and among those acquainted.
• Zakat is mandatory for those who have gold, silver and cash cumulatively
equivalent to the price of 85 Grams of Gold held in possession for a period
of 1 year.
• At present a Muslim with a maintained possession of gold, silver and cash
equivalent to a minimum of about Rs 2 Lacs and 50 Thousands over a
period of 1 year has to pay Zakat.
• Zakat is 2.5% of above mentioned accumulation. For example, if some one
has possession of Rs 10 Lacs, he has to pay Rs 25,000/- as Zakat
• A person may also give as much as he or she pleases as voluntary alms or
charity.

ZAKAT IS UNIQUE TO ISLAM AS A LAID DOWN MANDATORY ACT

AS DECLARED IN HOLY QURAN AND HAS BEEN ADOPTED
BY
SIKHISM ABOUT 800 YEARS AFTER ISLAM
 Individual’s Right to Freedom
• Islam has clearly and categorically forbidden the primitive practice of
capturing a free man, to make him a slave or to sell him into slavery.

• On this the clear and unequivocal words of the Prophet Mohammad are
that he hated those who enslaves a free man, sells him and eats this money.

• Slavery was common at the time of the advent of Islam but Prophet
Mohammad encouraged his followers to free slaves and slavery was thus
abolished during the lifetime of Prophet.

• This aspect needs to be compared with the Western World where during
only one century (from 1680 to 1786) the total number of free people who
were captured and enslaved only for British Colonies amounts, according to
the estimate of British authors, to 20 million human beings.

• Over the period of only one year (1790) 75,000 human beings were captured
and sent for slave labor in the Colonies.

• Slavery continued in USA till 19th Century and in a way came to an end only
after South Africa finally shed anti-apartheid policy in 1980’s.
 The Right to Justice
The Holy Quran has laid down:

• Do not let your hatred of a people incite you to aggression" (5:2).

• Do not let ill-will towards any folk incite you so that you swerve from dealing
justly. Be
just; that is nearest to heedfulness" (5:8).

• 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.... (4:58)

• Act justly. Truly, God loves those who are just. (49:9)

• Let not the hatred of others make you avoid justice. Be just (5:8).

This makes the point clear that Muslims have to be just not only with ordinary
human beings but even with their enemies. Justice to which Islam invites is meant
for all the human beings of the world.
 Equality of Human Beings
This has been exemplified by the Prophet in one of his sayings:

"No Arab has any superiority over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab have
any superiority over an Arab. Nor does a white man have any superiority
over a black man, or the black man any superiority over the white man.”

Islam has provided a vivid example of how racism can be ended. The
annual pilgrimage (Hajj) to Makkah shows brotherhood of all races and
nations, when about 3.5 million Muslims from all over the world come to
Makkah to perform the pilgrimage.

Islam is totally devoid of racial or caste feelings of any kind. Racial

feelings are still prevalent in the West and India still has deep rooted caste
divide.
 Right to Co-Operate and
Not to Co-Operate
Quran Says:

"Co-operate with one another for virtue and heedfulness and do not co-operate
with one another for the purpose of vice and aggression" (5:2).

This means that the man who undertakes a noble and righteous work, irrespective
of the fact whether he is living at the North Pole or the South Pole, has the right
to expect support and active co-operation from the Muslims.

On the contrary he who perpetrates deeds of vice and aggression, even if he is our
closest relation or neighbour, does not have the right to win our support and help
in the name of race, country, language or nationality, nor should he have the
expectation that Muslims will co-operate with him or support him.
Rights of Citizens in an Islamic State

• The Security of Life and Property

• The Protection of Honor
• The Security of Personal Freedom
• Freedom of Expression
• Freedom of Association
• Freedom of Conscience and Conviction
• Protection of Religious Sentiments
• The Right to Basic Necessities of Life
• Equality Before Law
• Rulers Not Above the Law
• The Right to Avoid Sin
• The Right to Participate in the Affairs of State
 Quotations from Quran and Hadith
on Rights of Citizens
• "Do not devour one another's wealth by false and illegal means" (2:188).

• "You who believe, do not let one set of people make fun of another set. Do not
defame one another. Do not insult by using nicknames. And do not backbite or
speak ill of one another" (49:11-12).

• "Do not spy on one another" (49:12). "Do not enter any houses except your
own homes unless you are sure of their occupants' consent" (24:27).

• "When- ever you judge between people, you should judge with (a sense of)
justice“ (4:58)

• "God does not love evil talk in public unless it is by some- one who has been
injured thereby" (4:148).
 Quotations from Quran and Hadith
on Rights of Citizens Contd...
• "Do not abuse those they appeal to instead of God" (6:108).

• "No bearer of burdens shall be made to bear the burden of another" (6:164).

• Your Lord has commanded that you worship none but Him, and that you be
kind to your parents. If one of them or both of them reach old age with you, do
not say to them a word of disrespect, or scold them, but say a generous word
to them. Act humbly to them in mercy, and say: “My Lord, have mercy on
them, since they cared for me when I was small.” (Quran, 17:23- 24).

• Pay the wages of a laborer before his sweat dries (Hadith)

 Other Human Rights Related Issues
in Islam
• The Rights of the Non-Combatants

These apply to women, children, old and sick people not participating in
war. There are clear instructions that non-combatants are not to be killed,
tortured or taken prisoners. People sitting at place of worship not harmed.

• The Rights of the Combatants

1. No Torture with Fire
2. Protection of the Wounded
3. The Prisoner of War Should not be Slain
4. No one Should be Tied to be Killed
5. No Looting and Destruction in the Enemy's Country
6. Sanctity of Property
7. Sanctity of a Dead Body
8. Return of Corpses of the Enemy