Human Rights in
the Glorious Qur’aan!
Glorious Qur’aan: The
Universal Constitution for Mankind.
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
الحمدلله رب العالمين والصلوة والسلام على اشرف الانبياء
وسيدالمرسلين نبينا محمد صل ا لله عليه وعلى آله واصحابه وازواجه اجمعين - امابعد
All the praises and thanks be to Allaah, Sustainer of the Universe, and blessing and salutation to be the most distinguish of the Messengers and foremost among the Prophets, our Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allaah be on him and on his wives, children and Companions.
Glorious Qur’aan provides the answer to the question that what should be man’s rights and duties in his individual and social activities. Glorious Qur’aan lay down a full scheme of how to live a perfect life while grooming individuals morally and spiritually, which if followed sincerely, casts each individual’s life and his actions into the right mould.
The injunctions about bidding the good and forbidding the evil cover all aspects of individual life as well as the communal life. Thus, the scheme is a complete outlay of a well-organized life-style and its objective is to balance rights and duties of each and every member of the society.
Surah Al-Baqarah 256
لَا
إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِ قَدْ تَبَيَّنَ الرُّشْدُ مِنَ الْغَيِّ فَمَنْ يَكْفُرْ بِالطَّاغُوتِ
وَيُؤْمِنْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ اسْتَمْسَكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقَى لَا انْفِصَامَ
لَهَا وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path. Whoever disbelieves in Tâghût {1} and believes in Allâh, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break. And Allâh is All-Hearer, All-Knower.
{1} (V.2: 256) الطاغوت هو كل ما عبد من دون الله إلا من لم يرض بعبادته فلا يعتبر طاغوتا The word Tâghût covers a wide range of meanings: It means anything worshipped other than the Real God (Allâh), but the one who does not accept to be worshipped will not be considered as a Tâghût, i.e. all the false deities. It may be Satan, devils, idols, stones, sun, stars, angels, human beings, who were falsely worshipped and taken as Tâghûts Likewise saints, graves, rulers, leaders, etc., are falsely worshipped and wrongly followed. Sometimes " Tâghût " means a false judge who gives a false judgment (see V.4: 60). (See Tafsir Ibn Kathir and (V.4: 51)).
Surah Yunus 99
وَلَوْ
شَاءَ رَبُّكَ لَآمَنَ مَنْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كُلُّهُمْ جَمِيعًا أَفَأَنْتَ تُكْرِهُ
النَّاسَ حَتَّى يَكُونُوا مُؤْمِنِينَ
And had your Lord willed, those on earth would have believed, all of them together. So, will you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) then compel mankind, until they become believers.
The
above Ayaat آيات means that all, what could guide man towards faith (Islaam)
has been said [in the Glorious Qur’aan], now the only way to bring those who do
not believe, into the fold of Islaam is by force; but that is not a part of
the Divine Plan. Allaah has given man the choice and/or authority to
accept or reject the truth.
Surah Al-Hujurat 11
يَا
أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا يَسْخَرْ قَوْمٌ مِنْ قَوْمٍ عَسَى أَنْ يَكُونُوا
خَيْرًا مِنْهُمْ وَلَا نِسَاءٌ مِنْ نِسَاءٍ عَسَى أَنْ يَكُنَّ خَيْرًا مِنْهُنَّ
وَلَا تَلْمِزُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ وَلَا تَنَابَزُوا بِالْأَلْقَابِ بِئْسَ الِاسْمُ الْفُسُوقُ
بَعْدَ الْإِيمَانِ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَتُبْ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ
O you who believe! Let not a group scoff at another group; it may be that the latter are better than the former. Nor let (some) women scoff at other women, it may be that the latter are better than the former. Nor defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames. How bad is it to insult one’s brother after having Faith (i.e. to call your Muslim brother (a faithful believer) as: "O sinner", or "O wicked"). And whosoever does not repent, then such are indeed Zâlimûn (wrong-doers, etc.).
Attacking someone’s honor and/or vexing someone with suspicion are the reasons that give birth to enmity among people. If those reasons are combined with other evils, than the possibility for the rise of great trials and mischief فتنه is harbored. Islaam supports and protects the honor of each individual and no one has the right to undermine and/or compromise this honor.
Surah Al-Hujurat 12
يَا
أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اجْتَنِبُوا كَثِيرًا مِنَ الظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ
إِثْمٌ وَلَا تَجَسَّسُوا وَلَا يَغْتَبْ بَعْضُكُمْ بَعْضًا أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ
أَنْ يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًا فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ
تَوَّابٌ رَحِيمٌ
O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion; indeed some suspicions are sins. And spy not, neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it (so hate backbiting) {1} . And fear Allâh. Verily, Allâh is the One Who forgives and accepts repentance, Most Merciful.
{1} (V.49: 12). a) Narrated Abû Hurairah رضي الله عنه Allâh’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said, "Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the worst of false tales; and do not look for other’s faults, and do not do spying on one another, and do not practice Najsh * and do not be jealous of one another and do not hate one another, and do not desert (stop talking to) one another. And O Allâh’s worshippers! Be brothers!"(Sahih Al-Bukhari, Vol.8, Hadîth No.92). b) Narrated Hudhaifah رضي الله عنه: I heard the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم saying, "A Qattât * (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Vol.8, Hadîth No.78). * Najsh means to offer a high price for something in order to allure another customer who is interested in the thing. **A Qattât is a person who conveys disagreeable, false information from one person to another with the intention of causing harm and enmity between them. ***This action was a kind of invocation on the part of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم for the deceased persons. (Fath Al-Bari, Vol.1, Page 332].
The above Ayaah آيه means that do not look for other people’s faults, do not spy into someone else’s affairs, do not read someone else’s mail and/or documents, do not eavesdrop or peep into someone else’s house or whatever other way there might be to get to know about anyone’s private affairs. Such an intrusion into anyone’s personal matters is a very bad character trait, closely linked with other evils. Every person has got the right to protect his or her private life and no one may intrude in his/her affairs against one’s will.
Surah Al-Mumtahana 2
إِنْ
يَثْقَفُوكُمْ يَكُونُوا لَكُمْ أَعْدَاءً وَيَبْسُطُوا إِلَيْكُمْ أَيْدِيَهُمْ وَأَلْسِنَتَهُمْ
بِالسُّوءِ وَوَدُّوا لَوْ تَكْفُرُونَ
Should they gain the upper hand over you, they would behave to you as enemies, and stretch forth their hands and their tongues against you with evil, and they desire that you should disbelieve.
Islaam has
granted the right to defend oneself again and again.
Surah Ash-Shura 38
وَالَّذِينَ
اسْتَجَابُوا لِرَبِّهِمْ وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَأَمْرُهُمْ
شُورَى بَيْنَهُمْ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنْفِقُونَ
And those who answer the Call of their Lord (i.e. to believe that He is the only One Lord (Allâh), and to worship none but Him Alone), and perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât), and who (conduct) their affairs by mutual consultation, and who spend of what We have bestowed on them.
Surah Al-i-'Imran 159
فَبِمَا
رَحْمَةٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ لِنْتَ لَهُمْ وَلَوْ كُنْتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ الْقَلْبِ لَانْفَضُّوا
مِنْ حَوْلِكَ فَاعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ وَشَاوِرْهُمْ
فِي الْأَمْرِ فَإِذَا عَزَمْتَ فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى
اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَوَكِّلِينَ
And by the Mercy of Allâh, you dealt with them gently. And had you been severe and harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from about you; so pass over (their faults), and ask (Allâh’s) Forgiveness for them; and consult them in the affairs. Then when you have taken a decision, put your trust in Allâh, certainly, Allâh loves those who put their trust (in Him).
The above آيات are self-explanatory, showing commands of mercy, forgiveness and mutual consolations.
Surah Al-Ahzab 36
وَمَا
كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ وَلَا مُؤْمِنَةٍ إِذَا قَضَى اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَمْرًا أَنْ يَكُونَ
لَهُمُ الْخِيَرَةُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِمْ وَمَنْ يَعْصِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ
ضَلَالًا مُبِينًا
It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allâh and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision. And whoever disobeys Allâh and His Messenger, he has indeed strayed into a plain error.
This Ayaah
آيه was revealed when the Prophet of Islaam Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم gave
his cousin Sayyidah Zainab رضی الله عنها bint Jash in wedlock with his freed
slave Sayyidna Zaid رضی الله عنه. Sayyidah Zainab رضی الله عنها in spite of her
noble ancestry gave willingly into marriage to someone of a much lower status
than herself. Thus, the idol of ancestral pride was broken then, and a great
demonstration of the equality of man established by Islaam. Moses and Jesus
fell shy to establish the equality of men. The equality of men established
by Islaam forms the fundament of all further social dealing while eradicating
racism as well.
Surah Al-Ahzab 35
إِنَّ
الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمَاتِ وَالْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَالْقَانِتِينَ
وَالْقَانِتَاتِ وَالصَّادِقِينَ وَالصَّادِقَاتِ وَالصَّابِرِينَ وَالصَّابِرَاتِ
وَالْخَاشِعِينَ وَالْخَاشِعَاتِ وَالْمُتَصَدِّقِينَ وَالْمُتَصَدِّقَاتِ وَالصَّائِمِينَ
وَالصَّائِمَاتِ وَالْحَافِظِينَ فُرُوجَهُمْ وَالْحَافِظَاتِ وَالذَّاكِرِينَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا وَالذَّاكِرَاتِ أَعَدَّ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ
مَغْفِرَةً وَأَجْرًا عَظِيمًا
Verily, the Muslims (those who
submit to Allâh in Islâm) men and women, the believers men and women (who
believe in Islâmic Monotheism), the men and the women who are obedient (to
Allâh), the men and women who are truthful (in their speech and deeds), the men
and the women who are patient (in performing all the duties which Allâh has
ordered and in abstaining from all that Allâh has forbidden), the men and the
women who are humble (before their Lord - Allâh), the men and the women who
give Sadaqât (i.e. Zakât , and
alms), the men and the women who observe Saum (fast)
(the obligatory fasting during the month of Ramadân, and the optional Nawâfil fasting), the men and the women who guard their
chastity (from illegal sexual acts) and the men
and the women who remember Allâh much with their hearts and tongues {1}
Allâh has prepared for them
forgiveness and a great reward (i.e. Paradise).
{1} (V.33: 35) a) "Remember Allâh" (while sitting, standing, lying for more than 300 times extra over the remembrance of Allâh during the five compulsory congregational prayer) or praying extra additional nawâfil prayers of night in the last part of night.) b) See the footnote of (V.13: 28). c) Narrated Abû Huraira رضي الله عنه: Allâh’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said, "Allâh has some angels who look for those who remember (glorify the Praises of) Allâh on the roads and paths. And when they find some people remembering (glorifying the Praises of) Allâh, they call each others, saying, ‘Come to the object of your pursuit’." He added, "Then the angels encircle them with their wings up to the nearest Heaven to us." He added, "(After those people remembered (glorified the Praises of) Allâh, and the angels go back to Allâh, their Lord عز وجل asks them (those angels) - though He knows better than them - ‘What do My slaves say?’ The angels reply, ‘They say: Subhân Allâh, Allâh Akbar, and Alham-du-lillâh’ Allâh then says, ‘Did they see Me?’ The angels reply, ‘No! By Allâh, they didn’t see You.’ Allâh says, ‘How it would have been if they saw Me?’ The angels reply, ‘If they saw You, they would worship You more devoutly and remember You (glorify Your Praises) more deeply, and declare Your freedom from any resemblance to any thing more often,’ Allâh says (to the angels), ‘What do they ask Me for?’ The angels’ reply, ‘They ask You for Paradise.’ Allâh says (to the angels), ‘Did they see it?’ The angels say, ‘No! By Allâh, O Lord They didn’t see it.’ Allâh says: ‘How it would have been if they saw it?’ The angels say, ‘If they saw it, they would have greater covetousness for it and would seek it for greater zeal and would have greater desire for it.’ Allâh says, ‘From what do they seek refuge?’ The angels reply, ‘They seek refuge from the (Hell) Fire.’ Allâh says, ‘Did they see it?’ The angels say, ‘No! By Allâh, O Lord! They didn’t see it.’ Allâh says, ‘How it would have been if they saw it?’ The angels say, ‘If they saw it, they would flee from it with the extreme fleeing and would have extreme fear from it.’ Then Allâh says, ‘I make you witness that I have forgiven them’." Allâh’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم added, "One of the angels would say, ‘There was so-and-so amongst them, and he was not one of them, but he had just come for some need.’ Allâh would say, ‘These are those people whose companions will not be reduced to misery’." (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Vol.8, Hadîth No.417).
This is
one of the basic principles of Islaam that has been expressed in the above
Ayaah آيه, a short, yet concise statement. Men and women regardless of their biological differences and
functions and having different obligations have the same right regarding their
compensation for their good deeds.
Parental
rights (to treat parents kindly)
Surah Al-'Ankabut 8
وَوَصَّيْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ
حُسْنًا وَإِنْ جَاهَدَاكَ لِتُشْرِكَ بِي مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ فَلَا تُطِعْهُمَا
إِلَيَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
And We have enjoined on man to be good and dutiful to his parents; but if they strive to make you join with Me (in worship) anything (as a partner) of which you have no knowledge, then obey them not. Unto Me is your return and I shall tell you what you used to do.
The ones
who have the greatest right on someone are his parents. To treat them kindly is
important for establishing a sound social and family system.
Surah Al-Furqan 68
وَالَّذِينَ
لَا يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهًا آخَرَ وَلَا يَقْتُلُونَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ
اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا يَزْنُونَ وَمَنْ يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ يَلْقَ أَثَامًا
And those who invoke not any other ilâh (god) along with Allâh, nor kill such person as Allâh has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse - and whoever does this shall receive the punishment. {1}
{1} (V.25:
68) A) also see (V.2: 22) and (V.4: 135).
To kill someone
without a just cause has been equaled with killing the whole mankind. To
consider human life as sacred is essential for any political system, if it is
supposed to survive. The sanctity of human life is one of the cornerstones of
the right of man. No system whatsoever can survive without it, and Glorious
Qur’aan and/or Islaam makes it perfectly sacred.
Surah Ar-Rum 21
وَمِنْ
آيَاتِهِ أَنْ خَلَقَ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا لِتَسْكُنُوا إِلَيْهَا
وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَكُمْ مَوَدَّةً وَرَحْمَةً إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
And among His Signs is this, which He created for you wives from among yourselves, that you may find repose in them, and He has put between you affection and mercy. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who reflect.
To establish a chaste and pure society it is absolutely necessary that those who have reached maturity get married. Only then it is possibly that social life does not get polluted with the excesses committed due to carnal desires. Marriage is a legal way to give vent to one’s biological needs. Due to marriage one finds peace of mind and contentment of the heart, developing the quality of pure love that is not just based on some fancy or is the result of a lustful glance. The members of a culture are linked by branches of that true deep love, which exists among spouses; due to that families, clans, tribes, and nations can flourish. Because of the marital life being such an important foundation of social life Islaam and/or Glorious Qur’aan decrees the holiness and sanctity that equals any act of worship performed for the sake of Allaah.
For the
readers’ sake I must assert here that the above is just a drop in the ocean
and/or tip of the iceberg regarding human rights in the Glorious Qur’aan. There
is much more to learn from the universal constitution for mankind i.e. Glorious
Qur’aan. Also please read THE GREATEST
DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS!
Monday, March 14, 2005