Human Rights in Islam
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Identifier: http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/humanrelations/humanrights/
Language: en
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Subject: character
Title: Human Rights in Islam
Created on: Thu Oct 25 09:47:04 -0400 2007
Updated on: Thu Oct 25 09:47:04 -0400 2007
Version: 1
Abstract: ... do not judge by what God has sent down are the disbelievers." (5:44) Human Rights In An Islamic State The Security Of Life And Property: In the address which the Prophet delivered on the occasion of the Farewell Hajj, he said: "Your lives and properties are forbidden to one another till you meet your Lord on the Day of Resurrection." The Prophet has also said about the dhimmis (the non-Muslim citizens of the Muslim state): "One who kills a man under covenant (i.e., dhimmi) will not even smell the fragrance of Paradise." The Protection Of Honor: The Holy Quran lays down: "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." "Do not backbite or speak ill of one another." (49:11-12) Sanctity And Security Of Private Life: The Quran has laid down the injunction: "Do not spy on one another." (49:12) "Do not enter any houses unless you are sure of their occupant's consent." (24:27) The Security Of Personal Freedom: Islam has laid down the principle that no citizen can be imprisoned unless his guilt has been proven in an open court. To arrest a man only on the basis of suspicion and to throw him into a prison without proper court proceedings and without providing him a reasonable opportunity to produce his defense is not permissible in Islam. The Right To Protest Against Tyranny: Among the rights that Islam has conferred on human beings is the right to protest against government's tyranny. Referring to it the Quran says: "God does not love evil talk in public unless it is by someone who has been injured thereby." (4:148) In Islam, as has been argued earlier, all power and authority belong to God, and with man there is only delegated power which becomes a trust; everyone who becomes a recipient of such a power has to stand in awful reverence before his people toward whom and for whose sake he will be called upon to use these powers. This was acknowledged by Hazrat Abu Bakr who said in his very first address: "Cooperate with me when I am right but correct me when I commit error; obey me so long as I follow the commandments of Allah and His Prophet; but turn away from me when I deviate." Freedom Of Expression: Islam gives the right of freedom of thought and expression to all citizens of the Islamic state on the condition that it should be used for the propagation of virtue and truth and not for spreading evil and wickedness. The Islamic concept of freedom of expression is much superior to the concept prevalent in the West. Under no circumstances would Islam allow evil and wickedness to be propagated. It also does not give anybody the right to use abusive or offensive language in the name of criticism. It was the practice of the Muslims to enquire from the Holy Prophet whether on a certain matter a divine injunction had been revealed to him. If he said that he had received no divine injunction, the Muslims freely expressed their opinion on the matter. Freedom Of Association: Islam has also given people the right to freedom of association and formation of parties or organizations. This right is also subject to certain general rules. Freedom Of Conscience And Conviction: Islam has laid down the injunction: "There should be no coercion in the matter of faith." (2:256) On the contrary, totalitar... [Full Article...]
