Islam and Human Rights
Thursday, December 31, 2009, 04:33 PM EST [General]
I'm going to discuss human rights and Islam. This is an issue that is not only important, but probably one of the most misunderstood topics that the world has about Islam today. Terrorist attacks, the media and the images of Islam shown on television give people a negative view of this peaceful religion. Muslims in general are looked at as terrorists, while Muslim women are seen as oppressed.
When we speak about human rights in Islam, we really mean rights that were granted by God. Therefore, when we speak about this topic we must first know what the Qu'ran says about human rights, because the Qu'ran is the word of God. No government or legislative assembly on earth has the right to change or amend any of those rights conferred by God. So, although Islam has already laid down these human rights for everyone to follow in the Qu'ran centuries ago, the United Nations did not develop a Universal Declaration of Human Rights until December of 1948. As Muslims who follow the Qu'ran and the teachings of the Holy Prophet (saw), we know that this declaration of the United Nations is just recently discussing issues that were already set out for us to follow centuries ago. If everyone followed the Qu'ran and it's commandments regarding human rights than stereotypes about true Islam such as oppression and terrorism would be erased and this declaration by the UN would not be necessary. Issues such as slavery, racism and poverty would not be as much of an issue today if we were to follow these laws God had created for us.
I will go over just a few of the 30 articles discussed in the UN declaration and show how these issues had been revealed by God to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) to bring to the world and for us to follow.
Article 1 of the UN Declaration:
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Before I get to what Islam teaches in the Qu'ran about this human right, I would like to share an incident that occurred when I had a training course for my job. The course was on cultural competency, we discussed issues such as stereotypes and labels that are given to different races and cultures. Each of us was asked to discuss a situation where we interacted with a different race or culture we weren't familiar with and how we handled it. It was interesting because I heard stories of people who said they have never interacted with other cultures and some of them said their families would be upset if they bought someone of a different race home.
One story I heard stood out more than others and when I was given this topic, it made me reflect about that day and the beauty of Islam. This woman discussed how she had just moved and she was looking for a church to go to. She found a church and walked in, not knowing everyone in the church was African-American. When people noticed the "White lady" come in, she said it was almost as if everything stopped and everyone turned around to look at her. After the service she said she was approached by the person who delivered the sermon, who said to her, we would appreciate if you didn't come back, you're a distraction. When I heard this I was shocked but it also made me think about some places of worship today. There are churches where the majority of the people who attend are White, there are Hispanic churches and there are Black churches, but there is only one mosque for every race, color and culture. When you go to any place of worship, the sole focus should be the gaining nearness to God. So regardless of your color, status or ethnicity, you shouldn't feel as if you don't belong.
When it was my turn to present, I couldn't tell of a single incident because I have met people from all races and cultures when I attend the mosque. At our annual conventions, each year I am able to interact with people from all over the world and no one feels as if they are better than the next person. Every year millions of Muslims gather for the pilgrimage to Mecca
What The Qu'ran says:
Islam teaches that human beings have a moral obligation to live in harmony with each other. Islam recognizes the rights to equality for all human beings regardless of race, color, status or creed. The Qu'ran says "O mankind, we have created you from male and female." (49:14). This means all humans are brothers. We are descendants from one father and one mother. The verse goes on to say "And we set you up as nations and tribes so that you may be able to recognize each other." This simply means we were divided into nations, groups and races as a means of distinction so that those from one race or tribe may meet and become familiar to another tribe and co-operate with one another as brothers. If there is any supremacy of one man over another, it is in regards only to his purity of character, God-consciousness and high morals. It has nothing to do with race, nationality, color or language as the Holy Prophet (saw) said, "Indeed, the noblest among you before God are the most heedful of you." Islam speaks volumes on brotherhood and I leave this first issue of equality by giving you an example of the way the Holy Prophet (saw) demonstrated this by saying in his farewell sermon, "No Arab has any superiority over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab have any superiority over a Black man, or the Black man any superiority over the White man. You are all children of Adam, and Adam was created from clay." The verses from the Qu'ran, and the teachings of the Holy Prophet (saw), show how Islam established equality regardless of the person's race, color, nationality or creed centuries ago.
Article 3 of the UN Declaration:
Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.
What the Qu'ran says:
Islam says that the first and foremost basic right for all mankind is the right to life. It is said in the Qu'ran, "Whosoever kills a human being (without any reason like man-slaughter, or corruption on earth) it is as though he has killed all mankind." (5:33). The Holy Prophet (saw) stated "The greatest sins are to associate something with God and to kill human beings." Security of person in Islam is shown in the Qu'ran and proven through the examples of the Holy Prophet (saw). Hinduism, Judaism and Christianity never perished in Muslim states, but actually flourished as protected minority communities. We know the importance of the right to life when we hear "And Whosoever saves a life it is as though he saved the lives of all mankind." (5:33). Those living in a Muslim state, regardless of religion have the right to life, prosperity, security and honor because in Islam there in no compulsion in religion. As the Holy Prophet (saw) said when it came to protecting non-Muslims in a Muslim state "one who kills a man under covenant will not even smell the fragrance of paradise." Declarations in many countries say the right to life is only for citizens of that country, whereas in Islam this right has been given to mankind as a whole.
Article 4 of the UN Declaration:
No one shall be held in slavery; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms
What the Qu'ran says:
The issue of slavery is one of the most important topics because it is something that this country was raised on. Holding anyone against their will without a purpose is against the teachings of Islam. Islam discussed this issue of slavery and tried to solve this problem in Arabia by encouraging people to set slaves free and being expiated from some of their sins. If you freed a slave on your own will, it was an act of such great value that the limbs of the man who freed the slave would be protected from hell fire, one for each limb of the slave freed. In 40 years at the time of the rightly guided Caliphs, slavery in Arabia was no more and slaves had been liberated. After this the only slaves were those who were captured on the battlefield and they were all held until their own government agreed to receive them back in exchange for Muslim soldiers or paying a ransom. As we hear in stories told of the Holy Prophet (saw), He would give up his own food and not eat to feed someone who was captured in war. His great examples, the humane way he treated others, even those who fought against Him was the main reason many of these people eventually embraced Islam, not because they were forced by the sword as some are often misled to believe. So, although slavery was abolished inArabia and in Islam, eventually it became an essential part of this countries growth and history and went on for hundreds of years.
So how is this the UN declaration when it has already been set out in the Qu'ran?
These are just 3 of the things discussed in the UN declaration and I could review each one and show how the Qu'ran has already stated these human rights. When I was reading the rest of the declaration, I thought to myself this isn't created by the UN this is the Qu'ran. The only difference is that the Qu'ran had so many more things that were on human rights that need to be introduced to the world. The right to a basic standard of life would eliminate homelessness and poverty but I saw this in the Qu'ran but did not see this mentioned in the Declaration by the UN. The Qu'ran says "And in their wealth there is acknowledged right for the needy and destitute." The obvious meaning of this is that anyone who asks for help or anyone who is suffering has a right to share in the property and wealth of a Muslim. If one is in a position to help and a needy person asks for help, or we know one is in need, it is our duty to help him. This is the beauty of Islam, it is our obligation as Muslims to help those in need. So while we have people who can't afford a meal, we also have those who spend their wealth only on material things, not in the interest of those who need help.
As Muslims we need to present ourselves in a manner taught in the Qu'ran and by the examples of The Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw). Unfortunately, there are some Muslims in the world who are not following the teachings of the Qu'ran and are killing people in the name of Islam. This is what we see on television and today we live in a society where people are more inclined to learn about Islam from what they see on the news and television, rather than to learn about the truth for themselves. The good thing about this is that regardless of what they see on television, they can't deny the truth about Islam when they see the way we as Ahmadis model true Islam by the way we carry ourselves everyday. So despite the false things we hear, we know Islam is not about terrorism or oppression because we know the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) said "God has no mercy on one who shows no mercy to others." But we do know Islam is about peace, prosperity and human rights.
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