Islam guarantees the right to life for every human being, whether they are Muslims or non-Muslims. Every human life is sacred in Islam and every person has been granted God-given fundamental and universal rights at the time of their birth.  Allah made no distinction between the life of a Muslim and a non-Muslim, a believer or an unbeliever. Everyone has the right to discharge his religious obligations according to his faith and belief. Freedom of religion is an accepted right of every citizen of the state. Allah says:

وَلَقَدْ كَرَّمْنَا بَنِي آدَمَ وَحَمَلْنَاهُمْ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ وَرَزَقْنَاهُم مِّنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَفَضَّلْنَاهُمْ عَلَىٰ كَثِيرٍ مِّمَّنْ خَلَقْنَا تَفْضِيلًا

“We have certainly dignified the children of Adam and carried them on the land and sea and provided for them of the good things and preferred them over much of what We have created with definite preference.” (Surat Al-Isra 17:70)

Islam has great placed emphasis on the value of all life and has issued clear warnings against unjustified violence. Every person has the right to enjoy respect and honour in society. It is not allowed to defame a person through the wrong accusation.  Islamic teachings can be made part of life only through a process of learning by each and every member of the community. It is the fundamental right of a Muslim to have facilities and adequate opportunities for learning and acquiring knowledge. Allah says:

فَمَنْ عُفِيَ لَهُ مِنْ أَخِيهِ شَيْءٌ فَاتِّبَاعٌ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَأَدَاءٌ إِلَيْهِ بِإِحْسَانٍ ۗ ذَٰلِكَ تَخْفِيفٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ ۗ فَمَنِ اعْتَدَىٰ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فَلَهُ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

“Whoever pardons a capital crime from his brother, then it should be followed by good conduct and payment to him in the best manner. This is an alleviation from your Lord and mercy, but whoever transgresses after that will have a painful punishment.” (Surat Al-Baqarah 2:178)

Islam requires that Muslims possess upright character and deal justly with the entire human race, irrespective of their ethnicity, nationality, creed and whether they are a friend or foe. The concept of good life depends upon the protection of fundamental liberties. The Holy Quran is a book of knowledge and wisdom it is the duty of the state to make adequate arrangements for teaching the Holy Qur’an at various levels of education right from primary to university. Allah says:

Here are some fundamental Human Rights In Islam:

1. Islam provides the right to equality is a practical reality
2. Islam emphasizes the complete freedom of belief
3. Islam is a paradigm shift towards human rights
4. Islam teaches us to practice in our daily life
5. Islam brings civilization and happiness
6. Islam leads to a balanced way of living
7. Islam emphasizes the right to privacy
8. Islam holds a woman in high esteem
9. Islam  brings trust in Almighty Allah
10. Islam holds a sanctity of human life
11. Islam leads an honour and dignity
12. Islam gives social responsibility
13. Islam has freedom of religion
14. Right to personal responsibility
15. Right to life for the unborn child
16. Right to protection of reputation
17. Right to conscientious abstention
18. Right to participate in public affairs
19. Right to chastity, dignity, and lineage
20. Right to struggle for just social order
21. Right to enjoin virtue and eradicate evil
22. Right to sanity and intellectual freedom
23. Right to inheritance for both women and men
24. Right to refuse obedience to oppressive rulers

Islamic teachings provide a complete code of health care and preventive measures to make a person healthy and active in his daily routine of life.  It is the duty of Muslims to establish the proofs of Islam to people so that truth can be distinguished from falsehood.  After that, whoever wishes to accept Islam may do so, and whoever wishes to continue in unbelief may do so. Allah says:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ سَيَجْعَلُ لَهُمُ الرَّحْمَٰنُ وُدًّا

“Verily, for those who have believed and done righteous deeds, the Most Merciful will appoint for them affection.” (Surah Maryam 19:96)

In Islam, life is a sacred trust from God and the most basic right of a human being. No individual is permitted to take the life of another unless it is for justice administered by a competent court. The diversity of humanity into many races and ethnicities is a testament to God’s majesty and wisdom. Therefore, racial superiority and discrimination is prohibited in Islam and contradicts their essence. Allah says:

إِنَّكَ لَا تَهْدِي مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَلَٰكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ

“Verily, you do not guide whom you love, but Allah guides whom He wills. He is most knowing of the rightly guided.” (Surah Al-Qasas 28:56)

Human rights in Islam stem from two foundational principles: dignity and equality. Dignity is a fundamental right of every human being merely by virtue of his or her humanity. The Islamic model of human rights, in particular, is striking in its rigour, its vision and its relevance to modern times. One of the fundamental rights established by the sacred texts is that no one can be compelled to accept Islam.

The Holy Quran describes sanctity attached to human life in a quite different manner:

• “God does not like that evil be spread.” (Quran 4:148)
• “O, my Lord! Advance me in knowledge.” (Quran 20: 114)
• “Woe to every scandalmonger and backbiter.” (Quran 104:1)
• “There is no compulsion in the matter of religion.” (Quran 2:256)
• “That those who have no knowledge are not equal to those who have.” (Quran 39: 9)
• “That ‘whosoever has been knowledge indeed has been given an abundant good.” (Quran 2: 269)
• “Allah raises up in rank those of you who believe and have been given knowledge.” (Quran 58:11)
• “Do not take away life, God has wholly prohibited it, except when the law so requires.” (Quran 17:33)
• “O, believers! Avoid suspecting each other: In some cases, the suspicion is an offence, and do not spy on or speak ill of each other in the absence.” (Quran 49:11)
• “Whoever kills a human being without (any reason like) murder, or corruption on earth, it is as though he had killed all mankind.” (Quran 5:32)
• “O, believers! Do not betray the trust of God and Prophet, and do not intentionally appropriate, property entrusted to you.” (Quran 8:27)
• ‘‘Those who when they spend are not extravagant and not niggardly but hold a just (balance) between those (extremes).” (Quran 25:67)
• “Who is more unjust than the one who forbids glorification of God in the places of worship and tries to disturb the same.” (Quran 2:114)
• ‘‘Believe in Allah and His apostle and spend out of the (substance) whereof he has made you heirs.” (Quran 57:7)
• “The law of retaliation is meant to save a life; so that the wise dread homicide in the future.” (Quran 2:179)

Everyone is equal before the law. All citizens must be treated equally in law, rich or poor a person of high status or an ordinary person. A person must not be punished without conducting proper judicial proceedings and proving an offence against him. Everyone is innocent unless proved guilty through evidence in a court of law. Within the scope of the law, everyone has the right to conduct his social, economic and political activities in his daily routine of life. Allah says:

لَّا تَجِدُ قَوْمًا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ يُوَادُّونَ مَنْ حَادَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَلَوْ كَانُوا آبَاءَهُمْ أَوْ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ أَوْ إِخْوَانَهُمْ أَوْ عَشِيرَتَهُمْ

“You will not find a people who believe in Allah and the Last Day having affection for those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even if they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their kindred.” (Surah Al-Mujadila 58:22)

Islam’s contribution to human rights is best appreciated when viewed against the backdrop of world history as well as the realities of modern times. Social, racial, gender, and religious inequities continue to exist. It is the responsibility of the state to provide an organizational structure through the well-established judicial system, administrative control and a security system necessary for the social existence of the citizens. Allah says:

وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ خَلْقُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلَافُ أَلْسِنَتِكُمْ وَأَلْوَانِكُمْ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّلْعَالِمِين

“And his signs are the creation of heavens and earth and the diversity of your tongues and colours. Surely, there are signs in this for all the worlds.” (Quran 30:22)

If we fear Allah with the reverence due to Him, these admonitions should be more than enough to make us doubt the piety of those who kill people in the name of Islam simply because they belong to another religion. In its distribution of rights and responsibilities, Islam has addressed the social, racial, gender, and sectarian issues plaguing our global society. Indeed, the model of rights and mutual responsibilities enshrined in Islam has tremendous potential for individual and social reform in the world.