All human beings are born free and equal in status and respect. Human rights are the basic rights that belong to every person in the world, from birth to death. These basic rights are based on values like dignity, integrity, equality, respect, and independence. The Holy Quran categorically discusses the topic of Human Rights in detail, emphasizing its applications, significance as well as need in social interactions. Allah says:
وَاللَّهُ يَقْضِي بِالْحَقِّ وَالَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ لَا يَقْضُونَ بِشَيْءٍ إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ
“And Allah judges in truth, while those (whom) they invoke besides Him not they judge with anything. Indeed, Allah – He (is) the All-Hearer, the All-Seer.” (Surah Ghafir 40:20)
Islam provides many human rights for the individual. The following are some of these human rights that Islam protects. Allah the Supreme informed us that He loves those who uphold and act upon justice. Islam commands its followers to be just even in the face of strong conflicting emotions. In dealing with other human beings, two major impediments to justice are love and hatred. Allah says:
وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولٌ فَإِذَا جَاءَ رَسُولُهُمْ قُضِيَ بَيْنَهُم بِالْقِسْطِ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ
“And for every nation (is) a Messenger. So when comes their Messenger, it will be judged between them an injustice, and they (will) not be wronged.” (Surah Yunus 10:47)
Justice and fairness mean to restore the right of every rightful owner, and to behave with people by their rank and station; whether it is the chair of justice, or the throne of a ruler, whether it is a home abroad whether it is a mosque or a school. The meaning of equity is that of justice, and “the equitable” means “the just.” Allah (SWT) commanded justice in speech as well as in judgments. Allah says:
وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِنَ الصَّالِحَاتِ مِن ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنثَىٰ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَأُولَٰئِكَ يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ وَلَا يُظْلَمُونَ نَقِيرًا
“If any do deeds of righteousness – be they male or female – and have faith, they will enter Heaven, and not the least injustice will be done to them.” (Surah An-Nisa 4:124)
Every individual in an Islamic society, regardless of his faith or religious connection, position or social status, has certain inflexible rights, which all people have to follow and accept no matter to what religion or faith he/she belongs to.
Here is the explanation about the importance of human rights in Islam:
- Right to brings civilization and happiness
- Right to leads to a balanced way of living
- Right to teaches practice in our daily life
- Right to freedom to choose the religion
- Right to hold a woman in high esteem
- Right to brings trust in Almighty Allah
- Right to life for the unborn child
- Right to personal responsibility
- Protecting the human’s life
- Right to peacemaking
- Responsibility in life
- Right to equal justice
- Right to necessities of life
- Right of honour and respect
- Right to conscientious abstention
- Right to participate in public affairs
- Right to struggle for just social order
- Right to equality among human beings
- Right to enjoin virtue and eradicate evil
- Right to sanity and intellectual freedom
Islam proclaims all people are equal in terms of human values, and all individuals are equal before the Islamic code of law. Its judgments and legal penalties apply to all races and classes of people without any distinction, and without any person, group or nation acquiring freedom or benefit. Every human being is designated to his integrity, honour, and reputation during his life and after his death.
Some Basic Human Rights
Speaking of human rights, there are plenty of them. But among those many rights, here are some that is most important:
- Right for Education
- Right for Life
- Right to Speak
- Right for Food and Shelter
- Right for Food and Shelter
- Right to Work and Earn Money
Islam rejects certain individuals or nations being favoured because of their wealth, power, or race. God created human beings as equals who are to be distinguished from each other only based on their faith and piety. Racism is not allowed in Islam, for the Quran speaks of human equality. Allah says:
وَمِن قَوْمِ مُوسَىٰ أُمَّةٌ يَهْدُونَ بِالْحَقِّ وَبِهِ يَعْدِلُونَ
“And among (the) people (of) Musa (is) a community (which) guides with truth and by it establishes justice.” (Surah Al-Araf 7:159)
In Islam, everything belongs to Allah, not to any person, and so every human being has the right to a means of living. Given the Quran’s recognition of women as persons in their own right and not as adjuncts to men, the right to earn a living is of great importance to women, and the Quran entitles both women and men to the fruits of their labours. Allah says:
فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الصَّيْحَةُ بِالْحَقِّ فَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ غُثَاءً فَبُعْدًا لِّلْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ
“So seized them the awful cry in truth, and We made them (as) rubbish of dead leaves. So away with the people – the wrongdoers.” (Surah Al-Muminun 23:41)
Human rights according to Quran are The right to freedom, right to privacy, right to protection from slander, backbiting, and ridicule, right to acquire knowledge, right to work, right to a good life and so on. Not only racial issue, gender inequality still exists today. Allah says:
إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَرْتَابُوا وَجَاهَدُوا بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الصَّادِقُونَ
“Only the believers (are) those who believe in Allah and His Messenger, then (do) not doubt but strive with their wealth and their lives in (the) way (of) Allah. Those [they] (are) the truthful.” (Surah Al-Hujurat 49:15)
Human rights give us responsibilities to the family, society, and humanity at a larger scale. It sets us to rule not to do certain things and how should we treat other human beings. Quran puts great emphasis on the right to seek justice and the duty to do justice. Justice encompasses both the concept that all are equal and recognition of the need to help equalize those suffering from a deficiency or loss.
Allah Almighty says in The Holy Quran:
- “…If you judge, judge between them with justice…” (Quran 5:42)
- “And act justly. Truly, God loves those who are just.” (Quran, 49:9)
- “And kill not anyone whom Allah has forbidden …”(Sura6, Verse 151)
- “Nor take life – which Allah has made sacred – except for just cause.” (Quran 17:33)
- “Now, indeed, We have conferred dignity on the children of Adam.” (Surah 17: Al-Isra’:70)
- “And in their wealth, there is acknowledged right for the needy and destitute. ” (Quran 51:19)
- “And in their wealth, there is acknowledged right for the needy and the destitute” (Quran, 51:12)
In the Islamic worldview, justice denotes placing things in their rightful place. It also means giving others equal treatment. In Islam, justice is also a moral virtue and an attribute of human personality, as it is in the Western tradition. Justice is close to equality in the sense that it creates a state of equilibrium in the distribution of rights and duties, but they are not identical. Allah says:
وَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ صِدْقًا وَعَدْلًا لَّا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَاتِهِ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
“And (has been) fulfilled (the) word (of) your Lord (in) truth and justice. No one can change His words, and He (is) the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.” (Surah Al-An`am 6:115)
Muslim is just in his speech and judgments, his every single affair is attended to with justice, to the degree that being just becomes a trait he is described with, not denied of him. His sayings and actions are based upon justice with no degree of discrimination, oppression or tyranny. He abides by justice without giving in to any type of desire, thereby deserving Allah’s love, acceptance, honour, and help.
There are many categories of justice and we will list down some of them in the following lines:
- Do not favour anyone above the truth: O you who believe, be persistently standing firm in justice as witnesses for Allah, even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives. Whether one is rich or poor…(Quran 4:135)
- Fulfil your trust:
- Judge fairly amongst others: So reconcile between them in justice and fairness. “Verily, Allah loves those who are just.” (Quran 49:9)
- Be just towards your dependents
- Do not oppress others
- Do not harm innocent people:
- Do not mock others:
- Justice in speech
- Justice in what is believed
- Justice with our Lord the Almighty
- Justice between wives and children
- Justice in judgments between people
Human beings also have the right to develop their aesthetic sensibilities and the right not only to survive but to thrive, to enjoy “the good life.” This requires self-actualization or development, which is not possible without social justice. If anyone desires to see where is the detailed documentation which safeguards Human Rights. Allah says:
قُلْ يَجْمَعُ بَيْنَنَا رَبُّنَا ثُمَّ يَفْتَحُ بَيْنَنَا بِالْحَقِّ وَهُوَ الْفَتَّاحُ الْعَلِيمُ
“Say, “Will gather us together with our Lord, then He will judge between us in truth. And He (is) the Judge the All-Knowing.” (Surah Saba 34:26)
Islam ensures that all Muslims, and non-Muslims, are granted equal rights and freedoms. It guarantees that there shall be no cheating, stealing or any sort of fraudulent dealings. That is why we must all follow its teachings to make better lives for ourselves and others.
