HUMAN RIGHTS in Islam, Chapter One

HUMAN RIGHTS in Islam

Taken, adapted and made a gist from ‘Allamah Abu al-‘A’la Mawdudi’ al Tawhid Journal, vol. IV No. 3 Rajab-Ramadhan 1407.

Chapter One

HUMAN RIGHTS, THE WEST AND ISLAM

The world got the concept of basic human rights from the Magna Carta of Britain, six hundred years after the advent of Islam. But until the seventeenth century no one even knew that the Magna Carta contained the principles of Trial by Jury; Habeas Corpus, and the Control of Parliament on the Right of Taxation.

In the middle of the present century, the United Nations, made a Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Despite this, human rights have been violated and trampled upon at different places. Even the heinous crime of genocide is being perpetrated.

The human rights in Islam have been granted by God; not by any king, the dictators or by any legislative assembly. The rights granted by the kings, the dictators or the legislative assemblies, can be openly violated according to the authorities’ wishes.

1. “Those who do not judge by what God has sent down are the disbelievers.” (Kafirun). 5:44
2. “They are the wrong-doers (zalimun)” (5:45),
3. “They are the evil-livers (fasiqun)” (5:47).

In other words this means that if the authorities regard their own words and decisions to be right and those given by God as wrong they are disbelievers.

If on the other hand they regard God’s commands as right but wittingly reject them and enforce their own decisions against God’s, then they are the wrong-doers.

Fasiq, the law-breaker, is the one who disregards the bond of allegiance, and

zalim is he who works against the truth.