Since God is the absolute and the sole master of men and the universe, He is the Sovereign Lord, the Sustainer, the Nourisher and the Merciful. His mercy enshrines all beings and since He has given each man human dignity and honour, it follow that men are substantially the same. No tangible or actual distinction can be made among them on account of their accidental differences such as nationality, colour or race.
Every human being is therefore related to all others and all become one community of brotherhood in their honourable and pleasant servitude of the most compassionate Lord of the Universe. The same has rightly been pointed out by the Quran: “O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things). (The Holy Quran 49:13).
Although an Islamic state may be set up in any part of the earth, Islam does not seek to restrict human rights or privileges to the geographical limits of its own state. Islam has laid down some universal fundamental rights for humanity as a whole, which are to be observed and respected under all circumstances, whether such a person is resident within the territory of the Islamic state or outside it, whether he is at peace or at war. The Quran very clearly states: “O ye who believe! Stand out firmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to Piety; and fear Allah. For Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do. (The Holy Quran 5:8).
Human blood is sacred in any case and cannot be spilled without justification. And if anyone violates this sanctity of human blood by killing a soul without justification, the Quran equates it to the killing of entire mankind: “…if anyone slew a person-unless it be for murder of for spreading mischief in the land-it would be as if he slew the whole people; and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people….” (The Holy Quran 5:32).
It is not permissible to oppress anyone, especially women, children, old people, the sick or the wounded. Women’s honour and chastity are to be respected under all circumstances. The hungry person must be fed, the naked clothed and the wounded or diseased treated medically irrespective of whether they belong to the Islamic community of are from among its enemies.
When we speak of human rights in Islam we really mean that these rights have been granted by God; they have not been granted by any king or by any legislative assembly. The rights granted by the kings or the legislative assemblies can also be withdrawn in the same manner in which they are conferred. The same is the case with the rights accepted and recognised by the dictators. They can confer them when they please and withdraw them when they wish; and they can openly violate them when they like. But since in Islam human rights have been conferred by God, no legislative assembly in the world or any government on earth has the right or authority to make any amendment or change in the rights conferred by God. No one has the right to abrogate them. Nor are they basic human rights which are conferred on paper for the sake of show and exhibition and denied in actual life when the show is over. Nor are they like philosophical concepts which have no sanctions behind them.
Rights sanctioned by God are applicable to every one. They are a part parcel of the Islamic Faith. Every Muslim will have to accept, recognise and enforce them. If they fail to enforce them, and start denying the rights that have been guaranteed by God or make amendments and changes in them, or practically violate them while paying lip service to them , the verdict of the Holy Quran for such government is clear and unequivocal: “..if any do fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed they are (no better than) unbelievers” (The Holy Quran 5:44).
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