Islam provides many human rights for the individual. The following are
some of these human rights that Islam protects.
The life and property of all citizens in an Islamic state are considered
sacred, whether a person is Muslim or not. Islam also protects honor.
So, in Islam, insulting others or making fun of them is not allowed.
The Prophet Muhammad said: {Truly your blood, your property, and your
honor are inviolable.}1
<http://www.islam-guide.com/ch3-12.htm#footnote1>
Racism is not allowed in Islam, for the Quran speaks of human equality
in the following terms:
O mankind, We have created you from a male and a female and have made
you into nations and tribes for you to know one another. Truly, the
noblest of you with God is the most pious.2
<http://www.islam-guide.com/ch3-12.htm#footnote2> Truly, God is
All-Knowing, All-Aware. (Quran, 49:13)
Islam rejects certain individuals or nations being favored because of
their wealth, power, or race. God created human beings as equals who
are to be distinguished from each other only on the basis of their faith
and piety. The Prophet Muhammad said: {O people! Your God is one and
your forefather (Adam) is one. An Arab is not better than a non-Arab
and a non-Arab is not better than an Arab, and a red (i.e. white tinged
with red) person is not better than a black person and a black person is
not better than a red person,3
<http://www.islam-guide.com/ch3-12.htm#footnote3> except in piety.}4
<http://www.islam-guide.com/ch3-12.htm#footnote4>
One of the major problems facing mankind today is racism. The developed
world can send a man to the moon but cannot stop man from hating and
fighting his fellow man. Ever since the days of the Prophet Muhammad ,
Islam has provided a vivid example of how racism can be ended. The
annual pilgrimage (Hajj) to Makkah shows the real Islamic brotherhood of
all races and nations, when about two million Muslims from all over the
world come to Makkah to perform the pilgrimage.
Islam is a religion of justice. God has said:
Truly God commands you to give back trusts to those to whom they are
due, and when you judge between people, to judge with justice....
(Quran, 4:58)
And He has said:
...And act justly. Truly, God loves those who are just. (Quran, 49:9)
We should even be just with those who we hate, as God has said:
...And let not the hatred of others make you avoid justice. Be just:
that is nearer to piety.... (Quran, 5:8)
The Prophet Muhammad said: {People, beware of injustice,5
<http://www.islam-guide.com/ch3-12.htm#footnote5> for injustice shall
be darkness on the Day of Judgment.}6
<http://www.islam-guide.com/ch3-12.htm#footnote6>
And those who have not gotten their rights (i.e. what they have a just
claim to) in this life will receive them on the Day of Judgment, as the
Prophet said: {On the Day of Judgment, rights will be given to those to
whom they are due (and wrongs will be redressed)...}7
<http://www.islam-guide.com/ch3-12.htm#footnote7>
_____________________________
Footnotes:
(1) Narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #1739, and Mosnad Ahmad, #2037.
[Back from footnote (1)] <http://www.islam-guide.com/ch3-12.htm#bf1>
(2) A pious person is a believer who abstains from all kinds of sins,
performs all good deeds that God commands us to do, and fears and loves
God. [Back from footnote (2)]
<http://www.islam-guide.com/ch3-12.htm#bf2>
(3) The colors mentioned in this Prophetic saying are examples. The
meaning is that in Islam no one is better than another because of his
color, whether it is white, black, red, or any other color. [Back from
footnote (3)] <http://www.islam-guide.com/ch3-12.htm#bf3>
(4) Narrated in Mosnad Ahmad, #22978. [Back from footnote (4)]
<http://www.islam-guide.com/ch3-12.htm#bf4>
(5) i.e. oppressing others, acting unjustly, or doing wrong to others.
[Back from footnote (5)] <http://www.islam-guide.com/ch3-12.htm#bf5>
(6) Narrated in Mosnad Ahmad, #5798, and Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #2447.
[Back from footnote (6)] <http://www.islam-guide.com/ch3-12.htm#bf6>
(7) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2582, and Mosnad Ahmad, #7163.
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