The rules of Muslim Law, or the Shari’a, envisage respect for the dignity of human being without distinction of colour, sex, religion, or social or economic origin. The concept of human dignity has long been deemed in Islam as the right of every person, regardless of who they are. Human dignity has been one of the central themes in Islamic teachings as Islam has given a distinct position to humanity by viewing humans as the noblest of creatures and man as the vicegerent of God on earth. Human dignity means the human worth or value or quality which makes him worthy of respect in the hearts of others. It comes with every person with his birth. It is a grant of the Creator and cannot be taken back. It is an identity of a human. It is to behave with others humanly i.e. a behaviour which befits a human being to perform for other human beings. It is a right as well obligation. It is a right of all human beings. It is an obligation of all human beings. Human dignity is regarded as the recognition that human beings possess a special value intrinsic to their humanity, and as such are worthy of respect simply because they are human beings. An essential part of this concept is to look beyond the customary individual labels that might affect how a person is treated. The concept of human dignity is universal as it is emphasised in various religions throughout history, such as Christianity and Buddhism, to name a few. A failure to fully understand the importance of human dignity may lead to a lack of empathy and the rise of enmity among ourselves. Society’s progress may be hindered when we fail to recognise that each individual has a right that needs to be respected. According to the Holy Quran, human beings have been inspired by the divine spirit, therefore their status is unique among the creatures (38:72). In another verse human dignity is affirmed very explicitly: “We have honoured the sons of Adam … and conferred on them special favours above a great part of Our Creation” (17:70). There are numerous examples in the Quran which highlight the high status of human beings and stress on upholding it. From the teachings of Islam it is revealed that the divine spark is present in every human; however, it needs an enabling society to ignite it. The Qur’anic vision of human dignity is manifested in various ways and in different contexts. To begin with, we read the direct and unqualified affirmation of the dignity of man in the following Qur’anic text, where God Most High declares: We have bestowed dignity on the progeny of Adam (laqad karramna bani Adama) … and conferred on them special favours, above a great part of Our creation. (al-Isra’, 17:70) The text here is self-evident and comprehensive in its recognition of dignity for all human beings without limitations or qualifications of any kind. Thus according to al-Alusi, ‘everyone and all members of the human race, including the pious and the sinner, are endowed with dignity, nobility and honour, which cannot be exclusively expounded and identified. Ibn ‘Abbas has commented, however, that God Most High has honoured mankind by endowing him with the faculty of reason.’ Dignity in other words is not earned by meritorious conduct; it is an expression of God’s favour and grace. Mustafa al-Siba’i and Hasan al-Ili have similarly remarked that dignity is a proven right of every human being regardless of colour, race or religion. Ahmad Yusri has drawn the conclusion that ‘dignity is established for every human being as of the moment of birth’. Sayyid Qutb has similarly stated that dignity is the natural right of every individual. The children of Adam have been honoured not for their personal attributes or status in society, but for the fact that they are human beings. ‘Dignity is therefore the absolute right of everyone.’ Zuhayli has similarly noted that ‘dignity is the natural right (haqq tabi’i) of every human being. Islam has upheld it as such and made it a principle of government and a criterion of interaction (al-mu’amalah) among people.’ It is not permissible to violate the personal dignity of anyone, regardless of whether the person is pious or of ill-repute, Muslim or non-Muslim. Even a criminal is entitled to dignified treatment. For punishment is meant to be for retribution and reform, not indignity and humiliation. Most of these commentators have made reference, in addition to the clear text of the Qur’an, to the hadith that records the incident where the Prophet saw a funeral procession passing by; upon seeing it, he rose in respect and remained standing until one of his Companions informed him that the deceased person was a Jew. This intervention provoked the Prophet’s disapproval as he posed the question, ‘Was he not a human being?’
The Prophet, in other words, did not consider the religious following of the deceased person to have any bearing on his inherent dignity, which called for unqualified respect. Muhammad al-Ghazali has quoted Ibn Hazm to the effect that a Christian woman, Umm al-Harith bint Abi Rabi’a, died and the Prophet’s Companions took part in her funeral procession. Al-Ghazali then concluded that ‘we would like to see that our relations with other communities are founded on this kind of latitude (al-samaha). This is because we believe that Islam commands us to have good and peaceful relations with those who are not aggressive toward us’. The Qur’anic declaration under review has also prompted Weeramantry to observe that the Qur’an makes dignity intrinsic to the personality of every individual so that ‘no regime, however powerful, could take it away from him’. This inherent human dignity also ‘provides the basis of modern doctrines of human rights’. The Qur’anic declaration of dignity for the whole of the human race in the foregoing ayah has, in another place, been more specifically endorsed with reference to the Muslims. The dignified status (al-izza) of the believers is thus expounded alongside that of God Most High and His Messenger, Muhammad: And honour (al-izza) belongs to God, to His Messenger and the believers …. (al-Munafiqun, 63:8). On a more general note, the Prophet declared in a hadith that ‘people are God’s children and those dearest to God are the ones who treat His children kindly’. The Qur’an and Sunnah normally refer to people as God’s servants (‘ibad Allah), but here they are elevated to the status of God’s beloved children, which naturally conveys a more dignified status. In the physical world, according to the worldview of Islam, there is no place on earth holier than the House of God, the Ka’ba. Yet the Prophet drew the following parallel to express the extent of the dignity of the believers. The Prophet, while facing the Ka’ba, said: You are most pure and most dignified, but by the One in whose hands Muhammad’s life reposes, the sanctity and honour of a believer, his life and his property, is far greater than yours in the eyes of God. These clear affirmations of the dignity of man are in turn endorsed in a variety of other contexts in the Qur’an and Sunnah, one of which is the basic unity in the creation of mankind, and its equality in the eyes of the Creator. In the holy Quran and the teachings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), helping the less privileged and the weak is constantly underlined. According to the eminent Muslim scholar Dr Fazlur Rahman, the Holy Prophet’s fundamental effort was to reduce the social and economic injustices prevalent in society in order to uphold human dignity. The sense of deprivation affects human self-worth and drags it to the lowest level. It is evident that poverty limits human potential in many ways. For example, sometimes it compels a person to indulge in crime. Islam has given high value to human life and health. It has put significant emphasis on caring for the sick and disabled and articulated it as a duty. Good health is termed a divine gift. The sanctity of human life is highlighted by equating the saving of one life with the saving of all of humanity (5:32).
Similarly, according to a hadith “God has sent down a treatment for every ailment”. Hence good health is very crucial for holistic human development. The intellectual dimension of human beings is constantly highlighted in Islamic teachings. The Holy Quran has reinforced the concept of human beings using their intellect and reflecting on the mysterious creations of God. Education and seeking knowledge are viewed as important to develop the intellectual capacity of human beings. Therefore, in Islam seeking knowledge is viewed as abundantly good and it is obligatory for every Muslim to seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave. In the Islamic tradition, knowledge has been viewed as light, ignorance as darkness. When the human being is not developed through education then ignorance prevails. Consequently, the individual as well as society suffers. Spiritual uplift is viewed as a very important area for human development. Human beings are a combination of the body and the soul. Hence we are linked to the Creator while we have an association with fellow beings and other creatures. According to Islamic teachings for spiritual development, one has to strengthen both relationships. To strengthen the bonds with the Creator one needs worship, and to strengthen the relationship with fellow human beings one needs to fulfil his or her social responsibilities. The ethical/social dimension is viewed as a very important aspect of human development. It is directly linked to other dimensions of life such as physical, intellectual and spiritual development. Hence, Islam stresses on fulfilling the social/ethical responsibilities for balanced, holistic development of the human being. To realise the multiple dimensions of human beings, it requires a society that provides opportunity for people to nurture and actualise their gifted potential and use it for the benefit of society. Developing an enabling society for the people is closely related to good governance and leadership. According to Islamic thought, governance and leadership mean not just to rule but to create an environment where the human potential can be actualised and used for the benefit of society. Therefore, the Holy Prophet envisioned and strived for a society that could help nurture human potential. Today, many Muslim countries like Pakistan, unfortunately, face huge challenges in human development in terms of poverty, ignorance, corruption etc. For example, in Pakistan a large percentage of people are living below the poverty line. Proper healthcare facilities are not available for a large number of people. Due to different forms of violence, human lives are lost. This situation affects the lives of nearly all the people in the county. Similarly, the literacy rate of Pakistan is said to be not more than 56 per cent; this means that nearly half of the population is illiterate. According to one report, more than 25 million children are not attending school and as for the students who go to public schools, most of them are not provided the opportunity to develop their potential. Furthermore, corruption is another big problem in society. Also, spirituality is sometimes viewed only as performing some religious rituals and the moral/ethical aspect is not reflected in society. In such a situation, the dignity of the human being, as envisioned by Islam, seems like a major challenge. Hence, serious reflection is required particularly on governance and leadership practices in order to develop a society that can help the people actualise their gifted potential in order to uphold the dignity of human life. However, a lack of awareness and emphasis on this understanding has led to misperceptions in which people deem themselves better than others, be it because of their sex, race, religion, wealth, and other irrelevant factors. Today, while there is heightened awareness on respecting each other’s rights, there is still an urgent need to counter the existing bigotry with a commonality that transcends barriers, which would be our humanity. One of the reasons behind people’s mistreatment of others is due to their inability to acknowledge differences as if concerns that those who are different from them are seen as threats to their way of life and to their interests. Whatever the reasons are, mistreatment of others is never the answer. Instead, efforts should be poured into building positive ties that will mutually benefit all parties, such as holding dialogues to understand and build empathy with one another. The decision to incorrectly focus on each other’s differences and act upon this irrational and myopic understanding is against the teachings of Islam. One of the ways we can correct these misperceptions is through the emphasis of what Islam teaches through the Quran and Hadiths about human dignity. Understanding alone is not enough as we must then lead through example, thus making a difference in this world, regardless of how small it is. As for treating others with dignity, the Quran and Hadith enjoin fraternity and affection with everyone, within and outside the family, especially with one’s neighbours, Muslim and non-Muslim alike. The believers are enjoined to speak to everyone with courtesy and tact (2:83); and “when you speak, speak with justice”. In numerous places, the Muslims, indeed all people, are enjoined to avoid harbouring ill-feeling, rancour, and suspicion towards one another. In their dealings with the followers of other faiths, Muslims are ordered to do justice and be good to them so long as they do not resort to acts of hostility and oppression (60:8). The general guideline that applies to everyone is also stated that “there shall be no hostility except against the oppressors” (2:193). The Prophet has endorsed this to say: “People are God’s children and those dearest to Him are the ones who treat His children kindly.” He has also said: “Whoever believes in God and the Last Day, let him speak when he has something good to say, or else remain silent.” At this time of heightened Islamophobia and misinformation about Islam, we need to highlight those of Islam’s messages that promote social harmony and good relations in our society and with all those that are supportive of amicable relations. It is concluded that as Muslims, we treat everyone around us with respect and fairness, following not only the teachings of our religion through, but also the example set upon us by our holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
(The authors write regularly on “Islamic topics” exclusively for the opinion pages of “Kashmir Horizon”. Views are their own)
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