Human Rights

Arshad Gamiet/Royal Holloway/ University of London / Surrey/UK./ 01/01/99

As-salámu 'alaikum wa rahmatul láhi wa barakátuh!

Al hamdu lillahi rabbil ‘alameen. Was salaatu was salaamu ‘alaa ashrafil mursaleen. Sayidinaa wa nabi’na wamoulanaa Muhammadin wa’ala aalihee wa sahbihee wasallim.

My Dear Brothers and Sisters

Our Khutbah today is about Human Rights. Three recent events have brought the subject of Human Rights into sharp focus: The moves to extradite Former-President Pinochet of Chile, the 50^th anniversary of the International Declaration of Human Rights, and last week’s bombing of Iraq.

Muslims everywhere are always deeply distressed by any acts of violence against their brothers and sisters, whether it be in Iraq or Kosovo, in Kashmir or Palestine. The Ummah is one single body. When one side hurts, we all feel their pain and suffering, and we agonise because we appear to be so helpless. If only we could stop those Cruise missiles and so-called "smart-bombs". Our pain is increased by the weak explanations that are offered for this carnage. We cannot help comparing the eagerness to bomb Iraq, with the indifference to the slaughter of Muslims in Bosnia and Kosovo, and the continued injustice in Palestine over so many years.

We could devote this entire khutbah to our grievances, but that won’t be very useful. Let us rather look at the wider issue of human rights, and ask ourselves, what each one of us can do, to promote Islam’s message of Peace with Dignity and Justice.

Where did the idea of Human Rights begin? What is the Islamic view? Is it achievable, or merely an impossible dream? And what should we Muslims do to promote human rights? In these few minutes, it won’t be possible to cover all these questions in detail. So, we’ll have to be brief.

Throughout history, man has struggled to be freed from oppression by his fellow man. When the Pharaoh Ramses oppressed the Bani Isra-el, Nabi Musa led them out of Egypt. Thousands of years later, the Conquistadors, who were really, militant Catholic Fundamentalists, drove Muslims and Jews out of Spain. Who can forget the fall of Granada? More recently, our Palestinian brothers and sisters were driven from their homes to make way for the state of Israel. Indeed, the whole story of human rights is linked to the story of refugees and minority groups around the world.

200 years ago, long-suffering French peasants overthrew their monarchy and declared a Republic. "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity," were the slogans of the French Revolution. In North America, a civil war gave birth to the Constitution of the United States, with its Bill of Rights, and it took another 2 centuries before Martin Luther King, won those same rights for Black Americans.

After the Second World War, the United Nations set out the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. It proclaimed the right to life, liberty, and security of person; to freedom of conscience, religion, association, speech, expression, political association, and so on. It includes the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty; to travel from a home country at will and return at will, and so forth; It sets out in broad terms, what basic human rights must be safeguarded in all countries.

Non-government organisations like Amnesty International and Index on Censorship, do excellent work in publicising abuses of human rights and campaigning for change.

If we look at the attitude of Western governments, and sadly, even some Muslim governments, concerning human rights, the record is disappointing. Their observance of human rights is based on expediency. It's OK, as long as it doesn't hurt their own economic interests. Today’s only superpower, the United States, is not even subtle in its disregard for fair dealing with other nations. In US foreign policy, their kalima shahada is not universal justice or even-handedness, but: "our national self-interest." It does not matter who gets hurt, how many lives are lost, how many millions have to suffer ill health, injustice, or an early death. As long as a policy serves their own advantage, their own narrow self-interest, there is no room for moral or ethical considerations. Closer to home, it has also been the policy of successive British governments, to sell arms to any cruel dictatorship who has the means to pay, despite the customer’s Human Rights record. While in opposition, one heard many cries of righteous indignation from New Labour, but once in government, these principles were quickly forgotten. When asked about the so-called "Ethical Foreign policy" that he promised while he was shadow Foreign Minister, the Robin Cook’s excuse is: "Well, if we don't sell them these weapons, somebody else will!"

So much for Western Liberal democracy! What is the Islamic view on human rights?

In Islam, Justice is not there, only for the convenience of Muslims. It is not based on expediency, to be observed or ignored as we please. We Muslims are not God’s chosen people, with one law for ourselves, and another law for others. We must earn our way to Alláh’s pleasure, with effort and sacrifice, every day. No prophet died for our sins, and each one of us carries his own burden. We are urged to stand up against oppression. So often, today’s victim can be tomorrow’s oppressor. Islam therefore goes beyond other ideologies in its pursuit of justice. We are urged to be just, even to our enemies:

In Sura Al-Máida, verse 8, we are told: "O you who believe! Stand out firmly for Allah as witnesses to fair dealing; and let not your hatred of a people, lead you to act unjustly towards them. Be just: that is next to Piety: and fear Allah for Allah is well acquainted with all that you do."

And, in Sura An-Nisá, we are told:

"O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice as witnesses to Alláh, even as against yourselves or your parents or your kin and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts) lest you swerve. If you distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well-acquainted with all that you do."

Islam also teaches absolute equality before the law:

A woman belonging to a high and noble family was arrested for stealing. She was brought to the Prophet, and it was recommended that she might be spared the punishment because of her status. Nabi Muhammad, sws, replied:

"The nations that lived before you were destroyed by Alláh, because they punished the common man, and let their dignitaries go unpunished for their crimes. I swear, by The One Who holds my life in His hand that even if my daughter, Fatima, had committed this crime, I would have cut off her hand."

Perhaps the Islamic view on Human Rights is best explained, in that historic last khutbah of Nabi Muhammad,sws, the Sermon the Mount. I will not read it in full, but here are some points that he made:

"O People, lend me an attentive ear, for I know not whether, after this year, I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore listen to what I am saying to you carefully and take these words to those who could not be present here today…..O People, just as you regard this month, this day, this city as Sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners. Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you. Remember that you will meet your Lord, and that He will reckon your deeds." … further on, our Prophet sws, said…"O People, you have certain rights over your women, but they also have rights over you. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers.……. Every Muslim is the brother of every other Muslim. You are one brotherhood. All are equal. No one has superiority over others except in piety and good actions……." Further on in his khutbah, Nabi Muhammad said:

"Remember, one day you will appear before Alláh and answer for your deeds. So beware, do not stray from the path of righteousness after I am gone…….O People, no prophet or apostle will come after me and no new faith will be born. Reason well, therefore, O People, and understand these words, which I convey to you. I leave behind me two things, the Qur'án, and my example, the Sunnah. If you follow these you will never go astray…….All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and may the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me directly. Be my witness oh Alláh, that I have conveyed your message to your people."

innalláha wa malaaikata yusallúna alan nabi. Yá ay yuhal latheena ámanu sallú alayhi wasalli mú tas leema. Allahumma salli alá Muhammad, wa ala áli Muhammad, kama salayta ala Ibrahim, wa ala ali Ibrahim. Allahumma barik ala Muhammad, kama barakta ala Ibrahim, wa ala ali ibrahim. Fil ála meen, innaka hameedun majeed.

Second Khutbah

Sub’ hanallahi wal hamdu lillah, wala hawla wala quwwata illah billah yu althi yual theem

Dear Brothers and Sisters

Nabi Muhammad sws, delivered our own International Declaration of Human Rights, 1316 years before the United Nations did! Soon after the Hegira, he also produced in Madinah, the world’s first written constitution in which the rights of minorities were guaranteed. He is reported in one Hadith to have said,

Let us therefore make certain, that when non-Muslims live within our midst, they are shown respect and fairness, and are made to feel welcome and safe. Our noble ancestors were the protectors of those who were persecuted in Europe. That is why major Muslim cities Like Istanbul, Fez and Cairo, still have Jewish and Christian quarters. Today we enjoy a large measure of freedom in this country. In the time of our beloved Prophet sws, the Negus of Abysinnia, a wise and just king, gave protection to the first Muslim refugees from Makkah. It is also an Islamic duty to protect non-Muslims living in our land. One Hadíth says:

"A Muslim is he from whose hands and tongue, other Muslims are safe; and a Mu’min [a believer], is he in whom Mankind has an sanctury for its life and property."

Human Rights also imply Human Obligations. This is the other side of the coin. ......

So often in life, today's victim becomes tomorrow's oppressor. The Jewish people suffered unspeakable cruelty before and during the Second World War, but today, somehow they seem to have forgotten those lessons in their dealings with our brothers in Palestine.

We can see from the last Khutbah of Nabi Muhammad, that Muslims bear a great responsibility. We must carry forward the Message of Islam to others. Perhaps we should add one more right to the list of Human Rights which all people are entitled to: the Right to know the truth about Islam. It’s our duty, as Muslims, as khalífatulláh, Alláh’s ambassadors, to make sure that the message of Islam reaches everyone on this planet. If we do not carry forward this message, we are then partly responsible for their oppression.

Brothers and Sisters, we Muslims must not see Human Rights as some nebulous idea, out there, somewhere, that concerns someone else. Human Rights actually begin with us, individually. It is intimately connected with our idea of the ummah, of community life, of our families, of how we see ourselves. We can all start, by treating our wives and children better, by improving our attitude towards parents, brothers, sisters, neighbours, colleagues at work and on the campus. Remember, we are Islam’s ambassadors. We must strive for excellence in everything we do.

We all have a tremendous challenge and responsibility, to dispel the lies and propaganda, and to reveal the truth of Islam to the modern world.

If we do our best to fulfil this noble task, we will be fighting the most important jihád, the battle for hearts and minds. And if Alláh Most Gracious wills it, we could be instrumental in building a strong and permanent presence for Islam in Europe.

History has shown, that nothing, not even Cruise missiles and smart weapons, can resist an idea whose time has come. Communism and Apartheid have vanished. Both are today in the rubbish-bin of history. The influence of Christianity is also now in terminal decline. Islam is the last big idea, the last great challenge to Secular Materialism. The battle has already begun. We Muslims know who will win. But it won’t come without effort, our effort. If we fail in this effort, Alláh will choose another people to carry His message. He promised this many times in The Holy Qur’án.

If we succeed, as, Insha-Alláh, we must, it would be our privilege and honour to be chosen for Alláh’s great mission. When the final outcome of this war of ideas is decided, [and it may not be in our lifetime] , then the meaning of that wonderful verse 81 of Sura Al-Israa’ will become even clearer:

"and say: Truth has come, and falsehood has perished, for falsehood is, by its nature, bound to perish."

Let us pray: O Alláh, help us to defend our human rights, and also with the same vigour and determination, let us defend the human rights of others. Let us never be among those who demand justice for themselves, but are unwilling to dispense justice for others. O Alláh, help us to develop our full potential as individuals and as a community living in Europe. Help us to become that wonderful band of people described in Sura Al-Imrán verse 104:

Waltakum minkum ummatuy yad'u_na ilal khairi wa ya'muru_na bil ma'ru_fi wa yanhauna 'anil munkar(i), wa ula_'ika humul muflihu_n

"Let there arise out of you a band of people inviting to all that is good; enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong; they are the ones to attain success."

O Alláh, grant us forgiveness for our sins, and let us enter the company of those whom you have blessed.

Ameen. Aqeemus salaah!

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