This is the second part of the four-part series.
Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai
A central teaching in Islamic ethics is the principle of reciprocity: treating others as one would wish to be treated. A well-known hadith, recorded in Imam al-Nawawi’s Forty Hadith, states: “None of you [truly] believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself.”
This teaching encourages believers to consider the welfare of others and to resist selfishness, cruelty, and indifference. It offers a moral foundation for protecting the dignity and well-being of people beyond one’s immediate family or community.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) expresses a related commitment through its affirmation of equal rights and its call for people to act toward one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Reciprocity is not a substitute for enforceable legal protections. A person may recognize another’s dignity in principle and still fail to respect it in practice. For this reason, moral education must be accompanied by fair institutions, effective remedies, and laws that protect people from discrimination and abuse.
Nevertheless, the ethic of reciprocity provides a powerful moral motivation for respecting the rights of others. It encourages individuals to ask whether they would accept the same treatment they are prepared to impose upon another person.
Human Rights in the Qur’an and the UDHR
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 10, 1948, through Resolution 217 A (III). It establishes a common international standard for the protection of human dignity and fundamental freedoms.
The Qur’an and the Prophetic tradition contain teachings that correspond in important respects with several principles expressed in the Declaration. The following comparisons illustrate areas of substantial ethical convergence.
Article 3 of the UDHR states: “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.”
The Qur’an emphasizes the sanctity of human life in verse 32 of Surah Al-Ma’idah: “Whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption in the land—it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one—it is as if he had saved mankind entirely.” — Qur’an 5:32
The verse appears in a passage referring to a decree concerning the Children of Israel, but its moral significance extends to the profound value of human life.
Islamic teachings also condemn unjust aggression and emphasize the responsibility to protect the vulnerable. The principle that saving one life is comparable, in moral significance, to saving all humanity offers a compelling religious foundation for humanitarian work and the prevention of violence. Respect for life must extend beyond words. It requires the protection of civilians, the prevention of unlawful killings, and accountability for those who violate the right to life.
Article 4 of the UDHR prohibits slavery and the slave trade in all their forms.
The Qur’an repeatedly encourages the freeing of enslaved people and presents emancipation as an act of moral and religious significance. In Qur’an 4:92, freeing a believing person from bondage is prescribed as part of the expiation for certain forms of accidental killing. The Qur’anic emphasis on charity, human dignity, the rejection of oppression, and the liberation of enslaved people provides important resources for an Islamic argument against slavery.
The contemporary ethical imperative is clear: slavery, human trafficking, forced labor, and sexual exploitation violate human dignity and must be opposed. Muslim scholars and communities can draw upon Islamic teachings concerning emancipation, justice, and the prohibition of oppression to support the universal rejection of these practices.
Article 5 of the UDHR prohibits torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment. Article 6 affirms everyone’s right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.
Islamic teachings concerning justice and the prohibition of oppression provide a moral basis for opposing torture, humiliation, and abuse in custody. The Qur’an warns against wrongdoing and commands believers to uphold justice, including when doing so is difficult.
Prophetic traditions concerning the conduct of warfare are also frequently cited in discussions of humanitarian protection. Reports attributed to Prophet Muhammad and early Muslim leaders prohibit the deliberate killing of women, children, and other noncombatants and condemn the mistreatment of vulnerable people.
Such teachings are relevant to the development of humane standards in conflict. They can reinforce the moral obligation to protect civilians and detainees.
The prohibition of torture must apply regardless of a person’s religion, nationality, political affiliation, or alleged offense. Likewise, every person must receive legal recognition and protection rather than being placed beyond the reach of justice.
Article 7 of the UDHR establishes equality before the law and the right to equal protection without discrimination.
The Qur’an commands believers not to allow hostility toward another people to prevent them from acting justly: “And do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness.” — Qur’an 5:8
This principle is particularly important because impartiality is most difficult when the person seeking justice belongs to a disliked or marginalized group.
A widely recounted account from early Islamic history concerns a dispute between Ali ibn Abi Talib, son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and a Jewish man over a suit of armor. According to the story, the matter was brought before a judge, who declined to accept the testimony of Ali’s son in his favor. The decision went against Ali, and the other claimant subsequently acknowledged that the armor belonged to him – Ali Ibn Abi Talib.
The account illustrates the ideal that legal authority and personal status should not determine the outcome of a case. Its significance lies in the principle of impartial justice: evidence and fair procedure must prevail over rank, wealth, and religious identity.
For the compatibility of Islamic ethics with universal human rights to become a practical reality, these principles must be reflected in independent courts, equal legal protection, due process, and effective remedies for victims of abuse.
(To be continued)
Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai is a Chairman of World Forum for Peace & Justice and he can be reached at:
WhatsApp: 1-202-607-6435, gnfai2003@yahoo.com
