Huquq-ul-Ibad or Human Rights: The Ethical Soul of Islam, Hinduism, Christianity and All Other Religions
By
Arman Neyazi, New Age Islam
19 June
2021
Islam,
Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism and All Other Religious Faith Have the Same
Essence of Brotherhood and Love for Fellow Human Beings
Main
Points
1. In Islamic
parlance, there are two kinds of rights human beings have to fulfil one of them
is Huqooqul Allah (Rights of Allah) and the second is Huqooq ul Ibad (Rights of
Fellow Beings).
2. He sent His vicegerent
to test their spiritual ability to understand what is good and what is bad.
3. Let us use
our wisdom to the best of our ability and prove that we are true to the
vicegerency bestowed upon us by Allah the All-Knowing.
4. It is in our
favour that we follow the righteous path shown by our religions, other great
men of wisdom and be ready for our heavenly abode.
5. All the
human beings, counting the atheist gentlemen, take the ‘interpersonal rights’
or the Huqooqul Ibad as the foremost duty of a sensible person towards society.
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Huqooq-ul-Ibad --- a person's duty towards humanity, being good to
others (Photo Courtesy/Islamic City)
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Creator of
this world and the skies is one. He created this world to be an abode of peace.
He coloured the canvas of the world with various colours. He used the colours
of love, compassion, brotherhood hatred, envy and supremacism. He sent His
vicegerent to test their spiritual ability to understand what is good and what
is bad. He did not keep His will as a secret. He let everyone know of His
desire to test them as a nation, as a community with different religious
scriptures and different religious ethos. But He kept the basics of all the
religions the same.
Islam,
Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism and all other religious faith have the same
essence of brotherhood and love for fellow human beings.
In Islamic
religious parlance, there are two kinds of rights human beings have to fulfil
to be selected as Creator’s true vicegerent. One of them is Huqooqul Allah
(Rights of Allah) and the second is Huqooq ul Ibad (Rights of Fellow Beings). No
religion does not talk of both the rights given to the human being to fulfil to
get to the Creator’s good books.
The
divinity is all kind, gracious and compassionate hence the human being can have
faith in God to be forgiven for his sins, performed knowingly or unknowingly.
But for the ‘interpersonal rights’ Allah the Most Gracious says that the person
whose rights have been abused has the prerogative and powers to forgive or not
to forgive.
It is,
therefore, in our favour to consciously fulfil our responsibilities towards our
fellow human beings and more so keep asking for forgiveness for the wrongs
knowingly or unknowingly guided towards them. It should be noted here that all
the love and affection among human being is only restricted till they are
alive. In life hereafter, every soul will be concerned only with the self.
There will be no relationship of any kind, except that of husband and wife who
will live together in heaven. This also will happen only after the fulfilment
of their punishment, if any.
All the
Abrahamic and other religions call to fulfil the rights of the fellow human
being as the most heavenly act is a testimony of the religions being a way of
peaceful and harmonious life. All the human beings, counting the atheist
gentlemen, take the ‘interpersonal rights’ or the Huqooqul Ibad as the foremost
duty of a sensible person towards society. Consider below the beautiful Quranic
Ayaat, the Prophetic traditions, the Shlokas and the sayings of the religious
leaders to decide to make our human society an abode of peace, brotherhood,
humility and tranquillity for the old, the destitute.
Human
Rights and Quranic Revelations
The
believers are nothing else than brothers.... (Surah Al-Hijrat verse 10)
“and do
good to parents and to kindred, and orphans and the needy and speak good to
people (Extract
from; 2/83).
“and
gives his dear wealth for love of Allah to kindred and orphans and the needy
and the wayfarer and the beggars and for redeeming necks, and establishes
prayer and pays poor due (Zakat); and the performer of their promises when make
promise and the patients in tribulation and adversity and at time of crusade;-
These are they, who proved truth of their talks and they are only
Allah-fearing”
(Extract from; 2/177).
“No
doubt, the extravagant are the brothers of the Devils (Satan). And the devil is
very ungrateful to his Lord” (17/27).
“If you
turn your face from them in seeking the mercy of your Lord for which you have
hope, then speak to them a gentle word” (17/28).
“The
poor-due (Zakat) is only for those who are poor and needy and those who collect
it, and for those whose hearts are to be conciliated for Islam, and for the
freeing of slaves, and for debtors, and for spending in the way of Allah and
for the traveller. This has been ordained by Allah. And Allah is Knowing, Wise” (9/60).
Prophet
Muhammad Pbuh and Huquq-ul-Ibad (Interpersonal Rights)
“There is a
reward for serving any living being”. (Sahih al-Bukhari)
“While a
man was walking along a path, he found a thorny branch of a tree on the way and
removed it. Allah s.w.t. thanked him for that deed and forgave him”. (Sahih al-Bukhari)
Prophet
(PBUH) advised his companion, Abu Tharr: “If you cook something with gravy,
increase the gravy and send some of it to your neighbours.” (Al-Bukhari).
Mu’adh bin
Jabal reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “O Mu’adh,
do you know what is the right of Allah upon His servants?” I said, “Allah and
his messenger know best.” The Prophet said, “To worship Him alone and to associate
none in worship with Him. And do you know what is their right upon Him?” I
said, “Allah and his messenger know best.” The Prophet said, “Not to punish
them if they do so.” (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6938, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 30)
The Prophet
(PBUH) said "Whoever touches the head of an orphan (with love), solely for
Allah, a good deed will be written to his account for every hair over which he
passed his hand, and whoever treated an orphan with goodness and kindness, he
and I will be close to each other in Heaven as these two fingers and he held
his two fingers together"
Prophet
(PBUH) also said, "The best house among the Muslims is one where an orphan
is well treated, and the worst house among the Muslims is one where an orphan
is badly treated."
Abu
Hurairah (RA) also reported that the Prophet (PBUH) was saying "Would you
like that your heart becomes soft and that you get what you need? Be merciful
with the Orphans, pat his head and feed him from what you eat. (Al-Bukhari)
Once
Prophet Muhammad SAW was asked, “O Messenger of Allah! A certain woman prays in
the night, fasts in the day, does pious actions and gives charity, but she
injures and hurt her neighbours with her tongue.” The Messenger of Allah (PBUH)
said, “There is no good in her. She will go to Fire.” The Sahaba said, “Another
woman prays only the prescribed prayers and gives very little as charity and
does not injure anyone. Her neighbours happy with her attitude” The Messenger
of God said, “She is one of the people of Paradise.” [Bukhari in Al-Adabul
Mufrad]
Hazrat Abu
Hurairah (R.A) mentions that Messenger of Allah SAW said, “Every Muslim has
five rights over another Muslim i.e. (i) reply to Salam, (ii) visit the sick,
(iii) attend funerals (iv) accept invitations and (v) respond to the sneezer
(Sahih Bukhari).
"Every
Muslim has five rights over another Muslim i.e. reply to Salam, visit the sick,
attend funerals, accept invitations and respond to the sneezer (Sahih Bukhari).
Hinduism
on the Importance of Human Rights
“By
self-control and by making dharma (right conduct) your main focus, treat others
as you treat yourself.” (Mahabharata)
‘No one is
superior or inferior; all are brothers; all should strive for the interest of
all and progress collectively. (Rigveda, Mandala-5, Sukta-60, Mantra-5)
“Small and
narrow-minded people look at the reality in terms of ‘this is yours and this is
mine; for those of higher consciousness the whole world is a family”. (Ideal of
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam)
Bhawan
Shankar says, “O, Parvati, You bless those who serve their parents. Even
Parabramha (Supreme God) is pleased with such a Jiva (embodied soul).”
The father,
mother, teacher, elder brother and one's provider- these five are considered as
one's superiors. He who desires prosperity should revere these superiors at all
times by all means, even if he loses his life. (Kurma Purana 2.12.32, 33, 34)
No Deva can
equal the mother and no superior can equal one's father. Hence, no son can get
relieved of the debt he owes to them. (Kurma Purana 2.12.36)
Therefore,
always try to do whatever pleases your parents and your teacher, because only
then does any religious worship done by you will bear any fruit. (Manusmriti
2.227-228)
The
lifespan, knowledge, glory and strength of him increase who pays respects to
his elders regularly and serves them. (Manusmriti 2.121)
He who serves his parents and teachers truly
respects all the teachings of the scriptures. And the person who disrespects
them will never get the fruit of any worship. (Manusmriti 2.234)
“Let there be oneness in your resolutions, hearts
and minds; let the determination to live with mutual cooperation be firm in you
all”. (Rigveda, Mandala-10, Sukta-191, Mantra-4)
“In the happiness of the subjects lies the
happiness of the King; in their welfare his welfare. The King shall not consider
what pleases himself as good; whatever pleases his subjects is only good for
him” (Artha Shastra)
“All have
equal rights to articles of food and water. The yoke of the chariot of life is
placed equally on the shoulders of all. All should live together in harmony
supporting one another like the spokes of a wheel of the chariot connecting its
rim and hub”. (Atharva Veda – Samjnana Sukta)
Sikhism
on Human Rights
If you
honour your parents, your children will honour you. (Guru Granth Sahib)
The
God-conscious being looks upon all alike, like the wind, which blows equally
upon the king and the poor beggar.” (Guru Granth Sahib p. 272)
We are
conceived and born from women. A woman is our life-long friend and keeps the
race going. Why should we despise her, the one who gives birth to great men?
(Guru Granth Sahib page 473)
Jainism
Ideology on Human Rights
Ahinsa
Parmo Dharma’ (nonviolence is the supreme spiritual value), ‘live and let live
(Jiyo or Jine do) means compassion and forgiveness in thoughts, words and deeds
towards all living beings.
Have
compassion towards all living beings. Hatred leads to destruction. ~ Lord
Mahavira
Respect for
all living beings is non-violence. ~ Lord Mahavira
Just as you
do not like misery, in the same way others also do not like it. Knowing this,
you should do unto them what you want them to do unto you. ~ Lord Mahavira
One who
cultivates an attitude of equality towards all living beings, mobile and
stationary, can attain equanimity. Thus do the Kevalis say ~ Lord Mahavira
Buddhism
“Whatever
words we utter should be chosen with care for people will hear them and be
influenced by them for good or ill.” (Buddha)
Biblical
Ideology on Huqooq ul Ibad
“Therefore
all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to
them: for this is the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 7:12)
“Love your
neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these” (Mark 12,
31)
“But love
your enemies, do good to them and lend to them without expecting to get
anything back. Then your reward will be great” (Luke 6, 35)
“You shall
not take vengeance or bear a grudge against your kinsfolk. Love your neighbour
as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18)
Baháʼí Faith and Huqooq ul Ibad
“Ascribe
not to any soul that which thou wouldst not have ascribed to thee, and say not
that which thou doest not.” (Bahá’u’lláh)
Beware lest
ye commit that which would sadden the hearts of your fathers and mothers.
Follow ye the path of Truth which indeed is a straight path. Should anyone give
you a choice between the opportunity to render a service to Me and a service to
them, choose ye to serve them, and let such service be a path leading you to
Me. This is My exhortation and command unto thee. Observe therefore that which
thy Lord, the Mighty, the Gracious, hath prescribed unto thee. (Bahá’u’lláh,
Lights of Guidance, p. 230)
.... This
bounty, however, will be vouchsafed only to such souls as having inflicted no
harm upon Him Who is the Sovereign Truth nor upon His loved ones. (Bahá’u’lláh,
The Compilation of Compilations vol. I, p. 386)
Say, O My
people! Show honour to your parents and pay homage to them. This will cause
blessings to descend upon you from the clouds of the bounty of your Lord, the
Exalted, the Great. (Bahá’u’lláh, Lights of Guidance, p. 229)
When We
learned of her sadness, We directed thee to return unto her, as a token of
mercy unto thee from Our presence, and as an admonishment for others.
(Bahá’u’lláh, Lights of Guidance, p. 229)
… Blessed
is he who remembereth his parents when communing with God. (The Báb, Lights of
Guidance, p. 230)
“The
religion of God and His divine laws are the most potent instruments and the
surest of all means for the dawning of the light of unity amongst men.
(Bahá’u’lláh)
Vicegerents
of God and the Interpersonal Rights
The first
and the foremost duty of human beings is to fulfil the commands of the
religions they follow and be sensitive to interpersonal rights as this is one
thing one will certainly be punished in the life hereafter if one is not
forgiven by the person whose rights are abused.
In a Hadees
Prophet Muhammad Pbuh says, ‘“Not to punish them if they do so” (Sahih
al-Bukhari 6938, Sahih Muslim 30)’, the ‘them’ here is a human being and it is
the right of the mankind on Allah, ‘not to punish’. It is for sure that Allah,
the Most Gracious will forgive His servants of their sins on the pretext of a
minimum of good deeds, Insha’Allah. We, therefore, have to try our best and
fulfil the rights of our brethren for a heavenly abode, forever.
Vicegerent
of God, the Almighty has reached to the stars in the skies with the wisdom and
intellect being bestowed upon him but is unable to perform his duties of
interpersonal rights. He has individually as well as collectively reached the
pinnacle of success but it is strange to note as to why he is unable to perform
his interpersonal rights. Or is it that he does not understand its
ramifications in his life hereafter. Both ways he is going to be a loser as all
his achievements will remain here in this world for a few decades, perhaps, in
his name and then he will remain in the dustbin of history forever. Let us use
our wisdom to the best of our ability and prove that we are true to the
vicegerency bestowed upon us by Allah the All-Knowing.
It is in
our favour that we follow the righteous path shown by our religions, other
great men of wisdom and be ready for our heavenly abode.
“Repay injury with justice and kindness with
kindness." (Confucius)
“What is hateful to you, don’t do to your
friend.” (Talmud, Shabat, 31, a)
And
Allah Knows the Best.
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Arman
Neyazi is a columnist with NewAgeIslam.com.
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/interfaith-dialogue/huquq-ul-ibad-human-rights-ethical-soul/d/124993
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