.:Islamic Philosophy and Human Freedom:.
1. The Islamic approach to all aspects of life is theocentric
Islam teaches that all human life, in its all manifestations must be justifyed around God, that is adhering to the law of God manifested through all of His Prophets.
God says in The Qur'an:
"Say: "We believe in God, and in that which has been bestowed from on high upon us, and that which has been bestowed upon Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and their descendants, and that which has been vouchsafed by their Sustainer unto Moses and Jesus and all (other) prophets: We make no distinction between any of them. And unto Him do we surrender ourselves."
2. The concept of human freedom stems from (mainly) two basic ideas of Islam: The sovereignty of God and the equality of all human beings.
The sovereignty of God operates at two levels, the first level is in its basic meanings that God is the only Guardian and the Lord of the Universes, and our unconditional obedience is due to Him only. His will is the only absolute criterion in determining the nature of all human actions, and more than that God is independent of all creations, and God does not favor or hate any one based on his/her race, color, or nationality.
The only thing which makes a community or a person preferred by God is their true belief in Him, followed by the good actions.
The second level which, in a sense, is the corollary of the idea of the absolute Lordship of God, proclaims the complete equality of all human beings before the eyes of the law in all worldly dealings. The logic here is very clear when God (Allah) is the Only, Unique and Supreme Being, it follows that all others are equal and nobody has any special status.
In the realm of politics and other social interactions its manifest in the equality of all human beings, thus effectively closing the door of discrimination and persecution.
3. The Qur’an speaks about the Supreme Authority of God
“And His is all that is in the heavens and on earth, and to Him (alone) obedience is always due: Will you, then, pay reverence to ought but Him” The Qur’an 16:52
“Do they seek, perchance, a faith other than in God, although it is unto Him that whatever is in the heavens and on earth surrenders itself, willingly or unwillingly since unto Him, all must return” The Qur’an 3:83
“And withal, they were not enjoined ought but that they should worship God sincere in their faith in Him alone, turning away from all that is false, and they should be constant in prayer; and that they should spend in charity: for this is a moral law (Din) endowed with ever - true soundness and clarity” The Qur’an 98:5
4. About the oneness and the equality of all human beings
“Oh Men! Behold, We have created you all out of a male and a female, and have made you into nations and tribes, so that you might come to know one another. Verily, the noblest of you in the sight of God is one who is more deeply conscious of Him. Behold, God is all-knowing, all aware” The Qur’an 49:13
“Oh mankind! Be conscious of your Sustainer, who has created you out of one living entity, and out of it created its mate, and out of the two spread abroad a multitude of men and women. And remain conscious of God, in whose name you demand (your right) from one another, and of these ties of kinship. Verily, God is ever watchful over you!" The Qur’an 4:1
The Prophet, Muhammad, condemns tribal partisanship: “He is not of us who proclaims the cause of tribal partisanship (asabiyyah); and he is not of us who fights in the cause of tribal partisanship; and he is not of us who dies in the cause of tribal partisanship.”
(Abu Daud, one of the collectors of the Prophet’s sayings, on the authority of Jubayr ibn Mutim).
When he was asked to explain the meaning of “tribal partisanship”, the Prophet answered, “It means helping thine own people in an unjust cause”. (Reported by Abu Daud, on the authority of Wathilah ibn Al-Asqa).
5. Man: The Exalted Being
In the world view of Islam, man occupies an exalted position, and in certain degrees, even higher than that of angels. Man is God’s deputy on this plamet, responsible for actualizing God’s will in his earthly life, one of its dimension is to guard the sanctity of human life which is exalted by God Himself.
The Holy Qur’an says:
“Now, indeed, we have conferred dignity on the children of Adam, and born them over land and sea, and provided for them sustenance out of the good things of life, and favored them far above most of our Creations.” The Qur’an 1:70
“And Lo! Thy Sustainer said unto the angels: ‘Behold, I am about to establish upon earth one who shall inherit it’” The Qur’an 2:30
“Verily, We create man in the best conformation” The Qur’an 95:4-6
“Say: ‘Come, let me convey unto you what God has (really) forbidden to you: Do not ascribe divinity, in any way, to ought besides him; and (do not offend against but, rather,) do good unto your parents and do not kill your children for fear of poverty - (for) it is We who shall provide sustenance for you as well as for them; and do not commit any shameful deeds, be they open or secret; and do not take any human being’s life (the life) which God has declared to be sacred - other than in (the pursuit of) Justice: this has been enjoined upon you so that you might use your reason’” The Qur’an 6:151
6. Rendering Justice is part of the Islamic teachings
“O you who have attained faith! Be ever steadfast in your devotion to God, bearing witness to the truth in equity; and never let hatred of anyone lead you in to the sin of deviating from justice. Be just: this is closest to being God-conscious. And remain conscious of God: verily God is aware of all that you do” The Qur’an 5:8
“Behold, God enjoins justice, and the doing of Good...”The Qur’an 16:90“Behold, God bids you to deliver all that you have been entrusted with unto those who are entrusted thereto, and whenever you judge between the people, to judge with justice. Verily, most excellent is what God exhorts you to do. Verily, God is all hearing, all seeing” The Qur’an 4:58
7. Islam warns against oppression
The Prophet, Muhammad, (Peace Be Upon Him) said:“Stay clear of oppression, for oppression is darkness on the day of judgment” (Reported by Mishkat Al-Masabih) a collection of the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad”The Qur’an warns repeatedly against persecution, denounces aggression, warns against violations of human dignity and reminds believers of the need to observe justice in all their dealings. The warning against persecution occurs 299 times in the Qur’an.(Prof. C.H. Weeramantry, “Islamic Jurisprudence: An International Perspective”, The MacMillan Press Ltd., 1988, p144)
8. The various areas of human freedom:
1. Right of Life
“... and do not take any human being’s life (the life) which God has declared to be sacred - other than in (the pursuit of) justice: this has been enjoined upon you so that you might use your reason” The Qur’an 6:1512.
2. Right to Privacy
“O You who have attained to faith! Do not enter houses other than your own unless you have obtained permission and greeted their inmates. This is (enjoined upon you) for your own good, so that you might bear (your mutual rights) in mind: Hence, (even) if you find no one within (the house), do not enter it until you are given leave; and if you are told, “Turn Back”, then turn back. This will be most conducive to your purity; and God has full knowledge of all that you do” The Qur’an 24:27-28
3. Right to Justice
"Behold, God enjoins justice, and the doing of good, and generosity towards (one's) fellow-men; and He forbids all that is shameful and all that runs counter to reason; as well as envy; (and) then exhorts you (repeatedly) so that you might bear (all this) in mind)" The Qur'an 16:90
"O you who have attained to faith! Be ever steadfast in your devotion to God, bearing witness to the truth in all equality, and never let hatred of anyone lead you into the sin of deviating from justice. Be just: this is closest to being God-conscious. And remain conscious of God. Verily, God is aware of all that you do."The Qur'an 5:8.
4.Right to Protection from slander and ridicule
"O you who have attained to faith! No man shall deride (other) men: it may well be that those (whom they deride) are better than themselves; and no women (shall device other) women: it may well be that those (whom they deride) are better than themselves. And neither shall you defame one another, nor insult one another by (opprobrious) epithets: evil is all imputation of iniquity after (one has attained to) faith; and thy who (become guilty thereof and) do not repent - it is they, they who are evil doers! O you who have attained to faith! Avoid most guesswork (about one another) for, behold, some of (such) guesswork is (in itself) a sin; and do not spy upon one another behind your back. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Nay, you would loathe it. And be conscious of God. Verily, God is an acceptor of repentance, a dispenser of grace!" The Qur'an 49:11-12
5. Right to a place of residence
"And yet, it is you who slay one another and drive some of your own people from their homelands, aiding one another against them in sin and hatred; but if they come to you as captives, you ramsom them - although the very (act of) driving them away has been made unlawful to you" The Qur'an 2:85
6. Right to Asylum
"And he who forsakes the domain of evil for the sake of God shall find on earth many a lonely road, as well as life abundant. And if anyone leaves his home, fleeing from evil unto God and His apostle, and then death overtakes him - his reward is ready with God: for God is indeed much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace." The Qur'an 4:100
7. Right to seek knowledge
(Several Qur'anic verses emphasized it)
The Prophet, Muhammad, said:
"Search for knowledge is a sacred duty (faridah) imposed on every Muslim man and woman". (Reported by Ibn Majah, on the authority of Anas)
"If anybody goes on his way in search of knowledge, God will thereby make easy for him the way to Paradise". (Reported by Muslim on the authority of Abu Hurayrah).
8. Religious Freedom
The Holy Qur'an categorically says:
"There shall be no coercion in matters of faith: Distinct has now become the right way from (the way of) error: hence he who rejects the power of evil and believes in God has indeed taken hold of a support most unfailing, which shall never give way for God is all-hearing, all knowing" The Qur'an 2:256
The various shades of freedom discussed above are just a few among the vast rights which Islam views as the birth right of every human being, there are also many more special rights which Islam guarantees to women, children and religious and ethnic minorities.
No comments:
Post a Comment