The article titled Islamic View of Human Rights: A Comparative Study by Rafi provides a glimpse into Islamic views on human rights, including refuting the opposing views. The author’s overall argument is that Islam conforms to human rights enshrined in internal laws relating to the right to life, non-discrimination on race, gender, and religion, prohibition of murder, and the privacy of property. Looking at the presented arguments, it is evident that the author was selective in his use of texts and examples and, therefore, does not effectively paint the Islamic human rights view towards the right to life, non-discrimination, and prohibition of murder.
Addressing the issue of freedom and equality, the author argues that Islam is non-discriminatory on race, tribe, and gender. This sentiment is supported by Sofi (2016, 40), who states that the concept of human rights has existed in Islamic society from the earliest times. The author points out that Islam views all people as equal. However, this element is addressed in a general sense. For instance, the reference to brotherhood in the Islamic sense is not fully expounded. Brotherhood in Islam portrays a sense of belonging. It applies to those who identify with the religion of Islam and who obey the tenets of the religion. Experiences throughout the world demonstrate that whereas race and tribe may not matter, religion and gender do matter. Therefore, the author must pair his assertions with the realities confronting contemporary society. Bringing out a religious worldview is impossible by focusing on what the religious texts pronounce. The level of exclusion is seen from the use of the term Kafir, which refers to those who do not identify with the religion. Therefore, while accepting that there is no discrimination on race, there must be an acknowledgement that discrimination exists in religion. Under gender, it is explicitly presented in the Islamic religious texts on what women can and cannot do. The author pre-empts any indictments of discrimination by pointing out that men and women enjoy equal considerations under Islam but acknowledges that human beings sometimes fall short of divine will. Therefore, from a purely religious point of view, Islam observes non-racial and non-tribal practices.
Another human rights issue addressed is the right to life. Here, the author chooses what to report regarding the Islamic view. According to the author, the sanctity of life must be protected for everyone “as long as he refrains from involving in opposition or conspiracy against Islam” (55). There is no doubt that this is not what the author presents when he holds that Islam is purely for the right to life. By agreeing that there is a condition to the right to life (that one must not oppose Islam), the author opens the door for several questions to the argument. That the argument is from the personal emotions of the author is seen in the way he presents Islam’s opposition to suicide. On this point, he cites no religious texts to support his assertions, which weakens them. On the contrary, it is the reality that people have used faith to commit acts that equate to suicide, especially suicide bombings. Thus, this would have been a good opportunity to address the issue of suicide bombing.
On torture, the reading presents a well-balanced and enriching discussion. From the Prophet’s declaration that torturing others is an investment that will be repaid to Islamic readings on mercy and the commandments that condemn torture, the author makes a compelling argument, mainly using texts and the Prophet’s words to anchor the point. The reading is informative as it elaborates that torture includes imprisoning someone or an animal or denying them food. These examples are central to helping the reader to connect with the issues. However, the only challenge is that most of the examples used directly relate to treating animals and not humans. The right to privacy, especially as it relates to entry into private property, is also addressed in the reading. The author quotes a reading that directs one to seek approval for entry into private property. This point is firmed up by discussions on how permissions should be sought. The reading presents the Prophet’s words on personal letters’ privacy. Overall, there is a balanced and informative discussion on this issue, mainly because of the variety of the sources cited and the authorities used. Thus, Islam propagates high regard and respect for privacy and private property, especially for non-family members.
In conclusion, this discussion identifies that the reading is relatively balanced and informative on the issue of murder and protection against slavery while presenting a relatively weak and unsupported argument on human rights relating to gender, suicide, and the right to life. It is imperative to note that the selective use of religious texts and citations from the Prophet makes the reading more of a one-sided discussion that barely passes the informative test. To this end, the article can be judged as argumentatively fair on the human rights issue but strong in intent to explain Islam to those who do not subscribe to the religion. The reading can be made more balanced by using a more expanded discussion approach, where texts, quotes, and discussions are used together.
References
Rafi, M., Islamic View of Human Rights: A Comparative Study.3rd International Seminar on Islamic Thought. pp. 53-62.
Sofi, S., 2016. A comparative study of human rights in Islam and universal declaration of human rights. Journal of Islamic Thought and Civilization, 6(1), pp. 37-46.
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