| Right to Freedom
The Qur'an is deeply concerned about
liberating human beings from every kind of bondage. Recognizing the human
tendency toward dictatorship and despotism, the Qurān says with clarity
and emphasis the following:
Sūrah al `Imrān 3.79:
"It is not (possible) that a man,
to whom is given the Book, and Wisdom, and the Prophetic Office, should
say to people: "Be ye my worshippers rather than Allah's." On
the contrary (He would say): "Be ye worshippers of Him Who is truly
the Cherisher of all."
Sūrah an Nisa' 4.36
slaves
be treated in a just and humane way
Sūrah
Muhammad: 47.4
urged the freeing of slaves, that prisoners of war were to be set free, "either by an
act of grace or against ransom."
Sūrah Ash-Shura: 42.21
no one other than God can limit human freedom
Sūrah Yūsaf: 12.40
"Judgment (as to what is right and what is wrong) rests with God
alone".
Surah Ash-Shura: 42.38
The principle of mutual consultation ("shura") is
mandatory, it is a Muslim's fundamental right, as well as
responsibility, to participate in as many aspects of the community's life
as possible.
Sūrah al Baqarah: 2.256:
"There shall be no coercion in matters of faith"
Note: It guarantees freedom of religion and worship. According to
Qur'anic teaching, non-Muslims, living in Muslim territories, should have
the freedom to follow their own faith and traditions without fear or
harassment. A number of Qur'anic passages state clearly that the
responsibility of the Prophet Muhammad is to communicate the message of
God and not to compel anyone to believe.
Sūrah al Kahf: 18.29
"The Truth is from your Lord: Let him who will believe, and let him
who will, reject (it)."
The right to exercise free choice in matters of belief is unambiguously
endorsed by the Qurān
Sūrah al-Baqarah: 2.62:
"Those who believe (in the Qur'an) and those who follow the Jewish
(scriptures), and the Christians and the Sabians, any who believe in God
and the Last Day, and work righteousness, shall have their reward sayeth
the Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve."
God will judge human beings not on the basis of what they profess but on
the basis of their belief and righteous conduct.
Sūrah al-An'am: 6.108:
"Revile not ye those whom they
call upon besides God, lest they out of spite revile God in their
ignorance. Thus have We made alluring to each people its own doings. In
the end will they return to their Lord, and We shall then tell them the
truth of all that they did."
The Qur'an recognizes the right to religious freedom not only in the case
of other believers in God, but also in the case of non-believers in God
(if they are not aggressive toward Muslims).
In the context of the human right to
exercise religious freedom, it is important to mention that the Qur'anic
dictum, "Let there be no compulsion in religion" (Sūrah
2:Al-Baqarah: 256) applies not only to non-Muslims but also to Muslims.
While those who renounced Islam after professing it and then engaged in
"acts of war" against Muslims were to be treated as enemies and
aggressors, the Qur'an does not prescribe any punishment for
non-profession or renunciation of faith. The decision regarding a person's
ultimate destiny in the hereafter rests with God.
Sūrah 4: An-Nisa': 135
Note: This right to freedom includes the right to be free to tell the truth. The
Qur'anic term for truth is "Haqq" which is also one of God's
most important attributes. Standing up for the truth is a right and a
responsibility which a Muslim may not disclaim even in the face of the
greatest danger or difficulty.
Sūrah 2: al Baqarah: 282
While the Qurān commands believers to testify to the truth, it also
instructs society not to harm persons so testifying.
Sūrah 5. 2
"Co-operate with one another for virtue
and heedfulness and do not co-operate with one another for the purpose
of vice and aggression"
Ahadith
Hazrat Abu Bakr (raa) said in his very
first address: "Cooperate with me when I am right but correct me when
I commit error; obey me so long as I follow the commandments of Allah and
His Prophet; but turn away from me when I deviate."
Note: The Qur'an virtually abolished
slavery since most slaves were prisoners of war. Because the Qur'an does
not state explicitly that slavery is abolished, it does not follow that it
is to be continued, particularly in view of the numerous ways in which the
Qur'an seeks to eliminate this absolute evil. A Book which does not give a
king or a prophet the right to command absolute obedience from another
human being could not possibly sanction slavery in any sense of the word.
Unity
& Diversity: Islamic Perspective Dr.
Muzammil H. Siddiqi
|
