Last Sermon of Prophet(S.A.
W) and Human rights
Introduction:
a) THE enlightening, soul-stirring and epoch-making sermon delivered by Holy
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) on the occasion of his farewell
pilgrimage (Haj) occupies a unique place in the history of mankind. It
emphasizes explicitly on universalisation, socialisation and moralisation of
the humanity at large.
b) Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) delivered his last sermon
(Khutbah) on the ninth of Dhul Hijjah (12th and last month of the Islamic
year), 10 years after Hijrah (migration from Makkah to Madinah) in the
Uranah Valley of mount Arafat. His words were quite clear and concise and
were directed to the entire humanity.
c) The Prophet said that: “All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no
superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an
Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any
superiority over white except bypiety (taqwa) and good action.”
d) Human excellence and dignity is the recurrent theme of the entire Quranic
message, especially in the following verse:
i)
“We have certainly created man in the best of stature.”(95:4).
e) I hope the time is not far off when I shall be able to unite all the wise and
educated men of all the countries and establish a uniform regime based on
the principles of Quran which alone are true and which alone can lead men
to happiness.(Napoleon Bonaparte).
Human rights in Last Sermon: The last Sermon of Prophet was the first charter of
Human rights in islam as well as in the history of mankind.The human rights
defined by Prophet in the last Sermon are given below and islam is the protector
of all these human rights.
1) Right to Property: The Prophet (S.A.W) said that: Your blood and your
property are as sacred as are this Day and this Month.You will surely
meet your Lord and He will ask you of your works.I have told you.He
who is entrusted with property belonging to another should deliver his
trust to whom it belongs.
i)
“O you who have believed, do not consume one another's
wealth unjustly.”(4:29).
2) Right to life: The Prophet (S.A.W) said that: Behold.All practices of
paganism and ignorance are now under my feet.The blood revenge of
the days of ignorance are remitted.The first claim on blood I abolish is
that of Ibn Rabiah bin Harith who was being nursed in the tribe of Sa’d
and whom Hudhail killed.
i)
“We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever kills a
soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land - it
is as if he had slain mankind entirely.”(5:32).
3) Riba abolished: The Prophet (S.A.W) said that: Usury is forbidden, and
I make a beginning by remitting the amounts of interest which Abbas bin
Abdul Muttalib had to receive,Verily, it is remitted entirely.
i)
“Those who consume interest cannot stand [on the Day of
Resurrection] except as one stands who is being beaten by
Satan into insanity.”(2:275).
4) Right of Wives: The Prophet (S.A.W) said that: O people.Fear Allah
concerning women.Verily you have taken them on the security of Allah
and have made their persons lawful unto you by Words of Allah!It is
incumbent upon them to honor their conjugal rights and, not to commit
acts of impropriety which, if they do, you have authority to chastise
them,yet not severely.
i)
“O you who have believed, it is not lawful for you to
inherit women by compulsion.”(4:19).
5) Equality of all races: The Prophet (S.A.W) said that: The Arabs are not
superior to the Ajamis, or the Ajamis to the Arabs.
i)
“We have honored the childrens of Adam, and provided
them with rides on land and in the sea. We provided for
them good provisions, and we gave them greater
advantages than many of our creatures.”(17:70).
6) Brotherhood of Muslims: The Prophet (S.A.W) said that: O People!
Listen to what I say and take it to heart.You must know that
every Muslim is the brother of another Muslim and that all
muslims are brethren.All of you are as equal as the fingers of a
hand.
i)
“The believers are but brothers, so make settlement
between your brothers.”(49:10).
7) Rights of slaves: The Prophet (S.A.W) said that: And your slaves! See
that you feed them with such food as you eat yourselves, and clothe
them with the stuff you wear, and if they commit a fault which you are
not inclined to forgive,then part from them,for they are the servants of
the Lord,and are not to be harshly treated.
i) “And do not compel your slave girls to prostitution, if
they desire chastity.”(24:33).
8) Responsibility of criminal lies on his own shoulders not
relatives:
i) The Prophet (S.A.W) said that: Any wrongdoer does not
wrong another except himself.So, let no one of you be
blamed for the acts of his father or his son.
9) Conclusion:
i)
“And do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden,
except by right.”(17:33).
ii) According to Mawdudi, the right to life, security, freedom and
justice are basic Islamic rights. The Organisation of Islamic
Cooperation’s 1990 Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in
Islam is a concrete attempt at formulating such Islamic rights. The
declaration states that “fundamental rights and universal
freedoms (…) are an integral part of the Islamic religion” and
that “all the rights and freedoms stipulated in this Declaration
are subject to the Islamic Shari’ah.”
iii) The Qur’anic view of human rights frees human beings from the
bondage of traditionalism, authoritarianism (religious, political,
economic, or any other), tribalism, racism, sexism, slavery or
anything else that prohibits or inhibits human beings from
experiencing God’s vision of human dignity and respect as
embodied in Islam.
