Relations with non-Muslims - Teachings of the Prophet of Mercy(Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam)

Islam safeguards human rights

Nowadays human values are being trampled upon.  Humanity is being crushed in the name of vengeance.  Oppression and harassment of others has become the order of the day.  People have fallen from ideal moral and ethical values.

On one hand, we have this sad state.  On the other, through its media, the western world reiterates and reinforces the notion that it (the western world) is the promoter and protector of human rights and that Islam has no recognition of human rights.  People who aren’t aware of the true Islamic teachings, especially the young generation, are being affected by this false propaganda.

The fact is that the western world has been harping about human rights since about the mid 20^th century, but the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) has granted humanity its rights 1400 years ago and honored it.  In that era of discrimination and barbarity, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) not only granted rights but safeguarded them as well 

Today, decisions are made on the basis of ethnicity and discriminations are made on the basis of race, caste, etc.  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) didn’t permit any such discriminations in His judgments.  He revealed the value of basic human values, safeguarded them and turned those people who were on the brink of disaster to beacons of guidance for the ages to come.  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) didn’t declare superiority and excellence among human beings to be a function of one’s ethnicity or culture or any such thing.  Instead, He said that only piety decides the superiority and excellence of an individual.  There is a Hadith:

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ أَلاَ إِنَّ رَبَّكُمْ وَاحِدٌ وَإِنَّ أَبَاكُمْ وَاحِدٌ أَلاَ لاَ فَضْلَ لِعَرَبِىٍّ عَلَى أَعْجَمِىٍّ وَلاَ لِعَجَمِىٍّ عَلَى عَرَبِىٍّ وَلاَ لأَحْمَرَ عَلَى أَسْوَدَ وَلاَ أَسْوَدَ عَلَى أَحْمَرَ إِلاَّ بِالتَّقْوَى

O people!  Be aware that your Lord is One, your father is one (meaning Hadhrat Adam (May peace be upon him)).  No Arab is superior to a non-Arab only by virtue of being an Arab.  No non-Arab is superior to an Arab only by virtue of being a non-Arab.  No white complexioned person is superior to a black one and no black person is superior to a white-complexioned one, except by piety.[1]