Islam
has been from its inception very concerned with issues of human
rights. Privacy, freedom, dignity and equality are guaranteed in
Islam. The holy Qur'an states clearly:
"There is no compulsion in religion."
And there are no reliable
reports to confirm the old accusations that when the Muslim
armies were expanding into Asia, Africa and Europe the people
were put to the sword if they failed to convert to Islam. The
best proof is that not only did the Christians, Jews,
Zoroastrians and Hindus in those areas not perish or otherwise
disappear, they actually flourished as protected minority
communities, and many individuals rose to prominent positions in
the arts, sciences, even in government.
The lives, property and
privacy of all citizens in an Islamic state are considered
sacred, whether or not the person is Muslim. Non-Muslims have
freedom of worship and the practice of their religions, including
their own family law and religious courts. They are obliged to
pay a different tax (Jizyah) instead of the Zakah, and the state
is obligated to provide both protection and government services.
Before the modern era it was extremely rare to find a state or
government anywhere in the world that was as solicitous of its
minorities and their civil rights as the Islamic states.
In no other religion did
women receive such a degree of legal and moral equality and
personal respect. Moreover, racism and tribalism are incompatible
with Islam, for the Qur'an speaks of human equality in the
following terms:
"Mankind! We created you from a single soul, male and female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may come to know one another. Truly, the most honored of you in God's sight is the greatest of you in piety."
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