Human Rights and Faith
Up until two years ago, I was teaching Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics to Mechanical Engineering students at Coventry University. I took early retirement after 25 years of teaching at about the same time as the London terrorist outrage of 07/07/2005. That crime violated every Islamic principle I know, yet every Muslim felt to be under suspicion. The religion of Islam was distorted and attacked. The ignorance about Islam was breathtaking. I would like to remind everyone that the vast majority of victims of terrorism worldwide are Muslims. The families of the victims do not blame Islam. In the words of the Imam of a mosque in Baghdad who had just witnessed the explosion in his mosque that caused the deaths of 75 worshippers, the outrage was the action of "sick souls".
Witnessing all of this, I knew what I should do with my retirement. Interfaith dialogue and explaining the true religion of Islam to the wider community became a priority of mine. The creation of the "Devon Faiths Forum", will act, I hope, as an exempler to the wider community of how people of different faiths and cultural background can work together for the common good. Faith and belief is defined in a wide and inclusive way. There are , however, core values that I am sure we all agree on. In this talk I am going to use quotations from the Qur'an and the sayings of the Prophet Mohammed(pbuh) to guide us through these core values.
I am going to start by telling you what Islam is.
Islam is a monotheistic religion based upon the Qur'an and the Sunna. We as Muslims believe that God revealed through the angel Gabriel his direct word to our Prophet Mohammad (pbuh). The Qur'an is the collection of these revelations. The Prophet was born in 570AD and died in 632AD. The revelations started when he was 40 years of age and continued until his death in 632AD. The Sunna are the actions and the sayings of the Prophet Mohammad.
Islam is not a new religion. It is, in essence, the same message and guidance which God revealed to all his prophets.
All the quotes from the Qur'an presented below will appear in boxes in Arabic and the English translation. The Qur'an is by far the finest work of Arabic prose in existence. When translated, the power and the beauty of the language are diminished.
84.
" Say: we believe in God and that which was revealed to us, and that which was revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes and that which was given to Moses and Jesus and to the prophets from their Lord; we make no distinction between any of them, and to God we submit" (3.84)
The two quotes below tell us the special status in which mankind is held compared to the rest of God's creation.
70.
"17.70] The children of Adam are honoured, we carry them on land and in the sea. They are well provided for, and we gave them greater advantages than many of our creatures.
The quote below elevates the status of mankind above that of the angels. This status afforded to mankind implies that we must deal with one another with dignity, respect, fairness and justice.
116.
"And when we said unto the angels: Fall Prostrate before Adam, they fell prostrate (all) save Iblis, he refused. (20.116)
The Qur'an commands that justice must be the basis for dealings between people and nations.
8.
[5:8] O you who believe, you shall be absolutely just in your dealings, and observe GOD, when you serve as witnesses. Do not be provoked by your conflicts with some people into committing injustice. You shall be absolutely just, for it is more righteous. You shall observe GOD. GOD is fully cognizant of everything you do.
The Qur'an commands that negotiations and discussions, conducted with good manners, grace and respect, must be the basis for solving disagreements and disputes. Punishment must be proportionate to the wrong done to you.
125.
[16:125] You shall invite others to the path of your Lord with wisdom and kind enlightenment, and debate with them in the best possible manner. Your Lord knows best who has strayed from His path, and He knows best who are the guided ones.
126.
[16:126] And if you punish, let your punishment be proportionate to the wrong that has been done to you. But if you resort to forgiveness (instead of revenge), it would be the better way.
127.
16:127] You shall resort to forgiveness - and your forgiveness is attainable only with GOD's help. Do not grieve over those who do you harm, and do not be annoyed by their schemes.
128.
[16:128] GOD is with those who lead a righteous life, and those who are charitable.
The Qur'an affirms that people must work for the common good
104.
[3:104] Let there be a community of you who embrace what is good, advocate righteousness, and forbid evil. They are the winners.
The use of force to convert people to Islam is prohibited by the Qur'an
256.
[2:256] There shall be no compulsion in religion: the right way is now distinct from the wrong way. Anyone who denounces the devil and believes in GOD has grasped the strongest bond; one that never breaks. GOD is omniscient.
Looking after society's poor and vulnerable is one of the core tenets of Islam
36.
[4:36] You shall worship GOD alone - do not associate anyone with Him. You shall care for your parents, relatives, orphans, the poor, the related neighbour, the unrelated neighbour, the close associate, the travelling stranger, and your servants. GOD does not love the arrogant, the vainglorious.
274.
[2:274] Those who give to charity night and day, secretly and publicly, receive their recompense from their Lord; they will have nothing to fear, nor will they have any regrets.
A violent response is only allowed in Islam in self defence.
190.
[2:190] You may fight in the cause of GOD against those who attack you, but do not aggress. GOD does not love aggressors.
In another verse, the Qur'an goes further in showing us the virtue of non-violent reaction under extreme provocation.
28.
[5:28] "If you extend your hand to kill me, I will not extend my hand to kill you. For I revere GOD, Lord of the universe.
29.
[5:29] "I want you, not me, to bear my sin and your sin, then you end up with the dwellers of Hell. Such is the recompense for transgressors."
Finally I would like to conclude my talk with two sayings of the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh)
The Prophet said:
God will not show mercy to him
Who does not show mercy to others
Below is a quote from the farewell sermon delivered by the Prophet(pbuh) in Mecca during the Haj in 632AD, the year of his death, knowing he would not deliver another one.
"All mankind is from Adam and Eve. An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab have any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black, nor does a black have any superiority over a white except by piety and good action"
Dr Adnan Al-DainiChairman,
Devon Racial Equality Council
12/06/2007