The worldview of Islam is based on Tauheed (monotheism). Allahu Akbar – Allah is the greatest – this is a declaration that every Muslim makes hundreds of times daily in his prayers. We revere any connection with some great personality as a boost-up for our social image; here all of the humanity is dignified in one stroke when the Qur’ān declares that human beings are vicegerents of Allah on this earth (Al-Baqara: 30). The Qur’ān also clarifies that by virtue of being human all are equal because they are born from the same source (An-Nisa: 1).

Most explicitly, this dignity (takreem) is said to have been bestowed on mankind in the following manner: “Indeed, We honoured the progeny of Adam, and bore them across land and sea and provided them with good things for their sustenance, and exalted them above many of Our creatures.” (17:70) The exalted and dignified status of human beings can also be gauged from the following ayat: “We offered the trust (burden of responsibilities) to the heavens and earth and the mountains, but they refused to carry it and were afraid of doing so; but man carried it.” (Al-Ahzab: 72)

In short, Allah’s proclamation that Adam (as a representative of mankind) will be His vicegerent on earth; the knowledge that Allah has bestowed on him; the prostration of angels before Adam; and his unequivocal superiority to heavens and the earth and mountains are all indicators that man is exalted in status and bearer of the trust and responsibility. Ingrid Mattson emphasises that Allah has granted dignity upon all human beings. She argues:

The Prophet Muhammad is reported to have said that Adam was created in God’s image; dignity and nobility are part of each human’s birth right. Although the Qur’ān recognises that humans are easily tempted, it rejects the notion of original sin. In Islam, humans are not ‘essentially’ sinners, rather, each human is born pure and is inclined towards goodness. In Islamic theology, society bears a heavy responsibility for suppressing and distorting the natural goodness of each human. In the end, however, every person should choose a life of goodness for themselves; this individual act of choice is the key to human dignity, and what raises humans above others of God’s creation. (For details see her article “Dignity and Patient Care: An Islamic Perspective”)

 

Prophet Muhammad and Human Dignity

In a hadÄ«th, it is reported that once, while standing before Ka’ba, the Prophet addressed it symbolically: How pure you are! And how pure is your fragrance! How great you are! And how great is your sanctity! By Him in whose hands lies the soul of Muhammad, the sanctity of a believer (which implied the sanctity of his property, his blood and his honour) is greater with Allah than even your sanctity. (Ibn Majah)

Exploitation and oppression begins when freedom and equality of mankind is threatened. All humans are dignified and all humans are equal, the Prophet emphasised this theme repeatedly in his farewell sermon at Makkah. He said, “O people! Your Creator is one; you are from the same ancestor; all of you are from Adam, and Adam was created from earth.” (Sahih Muslim)

Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) can be described as an embodiment of all the teachings of Islam. A walking-Quran indeed! We have briefly discussed above some Islamic principles regarding human dignity. Now, instead of philosophising the issue more from Prophetic point of view, I think it more viable to collect some random instances from the life of the Messenger that they could speak for themselves. Some such instances straight from the memory are as follows:

At Madinah, a Jewish funeral procession passed by the Prophet and his companions. The Prophet stood up in respect. Someone pointed out that the one who had died was a Jew. The Prophet replied, “Was he not a [human] soul?” (Bukhari and Muslim)

Once, while returning to the city, the Prophet heard two people backbiting about a dead person. A little further on the way there was lying a rotting carcass of donkey. The Prophet called the two men and said: “Come down and eat this.” They submitted: “Who will eat a dead donkey, O’ Messenger of Allah?” The Prophet replied: “A little earlier you were attacking the honour of your brother: that was much worse than eating this dead donkey.” (Abu Dawood)

As we know, several wars were imposed on the Holy Messenger. And instead of defeatist cowardice, he preached the doctrine of conditional violence in order to cleanse the world of injustice and oppression. He gave several guidelines to his troops regarding warfare and its ethics. Some of them are summarised by his first Caliph and endearing friend Abu Bakr. These were:

O people! I charge you with ten rules; learn them well… for your guidance in the battlefield! Do not commit treachery, or deviate from the right path. You must not mutilate dead bodies. Neither kill a child, nor a woman, nor an aged man. Bring no harm to the trees, nor burn them with fire, especially those which are fruitful. Slay not any of the enemy’s flock, save for your food. You are likely to pass by people who have devoted their lives to monastic services; leave them alone.

The Messenger of Islam set a noble example in the savage world by treating the prisoners of war with honour and dignity. Even Orientalists and critics of Islam like William Muir admit that Muslims treated their PoWs with utmost dignity and respect. It is well-documented in historical chronicles that the Prophet was unable to sleep at night when the prisoners of Badr were tied tightly. It was only when the companions loosened the ropes of prisoners that he could manage some sleep. (For a total take on Islam’s treatment of PoWs and its comparison with today’s conduct see: “POWs in the Eyes of Islam and Modern Civilisation”, 14 Oct 2007 at www.radianceweekly.in)

Suhail bin Amr was a fierce orator, who deployed all his oratory skills against the prophet and Islam. He was captured by Muslims in the Battle of Badr. Umar approached the Prophet and said, “O’ Messenger of Allah, let me extract the teeth of Suhail so that he cannot speak (properly) against you after today.” To do such a thing with a human albeit enemy was far from the ethics and the message he came with, he responded, “No Umar. If I treat someone harshly, Allah will treat me likewise, even though I am a Prophet. Perhaps Suhail will take a stand tomorrow that will make you happy.” In another hadÄ«th, it is clearly mentioned: “Allah will punish (in the Hereafter) those who punish people in this world.” (Sahih Muslim)

Abu Jahl was arguably the staunchest enemy of Islam. His son, Ikrima, walked on his footsteps till Makkah was conquered. When Makkah fell (rose?) to the Prophet, Ikrima fled to Yemen fearing disastrous repercussions. As the Prophet granted a general amnesty to Makkan infidels and treated them well, Ikrima’s wife sought protection for her husband from the Prophet and got the same. She went to her husband, persuaded him to return, and also convinced him to embrace Islam as she had already done. Ikrima agreed. He was a chieftain and son of a chieftain. The Prophet thought that Ikrima would be grieved if he had to listen to bad things about his father. So the Prophet told his companions, “Ikrima ibn Abu Jahl shall come to you as a believer and a muhajir (a refugee). Do not insult his father. Insulting the dead causes grief to the living and does not reach the dead.”

In short, dignity is not only a privilege for Muslims but Islam accords it to all human beings as the Prophet said: “People are God’s children and those dearest to God are the ones who treat His children kindly.” (Sahih Muslim) Dignity is not only a privilege for the living but also for the dead (as is clear from the Prophet’s respect towards the funeral of the Jew).

Dignity is not only for men, as had been the custom, but also for women for whom the Prophet had said: “Best among you is the one who treats his wife well” (Tirmidhi). His treatment of his wives, of his daughters, of his foster mother and sister proves that he meant what he preached and had also provided his followers with practical example of the same.

Dignity is not only a privilege for the adult but also for children. We should remember and practise that the Prophet never scolded children but only treated them with love and care. He always tried to salute them first while passing by. He exhorted his people to do the same.

Dignity was not only a privilege of the master and freemen but also for the lowly and the slaves for whom the Prophet said: “When the slave of anyone among you prepares food for him and he serves him after having sat close to (and undergoing the hardship of) heat and smoke, he should make him (the slave) sit along with him and make him eat (along with him), and if the food seems to run short, then he should spare some portion for him (from his own share)” (Sahih Muslim). Can we forget that the manner our beloved Prophet, peace and blessings be to him, treated his slaves was such that they would even refuse to go to their family and preferred to stay, instead, with their master – the Prophet?

The argument and incidents can progress infinitely; we do not have sufficient pages, sufficient ink and sufficient will to go on and on… But let’s end this article on a point that is so underemphasised in the contemporary discussions on human dignity – the dignity of the ailing.

Ingrid Mattson notes, “Islamic law supports the dignity of those who are ill by recognising their continuing obligation to remember God and worship Him as much as they are able.” She explains, “As long as they are conscious, even the bed-ridden must perform the five daily ritual prayers. If a Muslim is too weak to stand, he or she can sit. If a Muslim is too weak to sit, he or she can lie down. Even a paralysed Muslim is required to pray by imagining the movements of prayer and moving his or her eyes in the proper direction, at the proper times.”

The core idea is that Islam refuses to allow ill persons to be reduced to insignificance. They are regarded as “essentially competent”. Is there anything more moral boosting and dignified?