The Rights of Non-Muslims in Islam (part 3 of 13): Right to Preservation of
Dignity as Human Beings I
 
God has created human beings with certain dignity, Muslims and non-Muslims
alike, and has elevated their status above much of His creation.  God says in
the Quran:
 
“We have honored the children of Adam; provided them with transport on land and
sea; given them for sustenance things good and pure; and conferred on them
special favors, above a great part of Our creation.” (Quran 17:70)
As a token of honor and to elevate his status, God commanded the angels to
prostrate out of humility before Adam, the father of humanity.  God informs us
in the Quran:
 
“When We said to the angels, ‘Prostrate yourselves to Adam,’ they prostrated
themselves, but not Satan; he refused.” (Quran 20:116)
God bestowed many favors on humanity, some of which are obvious, while others
are hidden.  For instance, He subjected the heavens and earth to human beings to
honor them.  He says:
 
“It is God who created the heavens and earth and sends down rain from the sky,
and with it brings out fruits therewith to feed you; it is He Who has made the
ships subject to you, that they may sail through the sea by His command; and the
rivers (also) He has made subject to you.  And He gives you of all that you ask
for, but if you count the favors of God, never will you be able to count them. 
Surely, man is given up to injustice and ingratitude.” (Quran 14:32-34)
 
The God-given status of humanity forms the basis of the principle of human
dignity in Islam, whether the person is Muslim or non-Muslim.  Islam emphasizes
the origin of all humanity is one; therefore all human beings have certain
rights over one another.  God says:
“O mankind!  We created you from a single (pair) of a male and female, and made
you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other (and not hate one
another).  Surely, the most honored of you in the sight of God is (he who) is
the most righteous of you.  And God has full knowledge and is well acquainted
(with all things).” (Quran 49:13)
The Messenger of God declared in his farewell sermon, addressing the largest
gathering in Arab history till that point:
“People, hear that your Lord is One, and that your father is one.  You must know
that no Arab has superiority over a non-Arab, no non-Arab has superiority over
an Arab, or a red man over a black man, or a black man over a red, except in
terms of what each person has of piety.  Have I delivered the message?”[1]
 
An example of the preservation of the human dignity of non-Muslims is the right
that their feelings be respected, for example, that they are shown good manners
in speech and debate in obedience to the divine command:
 
“And dispute you not with the People of the Scripture, except in the best way,
unless it be with those who do wrong, but say, ‘We believe in the revelation
which has come down to us and in that which came down to you; our God and your
God is One; and it is to Him we submit (in Islam).’” (Quran 21:46)
Non-Muslims have the right not to have their religious beliefs mocked.  It may
not be an exaggeration to state that no other religion or sect in the world is
as fair as Islam to people of other faiths.  For example, let us look at a verse
from the Quran:
 
“Say, ‘Who gives you sustenance from the heavens and the earth?’  Say, ‘It is
God; and it is certain that either we or you are on the right guidance or in
manifest error.’” (Quran 34:24)
The verse ends with what Arabs linguists call a rhetorical question whose answer
is common knowledge to the intended audience.  The verse blends certainty with
doubt: Muslims following guidance and the error of the unbelievers is presented
as something doubtful.  In doing so, God emphasizes the truth by allowing the
reader to draw his own conclusion.  God does not state in this verse who is
following guidance and who is not.  The verse treats the fictitious “opponent”
with justice by presenting the argument and allowing the listener to judge. 
Az-Zamakhshiri, a classical linguist and exegete of the Quran, elaborates this
point:
 
‘This is equitable speech: whoever hears it, supporter or opponent, will tell
the person to whom the speech is directed that the speaker has treated him
justly.  It draws the listener to the inevitable conclusion, after the argument
has been presented, that there is no doubt about who is following guidance and
who is in error. 
 
 Suggestion of the facts, as if the question were a conundrum, provides a more
cogent proof of the truth, the opponent being gently disarmed, without resort to
heated quarrelling.’[2]
 
An example of the style employed by the Quran would be someone saying in a
debate, ‘God knows who is telling the truth and who is a liar.’[3]
 
God has also forbidden Muslims from speaking ill of the gods and deities
worshipped by non-Muslims so that they do not speak ill of the One, True God. 
It will be difficult to find a similar example in any scripture of the major
world religions.  If the polytheists were to hear Muslims speak ill of their
gods, it might lead them to speak ill of Allah (the personal and proper Name of
God).  Also, if Muslims were to speak ill of pagan gods, it might instigate the
polytheists to soothe their wounded feelings by hurting the feelings of
Muslims.  Such a scenario is against human dignity of both sides and would lead
to mutual rejection and hatred.
 
  God says in the Quran:
“Do not revile those whom they call upon besides God, lest they revile God out
of spite in their ignorance.  Thus, We have made alluring to each people its own
doings.  In the end will they return to their Lord and He shall then tell them
the truth of what they did.” (Quran 6:108)




Footnotes:

[1] Musnad Ahmad

[2] Zamakhshiri, ‘Kashhaf,’ vol. 12, p. 226

[3] Aayed, Saleh Hussain, ‘Huquq Ghayr al-Muslimeen fi Bilad il-Islam,’ p. 17




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