All praise is due to Allâh, and may His choicest
salutations continue to descend upon our Master and
Leader Muhammad.
"Do they not travel in the land and see what the
end of those before them was? They were superior to
them in strength and they have tilled the earth and
populated it in greater numbers than these (pagans)
have done…" (30:9)
The last decade has witnessed an increased emphasis
in global politics towards "Human Rights" on the one
extreme and "Anti-terror Legislation" on the other.
Human Rights are meant to guarantee every human
certain basic rights, which among others include:
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Security rights that protect people
against crimes such as murder, massacre,
torture, and rape;
Liberty rights that protect freedoms in
areas such as belief, expression,
association, assembly, and movement; |
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Political rights that protect the
liberty to participate in politics through
actions such as communicating, assembling,
protesting, voting, and serving in public
office; |
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Due process rights that protect against
abuses of the legal system such as
imprisonment without trial, secret trials,
and excessive punishments; |
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Equality rights that guarantee equal
citizenship, equality before the law, and
non-discrimination;
Welfare rights (or "economic and social
rights") that require provision of education
to all children and protections against
severe poverty and starvation. Another
family that might be included is group
rights. |
Unfortunately, these rights to a large extent
have being eclipsed by the US-led "War on Terror."
The war on terror has sanitised violence,
legitimised torture and detention without trial; it
has permitted acts of 'rendition', condoned invasion
of countries, and allowed for the arbitrary listing
of organisations and persons in clear violation of
the basic principles of due process.
The United States' 'War on Terror' has been
extremely damaging for human rights, and has been
used as an excuse by oppressive regimes to impose
harsh and draconian laws under the pretext of
national safety. Civil liberties threatened by the
global war on terror include:
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The right to be presumed
innocent until proven guilty. |
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The infringement of basic
rights to freedom of expression and
association. |
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The criminality of fund
raising for activities associated with
'unpopular' causes. |
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The entrenchment of the
principle of "guilt by association." |
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The subtle redefinition of
terrorism by simply establishing a nexus
between material support and terrorist
activity |
Not surprisingly, since Sept. 11, 2001 virtually
every recognised state confronting an insurgency or
separatist movement has eagerly jumped on the
'war-on-terrorism' bandwagon, branding its domestic
opponents 'terrorists' and thus dispensing with
civil liberties and due process of law. The global
war on terror continues to spread its tentacles even
though there is no agreed definition of the word
'terror'. "Perhaps the only honest and globally
workable definition of "terrorism" is an explicitly
subjective one: 'violence that I don't support…' If
the world is to avoid a descent into anarchy, in
which the only rule is "might makes right," the
world - and particularly the United States - must
recognise that 'terrorism' is simply a word, a
subjective epithet, not an objective reality and
certainly not an excuse to suspend rules of
international law and domestic civil liberties."
(John V. Whitbeck)
Apart from the global anti-terror legislation we see
a sustained attack on Islam and its teachings.
Within just one year we have witnessed Danish
cartoons denigrating the Prophet Sallallahu 'alayhi
wa Salaam the self-styled leader of the so-called
free world declaring war on "Islamic Fascists", and
Pope Benedict's slur against the integrity of Nabi
Sallallahu 'alayhi wa Salaam. British politicians
have also jumped into the fray: Home Secretary John
Reid lectured British Muslims on how to teach their
children not to hate. Former Foreign Secretary Jack
Straw had asked female Muslim constituents to remove
their niqab while visiting his constituency office.
When Muslims reacted strongly to George W Bush's use
of the word 'Crusade' post-Sept. 11, they were
generally accused of being oversensitive but five
years on it looks as though their worst fears might
be materialising. Indeed, this anti-Islamic momentum
is being embraced by right-wing parties throughout
Europe.
History bears testimony to the miserable end of
those who arrogantly persecuted the Believers… those
who blinded by their superior strength and resources
continually harassed and threatened the Believers.
"Do they not travel in the land and see what the
end of those before them was? They were superior to
them in strength and they have tilled the earth and
populated it in greater numbers than these (pagans)
have done…" (30:9)
"Many ways of life have passed away before your
time. Travel the earth and behold what happened in
the end to those who belied the truth. … Be not
faint hearted and grieve not; for you are bound to
rise high if you are (truly) believers. If
misfortune touches you, (know that) similar
misfortune has touched (other) people as well; for
it is by turns that We apportion unto men such days
(of misfortune and misfortune)"
(3: 137/140)
The revival of Islam cannot be subdued. History is
replete with how the once mighty and powerful
nations were ultimately reduced to smithereens
because of their crusade against the Believers.
Muslims are bound to prevail if they are able to
live up to the teachings of their faith and preserve
their identity even though it may be as difficult as
holding burning amber in their hands. The tide of
'fortune and misfortune' rotates equally among
people of all faiths, Islam will endure yet there is
no guarantee that our faith in Islam will endure if
we do not make fundamental changes to the way we
live our Islam!
May Allâh preserve our faith grant us the ability to
proudly uphold the teachings of our faith.
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