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 |