In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful…
Question: What are the five basic human rights, or essentials, that Allaah safeguarded for the people through the message and mission of each and every prophet He sent?
Answer: They are as follows:
- Ad-Deen (The Religion)
- An-Nafs (Physical Safety)
- An-Nasl, or An-Nasab (Ancestry and Lineage)
- Al-‘Aql (Intellect)
- Al-Maal (Property)
Question: What is the proof for these five basic human rights?
Answer: They are based on the scholars’ istiqraa’ (extracting something from the generality of the entire message) of not only the Quran and the Sunnah, but also from the previous legislations as well.
Question: Are they mentioned specifically in the Quran?
Answer: Yes, they have been mentioned in Soorah al-An’aam [6:151-152]:
Say (O Muhammad): “Come, I will recite what your Lord has prohibited you from: Do not join anything in worship with Him; be good and dutiful to your parents; do not kill your children fearing poverty – We provide for you and for them; do not go near fawaahish (shameful sins, illegal sexual intercourse, etc.), whether committed openly or secretly, and do not kill anyone whom Allaah has forbidden, except by right (through an Islaamic legal system). This is what He has commanded you with so that you might understand.
And do not go near the orphan’s property, except to improve it, until he (or she) attains the age of full strength; and give full measure and full weight with justice. We do not burden any person except with what he can bear. And whenever you speak, say the truth, even if a near relative is concerned, and fulfill the Covenant of Allaah, This is what He commands you with, so that you might remember.
Question: Where are these five basic human rights mentioned in the above Verses exactly?
Answer: They can be referenced as follows:
1. Ad-Deen (The Religion)
“Come, I will recite what your Lord has prohibited you from: Do not join anything in worship with Him…”
2. An-Nafs (Physical Safety)
“…Do not kill your children fearing poverty…” and “…Do not kill anyone whom Allaah has forbidden, except by right (through an Islaamic legal system)…”
3. An-Nasl, or An-Nasab (Ancestry and Lineage)
“…Do not go near fawaahish (shameful sins, illegal sexual intercourse, etc.) whether committed openly or secretly…”
4. Al-‘Aql (Intellect)
“…This is what He has commanded you with so that you might understand.”
5. Al-Maal (Property)
“…And do not go near the orphan’s property, except to improve it, until he (or she) attains the age of full strength; and give full measure and full weight with justice…”
Question: Which of the scholars of Islaam have mentioned these five basic human rights?
Answer: They were mentioned by some of the scholars in as early as (at least) the fifth century. Ash-Shaatibee (d.790) mentions them in his book, al-Muwaafaqaat (2/20), saying, “They have been safeguarded in every religion”, meaning in all previous legislations sent from Allaah to the previous prophets.
Question: Is there an easy way to remember all five basic rights?
Answer: The following line of poetry includes all five of them, adding ‘irdh (personal honor) as the sixth basic human right:
وحفظ دين ثم نفس مال نسب *** ومثلها عقل وعرض قد وجب
Or if you cannot read Arabic yet, then try the “BASIC” method in English:
- Belongings (Property)
- Ancestry
- Safety
- Intellect
- Creed (Religion)
And Allaah knows best.
Written by: Moosaa Richardson
Contributions from: Husayn El Sharif, Mahmud ibn Sa’ad (may Allaah reward them generously)
Originally published in 2010 on the TROID forum (here).
السلام عليكم Brother Moosa.
I am a Sri Lankan , a retired Aircraft Mechanic and 35 years in sponsored Multilingual Islaamic Publications and Da’wah. At the same time, since my return from Kuwait, with Allaah’s Mercy and Help reviving Islaam against all odds.
To date, the Government with the help of the Buddhist monks have closed about 20 Mosques under various pretexts.
The latest is they attempting to encroach into vacant potions of Muslim grave yards. Please pass this MESSAGE to those concerned.
وعليك السلام ورحمة الله
May Allaah bless the Muslims of Sri Lanka with solid understanding of towheed, and may He grant them the ability to practice and spread that understanding in their land and beyond.
Error:
Answer: Yes, they have been mentioned in Soorah al-An’aam [7:151-152]:
Correction to read as:
6:151-152
Jazaak Allaahu khayran. [corrected]
Examples of the scholars of this era mentioning and/or explaining these five basic essentials:
The Permanent Committee for Fatwaa in Saudi Arabia
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen
Shaykh Saalih ibn Fowzaan al-Fowzaan
Shaykh Zayd al-Madkhalee
أحسن الله إليك
typo:
” al-Muwaafaat”
الموافقات
بارك الله فيك
وإليك إحسان ربنا وبارك فيك
[FIXED]
Assalamu alaykum,
you know the so-called “human rights” declarations? DO any of the acts ahve their basis in Islam?
And what is the ruling on water, gas, oil, natural resources? I heard that they are for the Ummah not for individuals or something?
Assalamu alaykum
What is the meaning of safety? Just safety iin terms of lfie or death or even in terms of health like not losing a finger tooth or leg etc?
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
May Allaah reward you for the up keeping of the site.
I thought to share a dars done by Abu Hakeem regarding this article. The name is different but it is the same thing Alhamdulillaah:
http://www.salafisounds.com/the-five-necessities-for-the-revelation-by-abu-hakeem/
بارك الله فيكم
Salamu’alykum Mr.Richardson, I have a crucial question regarding law. Now would it be permissible to work in the field of Law Enforcement while living in a country that is not under Islamic rule? For example I live in the US and when I need help I call 911 but I know that those who serve under this field of Law Enforcement are not enforcing Islamic rules. On a side note we don’t have enough Muslims working in the field of Law Enforcement. Would it be haram if a Muslim decided to work in the field of Law Enforcement in a land that is under non-Muslim rule? [Question slightly abridged by admin]
Wa ‘alayk as-salaamu wa rahmatullaah. It is permissible for Muslims to cooperate with non-Muslims in establishing safety and order. That’s not a problem. However, one problem with working in such positions, for example, is that one would be required to protect what is forbidden, like bars, casinos, and other places of disobedience, all of this under a general oath to do so. I do not mean to say that Muslims should show aggression against such places in non-Muslim lands. What I mean is that within Islamic Law, if a criminal robbed an alcohol salesman, Muslim authorities would prosecute the salesman for selling alcohol and corrupting the society (as well as the robber if possible). This is only one example. The point is, law enforcement under non-Muslim governments requires complete application of those man-made laws, not whatever the Muslim officer wishes to apply at his discretion. So when halaal things are made haraam, and haraam is made halaal, the law enforcement agent is not free to “religiously object”. Therein lies one serious problem with working in law enforcement, in a general way, in non-Muslim governments. And Allaah knows best.
Assalaamu alaykum, Moosaa are the sideburns part of the beard?
Wa ‘alayk as-salaamu wa rahmatullaah. Yes.
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
I have a question about the fifth right damaging other people’s property. In the past, I had damaged someone’s car in a store parking lot when I was trying to park my vehicle. I purposefully did not tell the owner of the car that I had damaged their property out of fear of being held accountable. After Allaah had guided me, I realized what I did was oppression to that person. Is there anything I can to restore this persons right when I do not know who they are?
وعليكم السلام ورحمة الله وبركاته
When one is incapable of rectifying harms he has caused someone, the scholars say: He supplicate for the person and gives in charity on their behalf.
Also, be sure that there is no way to identify the person and actually rectify the specific damage. And Allah knows best.
Assalamu ‘alaikum. I have a question about stealing. When I was a kid, I stole something that you can call school currency cards. If you had a certain number of cards, you could buy prizes from your teacher with them. I stole some cards from a classmate of mine at the time. I used his cards to buy a prize from my teacher. Years later, I remembered what I did and I texted him to seek his pardon. He forgave me for what I did. However, during the time I told him what I had stolen, I only remembered that I had stolen his cards. I did not realize then that I had also bought a prize with them. Sometime later is when I remembered that I did not only steal his cards but I also bought a prize with them. Is it obligatory that I go back to him and tell him this? With the relationship we have, I know that he will not hold this against me. Me and him went to the same Muslim school from grades 3-8. I would not want to tell him this except if it is obligatory to do so.
Wa ‘alaykum as-Salaamu wa rahmatullaah wa barakaatuh. It is sufficient that you have sought his pardon for stealing things and he forgave you. When you steal something from someone, obviously you will use that property for something. It is why people steal things. So he has forgiven you for that, al-hamdu lillaah, and I do not see any need to mention anything further on the topic. Thank him for his kind act of forgiveness, and behave well with him, and do not bring this up again. That’s my advice, and Allah knows best.
As salamu alaykum Ustadh
Would you be able to advise on the following matter?
We have neighbours who are kuffaar, they do drugs and do not have their priorities in check. Going in and out of their house are their friends who are clearly intoxicated. They will happily sit stoned for hours. After all this, they come over knocking asking us for money. One day to fund their heating, another day to say their bank card is not working, and so on and so forth. The woman has made it a habit to keep asking my husband for money, which both times they have returned at 12:30am, and I can hear a bunch of them outside at this time, and the following day she will come knocking to ask for it back! It is likely that our money is not going towards anything but either facilitating their habits or funding their lifestyle. To what extent should we give this neighbour financial aid if we suspect our aid is being used to enable and support their evil habits and lifestyle?
Wa ‘alaykum as-Salaamu wa rahmatullaah. Help this kind of neighbor in other ways, not financially. Never give money to addicts or substance abusers. Allah forbids us from this in the Quran (4:5). Even if you pay their bills for them, in order to avoid giving them money directly, they may rely on that in order to buy more drugs and alcohol. So simply look for other ways to help them and be kind to them, not financially, since this way of helping is compromised. And Allah knows best.
If a neighbour chooses to not work, and instead he relies on the government for money, and then he spends the money the government give him on drugs and alcohol, is it our responsibility as neighbours to provide him with food when he asks for food? The predicament is that he will begin to take advantage of the help he finds from us, which leaves him with more money for his evil habits. Moreover, there are food banks in the locality for those struggling with food. Are we allowed to direct him to the food bank if the requests become numerous? I’m trying to understand where to draw boundaries especially in a situation like this as a lot of people take advantage of charitable Muslims. BaarakAllaahu feek
Substance abuse and addiction is a serious problem; family and neighbors need to intervene with concern, getting the person help in recovering and regaining control of his life. This is of course easier said than done. But the concern you mentioned is valid. If paying a person’s bills enables them to use their cash on drugs, then that is a harm that must also be prevented. At times, we may not be able to assist certain people or solve their problems, and we can only supplicate for them. We are only accountable for what we have the ability to do, wal-hamdu lillaah.