Islamic Rights: What Are The Most Important Rights That Are Respected In Islam?
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What are
the most important rights that are respected in Islam?
Praise be to Allaah.
Islamic
rights are many, among the most important of which are
the following:
The rights of Allaah
The blessings of Allaah to His slaves are innumerable.
Every blessing deserves thanks. The rights of Allaah
upon His slaves are many, the most important of which
include the following:
1. Tawheed, which means believing that Allaah is One
in His Essence, His names, His attributes and His
deeds. So we should believe that Allaah alone is the
Lord, the Sovereign, the Controller, the Creator, the
Provider, in Whose hand is Dominion and He is Able to
do all things:
"Blessed be He in Whose Hand is the dominion; and He
is Able to do all things"[al-Mulk 67:1 –
interpretation of the meaning]
2. 'Ibaadah (worship), which means worshipping Allaah
alone because He is their Lord, Creator and Provider.
So all kinds of worship should be devoted to Him
alone, such as du'aa' (supplication), dhikr
(remembering Allaah), seeking help, humbling oneself,
submitting, hope and fear, vows, sacrifices, and so
on. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Worship Allaah and join none with Him (in worship)"
[al-Nisaa' 4:36]
3. Shukr (gratitude, giving thanks), for Allaah is the
One Who bestows favours and blessings upon all of
creation, so they have to show their gratitude for
these blessings on their lips and in their hearts and
in their physical actions, by praising Allaah and
using these blessings to obey Allaah and in ways that
Allaah has permitted:
"Therefore remember Me (by praying, glorifying). I
will remember you, and be grateful to Me (for My
countless Favours on you) and never be ungrateful to
Me
[al-Baqarah 2:152 – interpretation of the meaning]
The rights of the Messenger
The sending of the Messenger (Peace And Blessings Of
Allaah Be Upon Him) is a great blessing for all of
mankind. Allah sent him to bring mankind forth from
darkness into light, and to show them that which will
bring them happiness in this world and in the
Hereafter.
Among the rights that the Messenger has over us are
that we should love him, obey him and send blessings
upon him. Loving him (Peace And Blessings Of Allaah Be
Upon Him) is achieved by obeying his commands and
believing what he told us, avoiding that which he
forbade and not worshipping Allaah except in the ways
that he prescribed.
Parent's rights
Islam pays special attention to the family and
encourages love and respect within it. The parents are
the basis and foundation of the family, hence
honouring one's parents is one of the best deeds and
one of the most beloved actions to Allaah.
Honouring one's parents is achieved by obeying them,
respecting them, being humble towards them, treating
them kindly, spending on them, praying for them,
upholding ties of kinship with those to whom one is
related through them, and honouring their friends:
"And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but
Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents"[al-Israa'
17:23]
The rights of the mother in this regard are greater,
because she is the one who bears the child, gives
birth to him and breastfeeds him. A man came to the
Prophet (Peace And Blessings Of Allaah Be Upon Him)
and said, "O Messenger of Allaah, who is most
deserving of my good companionship?" He said, "Your
mother." He said, "Then who?" He said, "Your mother."
He said, "Then who?" He said, "Your mother." He said,
"Then who?" He said, "Your father."
(Agreed upon. This version was narrated by al-Bukhaari,
al-Adab, 78)
The rights of one Muslim over another
The believers are brothers and are an integrated
nation, like a building parts of which support other
parts. They treat one another with mercy and
compassion, and love one another. In order to preserve
this building and this brotherhood, Allaah has
prescribed rights which each Muslim has over his
fellow Muslim. These include love, sincerity (naseehah),
relieving his distress, concealing his mistakes,
supporting him when he is in the right, respecting
neighbours and honouring guests.
These rights also include returning greetings of
salaam, visiting the sick, accepting invitations,
saying "yarhamuk Allaah (may Allaah have mercy on you)
to a Muslim when he sneezes, and attending his
funeral. The Prophet (Peace And Blessings Of Allaah Be
Upon Him) said: "The rights of one Muslim over another
are five: returning the greeting of salaam, saying 'yarhamuk
Allaah (may Allaah have mercy on you)' when he
sneezes, accepting invitations, visiting the sick and
attending funerals." (Narrated by Muslim, 2625)
Neighbour's rights
Islam pays attention to the issue of neighbours,
whether they are Muslim or not, because of the
interests served by that in making the nation like one
body. The Prophet (Peace And Blessings Of Allaah Be
Upon Him) said: 'Jibreel kept on enjoining the good
treatment of neighbours to the extent that I thought
that he would include neighbours as heirs." (Agreed
upon. Narrated by Muslim, 2625)
Among the rights of one neighbour over another as
affirmed by Islam are the initiation of greetings,
visiting him if he is sick, offering condolences if
calamity befalls him, congratulating him at times of
joy, overlooking his mistakes, concealing his faults,
bearing his annoyance with patience, giving him gifts,
lending him money if he needs it, lowering one's gaze
from looking at his womenfolk, and guiding him to that
which will benefit him in his religious and worldly
affairs. The Prophet (Peace And Blessings Of Allaah Be
Upon Him) said:
"The best of companions with Allaah is the one who is
best to his companion, and the best of neighbours with
Him is the one who is best to his neighbour."(Narrated
by al-Bukhaari in al-Adab al-Mufrad, 115)
Concerning neighbours' rights, Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Worship Allaah and join none with Him (in worship);
and do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, Al-Masaakeen
(the poor), the neighbour who is near of kin, the
neighbour who is a stranger, the companion by your
side…"[al-Nisaa' 4:36]
Islam warns against annoying one's neighbours or
treating them badly. The Messenger (Peace And
Blessings Of Allaah Be Upon Him) explained that this
would lead to being deprived of Paradise: "He will not
enter Paradise from whose harm his neighbour is not
safe." (Agreed upon. Narrated by Muslim, 64).
In order to achieve the common interest, Islam gives
rights to the ruler over his subjects and to the
subjects over their ruler, and its gives the husband
rights over his wife and the wife rights over her
husband, and there are other just rights which Islam
has enjoined.
From Usool al-Deen al-Islami, by Shaykh Muhammad ibn
Ibraaheem al-Tuwayjri
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