The Declaration concerns itself only with certain aspects of human life and human relationships and must perforce seek to achieve its ideals through legislative, administrative and judicial safeguards and action. It cannot avail itself of the means and methods necessary for achieving a more comprehensive and far-reaching revolution in the lives of individuals and peoples. The purely moral and spiritual aspects of life, except insofar as they are inevitably involved in all human conduct, are beyond its objectives. Nor does or can it concern itself with the Hereafter. Even subject to these limitations it constitutes an epoch-making formulation of human rights, based upon the widest possible consensus so far achieved and recorded.
Religion must travel far beyond the Declaration both in its objectives and in its methods. It is concerned with the totality of life, both here and Hereafter. The Declaration certainly, like Islam, claims universality and seeks that the rights, freedoms and duties set out and expounded in it should be accepted and made effective everywhere in respect of everyone. Thus in spirit the Declaration, so far as it goes, and Islam are in accord. In respect of certain specific details, the Declaration employs language which is too general; Islam spells out the necessary safeguards. Occasionally, but unavoidably, there is a difference of approach. Islam and the Declaration are both concerned with human welfare, prosperity and happiness; but while the Declaration is concerned to secure them at the material level, through physical means and during this life only, Islam being a religion, is concerned to secure them at all levels, through every available means, both here and Hereafter. Islam recognizes the inter-play and inter-action of all values and neglects none, but pays due regard to the need of co-ordination between them, which necessitates that a certain primacy must be assigned to and observed in respect of moral and spiritual values. These latter are not the primary concern of the Declaration. This divergence of approach leaves open the possibility of conflicting provisions for the regulation of a specific detail. Should this happen, and the conflict prove irreconcilable, then it is obvious that so far as Islamic society is concerned, the Islamic provision must continue to have priority.
Subject to this somewhat remote contingency, the revival and strengthening of true Islamic values would only help and further the achievement of the objectives of the Declaration.
As already indicated, Muslim thought, in all its aspects, has now been experiencing a healthy revival for close upon a century. The most helpful feature of this revival is that attention is being directed more and more to the Quran in the search for light and guidance in the fast-growing complexity of the conditions and values with which man is confronted today, and that the effort is proving abundantly, richly, extravagantly fruitful and rewarding. This is indeed in accord with the assurance contained in the Quran that its treasures of light and guidance are inexhaustible.
“Proclaim: If the ocean became ink for the words of my Lord, surely the ocean would be exhausted before the words of my Lord came to an end” (18:110).
And even more explicitly: “If all the trees that are in the earth were to become pens, and the oceans were ink, with seven oceans swelling it thereafter, the words of Allah would not be exhausted. Surely, Allah is Mighty Wise”’ (31:28).
These treasures will be preserved and safeguarded for future generations of mankind. “Verily, We Ourself have sent down this Exhortation, and most surely We will be its Guardian” (15:10). Thus the guidance set forth therein will continue to be available through the ages. If scholarship and reflection should fail to uncover it, it would be made manifest through inspiration and revelation.
The assurance conveyed by the Prophet, that Allah would continue to raise someone among his people at the beginning of each century who would revive the Faith for them, has been mentioned. There is an even more far reaching assurance in the Quran: “He it is Who has raised among the unletterd people a Messenger from among themselves who recites unto them His Signs, and purifies them and teaches them the Book and wisdom, though they had been before in manifest misguidance; and He will raise him among others of them who have not yet joined them. He is the Mighty, the Wise. That is Allah’s grace; He bestows it on whom He pleases; and Allah is the Master of immense grace” (62:3-5).
This verse foretells a second spiritual advent of the Prophet in the person of one from among his followers whose functions would be similar to those of the Prophet himself. That prophecy was fulfilled in the person of Ahmad of Qadian (1835-1908), who set forth from the Quran the guidance needed by man in this age, when human life appears to be taking on new dimensions.
The Muslims are experiencing not merely a revival but a moral and spiritual resurrection. They are not all yet fully conscious of it; some are awake and alert, others are only half awake, but there is a stirring and striving and reaching out everywhere. A moral and spiritual revolution and rebirth brought about through revelation is described thus in the Quran: “Among His Signs is this, that thou seest the earth lying withered, but when We send down water on it, it stirs and swells with verdure. Surely, He Who quickens it can quicken the dead. Verily He has power over all things” (41:40). We are reminded of the same process elsewhere: “Thou seest the earth lifeless, but when We send down water thereon, it stirs and swells, and brings forth every kind of beauteous vegetation. That is because Allah is the Truth, and that it is He Who brings the dead to life, and that He has power over all things (22:6-7).
The “stirring and swelling” can be perceived through the greater part of Muslim society, and already can be seen in places the sprouting of verdure and of beauteous vegetation.
The Muslims are becoming increasingly conscious of Islamic values in every sphere of life and are progressively realizing their beneficence. To the degree that this phenomenon spreads, grows and is strengthened, human rights will receive wider recognition and acceptance among Muslims and the values set forth in the Declaration will become more effective.
The progress so far made is most encouraging. The encrustations with which Islamic values have been overlaid through the course of centuries are being steadily scraped away, and the beneficence and true worth of those values are coming to light and are being restored and revived. This process is in operation at all levels and in every sphere—political, social, economic, moral and spiritual.
Systems of government are being overhauled. Absolute power is being checked and restrained and made progressively more responsive to the popular will. The latest instance goes so far as to disqualify members of the reigning family from holding office as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Prime Minister or Minister, or becoming members of Parliament. This is discrimination in reverse but has, no doubt, been considered necessary as a temporary safeguard to enable the newly framed constitution to work smoothly. The steady extension of the franchise is a healthy and welcome indication of movement in the right direction. With the spread of education and a rise in the standard of living, the common man is coming into his own once more. As the decline had affected women more adversely even than men, the reverse process is proving even more beneficial for women than for men, though there is still a certain amount of leeway to be made up.
A note of caution must, however, be sounded. It is a homely but wise adage that all that glitters is not gold. In the social sphere, particularly, all that shines may not be beneficent. Islam aims at a joyous, cheerful, happy, but sober, restrained and responsible society. For this purpose it has devised a set of norms, adherence to the observance of which would safeguard society, as well as individuals, against all harm. Experience has proved their beneficence, it has also demonstrated the harm that follows upon their neglect. It would be wise to take both types of lesson to heart.
In the preceding section some comment has been offered on the deterioration of values in Muslim society in certain respects. A more hopeful note is called for with regard to the future, on the basis of the amelioration and progress that have already taken place.
The last vestiges of slavery are disappearing. It is devoutly to be hoped that that institution, with all its horrer and poignancy, will now be finally suppressed in those obscure corners where it still lingers and will be no more heard of.
Legal codes and judicial procedures have been and are being overhauled so as to eliminate all traces of privilege and discrimination where they may have crept in and to ensure speedy and equal justice for all. Civil and commercial codes have been modernized and improved in the light of experience gained in societies which have made rapid advances in commerce and industry.
In the sphere of Personal Law declaratory legislation has, in many Muslim States, cleared up doubtful points and obscurities in the effort to bring current doctrine into conformity with the standards prescribed by the Quran. On the subject of marriage and divorce, misinterpretations and abuse have been sought to be corrected. Registration of marriages and divorces has been prescribed; procedures for divorce have been clarified and the rights and obligations of the parties have been defined, thus placing them in a position of reciprocity.
Measures have also been adopted to give effect to the provisions of the law of inheritance, so as to safeguard the rights of female heirs and of orphans. Certain juristic anomalies have been corrected.
In the sphere of freedom of conscience, some degree of rigidity still prevails and a tendency towards fanaticism and persecution is noticeable among certain sections. As already explained, the practical result does not affect nonMuslims so seriously as it does Muslims who refuse to conform to what may be current as orthodox in a particular region. Few regimes would venture so far today as to exact penalties for such non-conformity, though the last case in which the extreme penalty was imposed occurred as recently as forty-three years ago; yet dissent is looked upon with suspicion and distrust, at best as eccentricity and, therefore, a nuisance, and at worst lunacy or criminal, and thus dangerous. Subtle methods of discrimination and persecution are resorted to, which operate to the prejudice and discomfort of the dissenter. Except in times of public excitement, when passion and prejudice take the upper hand and the more sober and reasonable elements prefer discretion as the better part of valour, there is little active violenlce. Paradoxically, certain democratic procedures, such as popular elections, have a tendency to incite the worst passions of the masses, and at such times recourse may be had to all sorts of devices to bring discredit upon unpopular institutions and individuals, especially the political or religious dissenter.
All this is regrettable and cannot be remedied by being merely swept under the carpet. The evil must be recognized, faced and striven against.
Fortunately, Muslim society has the remedy to hand. Difference or dissent, sincerely and honestly held, is no evil. The Prophet said:‘’Honest difference of opinion among my people should be accounted a blessing.”1
The Quran is clear and emphatic: “There shall be no compulsion in religion. Surely, guidance has become distinct from error” (2:257). Even more clearly has it been announced: “The Truth is from your Lord; wherefore let him who will, believe and let him who will disbelieve” (18:30). “And who is more truthful in his word than Allah?” (4:88).
The conclusion of our discourse is: “All worthiness of praise belongs to Allah, the Lord of the worlds” (10:11).
1 As-Sayuti.