‫‪Chapter 3: Rights Of Citizens In An Islamic State‬‬

‫‪The Security of Life and Property‬‬

‫﴾وم ۡن ي َّۡقتُ ۡل م ۡؤمنًا متَعمدًا فَج َزٓاؤ ُٗه جهـنَّم خَالدًا ف ۡيها و َغض هّٰللا‬
‫ب ُ َعلَ ۡي ِه َولَ َعنَهٗ َواَ َع َّد لَهٗ َع َذابًا ع ِ‬
‫َظ ۡي ًما‪۹۳﴿ ‬‬ ‫َ َ ُ ِ ِ َ َ ِ َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ُ ِ ُّ َ ِّ‬ ‫َ َ‬

‫‪"Anyone who kills a believer deliberately will receive as his reward (a sentence) to live in Hell‬‬
‫"‪for ever. God will be angry with him and curse him, and prepare dreadful torment for him‬‬
‫‪(4:93).‬‬

‫اس بِااۡل ِ ۡث ِم َواَ ۡنتُمۡ ت َۡعلَ ُم ۡونَ‬ ‫‪‬واَل ت َۡا ُكلُ ۡ ٓوا اَمۡ َوالَـ ُكمۡ بَ ۡينَ ُكمۡ بِ ۡالبَا ِط ِل َوتُ ۡدلُ ۡوا بِهَٓا اِلَى ۡال ُح َّک ِام لِت َۡا ُکلُ ۡوا فَ ِر ۡيقًا ِّم ۡن اَمۡ َو ِ‬
‫ال النَّ ِ‬ ‫﴾‪َ ۱۸۸﴿ ‬‬

‫‪"Do not devour one another's wealth by false and illegal means" (2:188).‬‬

‫‪The Protection of Honour‬‬

‫‪(a) "You who believe, do not let one (set of) people make fun of another set.‬‬

‫‪(b) Do not defame one another.‬‬

‫‪(c) Do not insult by using nicknames.‬‬

‫خَيرًا ِّم ۡنه َّۚ‌‬

‫ُن َواَل ت َۡل ِم ُز ۡۤوا‬ ‫َسى اَ ۡن يَّ ُك ۡونُ ۡوا خ َۡيرًا ِّم ۡنهُمۡ َواَل نِ َسٓا ٌء ِّم ۡن نِّ َسٓا ٍء ع ٰ ٓ‬
‫َسى اَ ۡن يَّ ُك َّن ۡ‬ ‫الثلثة ٰۤياَيُّهَا الَّ ِذ ۡينَ ٰا َمنُ ۡوا اَل يَ ۡس َخ ۡر قَ ۡو ٌم ِّم ۡن قَ ۡو ٍم ع ٰ ٓ‬
‫ك هُم ٰ‬ ‫ن‪ ۚ ‬وم ۡن لَّمۡ يتُ ۡب فَا ُ ٰ ٓ‬ ‫س ااِل ۡس ُم ۡالفُس ُۡو ُ‬
‫الظّلِ ُم ۡونَ ‪۱۱﴿ ‬‬ ‫ول ِٕٕٮِـ َ ُ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ق بَ ۡع َد ااۡل ِ ۡي َما ِ‌ َ َ‬ ‫ب‌ؕ بِ ۡئ َ‬‫﴾اَ ۡنفُ َس ُكمۡ َواَل تَنَابَ ُز ۡوا بِااۡل َ ۡلقَا ِ‬

‫‪(d) And do not backbite or speak ill of one another" (49:11-12).‬‬

‫‪The Sanctity and Security of Private Life‬‬

‫اجتَنِب ُۡوا َكثِ ۡيرًا ِّمنَ الظَّنِّ ‪:‬‬‫ضا‌ؕ اَ‪ ‬يُ ِحبُّ اَ َح ُد ُكمۡ اَ ۡن ي َّۡا ُك َل لَ ۡح َم ‪ٰۤ ‬ياَيُّهَا الَّ ِذ ۡينَ ٰا َمنُ ۡوا ۡ‬ ‫ض الظَّنِّ اِ ۡث ٌ‌م َّواَل تَ َج َّسس ُۡوا َواَل يَ ۡغتَبْ ب َّۡع ُ‬
‫ض ُكمۡ بَ ۡع ً‬ ‫اِ َّن بَ ۡع َ‬
‫هّٰللا‬ ‫هّٰللا‬
‫﴾اَ ِخ ۡي ِه َم ۡيتًا فَ َك ِر ۡهتُ ُم ۡوهُ‌ؕ َواتَّقُ ۡوا َ‌ؕ اِ َّن َ تَوَّابٌ ر ِ‬
‫َّح ۡي ٌم‪۱۲﴿ ‬‬

‫‪"Do not spy on one another" (49:12).‬‬

‫﴾ ٰۤياَيُّهَا الَّ ِذ ۡينَ ٰا َمنُ ۡوا اَل ت َۡد ُخلُ ۡوا بُي ُۡوتًا غ َۡي َر بُي ُۡوتِ ُكمۡ َح ٰتّى ت َۡست َۡانِس ُۡوا َوتُ َسلِّ ُم ۡوا ع َٰلٓى اَ ۡهلِهَا‌ؕ ٰذلِ ُكمۡ ۡ‬
‫خَي ٌر لَّـ ُكمۡ لَ َعلَّ ُكمۡ تَ َذ َّكر ُۡونَ ‪۲۷﴿ ‬‬
"Do not enter any houses except your own homes unless you are sure of their occupants'
consent" (24:27).

The Security of Personal Freedom

‫اس اَ ۡن ت َۡح ُك ُم ۡوا بِ ۡال َع ۡد ِل‌ؕ اِ َّن هّٰللا َ نِ ِع َّما يَ ِعظُ ُكمۡ بِ ٖه‌ؕ اِ َّن هّٰللا َ َكانَ َس ِم ۡي ۢ َعا‬ ۙ ٓ ‫ا َّن هّٰللا ي ۡام ُر ُكمۡ اَ ۡن تُ َؤ ُّد ۡوا ااۡل َمٰ ٰن‬
ِ َّ‫ت اِ ٰلى اَ ۡهلِهَا َواِ َذا َح َكمۡ تُمۡ بَ ۡينَ الن‬
ِ ُ َ َ ِ
۵۸﴿ ‫ص ۡيرًا‬ ِ َ‫﴾ب‬

"Whenever you judge between people, you should judge with (a sense of) justice" (4:58).

The Right to Protest Against Tyranny

۱۴۸﴿ ‫ــه َر بِالس ۡ ُّٓو ِء ِمنَ ۡالقَ ۡو ِل اِاَّل َم ۡن ظُلِ َم‌ؕ َو َكانَ هّٰللا ُ َس ِم ۡيعًا َعلِ ۡي ًما‬
ۡ ‫﴾اَل يُ ِحبُّ هّٰللا ُ ۡال َج‬

"God does not love evil talk in public unless it is by someone who has been injured thereby"
(4:148).

Freedom of Expression

َ‫ف َويَ ۡنهَ ۡونَ َع ِن ۡال ُم ۡن َك ِر َويُقِ ۡي ُم ۡونَ الص َّٰلوةَ َوي ُۡؤتُ ۡونَ ال َّز ٰكوةَ َوي ُِط ۡيع ُۡون‬
ِ ‫ض يَ ۡا ُمر ُۡونَ بِ ۡال َم ۡعر ُۡو‬
‌ٍۘ ‫ضهُمۡ اَ ۡولِيَٓا ُء بَ ۡع‬ ُ ‫َو ۡال ُم ۡؤ ِمنُ ۡونَ َو ۡال ُم ۡؤ ِم ٰن‬
ُ ‫ت بَ ۡع‬
‫هّٰللا‬ ‫هّٰللا‬ ۤ ٰ ُ‫﴾هّٰللا َ َو َرس ُۡولَهٗ‌ؕ ا‬
۷۱﴿ ‫َز ۡي ٌز َح ِك ۡي ٌم‬
ِ ‫ك َسيَ ۡر َح ُمهُ ُم ُؕ اِ َّن َ ع‬ َ ‫ول ِٕٕٮِـ‬

"They enjoin what is proper and forbid what is improper" (9:71).

In contrast, describing the qualities of a hypocrite, the Quran mentions:

‫ف َويَ ۡقبِض ُۡونَ اَ ۡي ِديَهُمۡ‌ؕ نَسُوا هّٰللا َ فَن َِسيَهُمۡ‌ؕ اِ َّن ۡال ُم ٰنفِقِ ۡينَ هُ ُم‬ ‌ٍۘ ‫ضهُمۡ ِّم ۡۢن بَ ۡع‬
ِ ‫ض يَ ۡا ُمر ُۡونَ بِ ۡال ُم ۡن َك ِر َويَ ۡنهَ ۡونَ َع ِن ۡال َم ۡعر ُۡو‬ ُ ‫اَ ۡل ُم ٰنفِقُ ۡونَ َو ۡال ُم ٰنفِ ٰق‬
ُ ‫ت بَ ۡع‬
۶۷﴿  َ‫﴾ ۡال ٰف ِسقُ ۡون‬

"They bid what is improper and forbid what is proper" (9:67).

The main purpose of an Islamic Government has been defined by God in the Quran as follows:

۴۱﴿ ‫ف َونَهَ ۡوا ع َِن ۡال ُم ۡن َك ِر‌ؕ َوهّٰلِل ِ عَاقِبَةُ ااۡل ُ ُم ۡو ِر‬
ِ ‫ض اَقَا ُم ۡوا الص َّٰلوةَ َو ٰاتَ ُوا ال َّز ٰكوةَ َواَ َمر ُۡوا بِ ۡال َم ۡعر ُۡو‬ ‫اۡل‬ ٰ
ِ ‫﴾الَّ ِذ ۡينَ اِ ۡن َّم َّكنّهُمۡ فِ ۡى ا َ ۡر‬

"If we give authority to these men on earth they will keep up prayers, and offer poor-due, bid
what is proper and forbid what is improper" (22:41).

Freedom of Association

‫هّٰلل‬
‫خَيرًا لَّهُمۡ‌ؕ ِم ۡنهُ ُم‬
ۡ َ‫ب لَڪَان‬ ِ ‫ف َوت َۡنهَ ۡونَ َع ِن ۡال ُم ۡن َك ِر َوتُ ۡؤ ِمنُ ۡونَ بِا ِ‌ؕ َولَ ۡو ٰا َمنَ اَ ۡه ُل ۡال ِك ٰت‬
ِ ‫اس ت َۡا ُمر ُۡونَ بِ ۡال َم ۡعر ُۡو‬
ِ َّ‫خَي َر اُ َّم ٍة اُ ۡخ ِر َج ۡت لِلن‬
ۡ ۡ‫ُك ۡنتُم‬
۱۱۰﴿  َ‫﴾ ۡال ُم ۡؤ ِمنُ ۡونَ َواَ ۡكثَ ُرهُ ُم ۡال ٰف ِسقُ ۡون‬
“You are the best community which has been brought forth for mankind. You command what is
proper and forbid what is improper and you believe in God ... (3:110)

َ ‫ولٓ ِٕٕٮِـ‬
۱۰۴﴿  َ‫ك هُ ُم ۡال ُم ۡفلِح ُۡون‬ ٰ ُ‫ف َويَ ۡنهَ ۡونَ ع َِن ۡال ُم ۡن َكر‌ؕ َوا‬
ِ ِ ‫خَي ِر َويَ ۡا ُمر ُۡونَ بِ ۡال َم ۡعر ُۡو‬
ۡ ‫﴾ َو ۡلتَ ُك ۡن ِّم ۡن ُكمۡ اُ َّمةٌ ي َّۡدع ُۡونَ اِلَى ۡال‬

"let there be a community among you who will invite (people) to (do) good, command what is
proper and forbid what is improper, those will be prosperous" (3:104).

Freedom of Conscience and Conviction

‌‫اَل ۤ اِ ۡك َراهَ فِ ۡى الد ِّۡي ۙ ِن‬ ‫ك بِ ۡالع ُۡر َو ِة ۡال ُو ۡث ٰقى‬ ۡ ‫ت َوي ُۡؤ ِم ۡۢن بِاهّٰلل ِ فَقَ ِد‬
َ ‫استَمۡ َس‬ ‌ِّۚ ‫قَد تَّبَيَّنَ الرُّ ۡش ُد ِمنَ ۡال َغ‬ ؕ ‌‫صا َم لَهَا‬
ِ ‫ى فَ َم ۡن ي َّۡكفُ ۡر بِالطَّا ُغ ۡو‬ َ ِ‫اَل ا ْنف‬
۲۵۶﴿ ‫﴾ َو ُ َس ِم ۡي ٌع َعلِ ۡي ٌم‬ ‫هّٰللا‬

"There should be no coercion in the matter of faith" (2:256).

Protection of Religious Sentiments

َ ِ‫ َواَل تَ ُسب ُّۡوا الَّ ِذ ۡينَ يَ ۡدع ُۡونَ ِم ۡن د ُۡو ِن هّٰللا ِ فَيَ ُسبُّوا هّٰللا َ ع َۡد ۢ ًوا بِغ َۡي ِر ِع ۡل ٍم‌ؕ َك ٰذل‬ ‫ثُ َّم اِ ٰلى َربِّ ِهمۡ َّم ۡر ِج ُعهُمۡ فَيُنَبِّئُهُمۡ بِ َما‬
ۡ‫ك زَ يَّنَّا لِ ُكلِّ اُ َّم ٍة َع َملَهُم‬
۱۰۸﴿  َ‫﴾ َكانُ ۡوا يَ ۡع َملُ ۡون‬

"Do not abuse those they appeal to instead of God" (6:108).

ِ ‫ َواَل تُ َجا ِدلُ ۡ ٓوا اَ ۡه َل ۡال ِك ٰت‬  ۖ ۡ‫اِاَّل الَّ ِذ ۡينَ ظَلَ ُم ۡوا ِم ۡنهُمۡ‌ َوقُ ۡولُ ۡ ٓوا ٰا َمنَّا بِالَّ ِذ ۡۤى اُ ۡن ِز َل اِلَ ۡينَا َواُ ۡن ِز َل اِلَ ۡي ُكمۡ َواِ ٰلهُـنَا َواِ ٰلهُ ُكم‬
ُ‫ب اِاَّل بِالَّتِ ۡى ِه َى اَ ۡح َسن‬
۴۶﴿  َ‫اح ٌد َّون َۡحنُ لَهٗ ُم ۡسلِ ُم ۡون‬ ِ ‫﴾ َو‬

"Do not argue with the people of the Book unless it is in the politest manner" (29:46)

Protection from Arbitrary Imprisonment

The Right to Basic Necessities of Life

Islam has recognized the right of the needy people that help and assistance will be provided for
them.

۱۹﴿ ‫ق لِّلسَّٓا ِٕٕٮِـ ِل َو ۡال َم ۡحر ُۡو ِم‬

ٌّ ‫﴾ َوفِ ۡۤى اَمۡ َوالِ ِهمۡ َح‬

"And in their wealth there is acknowledged right for the needy and the destitute" (51:19).

Equality Before Law

َ‫صلِح ُۡوا بَ ۡينَ اَ َخ َو ۡي ُكمۡ‌ َواتَّقُ ۡوا هّٰللا َ لَ َعلَّ ُكمۡ تُ ۡر َح ُم ۡون‬
ۡ َ ‫اِنَّ َما ۡال ُم ۡؤ ِمنُ ۡونَ اِ ۡخ َوةٌ فَا‬۱۰﴿ ﴾

"The believers are brothers (to each other)" (49:10).

 ِ ‫ص ُل ااۡل ٰ ٰي‬
۱۱﴿  َ‫ت لِقَ ۡو ٍم ي َّۡعلَ ُم ۡون‬ ‌ِ ‫﴾فَا ِ ۡن تَاب ُۡوا َواَقَا ُموا الص َّٰلوةَ َو ٰاتَ ُوا ال َّز ٰكوةَ فَا ِ ۡخ َوانُ ُكمۡ فِ ۡى الد ِّۡي‬
ِّ َ‫نؕـ َونُف‬

"If they (disbelievers) repent and keep up prayer and pay the Ipoor-due, they are your brothers in
faith" (9:11).

۴﴿  َ‫طٓا ِٕٕٮِـفَةً ِّم ۡنهُمۡ يُ َذبِّ ُح اَ ۡبنَٓا َءهُمۡ َويَ ۡست َۡح ٖى نِ َسٓا َءهُمۡ‌ؕ اِنَّهٗ َكانَ ِمنَ ۡال ُم ۡف ِس ِد ۡين‬ ۡ ‫ض َو َج َع َل اَ ۡهلَهَا ِشيَـعًا ي َّۡست‬
َ ُ‫َض ِعف‬ ‫اۡل‬
ِ ‫﴾اِ َّن فِ ۡرع َۡونَ َعاَل فِ ۡى ا َ ۡر‬

"He had divided his people into different classes," ... "And he suppressed one group of them (at
the cost of others)" (28:4).

Rulers Not Above the Law

The Right to Avoid Sin

These clear instructions of the Prophet are summarized in the following hadith: "It is not
permissible to disobey God in obedience to the orders of any human being" (Musnad of Ibn
Hanbal).

The Right to Participate in the Affairs of State

ۡ‫است َۡخلَفَ الَّ ِذ ۡينَ ِم ۡن قَ ۡبلِ ِهم‬

ۡ ‫ض َك َما‬ ‫اۡل‬
ِ ‫ت لَـيَ ۡست َۡخلِفَـنَّهُمۡ فِ ۡى ا َ ۡر‬ ِ ‫صلِ ٰح‬ ّ ٰ ‫ َو َع َد هّٰللا ُ الَّ ِذ ۡينَ ٰا َمنُ ۡوا ِم ۡن ُكمۡ َو َع ِملُوا ال‬ ‫َولَيُ َم ِّكن ََّن لَهُمۡ ِد ۡينَهُ ُم الَّ ِذ ۡى‬
۵۵﴿  َ‫ولٓ ِٕٕٮِـكَ هُ ُم ۡال ٰف ِسقُ ۡون‬ َ ِ‫َضى لَهُمۡ َولَـيُبَ ِّدلَــنَّهُمۡ ِّم ۡۢن بَ ۡع ِد خَ ۡوفِ ِهمۡ اَمۡ نًا‌ؕ يَ ۡعبُد ُۡونَنِ ۡى اَل ي ُۡش ِر ُك ۡونَ بِ ۡى َش ۡئـًًٔــا‌ؕ َو َم ۡن َكفَ َر بَ ۡع َد ٰذل‬
ٰ ُ ‫ك فَا‬ ٰ ‫﴾ ۡارت‬

"God has promised to appoint those of you who believe and do good deeds as (His)
representatives on earth" (24:55).

ۡ‫است ََجاب ُۡوا لِ َربِّ ِهمۡ َواَقَا ُم ۡوا الص َّٰلوة َواَمۡ ُرهُمۡ ُش ۡو ٰرى بَ ۡينَهُم‬
ۡ َ‫َوالَّ ِذ ۡين‬

 ۳۸﴿‌َ‫﴾ َو ِم َّما َرز َۡق ٰنهُمۡ ي ُۡنفِقُ ۡو ۚن‬

"And their business is (conducted) through consultation among themselves" (42:38).