Human Rights and Peace in the Society
Senior 1 · Religion and Ethics
Human Rights and Peace in the Society
Lesson 2 of 5
20 min
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was written in 1948, but many of its ideas are much older. Christians and Muslims find the roots of human rights in their scriptures, which teach that every human life comes from God and is precious to him. In this lesson you will match important human rights with what the Bible and the Qur'an teach.
The Bible teaches that "God created man in his own image" (Genesis 1:27). The Qur'an says: "Verily We have honoured the children of Adam." (Qur'an 17:70). Because every person is made and honoured by God, both faiths teach that nobody may treat another human being as worthless.
"You shall not murder." (Exodus 20:13). The Qur'an teaches that "whosoever killeth a human being for other than manslaughter or corruption in the earth, it shall be as if he had killed all mankind, and whoso saveth the life of one, it shall be as if he had saved the life of all mankind." (Qur'an 5:32). Manslaughter here means killing someone, and corruption in the earth means spreading serious disorder and violence.
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:28). Peter said: "Truly I perceive that God doesn’t show favouritism" (Acts 10:34). The Qur'an says: "O mankind! Lo! We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that ye may know one another." (Qur'an 49:13)
Joshua told the people of Israel to "choose today whom you will serve" (Joshua 24:15). The Qur'an says: "There is no compulsion in religion." (Qur'an 2:256), and "Unto you your religion, and unto me my religion." (Qur'an 109:6). Compulsion means forcing.
"You shall not steal." (Exodus 20:15). "O ye who believe! Squander not your wealth among yourselves in vanity, except it be a trade by mutual consent" (Qur'an 4:29). This means you may not take other people's property unjustly, only by fair trade that both sides agree to.
"You shall not deprive the foreigner or the fatherless of justice" (Deuteronomy 24:17). "Lo! Allah commandeth you that ye restore deposits to their owners, and, if ye judge between mankind, that ye judge justly." (Qur'an 4:58)
"Behold, the wages of the labourers who mowed your fields, which you have kept back by fraud, cry out" (James 5:4). The Prophet Muhammad taught that a worker should be paid before his sweat has dried.
Jesus said: "Allow the little children to come to me! Don’t forbid them" (Mark 10:14). The Qur'an gave women a share of inheritance: "unto the women a share of that which parents and near kindred leave" (Qur'an 4:7). It condemned the Arabian custom of burying baby girls alive, asking on the Day of Judgement "For what sin she was slain" (Qur'an 81:9).
Jesus began his work by reading from Isaiah: he was sent "to proclaim release to the captives … to deliver those who are crushed" (Luke 4:18). The Qur'an names the steep path of goodness: "(It is) to free a slave, And to feed in the day of hunger An orphan near of kin" (Qur'an 90:13–15).
"O ye who believe! Shun much suspicion; for lo! some suspicion is a crime. And spy not, neither backbite one another." (Qur'an 49:12). To backbite is to speak badly of someone behind his back. The ninth commandment (eighth in the Catholic numbering) forbids "false testimony against your neighbour" (Exodus 20:16).
Question: Show, with one text from each faith, that religion supports the right to life. (4 marks)
Model answer: The Bible commands: "You shall not murder." (Exodus 20:13); human life is sacred because people are made in God's image (2 marks). The Qur'an says that killing one innocent person is "as if he had killed all mankind", and saving one life is like saving "the life of all mankind" (Qur'an 5:32) (2 marks).
Tip
Exam technique. Build a three-column table in your notes: right | Bible | Qur'an. Learn at least one short text for each of these: life, equality, religion, property, justice, workers, women and children. In the exam, name the right, quote or refer to the text, then explain it in one sentence.
Why do Christians and Muslims believe every person has rights?
Answer: because every person is created by God and honoured by him: made "in his own image" (Genesis 1:27), and "We have honoured the children of Adam" (Qur'an 17:70).
Which verse of the Qur'an supports freedom of religion?
Answer: "There is no compulsion in religion." (Qur'an 2:256); also "Unto you your religion, and unto me my religion." (Qur'an 109:6)
Which Bible verse teaches that there is no discrimination between groups among Christians?
Answer: Galatians 3:28: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female".
Which human right does James 5:4 defend?
Answer: the right of workers to fair and timely pay.
Explain the teaching of Qur'an 5:32.
Answer: every human life is so precious that killing one innocent person is like killing all humanity, and saving one life is like saving all humanity. It supports the right to life.
Remember
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