From Human Rights to Human Dignity

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الحمد لله رب العالمين ، والصلاة والسلام على أشرف الأنبياء والمرسلين ، سيدنا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين ، ومن تبعه بإحسان إلى يوم الدين

[I read a very interesting article written by Dr Chandar Muzaffar titled From Human Rights to Human Dignity. This article was published by the Bulletin of Concerned Asian Scholars ( Vol 27 , no . 4 ) in 1995. For our mutual benefits, I would like to share my views of his article in this entry. However, The full article can be accessible at http://criticalasianstudies.org/assets/files/bcas/v27n04.pdf - please refer to page 6]

From Human Rights to Human Dignity : by Dr Chandra Muzaffar*

Mr Chandra starts with the introduction that the concept of human rights believed right now began to evolve for the last 150 years beginning from the European Enlightenment. Four areas were noticeable to benefit from this; basic rights of a human being, visibility of the normal citizen, more participation from the people with respect to public decision-making and more accountability of the state authority.

Like all man-made rules and laws, it has its flaws and limits. The human rights was purported in Europe but the same hands continued to practiced different principles when it came to the other human race on the side of the world. Human enslavements and trade were at its peak as the Europeans expanded their colonization. They began to systematically violate and suppressed the natives of the countries they landed and used arms and weaponries far beyond the capabilities of the natives to suppress and conquer the land.

Although the world now are against the principles of human rights violation, another form of control and power play have emerged. Voice and power will always remain with the strong, and strength is held within countries who have the economic powers. They use a facade of professionalism and couture to impose ruthless suppressions and domination towards countries that do not align with their beliefs or agendas and more importantly self-interest. If the country does not submit to their framed principles, economic sanctions are imposed and military arms are used to create a state of chaos and destruction for the ones who openly oppose. So the smaller less significant countries who wants to survive and prosper have less options but to agree to whatever agenda the economic power house presents and stand by them.

The media ... and even the entertainment industries are deceptively used to perpetuate a picture perfect scene where the west are more powerful, just and brings peace against a world filled with terrorism, injustice and killings. They professed a commitment to upholding human rights and democracy, yet open human rights violations and mass genocide was swept aside if it did not fit the underlying agendas of certain countries like what is happening in Syria or Palestine or what occurred to the people of Bosnia Herzegonia!

The actual and current happenings in the global world have shown that the West only support democracy if it suits their real motives and pockets. More skepticms and criticism have arisen and even then common people questions "who is sincerely championing human rights"? Is it just a good tagline to satisfy someone’s moral compass ... or used when behind their backs they are holding a rifle or a key to sanction basic human needs like food and water to the people like what has happened in Afghanistan!

How would the Westerns views and approach to human rights evolve to encompass human dignity, that is seen more holistic and universal? Human Dignity by definition is the individual's sense of self-respect and self-worth. Elements found in all religions actually create responsibilities within a man to establish a spiritual and moral values and principles in all his actions. Individuals are to submit spiritually to the Divine God which is more worldly and selfless. People are thought to respect another human irrespective of culture, appearance and beliefs; and not when it suits them. Finally Mr Chandra encourages such multi-dialogues amongst the different religions and races in Asian to establish a more universal human dignity that is more suitable to our lives than the ones that was set by the western liberalisms that have manipulated the principles to suit their self-interests.

In Islam, Allah's love is manifested in His often- repeated expression of mercy for the humanity. Other examples in the Qur'an are found in the affirmation and grant of freedom of religion for all human beings “Then whosoever will, let him believe, and whosoever will, let him disbelieve.”(Q, Surah Al-Kahf 18:29). The principle of Islam is that all human beings, in spite of diversity in color, race, nationality and language have been created equally. For instance, as for the principle of equality of human beings, Islam calls all human beings as brothers or sisters of each other.

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