In the Name of Allāh,

the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful

Praise is due to Allāh, Lord of the worlds, may the blessings and peace be upon our master Muḥammad, the last of prophets, on his family, and all his companions.

Resolution No. 126 (8/13) Human Rights in Islam

The Council of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, holding its 13th session in Kuwait City, State of Kuwait, on 7–12 Shawwāl 1422h (22–27 December 2001),

Believing that dignity has been bestowed upon human beings by Allāh The Almighty The Creator, to form the basis for rights and duties of human beings. Along with dignity, Allāh The Almighty has imposed some duties that human beings should ob- serve towards their Lord, their own self, their fellow human beings, and their surrounding environment.

A deep, comprehensive, and impartial look into the Shariah is reasonably sufficient to ascertain its suitability to human society and consistency with hu- man nature, as well as to the nature of the whole universe. This is why Islam is known as “The Natural Religion.” This has been indicated by Allāh The Almighty by say- ing, «So set your face steadily and truly to the Faith, it is the nature from Allāh that He has given to mankind.» (Al-Rūm, 30)

Human Rights in Islam refer to privileges arising from the Divine honor be- stowed by Allāh The Almighty on human beings and compelled everybody to respect and observe as outlined in Shariah criteria and conditions.

Believing in the unanimous stand of the Ummah that Shariah is suitable for all places and times, and in the right of nations to maintain their distinctive cultural and religious characteristics, and in their right to choose their rules and legislative systems, the Academy confirms what is stated in the Cairo Statement on Human Rights in Islam, issued by the foreign ministers of the Muslim coun- tries, on 14 Muḥarram 1411h (5 August 1999), and the recommendations of the Seminar on Human Rights, held by the International Fiqh Academy in Jeddah, on 8–10 Muḥarram 1417h (25–27 May 1996).

The Muslim peoples, by their own unequivocal will, have committed them- selves to the Islamic systems and laws of personal affairs, woman affairs, fam- ily relations, and so many other social and economic matters, which go along with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights issued in 1948 by the United Nations General Assembly in several aspects especially the general content and

objectives while it differs in some other aspects, especially with Islamic ethics and social system.

Considering that Shariah has decreed its rulings for the preservation and achievement of its ethical objectives of which the most important are issues related to the five fundaments which ensure the fundamental human rights in regards to life (self ), religion, property, mind, and honor (and posterity). Furthermore, in order to bar the way to any deviation, the Shariah – as all other legal systems anywhere and at any time would do – has set down preventive and restraining measures that would protect the society against violation of these five fundamental rights. Many international organizations and conferences have recognized the effectiveness of Islamic law in handling and curing many prob- lems, which compel all rational people to consider it seriously.

Considering that Charter of the United Nations provides for the right of every state to spread its sovereign authority within its geographical boundaries and prevent others from interfering in its internal affairs and that laws of sov- ereign countries supersede foreign laws and systems.

Resolves

First: It is incumbent upon the various organizations concerned with the issues of Human Rights, regardless of their charters and regulations, to refrain from interfering into those aspects of Muslims’ life, which are governed by the Shariah. Such organizations have no right to impose upon Muslims regulations and values entirely different from their own or hold them accountable for not observing rules that they do not adopt. The Academy confirms that the internal legislations of sovereign states should not be subjected to foreign regulations and conventions.

Second: The Academy decided to establish a center for Human Rights re- porting to it and commence necessary arrangements for that, including prepa- ration of the statute of the center.

Recommendations

First: The Academy calls upon states and international and human rights organizations to respect the rights of Muslim minorities in the various parts of the world and treat them fairly, especially in these critical times, in order to maintain justice and observe the rights of all people.

Second: The Academy expresses its readiness to communicate with jurists, academic institutions, international organizations, official and non-official fo- rums, and any other concerned bodies from anywhere, to sit together, explore and exchange views on appropriate ways and means for enhancing cooperation

and mutual understanding in areas of Human Rights, so as to maintain peace, justice, tolerance, prosperity and noble life for all, and ward off misbehaviour as shown by the preceding principles. Let our slogan be the holy words of Allāh The Almighty,

«Surely Allāh commands justice, the doing of good, and liberality to kith and kin, and He forbids shameful deeds and injustice and rebellion; He instructs you, that ye may receive admonition.» (Al-Nahl, 90), and what the Prophet SAW declared in his Farewell Pilgrimage to Makkah when he announced, “Indeed, your bloods, properties, and honor are inviolable among you, just like the in- violability of this day, this month, and this city.”

Indeed, Allāh is the Giver of Success.