A Glance at the Views and Policy of Imam Ali (A.S.) on the Human Rights
By: Mehri Haqqani Some forty years ago arguments ended successfully in Paris and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was approved by the U.N. General Assembly. Human rights indicated full consideration of man for others and for what happened around him in the world.Sa’di, the great poet of Iran poetized centuries ago a verse that has served as motto for the UNO. But the credit has been for the short-lived and justice-oriented rule of Imam Ali (AS) about 14 centuries ago that had placed first and foremost great emphasis on the indisputable rights of humans.Among Muslim thinkers, the issue of human rights has formed different ideologies including traditional approach and religious modernist approach. Secretary to the Islamic Committee of Human Rights, Mohammad Ziaiefar said of Imam Ali’s approach to the issue of human rights: “In the world of today there are indications as to the observance of human rights. We have to see first how far the words and actions of Imam Ali complied with these indication 14 centuries ago and then draw conclusions for our society of today.” Some indications of human rights are discussed at international level from both theoretical and practical aspects. First, the issue of human rights is to be observed the world over. It is not for a special society, an ethnic group and historical and social conditions. It is for all humans worldwide under all political and social conditions and system of government. Human rights are inseparable and cannot be disintegrated into different parts, one part executed by statesmen and another part disregarded. Economic, political or cultural rights are all parts of a whole body to be observed multilaterally. If a society enjoys economic development at the expense of political and cultural freedoms being trampled on, human rights are not observed. Governments are required to have a macro plan for an all-out observance of human rights. If a government accepted the principle that human rights should be observed at a global level, but had no macro planning, it has failed to have this principle implemented. With micro planning there should be theoretical and practical frameworks to provide for an all-out performance of government in long term that cannot be violated.Imam Ali (AS) believed that humans had their own rights and values irrespective of their religious beliefs and no one could deny the humanity of humans, even atheists. Imam Ali in his letter to Malik Ashtar said that people were either his religious brothers or his equals in creation. He attached the same importance to both of them. Imam Ali believed that humans, as such, whether of the same religion or of different religions, even atheists had their own rights. The secretary to the Islamic Committee of Human Rights, Ziaiefar, said that Imam Ali had expressed his views on various occasion as to the way of government before and after he became the Islamic caliph. In his famous letter to Malik Ashtar, the then governor of Egypt, the Imam warned him that in power he should not take humans as lacerated flesh on their dead bodies. People were his fellow creatures. Imam Ali maintained that humans as such deserved to be protected and treated equally. This was the belief that human rights were for all humans alike. The difference in Imam Ali’s approach to human rights with the modernist approach is that he believed human rights came from God and no one was ever to deny to humans their divine rights. This is a salient point and stipulation in the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran.The approach of Muslim thinkers is either traditional or modernist. Religious modernism does not believe that there is no specific system of government, but believes that political orientation differs. The Qur’an does not suggest a specific system and in the history of Islam Muslims have experienced different systems of government like emirate, empire, monarchy, constitutional and republic. These different systems of government, however, are not political and social approaches. Political orientation exists, but has no system. Religion is concerned about the magnanimity of humans, social justice and existence of families. Some religious leaders formed governments, but how the affairs of government were executed, they could not be imitated, since social issues were constantly changing. Even the late Ayatollah Motahhari believed the instruments for the present system of capitalism were somehow a new phenomenon. The issue of human rights as a fundamental is a new concept, but at the same time it can be traced back to the past. The issue of human rights is associated with or dissociated from the past. It is dissociated because in the past man was a minor object of attention whereas now he is a fundamental object of attention and consideration. In the past some ideologies respected man and set of values and rights for him. Freedom of opinions has been a salient object of note in human rights. In the days of Imam Ali, his opponents rose and interrupted him. He said: “Do criticize me overly and covertly.” He believed criticism redressed the wrongs of the government. Justice was a noteworthy concept in the rule of Imam Ali. What is meant by justice, Ziaiefar says, is total observance of human rights. Justice was a pivotal concern of Imam Ali. In his macro planning he placed great emphasis on administration of justice with his deep insight. He gave all-out strict instructions as to maintaining justice in executive, judicial, military and management domains of power. He advised rulers to control their realties lest they should misappropriate the public fund.Translated by: A. Quds Sharifi
End item/ 129