When the phrase “human rights” comes up, most people think of events that have happened in modern history such as The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), the Civil Rights Act (1964), the Geneva Conventions (1864~), or the abolition of slavery in the 19th century. These moments are celebrated as milestones where humanity finally recognized the dignity of an individual. But for Muslims, the story is much older. Fourteen centuries older, in fact.
At a time when baby girls were buried alive, when slaves were treated as property, when women were excluded from inheritance and legal identity, and when the poor had no protection from the rich, The Quran was revealed to a man in the deserts of Arabia with a radically different message. Every soul has dignity, value, and rights granted directly by Allah (SWT). Islam did not wait for the world to evolve morally. It introduced principles that challenged power structures, protected the vulnerable, and laid down a framework of rights and responsibilities that the modern world would only later begin to echo.
This article explores why Islam was always ahead on human rights – not as a slogan, but as a lived reality grounded in revelation, embodied by the Prophet (SAW), and enshrined in the practices of early Muslims.
Human dignity as a divine right in Islam
Modern human rights declarations rest on secular foundations such as law, politics, or philosophy. Islam grounds human rights in something deeper: the will of the Creator. Allah (SWT) says in The Quran, “Indeed, We have dignified the children of Adam, carried them on land and sea, granted them good and lawful provisions, and privileged them far above many of Our creatures.” (The Clear Quran®, 17:70)
Here, dignity – also known as karaamah – is not contingent upon race, gender, wealth, or social class. It is universal. By virtue of being human, every person is honored.
This was revolutionary in seventh century Arabia, and remains a radical message in societies still divided by hierarchy and prejudice today.
Islam’s abolition of oppression before its time
Before Islam, female infanticide was a cultural practice to avoid shame or financial burdens. In The Quran, Allah (SWT) condemned it in unflinching terms. He (SWT) speaks of the transgressions that will speak against us when we our souls are held to account and, among them, is the cry of the girl child: “[…] and when baby girls, buried alive, are asked for what crime they were put to death […].” (The Clear Quran®, 81:8-9) This was not only a ban, it was a recognition of the child’s moral standing, giving a voice to the voiceless in a society that denied it.
While the West only began legally granting women inheritance in the late 19th century, Islam established these rights in the seventh-century. Allah (SWT) says in The Quran, “For men, there is a share in what their parents and close relatives leave and, for women, there is a share in what their parents and close relatives leave—whether it is little or much. These are obligatory shares.” (The Clear Quran®, 4:7)
Women could own property, conduct business, and retain their financial independence – rights that were denied to women in much of the world until recent history.
Further, slavery was a global institution and it was left unquestioned for millenia. Islam immediately restricted it, humanized it, and laid the groundwork for its eradication. Freeing slaves was elevated as an act of worship and atonement. Allah (SWT) says with disappointment in Surah Al-Balad, “If only they had attempted the challenging path ˹of goodness instead˺!” He (SWT) proceeded to qualify what deed would be included in such a path: “It is to free a slave, or to give food in times of famine to an orphaned relative or to a poor person in distress, and—above all—to be one of those who have faith and urge each other to perseverance and urge each other to compassion. These are the people of the right.” (The Clear Quran®, 90) The Prophet (SAW) himself urged, “Your slaves are your brothers. Allah has put them under your authority. So, if one has his brother under his authority, he should feed him with what he eats and clothe him with what he wears.” (Sahih Bukhari)
No other civilization of the time treated slaves with such humanity, nor encouraged their liberation as a pathway to Allah’s (SWT) pleasure.
Islam’s social justice vision
Human rights are not only about individual freedoms, they are also about social responsibility. Islam uniquely integrates both. The Quran makes care for the poor a central pillar of faith. Allah (SWT) says, “Establish prayer, pay alms-tax, and bow down with those who bow down.” (The Clear Quran®, 2:43) While zakat is defined commonly as just “charity,” it is actually the haq (right) that the poor have over the wealthy. Thus, Islam institutionalized wealth redistribution 1,400 years before welfare systems.
The Prophet (SAW) has also declared in his Farewell Sermon, “All mankind is from Adam and Eve. An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab have superiority over an Arab; a white has no superiority over a black, nor does a black have superiority over a white, except by taqwa.” (Musnad Ahmad)
At a time when tribalism defined identity and worth, this declaration was nothing short of revolutionary. The world would not see similar civil rights language until centuries later. Islam recognized freedom of belief even for non-Muslims under Muslim rule when Allah (SWT) said, “Let there be no compulsion in religion, for the truth stands out clearly from falsehood. So whoever renounces false gods and believes in Allah has certainly grasped the firmest, unfailing hand-hold. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” (The Clear Quran®, 2:256)
Non-Muslim minorities retained their rights to worship, property, and safety under Islam. While the West struggled with religious wars and forced conversions, Muslim lands became sanctuaries of relative coexistence.
The Prophet (SAW) is the living embodiment of human rights
The life of the Prophet (SAW) is the clearest proof that Islam was ahead on human rights. He (SAW) treated orphans with compassion, women with respect, slaves with dignity, and enemies with restraint.
When Makkah was conquered, instead of revenge, he declared forgiveness for his persecutors. When tribes insulted him, he prayed for their guidance. When people wronged him, he responded with justice and mercy.
He embodied the principle that human dignity is sacred, even when the person is your adversary.
Why does this matter today?
Some may ask: why emphasize Islam’s history on human rights? The answer is twofold.
First, because it reframes the narrative. Too often, Islam is portrayed as “catching up” to modern human rights norms. In reality, Islam laid the moral groundwork centuries before the modern West. Second, because it reminds Muslims of their responsibility. These rights are not abstract, they are commandments. To mistreat women, deny justice, exploit workers, or belittle minorities is not only socially backward, it is a betrayal of our deen.
Islam was not a late participant in the human rights conversation, it was the pioneer. By rooting human dignity in divine will, Islam offered a foundation that does not shift with politics or popular opinion. But the question remains: do Muslims today live up to that vision?
Too often, culture, politics, and ignorance overshadow revelation. The tragedy is not that Islam lacks a human rights legacy, it is that Muslims sometimes fail to embody it themselves. Allah (SWT) reminds us, “Indeed, Allah commands justice, grace, as well as generosity to close relatives. He forbids indecency, wickedness, and aggression. He instructs you so perhaps you will be mindful.” (The Clear Quran®, 16:90)
The challenge before us is not to prove that Islam was ahead on human rights. That is already written in history and revelation. The challenge is to carry that torch forward, in our homes, communities, and societies, so that the world can once again see the justice that Islam envisioned.
Dua
اللهم يا هادي القلوب، ويا نور السماوات والأرض،
O Allah, Guide of hearts and Light of the heavens and the earth,
We ask You to make us steadfast in upholding the rights You have honored in Your Book and through the example of Your beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Let us be defenders of justice, protectors of dignity, and voices for the voiceless—just as he was, with mercy in his heart and truth on his tongue.
O Allah, let the legacy of our Prophet (SAW) live through us. Make us carriers of his light, not only in our words but in our actions, our character, and our treatment of others.
Guide our steps, purify our intentions, and unite our hearts upon goodness. Let the Ummah shine as a beacon of noble manners, sincere empathy, and moral clarity in a world that longs for healing.
Grant us courage to speak when silence is injustice, and humility to listen when others are in pain. Make our hands gentle, our hearts open, and our lives a reflection of Your mercy.
اللهم اجعلنا من الذين يستمعون القول فيتبعون أحسنه، واجعلنا هداةً مهتدين، لا ضالين ولا مضلين.
O Allah, make us among those who hear the word and follow the best of it. Make us guides who are rightly guided—not astray, nor leading others astray.
Ameen!