Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri addressed the thousands of faithful on the subject of human rights after the Isha prayers. He said Islam was torch-bearer of human rights in the world. No other religion of the world had laid greater emphasis on sanctity of human rights than Islam. He said human rights in Islam started before the birth of a child and their protection continued after his death. He said the Holy Qur’an has mentioned a compulsory period of breastfeeding to a child. Today society in the Western world was getting ripped apart at the civilizational level and the family traditions were also dying. The members of a family were getting estranged from one another. The situation has reached such a point that parents were pushing their adolescent children to start their own lives with the result that the latter were having to undertake part-time jobs in order to meet their school expenditures.

Contrary to that, he said, Islamic traditions were different. Islam has not only urged its followers to establish collective society but also laid special emphasis on strengthening the family system.

He said it was unfortunate that so-called Western intellectuals were defaming Islam in the name of terrorism. The reality, on the other hand, was that Islam was a most peace-loving religion of the world which even does not allow injuring of emotions of an individual. “The responsibilities of Muslims have increased in these circumstances that they present actual and peaceful face of Islam to the world. This further requires that expatriate Muslim communities living abroad will have to work with utmost responsibility,” he said.

Shaykh-ul-Islam said the best way out of ongoing imbroglio lay in spreading education and awareness among the masses and Minhaj-ul-Quran International was already busy in the endeavour of spreading awareness. He said MQI stood against terrorism, extremism and militancy. “We condemn terrorism committed at any level. Terrorists and militants were neither Muslims nor did they have anything to do with Islam,” he added.

He said Islam has championed the rights of every class of society specially children and women. Citing a tradition Shaykh-ul-Islam said that once the Holy Prophet (saw) was taking rest. An old woman called out for help. He immediately left his place and walked with bare-feet to help the elderly woman out. He picked up his luggage and conducted her to her home. This is one of many instances of human sympathy of the Holy Prophet (saw).

Shaykh-ul-Islam said Islam was the religion which has described the rights of not only the living but also of the dead. Referring to an example, he said when a man dies Islam has prescribed a particular way of burial rites so that no disregard is shown to his dead body. Funeral prayer is one such thing with the Muslims and the dead is not buried with such respect in any other religion. Only Islam has prescribed these teachings.

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