Islam and the Qur’an : a valid perspective for defining 'universal' human rights?

Abstract

This article presents a discussion of the Islamic approach towards defining universal human rights protection. There is an assessment of the reasons why Saudi Arabia abstained from voting on Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, and a theological review of the Qur'an which rejects the abstention. A brief case-study discusses the 'Islamic Revolution' in the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1979, and there is also a clarification of the phenomenon of 'Islamic fundamentalism'. A contrast between the Western perception and the Islamic understanding of how women are dealt with by Islamic rulings is covered. An analysis of how human rights and also, how the concept of 'freedom of religion', are portrayed in the Qur'an is also included. The theme of the article aims to compare the Islamic belief system and explain the reaction of several Middle Eastern countries to the U.N.'s human rights documents and, what can be seen as, the liberal, individualistic, Western perspective on human rights protection. Finally, the potential misunderstandings involved in the Western perception that Islam has certain short-comings as regards human rights are also discussed.