DIGNITY OF MEN AND WOMEN (CSS 2020, PCS SINDH 2015, CCE-GB 2017,PMS KP 2016)

Outline:

➤ Introduction

➤ Meanings of Human Dignity

➤ Islamic Concept of Dignity of Men and Women:

1. Mankind as Crown of Creatures and Central Figure in Universe
2. Man Created in Best Form
3. Endowment of Knowledge
4. Human Beings are God’s Vicegerents on Earth
5. Prophet (PBUH) as Best Model of Being Vicegerent of God
6. Equality of Mankind
7. Criterion of High Position in Society

➤ Dignity of Man is Conditioned with His being Slave to God

➤ Responsibilities of Man as the Vicegerent of Allah

1. Obedience to God
2. Purpose of Man’s Life on Earth is Worship of God
3. Authority as Trust of God
4. Administration of Justice on Earth
5. Individual Responsibility as Vicegerent

Introduction:

The Islamic morality is based on the concept of human dignity to inculcate the quality

of control against evil inclinations. Dignity is a social factor. It involves one’s ability to

participate in a social arrangement of some sort and to hold some kind of rank therein.

Society confers dignity on the individual. Social dignity refers to one’s reputation or good

name. Human dignity is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world. The Quran

states the Law of Nature that so long as people maintain their life systems on the basis of

justice, freedom and goodness and allow all people to enjoy their rights ghts in a normal way andpractice their lives freely without interference, they prosper and make progress in life. But

when they start spreading corruption in the land and usurping other people’s rights, their

civilization begins to disintegrate and finally fades away from the pages of history. The Quran

condemns in very strong words those people who spread corruption and injustice in the land

and deny other people’s rights.

Meanings of Human Dignity:

The term Dignity is derived from the Latin word ‘dignitas’ which denotes a quality of being worthy or honorable which signifies his highest and noble position in a community Dignity means honor, authority or reputation. The Human Dignity consists in man’s ability to experience self-awareness and to think rationally. When one loses the ability to exercise his

rational function, he loses the essential dignity as well. Dignity lies in the right conduct of a person and to keep oneself within the characteristics of control. A persons deserves dignity and honour as a human being and has been endowed with the best son deserves dignity Intellectual form and given capacities and faculties which no other being has been given. As far as human beings and their worldly life is concerned, they are all equally honourable gave As esteemed as human beings without any reservation of dignity or honour for anyone on any counts. Human Dignity depends on eight interdependent values, such as: respect, power enlightenment, well-being, health, skill, affection and rectitude.

Islamic Concept of Dignity of Men and Women:

One of the greatest contributions of Islam is the concept of the individual and his dignity, status and potential. The entire philosophy of Islam is based on human dignity for each individual irrespective of creed color, ethnicity etc.

1. Mankind as Crown of Creatures and Central Figure in Universe: the Qur’an proclaims dignity of every man and woman irrespective of creed, caste, colour etc.:

وَلَقَدْ كَرَّمْنَا بَنِي آدَمَ وَحَمَلْنَاهُمْ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ وَرَزَقْنَاهُمْ مِنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَفَضَّلْنَاهُمْ عَلَى كَثِيرٍ مِمَّنْ خَلَقْنَا تَفْضِيلًا –

“And surely we have honored the children of Adam, and We carry them in the land and the sea, and We have given them of the good things, and We have made them to excel by an appropriate excellence over most of those whom We have created.”

(Israa 17:70)

2. Man Created in Best Form: Islam presented its concept of honor and dignity on the basis of man’s creation by Allah:

لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ فِي أَحْسَنِ تَقْوِيمٍ ”

Certainly We created man in the best form.

(al-Tin 95:4)

3. Endowment of Knowledge: as a special Divine Favour,

“And He taught Adam all the names”.

وَعَلَّمَ آدَمَ الْأَسْمَاءَ .

(al-Baqarah 2:31)

4. Human Beings are God’s Vicegerents on Earth

وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً –

“And when your Lord said to the angels, I am going to place in the earth a khalif”. (al-Baqarah 2:30)

5. Prophet (PBUH) as Best Model of Being Vicegerent of God: The contribution of the

Prophet (PBUH) of Islam to the enhancement of human dignity is diversified. He was

himself a perfect example of graceful, pleasing and beautiful conduct and he encouraged

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Islamic Studies

others to adopt the same conduct in their social life teda solite habit to bring out and demonstrate in practice what was most delightful, refined, polite and natural in human behavior.

6. Equality of Mankind: All men and women are equal in the eyes of God. Islam upholds inherent equality of mankind in general and of both gender in particular. The very fact that every human child at his birth is equally endowed with a Self / Personality, entitles every individual as a human entity to equal esteem and respect and no distinction whatsoever should therefore, be allowed to the incidence of birth, family, tribe, race or community, nationality, religion or gender.
7. Criterion of High Position in Society: The intrinsic value of every individual human being is uniformly equal, but the criterion for determining the relative position and status of every individual rests on his own personal merits and character: And for all there are ranks according to what they do and the principle underlying is this:

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ مِنْ ذَكَرٍ وَأُنْثَى وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا إِنْ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ

“O you men! surely We have created you of a male and a female, and made you tribes and families that you may know each other; surely the most honorable of you with Allah is the one among you most careful (of his duty); surely Allah is Knowing, Aware”. (Al-Hujuraat, 49:1

Dignity of Man is conditioned with His being Slave to God:

Thus the very purpose of man’s creation is to worship his Lord. Man has been made as the vicegerent of God on earth. Man has been ordered to avoid harming others killing others, be away from evils and from polytheism and to pray to Allah alone and bow only to Allah alone. Man should keep the purpose he is created for otherwise he is worse than animals as the Holy Quran says:

وَلَقَدْ ذَرَأْنَا لِجَهَنَّمَ كَثِيرًا مِنَ الْجِنِّ وَالْإِنْسِ لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ لَا يَفْقَهُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمْ أَعْيُنٌ لَا يُبْصِرُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمْ آذَانٌ لَا يَسْمَعُونَ بِهَا ۚ أُولَئِكَ كَالْأَنْعَامِ بَلْ هُمُ أضلُّ أُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْغَافِلُونَ –

“Certainly We have created Jinns and Human beings for Hell. because they possess hearts but do not ponder with them, they have ears but do not hear with them, they have eyes but do not see what is fact, They are like animals rather worse than that.”

Responsibilities of Man as Vicegerent of Allah:

(al-Aaraaf 7:179)

responsibilities below in detail. sibilities aderentioned Allah puts great many responsibilities on man.

These

1. Obedience to God:

Being the vicegerent of God man is only subordinate to Allah alone. His rank is higher than all other creature. All other things are made subordinate to man, in order to utilize them according to Quran. To bow before these subordinate things is against the dignity of man and will be unbecoming of his position as of vicegerent of God.

2. Purpose of Man’s Life on Earth is Worship of God:

Man’s creation is not useless and absurd. He is created with a definite objective. The Holy Quran says:

وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنْسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ

“And I have not created the jinn and the men except that they should serve Me”. (al-Zariyat 51:56)

3. Authority as Trust of God:

Authority is trust of God which man has to exercise as per His desires and commandments. The concept of amanah determines the individual’s relationship with the family, society, state, and government and the humanity at large. Man is attached to these institutions both materially and spiritually. Amanah establishes man’s responsibility toward his kin, other human beings and socio-political institutions. The concept resolves the issues pertaining to the rights and responsibilities of individuals in every facet of life. Someone’s right is someone else’s responsibility: the individual has a weighty contract with his society, with the animal world, with the plant and mineral worlds, and with the overall environment.

4. Administration of Justice of Earth:

And in the administration of justice between people in multifarious worldly affairs;

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُونُوا قَوَّامِينَ بِالْقِسْطِ شُهَدَاءَ لِلَّهِ وَلَوْ عَلَى أَنْفُسِكُمْ أَوِ الْوَالِدَيْنِ وَالْأَقْرَبِينَ إِنْ يَكُنْ غَنِيًّا أَوْ فَقِيرًا فَاللَّهُ أَوْلَى بِهِمَا ۖ فَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا الْهَوَىٰ أَنْ تَعْدِلُوا ۚ وَإِنْ تَلْوُوا أَوْ تُعْرِضُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا –

“O you who believe! be maintainers of justice, bearers of witness of Allah’s sake, though it may be against your own selves or (your) parents or near relatives; if he be rich or poor. Allah is nearer to them both in compassion; therefore do not follow (your) low desires, lest you deviate; and if you swerve or turn aside, then surely Allah is aware of what you do”.

(an-Nisaa 4:135)

5. Individual Responsibility as Vicegerent:

According to the Islamic teachings, each person in his individual capacity is the Vicegerent of Allah. Each person in his individual capacity has certain rights and obligations. He must take rights in the best possible way. For example he must take care of the rights of his neghbours. He should respect his parents and elders, he must do his job honestly and earn fairly. Thus he must perform all his individual duties perfectly. The

Prophet has urged that every man and women are responsible and accountable for their duties and obligations and also of the people under them.