Every year, August 19 is observed as World Humanitarian Day in order to pay tribute to those who serve humanity across the world, to support the needy and the oppressed, and to remind people of the importance of their fundamental rights, dignity, freedom, justice and equality. The purpose of this day is also to renew the commitment to the protection of human rights.
However, it is regrettable that in the contemporary world there exists a vast gap between the laws related to human rights and their practical implementation. The question arises: despite the existence of dozens of laws and international agreements for the protection of human rights, and despite the establishment of institutions such as the UNO, which was founded on October 24, 1945, after the World War II for the purpose of maintaining peace in the world, preventing wars between nations, safeguarding human rights, promoting cooperation to address problems such as poverty, hunger, and disease and strengthening peace, security, humanitarianism, and international cooperation, why is the condition of human rights in the world continuing to deteriorate?
This question remains: Have these international organisations established for the restoration of human rights become helpless and ineffective? The reality is that, although laws and treaties for the protection of human rights exist at the global level, unjustified wars are still being imposed in various regions of the world, the powerful continue to oppress the weak, and the entire world appears to be standing on the brink of a Third World War.
Incidents of people being displaced from their homes, injustices carried out through the use of bulldozers, hunger, poverty, religious and racial discrimination, violence against women, the elderly, and children, human trafficking, restrictions on freedom of expression, and hundreds of similar problems still exist with full intensity, while at the same time the world echoes with beautiful slogans about human rights.
The question now is: Is merely making laws sufficient? Is the problem a lack of laws, or is the real issue the failure to implement them in a fair, impartial and equal manner? The truth is that law and justice are not meant for any particular nation, race, or religion; rather, they should be equal and impartial for every human being, regardless of colour, race, nationality or community.
If this aspect is considered seriously, it becomes clear that Islam is the religion that presents the universal principle: Al-khalqu ‘ayālullāh (All creation is the family of Allah). Therefore, every human being is worthy of respect, every life must be protected, and the safeguarding of every person’s rights is essential.
The blessed life (Seerah) of the Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ teaches us that the true spirit of law lies in justice, fairness, trustworthiness, honesty and the protection of human dignity and sanctity. Hence, on the occasion of World Humanitarian Day, merely demanding rights is not sufficient; rather, there is also a need to seriously examine our attitudes, social responsibilities and collective systems. Until laws are implemented equally, fairly and impartially, the objectives of human rights cannot be fully achieved.
Why Is Prophet’s Seerah Foundation for Human Rights?
While studying the Seerah of the Messenger of Allah, the first point that should be clearly understood is the fundamental difference between the Seerah of the Prophet ﷺ and the biographies of all other personalities in the world. Its most outstanding distinction is that the Seerah of the Prophet ﷺ has been preserved and transmitted to us through authentic and reliable sources, whereas the biography of no other personality in the world is available with such a high degree of authenticated transmission.
Every statement of the Messenger of Allah that is narrated must have a chain of narrators that is continuously connected back to the Prophet. If any link in the chain is broken, the narration is regarded as weak (zaief). For this reason, the scholars of Hadith (Muhaddisein) exercised extraordinary care in verifying who heard from whom, ensuring that the chain of transmission reached the Prophet ﷺ in a complete and uninterrupted manner.
The second important point is that the Word of Allah was revealed directly to the Prophet through Angel Jibrīl, and at every stage the Prophet ﷺ remained under the guidance of Allah Almighty. The process of reciting, memorising and preserving the Holy Qur’an also began during the Prophet’s own lifetime. The Messenger of Allah would personally recite the Qur’an, memorise it and every year during the month of Ramadan, Angel Jibrīl would review it with him. During that same period, the Companions of the Prophet (SaHābah) also memorised the Qur’an and preserved it carefully.
In this way, the direct training of the Prophet, his practical way of life, and the blessed Seerah that has reached us through authentic and reliable sources have no parallel anywhere in the world. The Prophet’s exalted morals and pure character spread their fragrance throughout all of humanity.
Jis ka ehsaan-o-karaminsaaniyat par qarzhai/ wohbashar, khairulbashar, jis ki ita’atfarzhai. (The one whose kindness and grace are a debt upon all humanity / That human being, the Best of all human beings, whose obedience is obligatory.)
Today, the contradiction between character, speech and action has plunged social life into a deeply regrettable condition. Grand promises, lengthy conferences and long lists of laws certainly exist, but their practical implementation is almost non-existent. The foul odour of regionalism, nationalism and racism has polluted society. Everywhere, genocide and ethnic prejudice have become commonplace. If innocent blood belongs to another nation or race, it is treated as though it were not blood but merely water; and if oppression is committed against people of a different colour or ethnicity, it is regarded not as oppression but as an act of bravery. Even when the names of influential and high-ranking individuals appear in major cases, such as the Epstein Files, the seriousness of the matter is often not given due importance.
If the world is truly seeking peace, tranquillity, truth and justice, where will it find that clear and transparent model in whose mirror it can correct its distorted image? Where, ultimately, is that ideal example to be found?
If one studies the blessed Seerah and Prophetic teachings from 1448 years ago, it can be said with complete conviction that the Messenger of Allah came as a mercy for all the worlds, brought a practical message for all humanity and became the guide, leader, and mentor for the entire world. This distinction belongs uniquely to him and such comprehensive universality is not found in the biography of any other personality in the same manner.
The Constitution of Madinah (Misaaq al-Madinah) and the Farewell Sermon (Khutbah Hajjat al-Wada) are shining examples of this reality. Whether it is the laws of war, the rights of women and children, compassion and justice, the fair distribution of inheritance or the concept of equality between the free and the enslaved, these are such magnificent principles that the world has still not been able to present a similarly comprehensive example of them.