The Right to Life, Security, Privacy and Ownership in Islam

Exploring the ideas of human rights according to the laws of Islam, this discussion examines the sanctity of life, murder, unintentional killing, the death penalty, abortion, suicide, and euthanasia. The arguments are introduced by Qur’anic quotations and Prophetic anecdotes and include practical examples of both medieval and contemporary applications. Relevant to the current international interest of multicultural perspectives on human rights, this analysis also covers security against unlawful arrest, freedom from torture, immunity against invasion of privacy, and restrictions imposed by the Shari’a on the exercises of these rights.

Mohammad Hashim Kamali is dean of the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization and a professor of Islamic law and jurisprudence at the International Islamic University Malaysia.