Hospitals & Asylums
Islamic Fundamentals HA-2-3-06
A. The Hammurapi Code (2500BC)
from Mesopotamia, in what is now Iraq, is the oldest known codification of law,
King Hammurapi, the exalted prince, who feared God wrote, to bring about the
rule of righteousness in the land, to destroy the wicked and the evil-doers; so
that the strong should not harm the weak; I did right and righteousness in, and
brought about the well-being of the oppressed. Righteous law, and pious statute
did I teach the land. I was not
negligent, but I made them a peaceful abiding-place. In my shelter I have let them repose in
peace; in my deep wisdom have I enclosed them. In order to protect the widows and orphans, in
order to bespeak justice in the land, to settle all disputes, and heal all
injuries, set up these my precious words, written upon my memorial stone,
before the image of me, as king of righteousness. Let my name be ever repeated; let the
oppressed, who has a case at law, come and stand before this my image as king
of righteousness; let him read the inscription, and understand my precious
words: the inscription will explain his case to him; he will find out what is
just, and his heart will be glad, so that he will say: "Hammurapi is a
ruler, who is as a father to his subjects”. In future time, through all coming
generations, let the king, who may be in the land, observe the words of
righteousness which I have written on my monument; let him rule his subjects
accordingly, speak justice to them, give right decisions, root out the
miscreants and criminals from this land, and grant prosperity to his subjects.
B. Islamic law, Shari’a, is the most
governmental of all contemporary religious faiths. There is however great latitude for
interpretation of the Qur’an and to ensure that the rule of law is founded in
human rights rather than human sacrifice the Cairo
Declaration on Human Rights in Islam (1990) was drafted as a Muslim 10
Commandments to supplement interpretations of Basic Human Rights in
Islam whereby All human beings form one family whose members are united by
submission to God and descent from Adam. All men are equal in terms of
basic human dignity and basic obligations and responsibilities, without any
discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, language, sex, religious belief,
political affiliation, social status or other considerations. The
division of human beings into nations, races, groups and tribes is for the sake
of distinction, so that people of one race or tribe may meet and be acquainted
with people belonging to another race or tribe and co-operate with one another
thereby establishing the principle of equality of the entire human race. True
faith is the guarantee for enhancing such dignity along the path to human
perfection.
C. Equality is exemplified by
the Prophet in one of his sayings: "No Arab has any superiority over a
non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab have any superiority over a black man, or the
black man any superiority over the white man, the white man any superiority
over the black man or any non-Arab superiority over an Arab. We are all the
children of Adam, and Adam was created from clay." The Prophet (blessings
of Allah and peace be upon him) alone liberated as many as 63 slaves. The
number of slaves freed by ‘ice was 67; Abbes liberated 70; Bad Allah bin Omar
liberated one thousand; Bad al-Rohm purchased freedom for thirty thousand, and
Saddam Hussein is rumored to have liberated as many as 100,000 the government
could no longer provide food. The
problem of the slaves of
D. Of mankind, we have created
you from a male and female. In other words, all human beings are brothers and
sisters. We are all the descendants from one father and one mother. We set you
up as nations and tribes so that you may be able to recognize each other (Chambers:
49:13). If two parties of the
believers quarrel, make peace between them; but if one of them acts wrongfully
towards the other, fight that which acts wrongfully until it returns to Allah's
command; then if it returns, make peace between them with justice and act
equitably; surely Allah loves those who act equitably (49.9). Co-operate with one another for virtue and heedfulness and
not co-operate with one another for the purpose of vice and aggression (5:2). O
you who believe! Be upright for Allah, bearers of witness with justice, and let
not hatred of a people incite you not to act equitably; act equitably, that is
nearer to piety (5:8) The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and
His apostle and strive to make mischief in the land is only this, that they
should be (removed from power)…imprisoned; this shall be as a disgrace for them
in this world, and in the hereafter they shall have a grievous chastisement (5.33)
Except those who repent before you have them in your power; so know that
Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. (Dinner
Table 5:34) And, O my people! give full measure and weight fairly, and
defraud not men their things, and do not act corruptly in the land, making
mischief (11:85) And your Lord will most surely pay back to all their deeds in
full (11.111). Those who are patient and do good, they shall have forgiveness
and a great reward (11.11).And say to those who do not believe: Act according
to your state; surely we too are acting. (Holy
Prophet 11:121)
E. Life is a God-given gift and
the right to life is guaranteed to every human being. It is the duty of
individuals, societies and states to protect this right from any violation, and
it is prohibited to take away life and it is forbidden to resort to such means
as may result in the genocidal annihilation of mankind. “Do not kill a soul
which Allah has made sacred." (6:151). They are lost indeed who kill their
children foolishly without knowledge… forging a lie against Allah; they have
indeed gone astray, and they are not the followers of the right course (6:140).
Your people call it a lie and it is the very truth. Say: I am not placed in
charge of you (Cattle
6:66) Whosoever kills a human being is
thought he had killed all mankind.
Whoever saves a life is though to have saved the lives of all mankind. (Dinner
Table 5:32).
F. Bring forth your people from
utter darkness into light and remind them of the days of Allah; most surely
there are signs in this for every patient, grateful one (14:5). This is a
sufficient exposition for the people and that they may be warned thereby, and that
they may know that He is One God and that those possessed of understanding may
mind (Abraham
14:52). Has there come to you
information about the honored guests of Ibrahim (51:42)? When they entered upon
him, they said: Peace. Peace, said he, a strange people (Scatterers
51.25).When Abraham was an
old man he wisely saw to it that his son married to have children of his own,
whereas it is unto thy seed will I give this land (Genesis 24:7). The Bible
reminds us both of our common heritage and that people often do strange things
because they believe that God, the Lord, or Allah, for that matter, tells them
to. For instance, Abraham circumcised
his son Isaac when he was eight days old (Genesis 21:4). Abraham was so prone to his belief that he needed to be
spared from making a human sacrifice of his son by the Angel of the Lord who
arrived at the last minute to say, “Lay not thy hand upon the lad, neither do
thou any thing unto him…I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply
thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the
seashore; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
because thou hast hearkened to My voice” (Gen 22:12-17-18).
G. At the Sermon
on the Mount Jesus Christ elaborated "Blessed
are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those
who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will
inherit the earth. Blessed are those who
hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the
merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for
they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of
God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs
is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you
and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be
glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they
persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Mathew 5:1-12)
H.
God said to Moses, 'Come up to Me, to the mountain, and remain there. I will
give you the stone tablets, the Torah and the commandment that I have written
for [the people's] instruction.'" (Exodus
24:12). It was during the six weekdays that God made the heaven, the earth,
the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. God
therefore blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. Honor your father and
mother. You will then live long on the land that God your Lord is giving you.
Do not commit murder. Do not
commit adultery. Do not steal.
Do not testify as a false witness against your neighbor. Do not be envious of
your neighbor's house. Do not be envious of your neighbor's wife, his slave,
his maid, his ox, his donkey, or anything else that is your neighbor's." (Exodus
20) The 10 Commandments, that were
twice written in tablets of clay as Moses was so angry with his people he
destroyed the first draft, are:
1. I am the LORD; thou shalt not
have any other Gods
2. Thou shalt not make any image of me, bow to it or
worship it
3. Thou shalt not take thy LORD's name in vain.
4. Keep (and remember!) the day of Sabbath
5. Honor thy father and mother
6. Thou shalt not murder
7. Thou shalt not commit adultery
8. Thou shalt no steal
9 Thou shalt not bear false witness
10. Thou shalt not covet thy fellow-man's wife, house, or
anything that is his.
I. O you who believe! be
maintainers of justice, bearers of witness of Allah's sake…if he be rich or
poor (Women
4:135) Anyone who asks for help and
anyone who is suffering from deprivation has a right to share in the property
and wealth of those who are not; irrespective of whether they belong to this or
to that nation, to this or to that country, to this or to that race, or to this
or that religion. If one is in a position to help and a needy person asks for
help or if one comes to know that they are in need, then it is one's duty to
help them. This day every soul shall be rewarded for
what it has earned (40:17). Whoever does
good, whether male or female, shall enter the garden, in which they shall be
given sustenance without measure (Believer
40:40). In their property is a
portion due to him who begs (51:19) And
in your own souls (too); will you not then see (51:21)? In the heaven is your
sustenance (Scatterers
51:22) Successful indeed are the believers (23:1) Who are humble in their
prayers (23:2) And who keep aloof from what is vain (23:3) And who are givers
of poor-rate (Believers
23:4)
Sanders, Abraham. Hospitals & Asylums.