Welcome to this week’s episode of the series Islamic Human Rights. Today, we study the right to security in Islamic Human Rights.

One of the main demands of mankind is maintenance of security, which is one of the most important obligations of the ruling systems. In the contemporary fields of politics and sociology, this fact is considered as one of the most obvious existing principles. No school of thought and legal system can be indifferent or impartial toward the issue of security; given that security is one of the most fundamental needs of human communities, and an important contributor to cultural, scientific, economic, and political growth and development. Security in all of its personal, social, political, cultural, economic, and judicial aspects is a must for the members of the community. Peoples, ruling systems, and governments should make every effort to establish and reinforce security.

In the view of the divine religion of Islam, one of the most important philosophies behind establishment of ruling systems is to maintain security in the society. Rulers are duty-bound to deal with any aggression which would breach security in the community.

Security is in fact a reassurance granted to members of the community on protection of their lives, honor, and material and spiritual rights. This in turn calls for two major guarantees. Firstly, the security of individuals should be maintained against any illegal detention, imprisonment, and punishment; and secondly the security of members of the community should be protected via community’s support.

In the manner, security sets a number of responsibilities for the members of the community and the government. This means that individuals are duty-bound to respect and obey each other’s material and spiritual rights. The government should also establish security for people via setting laws and founding administrative and judicial organizations, so that the members of the community would get on with their lives in an assuring manner, and would respect each other’s rights and freedoms.

The concept of security has been considered as the main condition for human existence, across the world. Furthermore, the right to security has been emphasized by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Man maintains material and spiritual lives. His material existence is embodied in his physique. However, his spiritual existence is rooted in his thoughts and emotions within the framework of his personal and social aspects. Man’s characteristic traits take shape in his spiritual existence, leaving an impact on his material life.

Throughout healthy social relations, the dignity of individuals is immune and there are no concerns in this regard. Concerns begin to emerge when a number of negative values grow in the community, sabotaging the honor and dignity of individuals.

Now, we will study some factors which pose a threat against the health of the community and honor of individuals.

Profanities are uttered by individuals who wrongly imagine they can somehow promote their status via degrading and humiliating others. The divine religion of Islam has negated such misdeeds.

Uttering profanities in personal relations, and including profanities in press and mass media is the sign of a deviated culture, which breaches the Islamic culture, and is considered as a crime.

Furthermore, dishonoring and discrediting others has also been forbidden by the divine religion of Islam. Social credibility is a spiritual asset, based on which individuals can maintain an honorable life. Unfortunately, in unhealthy social rivalries; those who are unethical use a number of undesirable means such as insulting, discrediting, and revealing others’ secrets.

The revelation of others’ drawbacks is a means which is used in order to discredit and dishonor others. This is strongly negated by the divine religion of Islam.

Physical security is another kind of security. The most obvious right of mankind is his right to live. The right to live is a divine blessing, and is the basis of all human rights; the violation of which is negated. Holy Quran highly values human life.

In addition to physical security, maintenance of the security of material rights is another human right, which Islam puts emphasis upon.

Another type of security is the job security. In order to fulfill everyday needs, which are a must for the existence of mankind, one has to earn a living, and to have an assuring and appropriate job. One’s assurance of access to an appropriate job and its maintenance can be referred to as job security.  The vulnerable status of workers calls for adoption of social arrangements to maintain their job security. Within the world order, in addition to recognition of the right to work under fair and appropriate conditions, support for workers against possible unemployment has been taken into consideration by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.