Short answer
Islam protects life, property and honour, and it commands justice for everyone. The Prophet (ﷺ) told the believers that their blood, property and honour are sacred. He warned that whoever kills a non-Muslim living under treaty will not smell Paradise. The Qur'an records God's (﷾) decree that taking one innocent life is like killing all people, and saving one is like saving all. Honour is protected too, so mocking and insulting others is forbidden. No race is above another; only goodness counts with God (﷾). Muslims must judge with justice, even against themselves and even toward people they hate. The Prophet (ﷺ) warned that oppression will be darkness on the Day of Judgement. And every right denied in this life will be given back on that Day, down to a sheep that was wronged.
Full explanation
Honour given to every human being
The Qur'an says God (﷾) has honoured the children of Adam, all of them. That honour is where rights begin. The Qur'an records God's (﷾) law about life. Taking one innocent life is like killing all people, and saving one is like saving all. Life is sacred. It may be taken only by way of justice and law.
“We have honoured the sons of Adam; provided them with transport on land and sea; given them for sustenance things good and pure; and conferred on them special favours, above a great part of our creation.”
“On that account: We ordained for the Children of Israel that if any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people. Then although there came to them Our messengers with clear signs, yet, even after that, many of them continued to commit excesses in the land.”
“Say: "Come, I will rehearse what Allah hath (really) prohibited you from": Join not anything as equal with Him; be good to your parents; kill not your children on a plea of want;- We provide sustenance for you and for them;- come not nigh to shameful deeds. Whether open or secret; take not life, which Allah hath made sacred, except by way of justice and law: thus doth He command you, that ye may learn wisdom.”
| Right | What protects it |
|---|---|
| Life | Taking one innocent life is like killing all people; saving one is like saving all. |
| Property and honour | As sacred to one another as the holy day, month and city of the pilgrimage. |
| Dignity | No mocking, defaming or calling people by insulting names. |
| Faith | No one may be forced into the faith. |
| Non-Muslims under treaty | Whoever kills one will not smell the fragrance of Paradise. |
| Equality | No race is above another; the most honoured is the most righteous. |
| Justice | Even against oneself and one's family, and even toward people one hates. |
Life, property and honour
On the Day of Sacrifice, a holy day of the pilgrimage to Mecca, the Prophet (ﷺ) spoke to the believers. He told them that their blood, property and honour are as sacred to one another as that holy day, month and city. The Qur'an protects honour in the same way. No one may laugh at others, defame them or call them by insulting names.
Abu Bakra reports that on the Day of Sacrifice the Prophet (ﷺ) asked the people what day, what month and what place it was, and then said: your blood, your property and your honour are sacred to one another, as sacred as this day of yours, in this month of yours, in this city of yours. He told those present to pass it on to those absent, since the absent might understand it better.
“O ye who believe! Let not some men among you laugh at others: It may be that the (latter) are better than the (former): Nor let some women laugh at others: It may be that the (latter are better than the (former): Nor defame nor be sarcastic to each other, nor call each other by (offensive) nicknames: Ill-seeming is a name connoting wickedness, (to be used of one) after he has believed: And those who do not desist are (indeed) doing wrong.”
Non-Muslim citizens are protected
The same protection covers non-Muslims who live under a treaty (an agreement of peace or protection) with the Muslims. The Prophet (ﷺ) said whoever kills such a person will not even smell the fragrance of Paradise. No one may be forced into the faith. The Qur'an says God (﷾) does not forbid kindness and justice toward those who do not fight Muslims. It says He loves those who are just.
Abdullah ibn Amr reports that the Prophet (ﷺ) said that whoever kills a person who has a treaty with the Muslims will not smell the fragrance of Paradise, though its fragrance reaches a distance of forty years.
“Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And Allah heareth and knoweth all things.”
“Allah forbids you not, with regard to those who fight you not for (your) Faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them: for Allah loveth those who are just.”
No one is above another by race or wealth
The Qur'an says God (﷾) made people into nations and tribes so that they may know each other. It says the most honoured before God (﷾) is the most righteous. The Prophet (ﷺ) said God (﷾) does not look at faces or wealth, but at hearts and deeds. Umar, the second caliph, who led the Muslims after Abu Bakr, called Bilal, a freed African slave, "our chief".
“O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).”
Abu Huraira reports that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: Allah does not look at your faces or your wealth, but He looks at your hearts and your deeds.
Jabir ibn Abdullah reports that Umar used to say: Abu Bakr is our master, and he set free our master, meaning Bilal.
Justice, even toward enemies
The Qur'an commands Muslims to return trusts to their owners and to judge with justice. It commands fairness even between quarrelling believers. It commands justice even against oneself, one's parents and one's kin. It commands justice even toward people one hates. God (﷾) commands justice and forbids injustice.
“Allah doth command you to render back your Trusts to those to whom they are due; And when ye judge between man and man, that ye judge with justice: Verily how excellent is the teaching which He giveth you! For Allah is He Who heareth and seeth all things.”
“If two parties among the Believers fall into a quarrel, make ye peace between them: but if one of them transgresses beyond bounds against the other, then fight ye (all) against the one that transgresses until it complies with the command of Allah; but if it complies, then make peace between them with justice, and be fair: for Allah loves those who are fair (and just).”
“O ye who believe! stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest ye swerve, and if ye distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do.”
“O ye who believe! stand out firmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to piety: and fear Allah. For Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do.”
“Allah commands justice, the doing of good, and liberality to kith and kin, and He forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion: He instructs you, that ye may receive admonition.”
Oppression and the Day of Judgement
The Prophet (ﷺ) reported that God (﷾) has forbidden injustice to Himself and made it forbidden among people. He warned that oppression will be darkness on the Day of Resurrection (the Day of Judgement). And he promised that every right will be given back to its owner on that Day. Even a hornless sheep will take its due from the horned sheep. No wrong goes unanswered.
Abu Dharr reports the Prophet (ﷺ) saying that Allah says: My servants, I have forbidden injustice to Myself and made it forbidden among you, so do not wrong one another; all of you are astray except those I guide, so ask Me for guidance; you sin by night and day and I forgive all sins, so ask Me for forgiveness. A hadith qudsi: the meaning is given as Allah's, in the Prophet's words.
Jabir ibn Abdullah reports that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: beware of oppression, for oppression will be darkness on the Day of Resurrection; and beware of greed, for greed destroyed those before you, driving them to shed each other's blood and treat as lawful what was forbidden to them.
Abu Huraira reports that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: on the Day of Resurrection every right will be given back to the one it belongs to, so that even the hornless sheep will take its due from the horned sheep.
Perspectives
The Islamic perspective
Islam, in the words of the Prophet (ﷺ) and the Qur'an, makes the life, property and honour of people sacred. It protects non-Muslims living under its rule and commands justice toward all. Every denied right will be restored on the Day of Judgement.
The Qur'an says God (﷾) has honoured all the children of Adam. It records His law that killing one innocent person is like killing all people.
The Prophet (ﷺ) declared the blood, property and honour of the believers sacred.
The Prophet (ﷺ) warned that whoever kills a non-Muslim living under treaty will not smell the fragrance of Paradise.
The Qur'an forbids mocking, defaming and insulting others.
The Qur'an commands justice even against oneself and toward those one hates.
Every right denied in this life will be restored on the Day of Judgement.