We speak passionately about the rights of God—prayer, fasting, charity, pilgrimage. But the rights of fellow human beings have all but disappeared. The sigh of the oppressed shakes the very throne of the Almighty. Today’s heedless person continues to crush every weak individual underfoot.
Syed Mustafa Ahmad
Ever since I gained a basic awareness of the world, I have consistently observed one thing. This thing relates to the rights of God. I have heard everyone exhorting others to fulfil the rights of God. From home to the marketplace, I have seen everyone loudly proclaiming the importance of upholding divine rights. But when I rose above superficialities and sought further guidance from my teachers and books, several hidden facets of the picture began to emerge as clear as day.
Just as life has no meaning without fulfilling the rights of God, the rights of fellow human beings are also a pillar of faith. This pillar is so essential that the entire structure of society can come crashing down without it. The subject of interpersonal rights is so vast that covering it in one or two articles is nearly impossible, but even a cursory study can be beneficial if one chooses words with care and consideration. I am not a great writer capable of covering every aspect of a subject, but drawing upon my limited knowledge, I wish to write down some important points on this sensitive topic for my own betterment.
The fundamental concept of the rights of fellow human beings has all but disappeared from our lives. People express clear fervour and passion regarding the rights of God. They remain at the forefront in sermons and preaching gatherings, acquiring all kinds of knowledge about divine rights. At home, too, they let no opportunity slip regarding what God wants from them. They collect important information about prayer, fasting, alms, and pilgrimage, seeking to illuminate their lives with faith. Yet, the command of God Almighty also exists in the form of interpersonal rights. Just as it is essential to believe in the core tenets of faith with the heart, understand them, and express them practically, it is also necessary to establish justice in matters concerning the rights of people. In other words, alongside fulfilling the rights of God, fulfilling the rights of one’s fellow human beings holds immense importance.
An Examination Of The Background And Causes
When I tried to delve deeper into this issue, I was astonished to discover the reasons why interpersonal rights are vanishing from our social life. In this regard, I closely examined my surroundings and uncovered several important realities, which I briefly outline below:
First Cause: An Acute Lack Of Awareness
When I observed people, including myself, I confronted the fact that most individuals believe interpersonal rights relate only to financial transactions. However, the reality is that causing even minor hurt, speaking ill of someone, or even ignoring someone constitutes a violation of these rights. People are well-versed in the importance of prayer and fasting, but they remain unaware of the extensive scope of the rights of others. Consequently, such a crucial act of worship remains hidden from our view.
Second Cause: Contradiction In Character
Another significant reality I encountered is that many individuals appear extremely devoted when it comes to the rights of God. Yet, when the matter turns to the rights of people, these very individuals see no harm in causing trouble to others, backbiting, or usurping their rights. This double standard fuels the problem. Playing a hypocritical role causes one to lose even the rights of God. When God Almighty Himself insists on fulfilling the rights of people, what audacity does a servant have to delay this act of goodness? This suggests that such a person remains trapped in the mire of their own ego and self-righteousness. They perceive others like themselves as inferior, and this path leads only to their own destruction.
Third Cause: Psychological Maladies
I also found that mental states such as envy, malice, arrogance, and selfishness incite a person to trample upon the rights of others. When a person begins to consider others inferior, usurping their rights becomes a trivial matter for them. When the progress of others sticks in our throats, the result manifests as violating their rights. At such times, belief in God and concern for the Hereafter dissipate into thin air.
Fourth Cause: Negligence Of The Reality Of The Hereafter
The most tragic reality I observed is that people have forgotten accountability on the Day of Judgment. They do not realise that on that Day, accountability will first concern the rights of fellow human beings, not prayers and fasting. This very negligence emboldens them to violate the rights of others. People think they can slit the throats of their fellow humans and then repent someday. They believe they will weep and seek forgiveness for their deeds. They think that by adorning gatherings with ostentatious charity and alms for the poor and needy, they can escape God’s severe punishment. But all this is a mirage. Whoever has unjustly tarnished someone’s honour, with what face will they appear before God? The sigh of the oppressed shakes the very throne of the Almighty, yet today’s heedless person, lost in their own intoxication, continues to crush every weak individual underfoot!
Losses And Adverse Consequences
No one can deny that when respect for interpersonal rights diminishes, stability within society is the first casualty. I have witnessed with my own eyes that wherever there is a lack of regard for the rights of others, social decay sets in. Trust, love, compassion, and brotherhood vanish, replaced by falsehood, slander, suspicion, backbiting, and oppression spreading everywhere. The second consequence I observed is that the prayers of such people also go unanswered. Their hypocritical tears are cast back in their faces, and humiliation becomes their destiny. Supplication is an act of worship, and for worship, purity of soul and body is essential. The third consequence is the most terrifying: disgrace in the Hereafter. On the Day of Judgment, all the good deeds of a person will be transferred to those whose rights they usurped. If their good deeds run out, the sins of those they wronged will be loaded upon them. What greater scene of humiliation could there be? On the Day of Resurrection, when all the oppressed—those seen as pious and righteous in the world—will seize the oppressors and demand accountability for these injustices, the staff of the Almighty will deliver the final verdict. The fourth and final consequence is the destruction of future generations. A society devoid of interpersonal rights paves the way for coming generations, and thus, generation after generation becomes ensnared in this vortex.
Remedies And Corrective Measures
Now the question arises: Does any effective remedy exist for this deteriorating social structure? Based on my research and observation, I have outlined five fundamental corrective measures. Implementing them is a critical need of the hour.
First Measure: Fundamental Change In The Educational System
The current educational system must grant compulsory subject status to interpersonal rights alongside the rights of God. At home, in the mosque school, and in the mosque, we must teach children the rights of mothers, fathers, teachers, neighbours, and the poor. Unless we instil these concepts in young minds, society cannot move in the right direction.
Second Measure: Establishing Centres For Psychological Reform
We need to set up dedicated reform centres to treat psychological ailments like envy, malice, and arrogance. Mosques must address these topics during Friday sermons, educating people about how these states of mind destroy one’s Hereafter. We must show how these filthy termites loosen the strong threads of society, pushing it to the brink of destruction.
Third Measure: A Conscious Campaign To Cultivate Forgiveness And Forbearance
Everyone must develop the habit of promptly seeking forgiveness and returning the rights of anyone they have wronged. They must sincerely apologise, express heartfelt remorse for their actions, and convey genuine shame for what they have done.
Fourth Measure: Controlling The Tongue
To avoid backbiting, slander, and falsehood, one must question the inner self. Addressing the aspect of oneself that can keep a person away from these vile traits is crucial. Controlling the tongue and always speaking just words—words that contribute to the progress of others as well as oneself—is a great deed.
Fifth Measure: Instilling Fear Of The Sigh Of Oppressed
We must make people understand that the curse of the oppressed burns like fire. Therefore, we need special discourses on this topic in preaching gatherings. We must firmly instil the understanding that God Himself champions the cause of the oppressed. When the case is entrusted to God Himself, a wise person can gauge how crucial it becomes to remain sensitive about the rights of others.
Summary
After this examination, the reality has become as clear as day: the erosion of interpersonal rights is, in fact, a symptom of our spiritual and social death. We adhere to prayer and fasting, yet we feel no compunction in hurting others’ hearts without cause, usurping their rights, or speaking ill of them. We do not hesitate to slander them. We spare no effort in defaming them. From a research perspective, these are precisely the fundamental factors that destroy our good deeds and distance us from God. This is such a serious subject that picking up the pen to address it is a responsibility, but remaining silent is a crime. The one who hurts others’ hearts without cause can never attain true peace, even by standing in the front row for prayers. How someone who has snatched another’s comfort and peace will stand before their Lord is utterly beyond comprehension.
Conclusion
Ultimately, I have reached the conclusion that the true purpose of faith is not only to forge a connection with God but also to forge a connection with people. The rights of God and the rights of fellow humans are two sides of the same coin. My observation tells me that whoever fulfils the rights of others has, in effect, found the greatest path to nearness to God. But whoever neglects this great task renders all their acts of worship devoid of blessing. The need is for us to purify our hearts, forgive people, return their rights, and only then will our prayers and fasting become worthy of acceptance before God. Otherwise, a difficult day awaits, a day when everything else will be set aside, and only the accounting of interpersonal rights will remain. This writing is not just a piece of text; it is an open challenge to myself, aimed at self-reformation.
sy**********@***il.com