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لاَ إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِ قَد تَّبَيَّنَ الرُّشْدُ مِنَ الْغَيِّ
Let there be no coercion in matters of faith; for Truth stands clear from error [Q2:256]
The reappearance of the cartoons satirizing the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
has highlighted free speech, tolerance, and the boundaries of public
expression.
Freedom of Speech
Of all the tools of life at man’s disposal, freedom of speech is among
the noblest, greatest, and most powerful. Speaking the truth, speaking
your mind, communicating heart to heart, touching the spirits of
others, inspiring with hope and motivation – these are all powerful
instruments that can change the course of life events. Never
underestimate the power of the word! The spoken and written word can
break down tyrants, inspire social change and unseat corruption. But
like all tools words are also potential weapons; there must be ethics
in expression that are practiced with nobility and conscience so as to
ensure the rights and dignity of everyone. Just because you have the
power and ability to use words, it does not imply the right to abuse.
Concept of Freedom
The concept of freedom is the distinguishing quality of humanity.
Freedom refers to a state of being in which an individual is able to
make a choice in thought, behavior or speech, as he or she wishes, or
to avoid doing so, without violating similar freedom on the part of
others. From this we can deduce three main dimensions to freedom;
- First, freedom has both positive and negative aspects. It
includes the freedom to do something, as well as the freedom not to do
it.
- Second, there are limits or restraints on individual freedom, such that it cannot impinge upon another person’s freedom.
- Third, because it is a choice, the individual is then accountable
for his/her actions and the consequences deriving from his/her choices.
Qur’anic Concept of Freedom
In the Qur’an the concept of freedom is described with many words and expressions, such as hurr (free) or tahrir (to free); najat (protection, salvation); fawz (reaching the target, achieving the goal); and falah
(total well-being, flowering of the potential, fulfillment of the
latent qualities). In Hadith (Prophetic) literature there is reference
to ‘itq (emancipation and liberation).
Freedom has both positive and negative connotations: freedom for something and freedom from something.
- Islam
wants freedom for living a happy, healthy, prosperous, moral, and
dignified life. Islam wants people to be free to worship, to express
themselves, to earn, to have family, and to have a government of their
choice.
- On the other hand, Islam wants people to be free from economic, political, and social oppression.
The Qur’an says in the matter of freedom of religion, “Let there be no compulsion in religion: truth stands put clear from error.” [Qur’an 2:256]
The reason for the enshrinement of the values of freedom verse is that:
the two largest tribes of Madinah, Aws and Khazraj before Islam made a
pledge if their wives give birth to baby boys they will Judaize them.
This is how some of the members of those two Arab tribes became Jews.
However, when Arabs were blessed with Islam, and those two tribes
entered Islam, members of these families wanted to return their
children to Islam.
Islam advocated such a principle at a time when the Roman Empire used
to force people to Christianity or be beheaded, and the Persian Empire
used to torture its religious reformers. Within this atmosphere, Islam
came to assert the principle of freedom of religion.
Character of Society
It is significant to note that how we express ourselves is a reflection
of our attitudes, and its is unfortunate that often in religious
debates, or arguments over religious matters; etiquette and respect is
often absent. We all must realize that the freedom of speech principle
is one that shapes the intellectual character of society.
Three Aspects to Human Freedom in Islam
The issue of human freedom in Islam has three aspects.
- First, is the notion that humans are born free from original
sin. Adam and Eve were forgiven for their error by God, although their
human descendents would have to live on earth, which would serve as a
test to their faith. [Qur’an 2:36-38].
- Second, given this test, humans are free to choose their actions;
God has created humans such that they have an innate ability to know
the difference between good and evil, and in doing so, have the freedom
to choose good. “Consider the human self, it is formed in accordance
with what it is meant to be, and how it is imbued with moral failings
as well as with consciousness of God! To a happy state shall indeed
attain he who causes his (self) to grow in purity, and truly lost is he
who corrupts it.” [Qur’an 91:7-10]. It is only by having this freedom
that choosing to obey God becomes a meaningful process. [Qur’an 18:29].
- Third, to be able to choose one’s actions then implies that one has
to deal with the consequences of them as well. Humans are accountable
to God on the Day of Judgment. “And every human being‘s doings have We
tied to his neck, and on the Day of Resurrection We shall bring forth
for him a record which ehewill find wide open.” [Qur’an 17:13].
Freedom to…
It is important to remember that freedom in Islam means freedom to do
good, not freedom to do just anything. In the Arabic language the word
hurr does not only mean “free” but it also means “noble.” Islam
promotes the type of responsible freedom: A type of freedom that
respects the other. Freedom in Islam is not freedom from moral
obligation and responsibilities or freedom from truth, justice, virtue,
and righteousness. Freedom from these values is not freedom , but
rather anarchy and corruption.
Freedom Not in a Vacuum
Freedoms do not exist in a vacuum; they do not function without limits.
In many countries, hate speech (such as holocaust denial, incitement to
racial hatred, advocating genocide) is a criminal offense prohibited
under incitement to hatred legislation. Freedom of religion; at least
in a pluralistic society, ought to mean that some things are sacred and
therefore treated as such. The Islamophobia which is becoming a social
cancer should be as unacceptable as anti-Semitism.
Freedom of expression is not a license to utter falsehood and lies,
just as economic freedom should allow people to earn and to own;
without indulging in fraud, deception, and cheating.
Freedom to Express or to Malign?
The offensive cartoons that are now circulating are no more than fear
and hate drive Islamophobic sentiments. Can speech still be free if it
denigrates an entire section (1.4 billion) of the human population? No
one should ever abuse “freedom” as a deliberate pretext to malign; for
that would be the desecration of the noble concept of freedom.
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By: Br. Sadullah Khan
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