The United Nations Organization was established in the year 1945, with a purpose of establishing peace in the world and creating an environment congenial to the preservation of human rights and liberties. Fundamental rights, which every person as a human being and not merely as a citizen should enjoy, have been elaborately enlisted in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This declaration was adopted by the United Nations on December 10, 1948.
Given blow are the salient features of this Declaration:
i. Equality
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and honour; they are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. Discrimination to be abolished: Everyone is entitled to all rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.
ii. Rights of Self-preservation
Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.
iii. Prohibition of Slavery
No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.
iv. Prohibition of Inhuman Treatment
No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
v. Equality before Law
Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.
vi. Right of Legal Defense
Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trail at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defense. No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account of any act/omission which did not constitute a penal offence under national or international law, at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offence was committed.
vii. Rights to Family and Private Life
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his family, home or correspondence, nor to attack upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of law against such interference or attacks.
viii. Right to Free Movement and Residence
Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state.
ix. Right to Family Life
Men and women full of age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. The family is the natural and fundamental unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the state.
x. Right to Property and Ownership
Everyone has the right to own property, alone as well as in association with others. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.
xi. Right to Freedom of Thought Conscience and Religion
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
xii. Right to Peaceful Assembly
Everyone has the right to peaceful assembly and association. No one may be compelled to belong to an association.
xiii. Political Rights
The will of the people shall be the basis of political authority of government. This will of the people shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections. Everyone has the right of equal access to public services in the country.
xiv. Right to get Employment
Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favorable conditions of work and the protection against unemployment.
xv. Right to Leisure and Rest
Everyone has the right to rest and leisure including reasonable limitations of working hours and periodic holidays with pay.
xvi.Right to Basic Necessities
Everyone has the right to the standard of living adequate for the health and wellbeing of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care, and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, in circumstances beyond his control. Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance.
xvii. Right to Education
Everyone has the right to education; education should be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Education shall be directed to full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
The Last Hajj Sermon and the United Nation's Declaration of Human Rights (A COMPARATIVE STUDY)
United Nations Declaration of Human Rights in an excellent and comprehensive document of human rights. Every noble and civilized human being should upheld the principles stipulated in this Declaration. Yet there are two things that need special consideration; first that the lessons that humanity learned after centuries of devastation and war, were set forth by Hazrat Muhammad Rasool Ullah, very clearly and precisely and in absolutely easy to understand terms centuries before the UN Charter was adopted. Second important thing to note is that the UN Declaration of Human Rights is simply a statement of beautifully worded human aspirations and wishes; it is not supported by a moral, legal or executive authority to make its observance imperative. The UN has no power to enforce it. In contrary to this the Hijjaht-ul-Wada' Sermon of Hazrat Muhammad Rasool Ullah not only sets forth the detail of the fundamental human rights, it also provides a mechanism to make their implementation possible. All Islamic states are duty bound to implement these rights and all the Muslims are individually answerable to Allah in respect to them.
