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Published: 17 January 2026

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• religion
• divine prophets
• Tendencies
• heavenly religions

Mysterious Tendencies

Humans and animals have common tendencies which are called instincts. Instincts are innate qualities that are not acquired and enable animals and humans to fulfill their needs, such as obtaining food, self-defence and generally guide both creatures in the continuation of its life.

Are human tendencies limited to instinctive desires? Are the sentiments of humans similar to animals? Do attributes such as the seeking of justice and truth, the tendency to praise and worship, the giving of help and respect to fellow human beings, forgiveness and sacrifice, exist within animals? Have you ever seen a lion go hunting and then divide up its kill between weaker animals? Have you ever seen a strong animal, for the sake of justice, go to help a weak animal against a stronger animal? There is no doubt, within the human, tendencies and sentiments exist which do not exist in other creatures. So, where do these sentiments come from?

If these sentiments result from human intelligence, then whoever is more intelligent will be more kind, more just and more self-sacrificing. In fact, it is not like this: sometimes people who are more intelligent have worse morals and arc more unjust. Therefore, these sentiments do not result from human intelligence.

Human nature has a set of tendencies which leads man towards perfection and goodness. we learned that the human characteristic that results in these tendencies is having the knowledge of God, also interpreted as divine nature.

The View of Divine Religions towards Human Tendencies

In the Holy Qur’an. we read:

(“So set your heart on the religion as a people of pure faith, the origination of Allah according to which He originated mankind.” (30:30))

Just as a power has been deposited within animals which guides them in the manner of eating, of defending themselves and of reproducing, humans, in addition to this power, have another power which the Holy Qur’an has termed ‘nature’ (fitrah). This Divine nature guides the human towards perfection in his life: a life in which material and spiritual aspects have been mixed together. This nature was placed within the human by his creator and is unchangeable, and it is for this reason that humans share common permanent characteristics. The tendency towards beauty and love and the tendency to dislike falsehood, oppression, injustice, etc. arc all common tendencies among humans which collectively are called his ‘nature’.

These tendencies do not lie within the body of a human; rather they lie within his soul and consciously or unconsciously lead him towards perfection. The nature of the human is within his essence and will not be separated from him. However, because the human has the tendency towards beauty and perfection, he sometimes tends towards limited and transitory beauties and perfections and remains ignorant of higher beauties and perfections. Sometimes realities lead him to a place where absolute truth will not be found but in his mind he imagines himself to be heading in the direction of truth.

The Divine Prophets and heavenly religions have the aim of freeing man from the prison of mental delusions and lead him towards the highest perfection, though because he does not correctly realise his own capacities, he has claimed that beauty and perfection lie in another place. Sometimes he turns to his divine conscience and his nature but attachment to the beauties and perfections of this world act as an obstacle to him reaching greater and everlasting beauties.

Religion, as a way of life has been established according to human creation, desires humans to enjoy material and spiritual beauties in a just manner; however, humans with a way of life that has been established based on experience and benefit, want to counter religion and live in an incorrect manner. Accordingly, material benefit has been placed as the means to achieve worldly perfections such as beauty, prosperity and pleasure and man has reasoned that spiritual beauties do not exist. This is despite him praising spiritual beauties within himself such as self-sacrifice, justice, love and thanksgiving to the Creator. In this struggle between the conscience and attachment to material beauties, it is possible that many people will ignore spiritual beauties and pursue a prosperous material life, desiring more enjoyment and comfort, even sacrificing justice and moral principles in the process.

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Published: 17 January 2026

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• Abortion
• pregnancies

Ban on Abortion

Today we are facing the news about the rising levels of abortion in some countries. The issue is not over babies that, due to compelling medical reasons, should be aborted. It is about babies, who despite their mother being healthy, are being denied their right to life.

Among all pregnancies in the United States, twenty-two percent terminate in abortion (i.e. more than one in five).
From 1973 (the beginning of legal abortion in the United States) until 2005. over 45 million legal abortions have been performed in this country. It should be added to these terrible statistics that each year around the world, between 42 million and 70 million abortions take place. This means that the theoretical justification for abortion is a cause for sustaining a horrific genocide around the world. This is while 93 percent of all abortions are carried out at the request of the parents (particularly the mother)- without any medical reason.

Indeed, the question arises in the minds of all people: why are these babies being killed? The hearts of these people suffer from the killing of these babies and they are reminded of the periods of ignorance in history. The Holy Qur’an. With reverence for the human being from the beginning of creation and development of the foetus, to birth and thereafter until death, has established the most valuable social laws for humans, which include the protection of the foetus and the need to uphold its sanctity and human dignity. According to the Qur’an, all human beings, even the foetus, are equal to each other in the principles of “human dignity” and the “right to life”.

The Holy Quran has severely condemned the killing of humans, whether it is those who have not yet been born and are in their mother’s womb, or those who have been born. Take notice of the following verses:

    “Do not kill your children for the fear of penury: We will provide for them and for you. Killing them is indeed a great iniquity.” (17:31)

    “Say. ‘Come, I will recount what your Lord has forbidden you from. That you shall not ascribe any partners to Him, and you shall be good lo the parents, you shall not kill your children due to penury -We will provide for you and for them- you shall not approach indecencies, the outward among them and the  inward ones, and you shall not kill a soul [whose life] Allah has made inviolable, except with due cause. This is what He has enjoined upon you so that you may apply reason.” (6:151)

    “That is why We decreed for the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul, withou [its being guilty of] manslaughter or corruption on the earth, is as though he had killed all mankind, and whoever saves a life is as though he had saved all mankind. Our apostles certainly brought them manifest signs, yet even after that many of them commit excesses on the earth.” (5:32)

Human dignity and right to life are the source of all other human rights. If this principle is ignored, then all rights will be ignored. Therefore, the Qur’an considers the killing of an innocent human being equal to the killing all human beings. From the words of the Prophet (s) we learn that “If all the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth were involved in the shedding of Muslim blood, and gave consent to it. God would throw them all into hell.” (Wasa'ii al-Shi'ah. vol. 19.p.9)

This respectful approach to the human being, and consequently the foetus governs over all ethical principles. Therefore by complying with the principle of the inherent dignity of the human and preserving the sanctity of his life. the taking of any human life, at any age or circumstance, will not occur. Hence the religion of Islam does not permit abortions except in a case where the mother’s life is in danger, and even blood money (al- dīya ) has been considered in regards to the lifeless body of the foetus. A notable point is that even if the foetus be illegitimate, Islam still does not permit its abortion. This shows the depth of consideration of divine religions towards human rights and human dignity.

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Published: 17 January 2026

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• Human Dignity
• divine prophets
• human rights
• freedom

Divine Religions and Human Dignity

Human history clearly shows that the divine prophets had been the first proclaimers of the fundamental rights and freedom of the human who regarded them as the will of God. Although some of the Western scholars claim that they originated human rights, dignity and freedom; however with a brief look at the existing laws in the divine religions, especially Islam, it will be understood that moral values and the protection of dignity have a long history within societies.

The concept of human rights in the divine religions is based on monotheistic principles, such as freedom, equality, brotherhood, peace, security, fulfilling obligations, respect for individual and social rights, unlike other approaches which are based on humanism. From the perspective of the revealed religions, absolute sovereignty over the world and humanity belongs to God and the aim of creation is the perfection of man in both of his dimensions, material and spiritual, this is while man’s attention is focused on the Originator of Creation. These religions regard human rights as necessary for the dignity of man. Principles such as freedom, equality, brotherhood, peace, security, fulfilling obligations, respect for individual and social rights and the rights of women, children and refugees are among the basic principles of monotheistic religions.

Islam, as the last divine religion, places great emphasis on dignity and regards the human as worthy of being the representative of God. According to Islamic belief. God breathed His spirit in man and commanded the angels to prostrate before him. God gave the precious gift of dignity to man, declaring: “Certainly We have honoured the Children of Adam” (17:70). This status is a source of honor and esteem, which God has given to all humans, religious and non-religions. This type of prestige is an inherent distinction that all humans have an equal share in.

There is another form of nobility in divine religions, which is known as acquired dignity. Humans are able to achieve a higher status than other creatures, even the favored angels, based on their efforts and obedience to the commands of God in respect to the rights of others. God says in the Holy Qur’an. “Indeed the noblest of you in the sight of Allah is the most Godwary among you” (49:13). In fact, humans have received their dignity from God Himself, Who is dignified, and to the extent that a person can be successful in attaining divine morality, they will enjoy more or less of this attribute.

Based on the inherent dignity of the human. God has provided rights for mankind. In today’s language, these are referred to as human rights. Some of the rights that have been mentioned in the divine religions are:

1. Freedom

The first thing that arises from human dignity is freedom of belief and choice.
If a human is forced to accept a belief, even a correct belief, his dignity has been suppressed and his human personality has been offended, and in the view of Islam, this belief which has not been achieved through free choice, is lacking in value and validity. In the view of Islam, all humans have been created free and have the right to live freely.

There are various types of freedoms; we will mention three of them briefly:

1) Human free will: is tied to the freedom of thought Since the human essence possesses free will it can choose the direction of its actions.

2) Social freedom: is the freedom of a person from the constraints and captivity of others. Here a person gains his social freedom from others; who are not supposed to act as obstacles on the way of his development confine him or block his activities, exploit him or enslave him, meaning that they do not use all of his physical and mental faculties for their own benefit. The lack of this type of freedom has been a problem for humanity throughout its history and one of the general aims of the prophets has been the provision of social freedom and the combatting of different forms of slavery.

3) Spiritual freedom: means that a person is free within himself and is not a servant and slave of sensual desires or passions that will lead him to worldliness, Therefore, this freedom is even more valuable and sacred than social freedom because the person is free from the constraints and captivity of himself. Spiritual freedom can only be achieved through faith and divine teachings. Faith and piety free a person from bondage and slavery to their desires and removes the rope of greed. lust, envy and resentment from their necks, and thus destroys the roots of rivalry and social slavery. Persons who are not slaves to wealth and position will also never become affected by rivalry or subjected to social slavery.

2.Security

Islam invites its followers to peace and reconciliation in social life and warns against following provocateurs and those who have gone astray. Islam condemns all terrorist acts and any killing of innocents at any place:
however legitimate defense against aggression is considered a necessity of life and Islam supports struggles of liberation by oppressed nations.

3.Equality

In Islam, all humans enjoy a set of equal and basic human rights that are essential to humanity and human dignity. Islam negates any discrimination arising from differences in colour or language. The Prophet (s) stated: The Arab has no superiority over the non-Arab nor the non-Arab over the Arab, and the white has no superiority over the black, nor the black over the white: except in virtue. (Mu‘jam  al-Kabir, vol. 18, p. 13) In Islam, all people are equal in their ability to become close to God and achieve prosperity. Woman, man, old, and young: all Muslims, even the Prophet, are equal in their divine and social duties, and all human beings are equal in terms of social rights.

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Published: 16 January 2026

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• Fitrah
• Value of Human

Fitrah

There is no doubt that there are tendencies within the human that do not exist within animals, such as. compassion, creativity. love, worship, etc. From the viewpoint of all monotheistic religions, these characteristics stem from his nature. Due to his divine essence, a person will seek truth and justice, will love beauty and fear evil.

In fact, all of our values are encapsulated within our nature and is one of the distinguishing features of humans and gives them superiority over animals.These innate qualities arc holy and not from the realm of the mundane nor natural instincts. For some reason, they are not always manifest within individual and social ethics.

The measure of the humanity of a person is according to the development of his innate values and the criterion for virtue and excellence, is the condition of these human values within him. The reason for their existence is to allow man to attain human perfection.

These divine characteristics, which exist within the human, are in fact beyond the limits of time and place and particularity. Human nature seeks perfection and infinity and desires to attain all perfections in every time and place. Among other features of human nature, is the desire for beauty and love, which lays the ground for altruism and the helping of other humans, animals and plants. In other words, since animals do not understand the desires of humans and do not desire them, the human nature can be regarded as one of the most important distinction between humans and animals.

The Value of Human Beings

(…Whoever saves a life is as (though he saved all mankind. (5:32) ) 
The below sentences are found within the opening sentences of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights:

“Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.

Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people.

Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed their faith In fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom.

Now, therefore the General Assembly proclaims This Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, lo the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education lo promote respect for these rights and freedoms...”

The failure of the First and Second World Wars in the twentieth century showed how important the issue of human rights is. more than at any other time in history. The preamble of the United Nations Charter and thirty different articles lay emphasis on human rights, the dignity and worth of the human, equality of rights between men and women, equality of large and small nations, and so on. Human value is great and these rights should be considered. All humans should declare with the loudest voice that the value and respect of the human is so great that no person or thing should cause him her to be humiliated or treated like an animal/ sub-human.

Indeed, what is the meaning of human dignity? Why does the Charter of Human Rights state: “Recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world?” What is this dignity of the human that is introduced as his first integral right? It is apparent from looking at the world today that the value of these sentences has not been given due regard and they have remained only words.

The content of the United Nations Charter is simply a confirmation that all people possess human dignity and demand justice and respect for their rights and others. However, a noteworthy point is that the main cause for the many faults and shortcomings which exist in the implementation of the provisions of this charter lies in how to define and identify the rights of humans, animals, trees and other beings and this has also led to many sharp divisions, conflicts and wars (even after the drafting of this charter). According to the provisions of this charter, no one denies that justice is good, but that which is causing problems in the world is the lack of proper foundations that determine the rights and position of each individual in society: the separation from divine teachings and principles, which have explained the rights of all animals separately and in different situations, has been the main cause of the major problems in societies.