5. Huqooq wa Faraiz — Rights and Duties

حقوق و فرائض

Dear friends! Islam is a foundational principle — and that principle is the recognition and performance of rights and duties. Islam is one of the most important and foundational principles of the world.

Rights and Duties

The human being is surrounded by rights and duties on every side. Allah has rights over him. His Prophet has rights over him. The king (ruler) has rights over him and he has rights as a subject. Every person has rights — the rights of the neighbor, the rights of the friend, the rights of the enemy. Even one's own self has rights. The Hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) says:

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَلَا كُلُّكُمْ رَاعٍ وَكُلُّكُمْ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ فَالْإِمَامُ الَّذِي عَلَى النَّاسِ رَاعٍ وَهُوَ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ وَالرَّجُلُ رَاعٍ عَلَى أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ وَهُوَ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ وَالْمَرْأَةُ رَاعِيَةٌ عَلَى أَهْلِ بَيْتِ زَوْجِهَا وَوَلَدِهِ وَهِيَ مَسْئُولَةٌ عَنْهُمْ وَعَبْدُ الرَّجُلِ رَاعٍ عَلَى مَالِ سَيِّدِهِ وَهُوَ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْهُ أَلَا فَكُلُّكُمْ رَاعٍ وَكُلُّكُمْ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ

From 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both): The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Beware! Every one of you is a shepherd, and every one of you will be asked about his flock. The ruler (imam) who is over the people is a shepherd and will be asked about his flock. A man is a shepherd over his household and will be asked about his flock. A woman is a shepherd over the household of her husband and her children and will be asked about them. A servant is a shepherd over the property of his master and will be asked about it. Beware! Every one of you is a shepherd and will be asked about his flock." (Bukhari and Muslim)

That is, the Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) told us: everyone of you is a guardian of his own flock, and each of you will be asked about your flock on the Day of Judgment. The ruler who has been appointed to reform the people's affairs — he is the guardian of his subjects and will be asked about them. The man is the guardian of his household and will be asked about them. The woman is the guardian of her husband's home and children — she will be asked about them. Every person is a guardian and will be asked about their responsibility. This is the concept of accountability in Islam.

Allah Most High says about the rights of property:

وَفِي أَمْوَالِهِمْ حَقٌّ لِّلسَّائِلِ وَالْمَحْرُومِ

"And in their wealth is a rightful share for the beggar and the deprived." (Adh-Dhariyat, 51:19) — that is, in the wealth of the rich there is a share for those who ask and those who are too ashamed to ask. This is a right — not a gift.

يَسْأَلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنفِقُونَ قُلْ مَا أَنفَقْتُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍ فَلِلْوَالِدَيْنِ وَالْأَقْرَبِينَ وَالْيَتَامَىٰ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ ۗ وَمَا تَفْعَلُوا مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ بِهِ عَلِيمٌ

"They ask you what they should spend. Say: Whatever you spend of good is for parents and relatives and orphans and the destitute and the traveler. And whatever you do of good — indeed, Allah knows it." (Al-Baqarah, 2:215)

That is, people ask: 'What should we spend in God's path?' Tell them: it should be spent on parents, on relatives, on orphans, on the needy, on travelers. Whatever good you do, Allah is aware of it. There is also a hadith from Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both): the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "The believer is not the one who eats his fill while his neighbor beside him goes hungry." (Ibn Majah) — That is, the Prophet of Allah declared that a person who eats his fill while his neighbor is hungry is not a complete believer.

Dear friends! Islam is a foundational principle — and that principle is the recognition and performance of rights and duties.