Human Rights in Islam

Human rights doctrine in Islam was a logical development from its basic postulates, namely, the sovereignty of God and revelation to Prophet. From these postulates the basic principles of human rights such as are now enshrined in international documents followed logically as a necessary part of Islamic law. The literature of Islamic law taken by itself even without the aid of the modern documents was therefore sufficient to yield the principles necessary to work out a universal Islamic Declaration of Human Rights. It is remarkable that every one of the principles set out therein with its great similarity to the most modern formulations, can be supported on the basis of specified Islamic texts. — Justice C.G. Weeramantry