The Sanctity of Life in Islam

By Mohammad Hashim Kamali

It is a manifestation of the dignity of man that Islam has placed an infinite value on human life. This is expressed in the Qur'an in the following terms:

We ordained for the children of Israel that if anyone slew a person, unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land, it would be as if he slew the whole of mankind. And if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of a whole people. (al-Ma’ida, 5:32)

The reference to the children of Israel, that is, the Jews, represents continuity of the basic values that are common to all revealed religions. Both Judaism and Islam are committed to the protection of human life. It makes no difference whether the victim is a Jew, a Muslim or anyone else. The value that is advocated is holistic and indivisible in that aggression against one is tantamount to aggression against all. Life is not only of infinite value, it is also sacred: "Nor take life which God has made sacred, except for a just cause" (al-Isra', 17:33).

Al-Ghazali has quoted these ayat and drew the conclusion that "in respect of the sanctity of life and the prohibition of aggression against it, Muslims and non-Muslims are equal. Attack on the personal safety of non-Muslims invokes the same punishment in this world and the Hereafter". [Muhammad Al-Ghazali, Huquq al-Insan, p. 54]

In times of military engagement, the warriors are under a personal duty not to destroy civilian life. It is consequently unlawful to attack women and children, the elderly and the insane, the ill and the invalid and this include the blind, the lame, the crippled and the unconscious. The exempted categories also include the priest and the monk and those engaged in worship as I well as farmers who occupy themselves with their works in the field provided that they are not involved in the conflict. The hadith contains detailed instructions on all of these and the Prophet has generally advised military commanders and soldiers in the battlefield to be fair, avoid excessive violence and incline toward peace. [Zuhaili has quoted five hadiths on the subject. See for details, Zuhaili, al-Fiqh al-Islami wa Adillatuh, VI, 421 ff.]

Al-Qur'an 2:28

"How can you disbelieve in Allah when you were lifeless and He brought you to life; then He will cause you to die, then He will bring you [back] to life, and then to Him you will be returned."

Al-Qur'an 3:102

"O ye who believe! Heed Allah as He deserves to be heeded, and die not except in a state of Islam [in submission to Him]."

Al-Qur'an 6:59-60

"And with Him are the keys of the unseen; none knows them except Him. And He knows what is on the land and in the sea. Not a leaf falls but that He knows it. And no grain is there within the darknesses of the earth and no moist or dry [thing] but that it is [written] in a clear record. And it is He who takes your souls by night and knows what you have committed by day. Then He revives you therein that a specified term may be fulfilled. Then to Him will be your return; then He will inform you about what you used to do."

Al-Qur'an 7:172

"And [mention] when your Lord took from the children of Adam - from their loins - their descendants and made them testify of themselves, [saying to them], "Am I not your Lord?" They said, "Yes, we have testified." [This] - lest you should say on the day of Resurrection, "Indeed, we were of this unaware.""

Al-Qur'an 10:31

"Say, "Who provides for you from the heaven and the earth? Or who controls hearing and sight and who brings the living out of the dead and brings the dead out of the living and who arranges [every] matter?" They will say, " Allah ," so say, "Then will you not fear Him?" "

Al-Qur'an 10:34-36

"Say, "Are there of your 'partners' any who begins creation and then repeats it?" Say, " Allah begins creation and then repeats it, so how are you deluded?" Say: "Of your 'partners' is there any that can give any guidance towards truth?" Say: "It is Allah Who gives guidance towards truth, is then He Who gives guidance to truth more worthy to be followed, or he who finds not guidance (himself) unless he is guided? Then what is [wrong] with you - how do you judge?" And most of them follow not except assumption. Indeed, assumption avails not against the truth at all. Indeed, Allah is Knowing of what they do."

Al-Qur'an 10:45

"And on the Day when He will gather them, [it will be] as if they had not remained [in the world] but an hour of the day, [and] they will know each other. Those will have lost who denied the meeting with Allah and were not guided"

Al-Qur'an 19:66-67

“And man says, ‘When I have died, am I going to be brought forth alive?’ Does man not remember that We created him before, while he was nothing?”

Al-Qur'an 40:57

“The creation of the heavens and earth is greater than the creation of mankind, but most of the people do not know.”

Al-Qur'an 40:67-68

"It is He who created you from dust, then from a sperm-drop, then from a clinging clot; then He brings you out as a child; then [He develops you] that you reach your [time of] maturity, then [further] that you become elders. And among you is he who is taken in death before [that], so that you reach a specified term; and perhaps you will use reason. He it is who gives life and causes death; and when He decrees a matter, He but says to it, "Be," and it is."

Al-Qur'an 41:39

“And among His Signs, that you see the earth barren, but when We send down water (rain) to it, it is stirred to life and growth (of vegetations). Verily, He Who gives it life, surely is Able to give life to the dead (on the Day of Resurrection). Indeed He is Able to do all things.”

Al-Qur'an 44:38

“And We did not create the heavens and earth and that between them in play."

Al-Qur'an 51:56

"And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me."

Al-Qur'an 52:35-37

"Or were they created by nothing, or were they the creators [of themselves]? Or did they create the heavens and the earth? Rather, they are not certain. Or have they the depositories [containing the provision] of your Lord? Or are they the controllers [of them]?"

Al-Qur'an 82:6-7

"O mankind, what has deceived you concerning your Lord, the Generous, Who created you, proportioned you, and balanced you?"

Al-Qur'an 112:1–4

"Say: He is Allah, the One and Only; Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; He begetteth not, nor is He begotten; And there is none like unto Him."

Narrated Abu Huraira: Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) said,

(Al-Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 93, Number 479)

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The Sanctity of Life in Islam

Al-Qur'an 2:28

Al-Qur'an 3:102

Al-Qur'an 6:59-60

Al-Qur'an 7:172

Al-Qur'an 10:31

Al-Qur'an 10:34-36

Al-Qur'an 10:45

Al-Qur'an 19:66-67

Al-Qur'an 40:57

Al-Qur'an 40:67-68

Al-Qur'an 41:39

Al-Qur'an 44:38

Al-Qur'an 51:56

Al-Qur'an 52:35-37

Al-Qur'an 82:6-7

Al-Qur'an 112:1–4

Narrated Abu Huraira: Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) said,

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