Muslim scholars say that Islam and Human rights may not be compatible

Coulda fooled me.

There is a major conference going on in Malaysia this week among Islamic scholars, academics and intellectuals to discuss "human rights in Islam".

Hmmmm.

Apparently, they're trying to come up with an "Islamic view" of human rights, even though their countries -- as U.N. member states -- are expected to support the objectives of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

The world's Islamic countries signed a document called the Cairo Declaration of Human Rights in Islam in 1990, which asserts that all rights and freedoms must be subject to Islamic law (shari'a).

Sort of complicates things a little, considering what shari'a mandates.

Participants at the meeting in Kuala Lumpur have been trying to bridge the gap between the two, and are on the verge of dropping the pretense and simply saying that it was time Muslims were more open about the inconsistencies between the two.

"If [human rights] are contradictory with Islamic law, we have to say 'no,' " said Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, a minister in the department of the Malaysian prime minister.

"We must be open about it and we can't just sweep it under the carpet."

Some people in the West don't understand the Islamic way," Nazri said. "In their view, human rights are unlimited, but when certain human rights are not consistent with the tenets of Islam, we must explain why we say 'no.' "

Hey, ho, `cause the Qu'ran says so!

Nazri is the one two months ago who said that non-Muslims who make comments that are viewed as insulting Islam will be charged and jailed under Malaysia's sedition laws.

At this week's meeting, Nazri said Malaysia supported the OIC's efforts towards creating a rights standard such as the Cairo Declaration. He argued that such a document was not incompatible with existing rights mechanisms at the U.N., but would "complement" them.

I guess that's true, provided you aren't a Jew, a Christian, a Hindu, a Buddhist a woman or any other Islamically inferior being. If you are, shari'a and the Cairo Declaration is re-eal incompatible with any notion of human rights.

Nevertheless, I agree with Nazri on this much..I'd appreciate a lot more openness and a lot less taki'ya when it comes topresenting what Islam stands for to the West.

Another participant, Prof. Masykuri Abdillah of Indonesia's Syariff Hidayatullah Islamic University, acknowledged that "it is true that there are certain Islamic percepts that are not compatible with universal human rights."

You mean, like this one?:

“Allah permits you to shut them in separate rooms and to beat them, but not severely. If they abstain, they have the right to food and clothing. Treat women well for they are like domestic animals and they possess nothing themselves. Allah has made the enjoyment of their bodies lawful in his Qur’an.” - Tabari IX:113

Or this one?:

"It is not fitting for a Muslim man or woman to have any choice in their affairs when a matter has been decided for them by Allah and His Messenger. They have no option. If any one disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he is indeed on a wrong Path.”-Qur’an 33:36

Maybe this one?:

"The punishment for those who wage war against Allah and His Prophet and make mischief in the land, is to murder them, crucify them, or cut off a hand and foot on opposite sides...their doom is dreadful. They will not escape the fire, suffering constantly.” - Qur’an 5:33

No..really? I would never have guessed.







Hat tip to Ken Lydell at Islamic Evil