Quran on Sanctity of Life

Arif Mohammed Khan

Terrorists quoting Quran have become evil symbol of our age. To a terrorist the human life is dispensable to secure his political goals and religion is a handy tool to justify his crime. This has created a twofold challenge before the civil society; to protect their lives and religion both from the onslaught of terror.

Let us see what Quran says about human life and human tendency to use religion to gain temporal gains or advantages.

Quran declares that man is God’s vicegerent on earth and that God has endowed him with honor and dignity: “We have honored the Children of Adam; provided them with transport on land and sea; given them for sustenance things good and pure; and conferred on them special favors above a great part of Our Creation. (17.70)

Further it is said that all that is in heavens and on earth has been subjugated to mankind: “And He has subjected to you as from Him all that is in the heavens and on earth” (45.13).

It is important to note that all the verses that talk of vicegerency of man or conferment of honor and dignity and subjugation of nature to man are of general character and not specific to the group of believers. These are divinely ordained rights and can be described as shared heritage of mankind or basic human rights that cannot be altered or alienated by any government.

From this status flow all other rights including the right to life that has been declared as sacred. Quran says: “take not life which Allah has made sacred except by way of justice and law (6.151 & 17.33) and “shed no blood amongst you nor turn out your people from your homes (2.84).

Quran underlines the sanctity of human life by equating it with whole mankind and declares: “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 people: and if anyone saved a life it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people (5.32).

Then there are other verses of Quran strictly forbidding killing of girl child (81.8) or taking one’s own life (4.29) to uphold the principle of inviolability of life.

Now let us examine the question of using religion for pursuing worldly gains including political domination or expansion of dominion. Quran denounces this human tendency in more than 30 verses. It categorically declares: “Woe to those who write the Book with their own hands and then say: "This is from Allah" to traffic with it for a miserable price! Woe to them for what their hands do write and for the gain they make thereby.” (2.79)

On the other hand in more than 40 verses, Quran exhorts the faithful to spend worldly wealth to gain religious merit. It says: "Seek with the (wealth) which Allah has given you the Home of the Hereafter, nor forget your portion in this world, but do good as Allah has been good to you” (28.77). It further assures that looking after the kindred, the needy and wayfarer ensures prosperity (30.38).

History has recorded the last prophetic will consisting of a verse saying: “That House of the Hereafter, We give to those who seek neither dominance nor mischief in the earth for God loves not mischief makers” (28.83). But as Quran itself says everyone does not get light from this Book of wisdom, some go astray: “By it he misleads many and many he guides thereby. And he misleads thereby those who are rebellious” (2.26).