In a world marred by inequality, war, and systemic injustice, the need for an accurate model of human rights is more pressing than ever. While modern declarations and organizations’ claim to uphold human dignity, their actions often fall short, are selective, inconsistent, and sometimes politically motivated. Yet, over fourteen centuries ago, a man stood in the deserts of Arabia and laid the foundation for what would become the most transformative and universally applicable human rights system the world has ever known. That man was the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
This article explores how the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) revolutionized human rights by not merely preaching values but institutionalizing them in a way that continues to inspire and challenge our modern conscience. We’ll also examine the glaring contrast between this prophetic model and the current oppression of Muslims in Palestine and around the world.
The Divine Blueprint for Human Reformation
From Spiritual Awakening to Social Transformation
Every true revolution begins with an internal awakening. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) started with the individual’s heart, reconnecting people with their Creator. Once that foundation was laid, a ripple effect transformed family units, communities, and civilization.
The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) knew that real change wasn’t just about laws or systems but about values embedded in the soul. Once people recognized the Divine as the ultimate source of accountability, kindness and justice became a natural extension of their faith. This alignment between belief and action made his reforms not just theoretical ideals but lived realities.
Unity beyond Bloodlines and Borders
Before Islam, Arab society was ingrained in tribalism. Loyalty to one’s tribe superseded all notions of right or wrong. Islam shattered that mold. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) preached that true unity wasn’t based on bloodlines but on shared humanity and piety.
In His Farewell Sermon, he declared: “O people, your Lord is One and your father Adam is one… There is no superiority of an Arab over a non-Arab, nor of a non-Arab over an Arab, nor a white person over a black person, nor of a black person over a white person, except through righteousness.” (Musnad Aḥmad, 23489). This message was revolutionary not just in its time but even by today’s standards.
The Farewell Sermon: A Declaration of Universal Equality
Dismantling the Social Hierarchy
At the height of his influence, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) delivered one of history’s most powerful addresses. With over 100,000 followers listening, he didn’t boast of military victories or territorial gains; he addressed human rights.
He broke down centuries of social stratification: Ethnic privilege, gender-based oppression, and class supremacy were all dismantled in a few declarative sentences. His sermon remains unparalleled as a manifesto for equality, sincerity, and shared dignity.
A Colorblind Brotherhood
This wasn’t mere rhetoric. His early Muslim Ummah community was a living montage of races and backgrounds: Bilal the Abyssinian, Salman the Persian, Suhaib the Roman, and countless others. They were not tokens; they were leaders. Islam didn’t tolerate diversity; it celebrated it. The Qur’an affirms this ethos: “And of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the diversity of your languages and your colors…” (Qur’an 30:22).
Compare this to today’s world, where Black men are killed in traffic stops, refugees drown in seas, and skin tone often determines opportunity. The prophetic message stands as both a condemnation and an invitation.
The Prophetic Standard vs. Modern Hypocrisy
Human Rights or Political Tools?
Modern human rights discourse often rings hollow. Nations champion these rights but bomb villages. Politicians quote equality while passing exclusionary laws. The contradiction is stunning.
The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), however, was consistent. He didn’t just call for justice, He (PBUH) lived it. Whether dealing with people with low incomes, women, or non-Muslims, he upheld rights not based on political gain but divine obligation. This is the model we are missing.
A Call for Authentic Justice
Human rights today are often used as weapons imposed against enemies, while allies are exempt. Palestine is a glaring example. Daily, its people are bombed, displaced, and humiliated, yet world powers remain silent. Meanwhile, Muslim minorities like the Uighurs in China and the Rohingya in Myanmar face genocide, and the global community essentially looks away.
Had the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) witnessed this, his words would have been sharper than any sword: “Whoever sees an injustice, let him stop it with his hand. If he cannot, then with his tongue. And if he cannot, then with his heart, and that is the weakest of faith.”
From Feudalism to Freedom: The Arabian Metamorphosis
Crushing Tribalism at its Core
Pre-Islamic Arabia was a land of feuding clans, blood revenge, and institutionalized inequality. The weak were trampled, and the powerful did as they pleased. Into this chaos came Islam, a light piercing the darkness.
Within a generation, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) transformed that society into a model of impartiality. His companions, once tribal leaders, now stood shoulder-to-shoulder with former slaves in prayer. Superiority was no longer inherited; it was earned through character.
Realigning Power with Purpose
Islam didn’t vilify power, it purified it. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) didn’t call for the rich to be poor or the powerful to be weak. He called for accountability. He affirmed that wealth and authority were blessings if used to uplift, not dominate.
This balanced view allowed Islam to flourish in governance, trade, and societal development. It starkly contrasts today’s political scene, where power is often maintained through manipulation, media control, and suppression.
The Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) Legacy in the Modern Battlefield
Mercy Amid War
Modern warfare is brutal and indiscriminate children killed, hospitals bombed, and prisoners tortured. In stark contrast, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) introduced ethics in warfare that were centuries ahead of his time.
He prohibited killing women, children, the elderly, and even cutting down trees or poisoning wells. Captives were to be treated with dignity. After the Battle of Badr, many prisoners were released in exchange for teaching literacy to Muslim children. One such captive, Abu ‘Aziz ibn Umair, later testified how Muslims fed him while they went hungry, following the Prophet’s (PBUH) order to treat captives kindly. (Al-Ṭabarani, al-Muajam al-kabeer, 22:393)
Can any modern military claim this level of restraint and compassion? These rules weren’t theoretical; they were applied in the heat of conflict, when emotions ran high and vengeance was easy.
The Islamic Law of Engagement
While today’s world debates the morality of drone strikes and preemptive wars, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had already laid down a legal and moral framework for conflict. Treaties had to be honoured, even with enemies. Civilians were sacrosanct. Even in the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) conquest of Mecca after years of persecution, He granted amnesty to his enemies, declaring: “Go, for you are free.”
This legacy stands in direct contrast to the daily aggression faced by Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. Where is the mercy? Where are the human rights for children buried beneath rubble, for women giving birth under fire, or for journalists silenced forever?
Echoes of Oppression: Global Islamophobia and Silence
Genocide in Silence – The Uighur and Rohingya Plight
As the world chases profits and power, brutal atrocities against Muslims continue in deafening silence. In China, over a million Uighur Muslims face forced labour, imprisonment, indoctrination, and psychological abuse. Children are torn from parents, mosques are bulldozed, and even fasting during Ramadan is outlawed, an ongoing human rights crisis the world hesitates to name.
In Myanmar, Rohingya Muslims were burned alive, raped, and driven into exile. Their bodies became casualties of indifference, their cries unheard by global champions of justice. They are not numbers, they are people stripped of basic dignity while the world negotiates trade deals and geopolitical alliances.
Where is the moral outrage from those who claim to uphold freedom? If these victims were not Muslim, would their suffering remain so invisible? The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) warned against such duplicity, saying, “Help your brother, whether he is the oppressor or the oppressed.” When asked how to help an oppressor, he replied, “By stopping him from his oppression.” (Ṣahih Bukhari, 2444). His guidance remains the moral compass the world urgently needs.
Selective Sympathy and Media Narratives
Mainstream media often fuels this silence. Suffering in Muslim communities is reframed and justified as a response to “extremism” or “security threats.” These labels dehumanize. They don’t just distort reality; they erase it.
Contrast that with the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) example. He gave voice to the voiceless, treated enemies fairly, and never allowed the pain of the marginalized to go unnoticed. His compassion wasn’t conditional. It’s time modern media and global institutions ask: Do we see Muslims as full members of humanity or only when it suits our agenda?
Islam’s Universal Brotherhood: The Need of the Hour
Unity Against Global Tyranny
The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) built a global community bonded not by race, language, or politics, but by a shared ethic of justice and mutual respect. Today, the Ummah faces collective trauma from Gaza to Kashmir, yet remains fragmented. The Quran declares, “The believers are but brothers.” (Qur’an 49:10).
True unity is not symbolic. It means coordinated economic, political, and spiritual support for every oppressed brother and sister. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) never stayed silent in the face of tyranny. He stood against it. So must we.
Reclaiming the Prophetic Model
Honouring the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) means more than quoting Hadiths. It means transforming his teachings into policy, action, and culture. Imagine Muslim nations pooling resources to protect human rights or Muslim media countering biased narratives. Imagine education rooted in courage and compassion. The Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) legacy is not a relic; it’s a roadmap—one that guides us from rhetoric to reform, from despair to dignity.
Humanity’s Return to Justice
Islam’s Living Example
Islam’s contributions to human rights weren’t theoretical. They were implemented in constitutions, markets, and battlefields. Women were empowered, minorities protected, and wealth redistributed fairly. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) didn’t just articulate justice; he embodied it. His legacy set standards that challenge modern systems built on inequality and privilege.
The Prophetic Mirror for Today
If the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) were alive today, would he not cry for Gaza’s children, mourn for the Uighur detainees, or rage against corrupt regimes that betray their people? Let us step into his reflection by embodying his ethics, speaking truth to power, and never surrendering to apathy.
Conclusion
The Final Prophet, Muhammad (PBUH), did more than preach justice. He (PBUH) institutionalized it. He (PBUH) eliminated racism, lifted the poor, honoured women, and protected the weak. His teachings remain timeless, and his life is still the greatest human rights manifesto the world has seen. In an age of oppression, especially of Muslims, His model is more urgent than ever. It challenges us to stop spectating and start building. To revive not just rituals, but righteousness. Let us honour his legacy with action, not admiration. Let us become the justice we wish to see.
