Islam and Human Rights — Page 121
Articles 13-15 121 be legiti mately requested and granted. Islam recognizes the need of and makes provision for asylum even during the progress of hostilities. “If anyone of the (warring) idolaters ask thee for asylum, grant him asylum so that he may hear the Word of Allah; then convey him to his place of security. That is because they are a people who lack knowledge” (9:6). The doctrine of nationality is a result of the division of mankind into political groups on the basis mainly of geographical boundaries. Social, cultural, economic, ling guistic and even religious considerations may intrude them selves into the concept, but the major element is furnished by territorial limits. So long as the current political patterns and divisions are maintained, considerable value and im portance must continue to be attached to nationality and the right to a nationality must be recognized and safe guarded. Many factors may make it desirable for an individual, or for a group of individuals, whether members of the same family or not, to give up one nationality and acquire another in its place. The provisions of Article 15, therefore, are in today’s conditions almost axiomatic. A person without a nationality, or a stateless person, would find himself seriously handicapped and circumscribed. Yet nationality, the laws regulating nationality and