Islam and Human Rights — Page 126
Isl am and Hum an R ights 126 due regard to the welfare of the children affected and the competing claims of natural affection. The dissolution of marriage and a host of other matters relating to marriage and resulting therefrom must under many systems continue to be governed by values based upon religion, and it would be unrealistic to try to by-pass them. Faith in a religion means that a believer commits himself or herself to bring his or her life into conformity with the values inculcated by that religion. Should the Declaration be in conflict with any of those values, the Declaration must give way, and not that in which a person truly believes. The fundamental values of religion must, prevail against all other values and considerations, else religion would cease to have meaning and reality and would serve merely as a cloak for hypocrisy. Islam regards the married life as the normal state and does not look with favour upon celibacy or monasticism (27:28). The Prophet said: “Married life is our way; whoever turns away from our way is not of us”, 63 and declared: “There is no monasticism in Islam”. 64 The Islamic concept of marriage is a union for the 63 Muslim I, Sect. :Marriage, Ch. :Desirability of Marriage etc. 64 Habal VI, p. 226.