Islam and Human Rights — Page 147
Article 16 147 the seen and of the unseen; exalted is He above all that which they attribute to Him” (23:92-93). Associating anything with God, in His Being or in His atributes, is the gravest spiritual crime and malady. It might be described as spiritual leprosy: loathsome, incurable and unforgivable (4:49, 117), save through special Divine Mercy and Grace (7:157; 39:54). If associating anything with God is spiritual leprosy, adultery is a foul moral disease (17:33). Marriage with a person afflicted with either of these maladies is prohibited (24:4). “Marry not women who associate anything with God until they believe, truly a believing bondswoman is better than a woman who associates others with God, although she may highly please you; and give not believing women in marriage to those who associate others with God until they believe, truly a believing bondsman is better than a man who associates others with God, althongh he may highly please you. These call to the Fire, while Allah in vites to Heaven and to forgiveness that they may take heed” (2:222). Those who profess allegiance to a religion but are in practice indifferent towards the values that the religion seeks, to inculcate, are a law unto themselves. They would chafe under all restraints and restrictions imposed by re ligion and would defy them, except where