Islam and Human Rights — Page 185
Prevalent Attitudes Towards Human Rights Among Muslims 185 Articles 1-3 Nevertheless, those qualities which had been woven into the social and cultural pattern of Muslim society, and had become characteristic of it, numerous as they are, escaped serious injury and damage. Among these is the concept of human equality and brotherhood. There is no race or colour consciousness in Muslim society. Article 4 Yet perhaps the most flagrant departure from the teach ings of Islam and their spirit was in respect of slavery and the slave trade. As has been explained, restriction of freedom- and that subject to safeguards which rendered it least irksome-was permitted only in the case of such prisoners of war, cap tured on the field of battle in a war made obligatory in the cause of freedom of conscience, who were not exchanged or ransomed, or set at liberty as a matter of grace (47:5), or could not obtain release in pursuance of a deed of manu mission (24:34). Raiding for the purpose of taking captives was pro - hibited (8:68). The Prophet said that a person who sold a