A Review of the Backgrounds of Civil Rights in Nahj al-Balagha

The rulership and public’s commitment to civil rights is the main feature of sustainable human development in the world. From an Islamic perspective, given the Divine and Islamic tenets and objectives, commitment to civil rights is called khalifat-Allah (vicegerent of God) in Islamic communities. Man has been endowed with inherent dignity and general purity by God to help him establish a monotheistic community and have peaceful coexistence. Hence, an evaluation of the components of civil rights from the perspective of the Quran and Nahj al-Balagha is necessary. Stronger adherence to civil rights and its relation with rulership, government and the public is indicative of sustainable development and lack of rupture between the public and the government. Rulership and civil rights is one of the issues pointed out by Imam Ali (a.s.) as an Islamic ruler in Nahj al-Balagha. Exploration of this vital issue in the present study reveals that, in regard to civil rights, Imam Ali’s (a.s.) administration in the first civil society was superior to those of today’s postmodern progressive human community.