Universality of Human Rights (Comparison between Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Islam)

The present paper discusses the issue that whether Universal Declaration of Human Rights, despite its title, is qualified to be universal or has it been so? Is Islam able to come up with universal rights? And basically, what general challenges are facing universality of human rights?In response, we must note that in view of plurality of cultures and worldviews, universal human rights are minimal rights that every human being should enjoy because they are human beings and this is the same thing that has been mentioned in Islam which considers all human beings to deserve those rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights transcends those limits to generalize and impose such viewpoints as secularism, liberal democracy as well as liberalistic and humanistic freedoms accepting plurality only within such a frame. In contrast, Islam accepts plurality within frame of cordial living in the light of two major elements of “truth” and “negation of hegemony”. In the light of originality of right which is basic principle of rationality, the meaning of human being will be different from what has been referred to by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights because from this angle, humans are not simply upright, two-legged creatures; but enjoy an identity based on ration and perception that goes beyond animal limits and according to which, humans enjoy more rights compared to animals. Islam wants people enjoy human dignity while the human being that is respected by Universal Declaration of Human Rights lives and perceives at the same level or even inferior to four-legged animals. In other words, the rights considered for humans by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are nothing more than rights considered by Islam for animals and, therefore, it has degraded the lofty status of human beings.