TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION    3
THE AUTHOR’S UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROPER ISLAMIC METHODOLOGY    5
CONTEMPORARY TRENDS IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HUMAN RIGHTS AND ISLAM    11
The Self-Proclaimed Modernist/Progressive Approach    12
Expectations Related to This Approach    20
The Pessimistic Approach    22
The Optimistic but “Apologetic” and Faulty Approach    35
Where to Go from Here?    52
THE HISTORY OF THE “HUMAN RIGHTS”    55
ARE HUMAN RIGHTS A “WESTERN, MODERN” CONCEPT?    55
Brief History of the Current Human Rights Movement    59
The Formalization of Human Rights and Contemporary Human Rights Doctrines    65
The Role of Muslims in the Formulation of the UDHR    68
More Recent Developments: Cairo, Beijing and Related Matters    73
FUNDAMENTAL ISSUES REGARDING THE CONTEMPORARY HUMAN RIGHTS PARADIGM    77
THE JUSTIFICATION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS    77
History of the Question: Sidestepped by the UDHR    78
Human Rights as a Compound Term: The Nature of a Human vis-à-vis Human Rights    82
Natural Law    88
Human Dignity and Human Rights    92
Accepting the Fact that they are part of International Law Today—or Once Again Begging the Question    96
Brief Conclusion on the Foundation of Human Rights    98
WHAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A HUMAN RIGHT?    100
THE PARADOX OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS PARADIGM    103
The Dogmatism of Human Rights Schemes: As Fanatic as Religious Extremism?    109
HUMAN RIGHTS BETWEEN THEORY AND PRACTICE    114
The UDHR in Practice    119
The Universality of Human Rights    125
SOME IMPORTANT CONCLUSIONS    126
ISLAM AND “HUMAN RIGHTS”    129
A BASIC PERCEPTION OF THE SHAREEAH (ISLAMIC LAW)    130
The Comprehensiveness of Islamic Law when Compared to the human rights Paradigm    138
Islam and Human Dignity    140
THE DEFINITION OF “ISLAMIC HUMAN RIGHTS”    142
THE JUSTIFICATION FOR “HUMAN RIGHTS” IN AN ISLAMIC FRAMEWORK    146
Unique Features of “Human Rights” within the Islamic Paradigm    147
SPECIFIC “HUMAN RIGHTS” IN ISLAM    152
ISLAMIC “HUMAN RIGHTS”: BETWEEN PRACTICE AND THEORY    168
THE MOST IMPORTANT HUMAN RIGHT    172
CONCLUSIONS    174
ISLAM AND HUMAN RIGHTS: CONTEMPORARY CONTROVERSIES    176
THE ISLAMIC HEADSCARF DEBATE IN EUROPE    178
FREEDOM OF SPEECH: FROM A HADITH TO CARTOONS    189
Is Freedom of Speech a Human Right?    189
Banning a Hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)    190
Defaming the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in Newspaper Cartoons    191
The Legal Framework    192
The Dangers of Defamation and Ridicule in the Media: Why Freedom of Speech Must be Restricted    194
Defamation versus Critique    195
Summary    197
FREEDOM OF RELIGION: THE CONTROVERSY OVER APOSTASY    198
Could God Legislate Death for Apostasy?    199
Killing For God or For Country?    203
Treason and Apostasy    206
Freedom of Religion: Are Muslims Free to Practice their Religion under a Contemporary human rights Platform    209
CONCLUSIONS    209
FINAL THOUGHTS    214
Protecting Humans    214
The Moral Choice    215
Secularism and Human Rights: Is There More to Life?    216
Freedom Lost    220
Beyond Dogmatism and Blind Faith    220
The Good Life    222
Engaging the Muslims on Human Rights: The Concept of Maroof    224
APPENDIX 1: THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS    225
APPENDIX 2:  INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS    232
APPENDIX 3: INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS    245
APPENDIX 4: UNIVERSAL ISLAMIC DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS    268
APPENDIX 5: CAIRO DECLARATION ON HUMAN RIGHTS IN ISLAM    287
BIBLIOGRAPHY    295