Inspiring Wishes of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq رضی الله عنه

The Value and Worth of Human Life in Islam

Allah the Generous has bestowed creation with innumerable blessings, the value and importance of which are evident to every sensible person. One of these invaluable bounties is life. Islam encourages its followers to value this blessing and benefit from it, and it strictly prohibits harming it in any way. Among the many virtues of Islam is that it protects human life. Remember, Islam teaches the sanctity not only of human life but of all living beings, and it forbids taking anyone’s life unjustly; it warns those who commit injustice and oppression of the punishment that awaits them.

Human Life Before Islam

A brief look at pre-Islamic Arabian society reveals that human blood was spilled everywhere over trivial matters and disputes. Before Islam, during the Age of Ignorance, human life held little to no value. The Arabs took pride in spilling blood over insignificant issues. Terrifying scenes could be witnessed in which, for decades, people would not tire of beheading one another with swords, and their hearts showed no trace of mercy. Far from feeling any shame or remorse for such deeds, they actually swelled with pride, boasting of their ruthless slaughter of human lives as acts of bravery whenever they gathered.

Burying daughters alive, demeaning slaves, committing massacres in the name of tribalism, and waging vendettas for generations fuelled by the fire of revenge were their defining traits. In that era, swords were drawn over the slightest provocation; the overtaking of a horse or camel, a brief delay in offering water, or even a minor blow to one’s pride could ignite wars lasting generations. The Battle of Basūs, which raged for four decades, and the War of Dāḥis and Ghabrāˈ, which did not end for forty years, are among the dark episodes of the pre-Islamic era.

The Cause of a Forty-Year War

The Battle of Basūs was fought between two tribes, Banū Bakr and Banū Taghlib. Wāˈil b. RabīꜤah, a member of Banū Taghlib and known by the epithet "Kulayb", had gained great power and influence. He established a grazing ground for himself where no one else was permitted to graze their animals, and causing harm to anything there was forbidden. He banned hunting within his territory, prohibited others’ camels from mingling with his own, forbade lighting another fire near his, and even disallowed anyone from passing between his houses. These strict measures eventually became the cause of war between the tribes.

Kulayb was married to the sister of Jassās b. Murrah of the Banū Bakr tribe. One day, a guest arrived at the house of Jassās’s maternal aunt, Basūs, bringing with him a she-camel that began grazing in Kulayb’s pasture along with Jassās’s camels. Kulayb warned that if he saw the she-camel there again, he would kill it. A few days later, when he saw the same she-camel grazing there again, he shot an arrow into its udder. When the owner of the she-camel heard of it, he and Basūs expressed their sorrow. In anger, Jassās vowed that he would soon kill a camel more valuable than that one—meaning Kulayb himself. Taking an opportunity, he stabbed Kulayb in the back with a spear, killing him on the spot.

When Kulayb’s brother learned of the incident, he cut his hair, tore his garments, and forbade wine and all pleasures upon himself. He declared that he would neither smell perfume nor apply oil until he had slain one man from Banū Bakr ibn Wāˈil for every limb of Kulayb. Thus began a war that continued for forty years.[1]

The Battle of Dāḥis and Ghabrā’

Qays b. Zuhayr, the chief of Banū ꜤAbs, owned a horse named Dāḥis, while Ḥudhayfah b. Badr al-Dhubyānī owned one called Ghabrāˈ. The two chieftains were relatives and agreed to hold a horse race, setting a prize of twenty camels for the winner. Before the race began, Ḥudhayfah secretly stationed some men from his tribe near the finish line, instructing them to strike Dāḥis if it began to overtake Ghabrā. When Dāḥis pulled ahead, one of Ḥudhayfah’s men, ꜤUmayr, struck it, causing Dāḥis to lose the race. When Qays b. Zuhayr learned of this deceit, the quarrel escalated into violence and bloodshed, eventually leading to a war between the two tribes that lasted for forty years.[2]

Both wars began over trivial matters, yet they resulted in the loss of thousands of lives. The cheapness of human blood before Islam is evident from the fact that there existed no principle of qiṣāṣ (retribution): when a powerful tribe killed someone, an honourable person from a weaker tribe would be slain in return.

How blessed are the teachings of Islam—principles that taught humanity the true worth of life and gave glad tidings of Paradise to those who protect and nurture the innocent. Islam transformed those once thirsty for blood into protectors of human life. Reflect upon these blessed teachings; let your heart and soul find peace. Thank your Lord for making you a Muslim, and prostrate before Allah Almighty for being among the followers of the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Tell your daughters that Islam is the faith that granted them the right to live, safeguarding their lives, promising Paradise to their fathers for raising them, and even giving them the glad tidings of the Prophet’s companionship in Paradise.

The Importance of Human Life in Islam

The importance of human life in Islam can be easily understood from the fact that whoever kills someone without legal justification is as though they have killed all of humanity, because they have violated the right of Allah Almighty, the rights of people, and the bounds of the sacred law. Whoever saves a single life—from murder, drowning, burning, or starving, or from other causes of destruction—it is as though they have saved all of mankind. This is mentioned in the noble Quran as follows:

مِنْ اَجْلِ ذٰلِكَ ﳎ كَتَبْنَا عَلٰى بَنِیْۤ اِسْرَآءِیْلَ اَنَّهٗ مَنْ قَتَلَ نَفْسًۢا بِغَیْرِ نَفْسٍ اَوْ فَسَادٍ فِی الْاَرْضِ فَكَاَنَّمَا قَتَلَ النَّاسَ جَمِیْعًاؕ-وَ مَنْ اَحْیَاهَا فَكَاَنَّمَاۤ اَحْیَا النَّاسَ جَمِیْعًاؕ-وَ لَقَدْ جَآءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُنَا بِالْبَیِّنٰتِ٘-ثُمَّ اِنَّ كَثِیْرًا مِّنْهُمْ بَعْدَ ذٰلِكَ فِی الْاَرْضِ لَمُسْرِفُوْنَ(۳۲)

For this reason, We prescribed for the Children of Israel that whosoever killed a life without it being for a life (taken) or discord within the earth, then it is as if he killed humanity. And whosoever saved a life, it is as if he saved mankind. Certainly, our Messengers came to them with clear evidences. Then indeed many among them (even) after that are transgressors in the earth.  [3]

This verse clearly illustrates how precious human life is in the sight of Islam. Those who misrepresent Islam as a religion of murder, plunder, or terrorism must not violate justice. Those who call themselves Muslims yet shed innocent blood through bombings or suicide attacks must realise that such acts are heinous crimes, utterly opposed to the teachings of Islam.

In another verse, Allah Almighty declares:

وَ مَنْ یَّقْتُلْ مُؤْمِنًا مُّتَعَمِّدًا فَجَزَآؤُهٗ جَهَنَّمُ خٰلِدًا فِیْهَا وَ غَضِبَ اللّٰهُ عَلَیْهِ وَ لَعَنَهٗ وَ اَعَدَّ لَهٗ عَذَابًا عَظِیْمًا(۹۳)

And whosoever kills a Muslim intentionally, then his retribution is Hell; he will reside therein for a lasting phase, and Allah has placed His wrath upon him, and deprived him of mercy; and He has prepared severe punishment for him.[4]

It must be remembered that if a person kills a Muslim believing such killing to be lawful, this amounts to disbelief, and such a person will remain in Hell forever. If one considers the act unlawful but still commits it, it is among the gravest of sins, and that person will dwell in Hell for a long time.

Human Life in the Sight of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم

The killing of a human soul is among the greatest of sins. Consider the severity of this crime: the first person to commit murder, Qābīl, the son of Ādam, continues to bear a portion of the sin for every unjust killing committed on earth to this day.

The final Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: "No person is killed unjustly except that a share of the guilt falls upon the first murderer among the sons of Ādam [Qābīl], for he was the first to commit murder."[5]

The greatest well-wisher of humanity, Allah’s final Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, said: "On the Day of Resurrection, the first matter to be judged between people [from the rights of mankind - Ḥuqūq al-ꜤIbād] will be the shedding of blood."[6]

He صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم also said: "If all the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth were to take part in the killing of a believer, Allah would cast them all into Hell."[7]

The beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: "In the sight of Allah, the destruction of the whole world is less significant than the unjust killing of one Muslim."[8]

While killing a pure soul is a great sin, to assist in it even slightly is to distance oneself from the mercy of Allah Almighty, as the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: "Whoever aids in the killing of a believer, even with half a word, will appear before Allah on the Day of Resurrection with these words written between his two eyes: 'He is deprived of the mercy of Allah.'"[9]

Although every teaching of Islam is a source of mercy for humanity, the emphasis placed upon the sanctity of human life delivers a powerful message to the world that a Muslim can never be an agent of oppression, violence, or unjust bloodshed. In this age of turmoil, where hatred, terrorism, and murder are being promoted under various pretexts, we as Muslims must embody the teachings of the noble Quran and sacred Hadith through our character and actions. Let us prove through our conduct that Islam is a religion of peace, justice, and compassion; a faith that values life, promotes harmony, and forbids all forms of cruelty and injustice.