Rights that belong to everyone

Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms that belong to every person, simply because they are human. They are set out in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) — for example the right to life, to freedom of belief, and to be treated equally before the law.

• Christian basis: all people are made in the image of God (imago Dei, Genesis 1:27), so every person has equal, God-given value.
• Muslim basis: all people are Allah's creation and share a God-given dignity; humans are Allah's khalifah (stewards) with a duty to act justly.
• Non-religious basis: many humanists argue rights come from our shared humanity and the use of reason, not from God.

Conviction and the law: sometimes a believer's conscience conflicts with the law of the land. Many teach that unjust laws may be challenged peacefully — but this can bring a real tension between personal conviction and obeying the law.

Attitude vs action

These two terms are easy to confuse, so learn them precisely:

• Prejudice = an unfair, pre-formed attitude or belief about someone (e.g. because of their race or religion). It happens in the mind.
• Discrimination = acting on prejudice — treating someone unfairly because of it. It happens in action.

Types include racism, religious prejudice, and prejudice based on disability, gender or sexuality.

Prejudice or discrimination?

Believers who fought discrimination

Religious teachings condemn prejudice and uphold equality — and many believers have acted on this by challenging injustice.

• Martin Luther King Jr — a Christian minister who led the American civil rights movement, using non-violent protest to oppose racism. His faith in the equal worth of all people shaped his work.
• Christians and Muslims alike are taught to speak up for the oppressed and treat everyone with respect, whatever their background.

Working for a fairer society

Social justice means working for a fairer society in which everyone is treated equally and has what they need. It includes standing up for the oppressed and the poor and challenging unfair systems.

Careful: social justice is about fairness for society as a whole — do not confuse it with charity to one person, though charity can be part of it.

Key term → meaning

Tap a term on the left, then its meaning on the right.

The right use of wealth

Wealth itself is not condemned in Christianity or Islam. The danger is the love of money — putting money before God and other people, and gaining or using it selfishly.

• Ethical ways to gain and use money: honest work, fair pay, and generous giving to those in need.
• Wrong ways: greed, exploiting workers, or gaining money dishonestly (e.g. cheating or theft).

Wealth in religious teaching

A duty to give and to care

Both Christianity and Islam teach a strong duty to help those in need.

• Christianity: caring for the needy is caring for Christ himself — "whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." (Matthew 25:40) Christians are called to charity and generosity.
• Islam: Zakah is obligatory almsgiving — most Muslims give 2.5% of their surplus wealth each year. Sadaqah is voluntary extra giving, done to please Allah.

Why poverty happens — and what believers do

Poverty has many causes: unfair pay and exploitation, war and conflict, natural disasters, debt, and lack of education or healthcare.

• Christian charities such as Christian Aid and CAFOD work to relieve poverty and tackle its causes.
• Islamic Relief and other Muslim charities distribute Zakah and aid to those in need worldwide.
• Individuals respond by giving, volunteering, and campaigning for a fairer world.

Almsgiving in Islam

Is this a right use of wealth?

Tap a description, then tap the box that matches.

Just ↔ unjust use of wealth

Tap an example, then the box it belongs in.

The religious basis for human rights

Fighting discrimination

The ideas to know

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