Inherent Dignity Equal for All Humans
This is according to Reza Vatandoost, researcher of the Foundation for Islamic Researches of Astan-e Quds Razavi, who recently addressed an academic session on “Human’s Dignity based on Quran”. Here are excerpts from his speech:
The term ‘dignity’ has a general meaning and anything and anyone who has honor and greatness is described as dignified and honorable.
Ayatollah Javadi Amoli has defined dignity as being away from humility, that is an honorable soul far away from any humility.
Human dignity is either inherent or acquired. Allameh Mohammad Taqi Ja’fari believes that all humans have been equally given an inherent dignity and some of the Quran’s verses also stress this fact. According to the scholar, every human being has an inherent dignity and people have no priority over each other because of their skin color, language, race or religion.
Allameh Ja’fari believes that acquired dignity is the result of making use of one’s potentials and positive powers in the way of growth and salvation. Inherent dignity is given to human as soon as one is created, but acquired dignity should be achieved and one should work hard to reach it.
What inherent dignity means is that God has created human in a way that he/she has priorities over other creatures, the most important of which is human’s power of thinking. These priorities are such that no one can be proud of them because everyone own them.
The following verses of the Quran stress this point:
“Surely We created man in the best mould” (Surah At-Tin, verse 4)
“Indeed, We have dignified the children of Adam, carried them on land and sea, granted them good and lawful provisions, and privileged them far above many of Our creatures.” (Surah Al-Israa, verse 70)
“Then We developed the drop into a clinging clot ˹of blood˺, then developed the clot into a lump ˹of flesh˺, then developed the lump into bones, then clothed the bones with flesh, then We brought it into being as a new creation. So Blessed is Allah, the Best of Creators.” (Surah Al-Mu’minun, verse 14)
Therefore, while any creature has a kind of virtue, human being has been given virtues and dignities that other creatures do not have. Human has wisdom and free will and that is why human can not be compared with other creatures.
