Human rights have become a deceptive lie, as they are always biased in favor of certain groups—namely Westerners and their Zionist allies. When allegations are made against Muslims, courts are established specifically for them, and suspects are forcefully arrested, with their pursuit and persecution deemed a humanitarian duty. Anyone who believes humanity only recognized human rights after the emergence of the United Nations or Western human rights organizations is gravely mistaken. Such a person has failed to contemplate the Book of Allah with due reflection or to examine Allah's Shariah with precise scrutiny. Islam preceded these efforts by fourteen centuries when Allah revealed these rights in the Qur’an and Sunnah, earning the admiration of all fair-minded individuals, even among Westerners themselves. This report highlights hate crimes in the West and delves into the world's most destructive war.
Hate Crimes in the United States
Hate crimes have increased in the United States during the first half of 2022. Many major cities have witnessed a rise in this type of crime, according to police data collected by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino, and recently reported by VOA News.
Data collected from 15 police departments in these major cities showed a 5% increase in bias incidents in the first half of the year. The 15 cities from which data was collected have a combined population of 25.5 million people.
In comparison, a larger data sample—gathered from 52 major cities by the same center—revealed that hate crimes in the United States increased by approximately 30% in 2021, according to the report.
The FBI defines a hate crime as "a criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity."
Hate crimes have surged in recent years in the U.S., driven by several factors, including increased anti-Asian sentiment during the COVID-19 pandemic and hostility toward Black communities in response to racial justice protests across the United States in 2020 following the murder of African American citizen George Floyd by a police officer.
If this upward trend continues, 2022 could mark the fourth consecutive year of rising hate crimes in the United States, potentially setting a pattern for several years to come, according to Brian Levin, Executive Director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism.
The Situation Is Worse in the European Union
The European Union has recently witnessed a sharp rise in hate speech and hate crimes, despite the EU's legal framework criminalizing such behavior.
The European Commission, with support from the European Parliament, is striving to address this issue by expanding the list of "EU crimes" under Article 83 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) to include hate speech and hate crimes. However, this requires a unanimous decision by the Council with the Parliament's approval.
According to a 2020 European Parliament study and another from 2021 supported by the European Commission's initiative to combat hate speech and hate crimes, the frequency of such incidents has steadily increased across the EU in recent years.
Hate speech flourishes particularly on social media platforms, where users, including public figures, tend to express their opinions without restraint.
The study provides examples of hate speech and hate crimes targeting various groups, along with some statistics. For instance, 63% of the girls surveyed reported experiencing some form of online harassment on social media platforms. Among individuals with disabilities, 38% reported being subjected to hate speech within the 12 months prior to the survey, while 17% of them experienced physical violence compared to 8% of others.
These developments are linked to increasing migration, economic and social crises, the spread of conspiracy theories and misinformation, and the growing use of the internet, including social media.
The COVID-19 pandemic and the insecurity and economic hardships it brought have also significantly contributed to the rise in hate speech and hate crimes across Europe.
On September 1, 1939, German forces invaded Poland, signaling the start of World War II, which left catastrophic effects on the history of humanity as a whole.
World War II: The Deadliest in History
This war claimed millions of lives, including those killed and injured on battlefields, in mass detention camps, and as victims of the atomic bombs dropped by the United States on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
World War II broke out for several reasons, including the settlements of World War I, which redrew the map of the world, particularly Europe, and the punitive treaties imposed on Germany—most notably the Treaty of Versailles in 1919, which was economically and militarily unjust to Germany.
Additionally, the rise of the Nazi Party under Adolf Hitler in January 1933, with its ambitions of annexing Europe to Germany, and the rise of fascism in Italy in October 1922 contributed significantly. Although Italy emerged victorious in World War I, it failed to achieve its goal of controlling several strategic regions in the Balkans.
When the war broke out, the world split into two factions: the Allies, comprising Great Britain, the Soviet Union, France, China, and the United States, and the Axis, including Germany, Italy, and later Japan.
Japan joined the Axis Powers with the aim of expelling European nations from their colonies in Asia. After Japan attacked U.S. naval forces at Pearl Harbor in the Pacific Ocean in December 1941, sinking much of the fleet, Washington officially entered the war on the side of the Allies.
The Deadliest War in Human History
More than 70 million soldiers from both the Axis and the Allied forces participated in World War II, making it the most deadly conflict in human history.
The war lasted six years, claiming the lives of more than 60 million people, both soldiers and civilians—amounting to 3% of the world’s population at the time, which stood at 2.3 billion in the 1940s.
When adding those who died from diseases and famine caused by the war, the death toll rises to 80 million.
The war also displaced millions from their homes, including Jews in several European countries due to Nazi Germany’s racist policies. Civilians in Poland, Finland, the Baltic states, Serbia, and Hungary were also forced to flee and seek refuge.
During the years the U.S. was involved in the war, 127,000 Japanese Americans were forced into internment camps. At least 1,800 Japanese individuals lost their lives in these camps due to poor treatment, racism, and malnutrition.
Concentration and Extermination Camps
The concentration camps established by the Nazis in several countries represent one of the most horrific legacies of World War II.
The largest of these camps was Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland, where 1.1 million of the 1.3 million people sent there were killed.
Experiments were conducted on humans in Nazi concentration camps, and the corpses of the deceased were burned in ovens. In line with policies promoting "German racial superiority," millions of people from other ethnic groups—particularly Jews—were killed.
During this war, more than six million Jews were killed, an event later termed the “Holocaust,” a designation recognized by the United Nations.
Nuclear Weapons
The United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, on August 6, and another on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, causing the death, injury, and disfigurement of hundreds of thousands of people.
The bomb dropped on Hiroshima destroyed 70% of the city and killed 80,000 people instantly. By the end of 1945, the death toll had risen to 140,000.
The bomb dropped on Nagasaki led to Japan's surrender, killing approximately 74,000 people.
In the years following the bombings, many people in nearby areas died from radiation-induced cancer. The bombs caused long-lasting effects, with many survivors suffering from various disabilities and cancers.
Famine and Disease
The war also caused famines and diseases that harmed civilians. Thousands were left disabled or traumatized.
Japanese and American soldiers on the Pacific front battled malaria, while hundreds of soldiers on European and North African fronts suffered from typhoid.
September 2: The End of the War
The war between the Axis Powers, led by Germany, Italy, and Japan, and the Allied Powers, led by Britain, France, the United States, and the Soviet Union, ended in Europe with the surrender of the Nazis on May 8, 1945.
However, the war continued on the Pacific front as Japan refused to surrender.
After the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which killed 150,000 people, Japan agreed to surrender, marking the end of World War II worldwide on September 2, 1945.
Human Rights and the West
Journalist Mohammed Al-Sheikh states, "During the Cold War between the West and the Soviet Union, Western powers invented the pretext of defending human rights to serve as a justification granting them the right to interfere in the internal affairs of Eastern Bloc countries and incite the peoples of Eastern Europe to revolt and overthrow their regimes."
He continues, "There is no doubt that these calls found receptive ears and contributed to the collapse of those nations and the triumph of the Western Bloc, led primarily by the United States of America."
Al-Sheikh adds, "It seems that Americans, along with Western countries, found in this pretext a potent weapon to prepare other countries, including those of the Third World, for exploitation via major Western media platforms. This tactic aims to turn these countries into dependent states revolving around their sphere of influence and a lucrative market for their economies. They have reapplied this strategy, not against equals this time, but against anyone attempting to defy or become independent from their hegemony—whether economic or otherwise."
He further notes, "However, this opportunistic method is applied selectively. It is enforced here while overlooked there, depending on what serves their tactical or strategic interests."
For example, Al-Sheikh compares the Trump administration’s dealings with Iran to those under Biden, observing that Trump adopted a firm and strict stance. In contrast, Biden adopted a more lenient approach, despite Iran's policies and attitudes toward the West, particularly America, remaining unchanged. He explains that Biden prioritized temporary tactical interests over human rights violations, aiming to entice Iran to the negotiation table.
Al-Sheikh highlights that similar selective practices apply to Israel but for strategic reasons. He notes, "Israel's inhumane actions, including killings, assassinations, tortures, and imprisonments, go unnoticed. No American or European politician dares to speak out, as doing so would be political suicide."
European Nations and the Implementation of Islamic Sharia
A study conducted by George Washington University examined which countries adhere most closely to the principles of Islamic Sharia. The results were shocking: Ireland, a non-Muslim country, ranked among the top nations adhering to Islamic principles, while Saudi Arabia, the land of the Two Holy Mosques, ranked 91st. Egypt, home to Al-Azhar University, ranked 128th.
According to the study, the countries most aligned with Islamic principles were Ireland, Denmark, Luxembourg, Sweden, and Norway. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia was ranked 91st, Israel 27th, Malaysia 33rd, and Jordan 76th.
Egypt was ranked 128th, Morocco 120th, Yemen 180th, Qatar 111th, and Syria 168th.
The study, led by Professor Hossein Askari from George Washington University's Department of International Business and International Affairs, examined the constitutions, governance, and economies of 218 countries against 113 Islamic principles derived from the Quran and Sunnah concerning justice, wealth distribution, freedoms, and economics.
Askari attributes the poor ranking of Muslim-majority nations to corrupt rulers who use religion as a tool for legitimizing their authority, contrary to the Quranic principles that encourage economic prosperity for society.
The Wisdom Behind the Law of Qisas (Retribution)
Allah has ordained Qisas as a mercy to humanity, safeguarding lives and deterring aggression. It ensures justice by subjecting the perpetrator to the same harm they inflicted upon others. This law brings solace to the bereaved and extinguishes the flames of anger within the hearts of the victim’s family. It preserves human life and guarantees the survival of the human race, as emphasized in the verse: "And there is for you in legal retribution [saving of] life, O you [people] of understanding, that you may become righteous." (Al-Baqarah :179)
The fear of facing equal punishment serves as a powerful deterrent, preventing potential crimes. The right to choose between retribution, pardon, or accepting blood money lies with the victim’s family, who must weigh what is in the best interest of all parties involved.
Qisas achieves the dual purpose of punishment and deterrence, warning would-be offenders of the inevitable consequences of their actions. It also provides psychological relief to the victim’s family by ensuring that justice is served, thus eliminating the need for vengeance. This wisdom aligns with the principles outlined in "Islam: Creed and Sharia" by Sheikh Mahmoud Shaltut.
Furthermore, granting the victim’s family the right to implement retribution fosters compassion. It allows them the opportunity to forgive, demonstrating the Islamic system’s balance between justice and mercy, as highlighted in "General Introduction to Islamic Jurisprudence" by Dr. Mohammad Al-Zuhayli.
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