The Value of Human Life in Islam

I was once fortunate to hear Maulana Syed Kalb-e-Sadiq, Senior Vice-President of the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board, at a Shia congregation. The Maulana was speaking on Jehad and terrorism. I do not recall much of his speech except a portion where he expatiated upon the idea of human life in Islam. He said that the most important aspect of a Muslim life is to believe in the principles of Islam and the articles of faith. For a Shia these will translate into the roots of religion and the branches of religion. (You'd find the explanation to these on the same Wikepedia link that I gave for the principles of Islam and the articles of faith.)

Now let's take an example of a devout Muslim, the Maulana said, who follows these principles to the last word. Let's say this man is preparing to go for Haj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, and has his passport with a valid visa and his plane ticket in his pocket. He has money that he has kept aside for religious alms in his pocket, is fasting as it is the month of Ramadhan and decides to offer Namaaz, the daily prayer, at the banks of Gomti river. As he begins offering his namaaz he hears a splash in the river and a shout for help from a man drowning in the river. Let's say this man drowning is Bal Thackeray. Clearly, a man whom any average muslim does not see as a friend. Now what should this devout Muslim do? Should he abdicate his mandatory religious duties to save a man whom he sees as his foe or should he just carry on with his prayers and let Bal Thackeray drown thinking this must be some stroke of luck: The Divine Will?

No, the Maulana insisted. It is mandatory (read religious duty) for this devout Muslim to break his namaaz, jump in the river and break his fast, let his passport, plane ticket and money get wasted and save Bal Thackeray from drowning. This is what the value of human life in Islam is. I wonder Maulana why your words don't reach these self-proclaimed Jehadis who won't flinch from placing a bomb in a rush-hour train and blow to pieces few hundred innocent citizens. May be the Muslim Ulemas (read clerics) like Maulana Kalb-e-Sadiq need to use the mass media more effectively to propogate their words.