I believe, as human beings, we all are branches of the tree of humanity. Although it is the transparent reality of the human yet the contemporary human rights framework, often connected with post-Enlightenment secular thought, has profound and permanent roots in religious legal traditions. Across civilizations, faith-based systems of law such as the Islamic Sharia, Christian Canon Law, Jewish Halakha, Hindu Dharma Shastra, and Buddhist Vinaya have enunciated principles that protect life, dignity, justice, and equality. This paper explores the unity of these traditions by drawing their shared ethical foundations and investigating how they have historically addressed the crux and core of human rights, together with the defense of minorities, the exclusion of arbitrary harm, and the elevation of social welfare. Drawing on primary religious texts, historical case studies, and comparative legal analysis, the study highlights convergences between these sacred laws and the values enshrined in modern human rights instruments such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966). Special attention is given to early legal charters, such as the Constitution of Medina, as pioneering models of pluralism and interfaith coexistence. By positioning human rights within a broader interfaith moral heritage, the paper challenges the contradiction between secular and religious conceptions of justice. It argues that recognizing these shared roots not only enriches modern human rights dissertation but also offers a compelling framework for interreligious dialogue.

Authors:
Sophia Shazz, University of Sargodha, Pakistan

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Sophia Shazz is currently a lecturer in University of Sargodha, Pakistan as well as the vice chairperson of The Message Empirical Schools. She is life member of The Lahore High Court Bar Association. She has big dreams to contribute her way best!

See this presentation on the full schedule – Saturday Schedule

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