The Treatise of Rights: Imam Sajjad (as) wrote a short but very deep work called Risalat al-Huquq, the Treatise of Rights. In it, he lists the rights that other people and even our own body have over us.
About 50 rights: There are about 50 rights in total. There are the rights of Allah, the rights of our body parts — like the tongue, the eyes and the hands — and the rights of other people: parents, children, spouses, neighbours, teachers, students, friends, and even enemies.
Treating people is worship: The message is simple: Islam is not only prayer and fasting. How we treat people is also worship.
Example
Your eyes and tongue: Your eyes have a right over you: do not look at what Allah has forbidden. Your tongue has a right: do not speak a lie or hurt someone. Try keeping one of these rights for a day.
Key Terms
- Risalat al-Huquq (رسالۃ الحقوق) — the Treatise of Rights
- Haqq (حق) — a right, something owed to someone
- Huquq al-Ibad (حقوق العباد) — the rights of people towards one another
- Risalat al-Huquq lists about 50 rights — of Allah, of our own body, and of other people.
- Even our tongue, eyes and hands have rights over us.
- How we treat people is part of worship.