When Angel Jibrail descended from the heavens to reveal the Holy Qu’ran upon the Holy Prophet (S.A.W), the first words revealed were “Read, in the name of the Lord who created…”
Indeed, Islam casts upon its adherents the responsibility to acquire information, and resultantly ascertain the truth. The seeking of knowledge is obligatory for every Muslim.
Not only does this obligation entrench itself into every facet of life, it bears particular importance upon the rights and obligations ordained by Allah Almighty upon his subjects. It requires no iteration that Almighty Allah remains sovereign and omnipotent; however, the authority to make laws for the determination of rights and obligations is vested with the Parliament, the supreme law-making body in the State trichotomy. Hence, the legislature is duty-bound to make laws and in doing so it regulates the rights and concomitant responsibilities of the citizens of Pakistan.
All Rights and responsibilities are now engrained in legal instruments, either in primary legislation or judicial/ executive sub-delegation. And these are rights and responsibilities which permeate through our everyday lives and, without a doubt, require widespread dissemination and publication.
Due to the inextricable nexus between the right to information and almost every other aspect of human existence, it remains essential, in fact imperative, that laws are adequately publicized and the rights of every individual is communicated to others. Citizens of Pakistan must be familiarized with their basic Human Rights, ranging from equality to social justice to matrimonial and minorities’ rights, for it remains necessary to educate the masses of their inviolable right to information.
Every citizen must realize his right to gain knowledge, irrespective of whether he has a plethora of books at his disposal or not. And as a duty, an obligation is cast upon everyone to educate others in order to realize their rights. The consequences of secrecy are averse to democracy and to the realization of our rights. Of course, the purpose of information is not to instill our minds with prescient skills, it nonetheless remains necessary to promote a culture more conducive to learning and understanding the extent of the freedoms, rights and responsibilities conferred upon us.
It goes without saying that as all law yields an impact upon its subjects, everyone must exercise his right to information and consequently the right to expression as it is a direct corollary of the former. And there must also exist fora and networks which educate and enlighten people with knowledge while simultaneously enabling them to channel their opinions and sharing information in a most convenient and expeditious manner.
If citizens do not actually comprehend their rights and responsibilities, law would lose its credence and fail to promote the well-being of people, a primary purpose of law itself. For that reason, it is paramount that we recognize that dissemination of knowledge and information remains as important as it has ever been. We must yearn to achieve this very end in order to fulfill our duty as Muslims and as citizens of Pakistan.
1 Surah Al-Alaq, Verse 1, Holy Qu’ran
2 Al-Tirmidhi, 74; It has also been narrated that Anas bin Malik said: The Messenger of Allah said “Seeking knowledge is a duty upon every Muslim.” (Sunan Ibn e Majah, Book of Sunnah, Hadith No 224, Classified as Sahih by Allama Albani)
3 The Preamble to the Constitution begins with the words “Whereas sovereignty over the entire Universe belongs to Almighty Allah alone, and the authority to be exercised by the people of Pakistan within the limits prescribed by Him is a sacred trust……”
4 It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet S.A.W. said: There is no man who memorizes knowledge then conceals it, but he will be brought forth on the day of Resurrection bridled with chains of fire” (Sunan Ibn e Majah, Book of Sunnah, Hadith No 261, Classified as Sahih by Allama Albani)