From the teachings of Shaykh Muhammad Saleem Dhorat (hafizahullah)

In every religion and every system people are taught that everyone has “Rights”, including Islam. However the difference between Islam and other religions / systems is that the beautiful teachings of our beloved Prophet sallallaahu ‘alyhi wasallam say that we should fulfil everyone’s rights even if our rights are not fulfilled while the non Islamic way is to expect and even demand those rights to be fulfilled and whether or not we do the same is of no importance.

Islam teaches us that if we do not fulfil our duties to others, punishment in the Hereafter will be our lot and on the other hand, if our rights as a wife / husband or parent / child etc. are not fulfilled and we remain patient on this we shall reap great rewards in the Hereafter. We should therefore be fulfilling everyone’s rights and not be concentrating on demanding our rights. In fact Islam teaches us that Allah’s mercy is on those who forgo their rights as in the case of a person who kindly extends the time for repayment of a debt or even forgives it altogether.

In abandoning the beautiful teachings of Islam and in emulation of other systems we have become of the “takers” whereas in times gone by people used to be “givers”!