Fruitful Living
Human trafficking as a violation of maqāṣid al-sharīʿah (final)
Human trafficking represents a systematic negation of all five objectives, thereby constituting one of the gravest violations within Islamic ethical and legal thought.
1. Preservation of Religion (Dīn)
Trafficked persons are often deprived of the freedom and environment necessary to observe religious obligations. In many cases, coercion and confinement prevent prayer, moral agency, and spiritual development. This undermines the fundamental Islamic principle of freedom of belief and worship.
2. Preservation of life (Nafs)
Victims are exposed to dangerous working conditions, physical abuse, malnutrition, and neglect. Such conditions threaten survival and violate the sanctity of life, which Islam places at the highest level of protection.
3. Preservation of intellect (‘Aql)
Psychological trauma, manipulation, and sustained abuse impair mental health and cognitive autonomy. Islam emphasises the protection of intellect as a basis for moral responsibility; trafficking erodes this capacity.
4. Preservation of lineage (Nasl)
Trafficking disrupts family systems, separates children from parents, and in cases of sexual exploitation, leads to violations of reproductive dignity and family integrity. This directly contravenes Islamic protections of family structure and social continuity.
5. Preservation of wealth (Māl)
Victims are denied fair compensation and are subjected to forced labour and economic exploitation. This violates the Islamic principle of lawful earnings and property rights.
Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah as a Framework to Combat Human Trafficking
Beyond identifying violations, Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah offers a proactive framework for intervention and reform:
• Policy formulation: Laws and policies can be evaluated and strengthened based on their ability to protect the five essentials, ensuring alignment with both Islamic and universal human rights standards.
• Preventive strategies: Emphasising protection of lineage and wealth encourages investment in education, family stability, and economic empowerment key factors in reducing vulnerability to trafficking.
• Victim-centred approaches: The preservation of life and dignity mandates rehabilitation, psychological care, and reintegration of survivors.
• Ethical accountability: The framework reinforces moral responsibility, ensuring that individuals and institutions are held accountable for actions that cause harm.
• Community mobilisation: By framing anti-trafficking efforts within Maqāṣid, religious leaders can mobilise communities around a shared ethical vision rooted in justice and compassion.
Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah Analysis
Human trafficking is not merely a legal or social issue but a comprehensive ethical violation that undermines the very objectives of Islamic law. Its direct contradiction of all five Maqāṣid renders it unequivocally prohibited (ḥarām). Conversely, the Maqāṣid framework provides a powerful tool for addressing the menace holistically through prevention, protection, and justice thereby, transforming Islamic teachings into actionable strategies for social reform (Nurhayati & Nasution, 2022).
Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah Strategic Approach and Framework for Action Using the 4Ps
Applying the Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah as a strategic framework, the fight against human trafficking can be operationalised through the globally recognised 4Ps approach Prevention, Protection, Partnership, and Prosecution while grounding each dimension in Islamic ethical imperatives.
• Prevention: Rooted in the preservation of intellect (‘aql) and lineage (nasl), prevention requires sustained public awareness campaigns, mosque-based education, and community sensitisation. Religious leaders can play a central role in educating families about the deceptive tactics of traffickers, promoting ethical livelihoods, and strengthening moral consciousness to reduce vulnerability.
• Protection: Anchored in the preservation of life (nafs) and dignity, this involves comprehensive rehabilitation, psychosocial support, and reintegration of victims. Islamic teachings on mercy (raḥmah) demand that survivors are treated with compassion and restored to dignified living conditions.
• Partnership: Reflecting the collective responsibility embedded in Islamic social ethics, collaboration between religious institutions, government agencies, NGOs, and international bodies such as the International Justice Mission (IJM), The Light Foundation (TLF) is essential. Such partnerships enhance resource mobilisation and ensure a coordinated response to trafficking.
• Prosecution: Grounded in justice (‘adl), this requires strengthening legal enforcement mechanisms to hold perpetrators accountable. Islamic law emphasises deterrence and accountability, reinforcing the need for effective investigation and judicial processes.
Conclusion
Human trafficking constitutes a multidimensional violation of human dignity, legal order, and divine ethical principles. It undermines the foundational objectives of Islamic law and erodes the moral fabric of society. Islamic teachings, particularly through the framework of Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah, provide a holistic and value-driven approach to addressing this menace one that integrates justice, compassion, and accountability.
However, the effectiveness of this framework depends on synergistic implementation. Legal systems must be strengthened, religious leadership must be actively engaged, and communities must be empowered to resist and report exploitation. Only through this integrated approach can the gap between normative ideals and social realities be bridged, ultimately leading to the prevention and eradication of human trafficking.
By • Imam Alhaji Saeed Abdulai, the Author
4. Correct the falsehood
If someone misrepresents Muhammad (pbuh), teach people who Muhammad (pbuh) really was.
Tell them about his mercy.
Tell them about his justice.
Tell them about his patience.
Tell them about his forgiveness.
5. Report genuine offences
Use lawful channels.
The Muslim does not become the police, prosecutor, judge and executioner.
6. Protect the innocent
If one Christian insults Islam, do not attack another Christian who knows nothing about it.
If one Muslim makes an offensive statement, do not blame all Muslims.
7. Restore peace
After the controversy, bring responsible Muslim and Christian leaders together.
Talk.
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Clarify.
Forgive where forgiveness is appropriate.
And rebuild trust.
Ghana must not become a battlefield of religious provocation
My dear brothers and sisters in Islam,
Let us look around Ghana.
Muslims and Christians have lived together for generations.
We have Muslim fathers with Christian in-laws.
Christian mothers with Muslim sons-in-law.
Muslim and Christian business partners.
Muslim and Christian neighbours.
Muslim and Christian classmates.
Muslims and Christians serving together in the military, police, public service, universities, hospitals, markets and businesses.
This is Ghana.
We must protect this peace.
Religious freedom is precious.
But religious freedom comes with religious responsibility.
A microphone is not a weapon.
A pulpit is not a battlefield.
A smartphone is not a licence to spread hatred.
A viral video is not a fatwa (religious decree).
And anger is not evidence.
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A word to Muslim scholars
To my fellow Imams and Islamic scholars:
Allah has placed a trust upon our shoulders. You are the best of generations selected for the guidance of mankind. Quran chapter 3:110.
When people are angry, we must calm them.
When people are confused, we must educate them.
When people want revenge, we must teach justice.
When people want violence, we must remind them of Allah.
Our microphone should extinguish fire—not pour petrol upon it.
The Prophet said:ِ
لَيْس َ الشَّدِيد ُ بِالصُّرَعَةِ، إِنَّمَا الشَّدِيد ُ الَّذِي يَمْلِك ُ نَفْسَه ُ عِنْد َ الْغَضَب
“The strong man is not the one who can overpower others; rather, the strong man is the one who controls himself when angry.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 6114; Sahih Muslim, 2609)
This is strength.
Self-control is strength.
Restraint is strength.
Wisdom is strength.
Justice is strength.
A word to Christian preachers
And to our Christian brothers and sisters, especially those who preach:
We Muslims deeply revere Jesus (peace be upon him)
He is not an ordinary man in Islam.
He is ʿĪsā ibn Maryam عليه السالم, a mighty Messenger of Allah.
The author is the Chief Imam of Katamanso Municipal and Certified Counsellor and Governance Expert.
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When Paul tells us that our “attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus,” he had summarized in the previous two verses what such an attitude was: selflessness, humility, and service. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others” – Philippians 2:3-4.
In other words, the attitude a Christian should reflect is one that focuses on the needs and interests of others. Without question, that does not come naturally to us. When Christ came into the world, He established a whole new attitude to relationships with others. One day when His disciples were arguing among themselves regarding who was to be greatest in His kingdom, Jesus said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you.
Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” – Matthew 20:25-28. Jesus is teaching us that, when we become preoccupied with our own things, it can cause conflicts and other problems with people we know. Instead, God wants us to have an attitude of serious, caring involvement in the concerns of others.
Paul speaks more about this Christ-like attitude in his letter to the church in Ephesus: “that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.– Ephesians 4:22-24. Many religions of today, including the New Age philosophies, promote the old lie that we are divine or that we can become gods. But the truth of the matter is that we will never become God, or even a god. Satan’s oldest lie was promising Adam and Eve that, if they followed his advice, “- and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:5, NKJV.
Each time we try to control our circumstances, our future, and the people around us, we’re only demonstrating that we want to be a god. But we must understand that, as creatures, we will never be the Creator. God doesn’t want us to try to become gods. Instead, He wants us to become like Him, taking on His values, His attitudes, and His character. We are meant to “be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” – Ephesians 4:23-24.
Finally, we must always keep in mind that God’s ultimate goal for His children is not our comfort, but the transformation of our minds into the attitude of godliness. He wants us to grow spiritually, to become like Christ. This doesn’t mean losing our personalities or becoming mindless clones. Christlikeness is all about transforming our minds. Again, Paul tells us, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” – Romans 12:2.
It is God’s will that we develop the kind of mindset described in the Beatitudes of Jesus – Matthew 5:1-12, that we exhibit the fruit of the Spirit – Galatians 5:22-23, that we emulate the principles in Paul’s great chapter on love – 1 Corinthians 13, and that we strive to pattern our lives after Peter’s characteristics of an effective and productive life – 2 Peter 1:5-8.
Establishing our actions in righteousness
Every person is commanded to live up to divine standards.
a. In the words of Jesus
“ For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Be ye, therefore, perfect, even as your Father, who is in heaven, is perfect” – Mt. 5:20, 48.
Every person in the world is required to live up to that standard. You say, “You’ve got to be kidding!” No, I’m not. You are obligated to live up to that standard with a pure inside as well as a right outside. But you say, “I can’t!” You are absolutely right. That’s why we are given the solution…
b. In the words of Paul
As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;– Rom. 3:10, 21-22a.
Though you can’t obtain on your own the righteous standard Christ set, you can receive His righteousness if you are one of those who believe. Isn’t that great? God set the holy standard. And when you acknowledge that you can’t live up to it, He says, “My Son is not only the Lawgiver, but He is the Redeemer as well, who makes it possible for you to live on that level.” Beloved, it’s a fantastic thing! The standard is so high we can’t obtain it. But Christ met that standard and imputes to us His righteousness. Oh, what a blessed thing!
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