International Human Rights Law and Cultural Differences: The Impact of International Human Rights Law in Islamic and Western States

Abstract

This study comparatively examines the impact of international human rights law in western and Islamic states. The purpose is to identify and explain why, and to what extent, Islamic law is incompatible with international human rights law. The study attempts to contribute to gaining a deeper understanding of the differences between Western anthropocentric understandings of human rights and Islamic theocentric understandings of human rights. It is upon this basis that the study examines various issues, such as the universality of human rights, and the complex relationship between human rights and cultural diversity. The study concludes that sufficient human rights protection is generally incompatible with Islamic law. However, this is not representative of the imposition of Western norms and ideals on Islamic states. Rather tha n demonstrating the incompatibility of international human rights law with Islamic law, it indicates the incompatibility of Islamic law with international human rights law. This highlights the need for further discourse on the concept and operation of theocentric rights.