It is so fashionable nowadays to talk about human rights in Malaysia, especially after the creation of Suhakam, thanks to the political acumen of Dr Mahathir Mohamad. It is so fashionably nostalgic of Musa Hitam to link his controversial outbursts on human rights to his position as the former deputy prime minister with Memali as his greatest achievement.

Now contrast Musa's nostalgic reminiscence to the stark reality faced by George Bush and his associates. While Bush pushes aside human rights by throwing 1,400 Muslim suspects of terrorism, including the unfortunate illiterate Muhammad Rafik Butt from Pakistan who died in confinement recently in the Big Democarcy, Musa speaks on behalf of Dr Mahathir Mohamad to push aside human rights and democracy in order to safeguard national security.

It is in this spirit that Dr Badrul Amin was released from the unlawful detention, with all the freedom to be confined to a district, by stripping his rights as a politician. What do we learn from this political hypocrisy? It is clear that in a democracy, human rights are contingent to the subjective interpretation of the elected people in power.

You can have your human rights if the people in power decide that you should have your human rights as defined by them. They decide because they are in majority, as always stressed by Mahathir. This is the meaning of Sharon's destruction of Palestine, and Bush's destruction of Afghanistan.

It is in this context that jihad is given the most clear meaning in Islam. A Muslim does not fight for his individual human rights as practised in secular democracy, but he fights for the universal justice to all human beings. This is the teaching of the Quran, as stated in 5:8 (Surah 5, Verse 8): "Oh you who believe in Allah, be steadfast for Allah as just witnesses, and do not let your hatred of a people move you to be unfair; be just (equitable), that is closer to piety, and fear Allah, as Allah is well aware of all that you do."

The meaning of this verse is clarified in 4: 58 (Surah 4, Verse 58): "Indeed, Allah commands you to render back trusts ( amanat ) to whom they belong, and when you judge between people, that you judge with justice. Surely Allah admonishes you with what is excellent, surely Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing."

If Malaysia is really an Islamic state, as declared by Mahathir, the Quranic idea of justice must be reflected in all actions of his government. This means that Badrul should be treated as a human being, and not as a criminal. This also means that you do not push justice to the back seat in order to ensure your own security for being in power.

The meaning of jihad in Islam is the fight for justice as stated in the Quran, for which Islam permits the believers to sacrifice their lives.