Raghad Al-Amri

THE definition of freedom varies from one culture to another and it can be defined from many aspects. Freedom is a natural right that human beings are born with. Freedom of expression, thought, opinion and faith are fundamental rights, which exist in different forms in countries all over the world. Freedom is the right to do what one wants, live where one chooses, eat, learn however one desires and choose a religion in which he/she believes without ignoring or harming others’ rights.

From my point of view, freedom cannot be freedom when you violate the freedom of others. The only way you can live free is to respect others rights to live free too. You must not ignore the rights of people who live with you in the same society. Therefore, the idea behind freedom is to be respectful to your society; if someone is deprived of this innate right, he/she will likely feel unworthy of being a respected human being. However, when freedom is guaranteed, you can think freely, go where you want, say your opinions without any fear of other peoples’ judgment.

Freedom of expression is one of the most important kinds of freedom. Everyone is free to express his/her views and opinions. In some societies where freedom of expression is not encouraged by the authorities, creativity and progress are killed and buried. In my opinion, freedom of expression will never cause any animosity among people as long as they respect each other.

On the other hand, freedom cannot be an absolute right and there must be constraints on it. First, practicing freedom must never threaten our national security which is as important as freedom. Second, you cannot just do what you like and say, “I am free”. You cannot murder people, smuggle drugs, violate the rights of others and break the laws and rules in the name of freedom. You should respect other people and their needs. You should know that your freedom ends where the freedom of another person begins.

Parents must teach their children to be free. They must plant the love for freedom and its importance in them. However, at the same time, they must teach them how to respect other’s freedom. Freedom in childhood and teenage years is very important for building a good and stable character. Children and teens tend to hang around with friends, do whatever they like or do not like and experience everything. If they have freedom without limits, they will surely lose themselves and the bigger picture in life. Therefore, parents must watch their children’s behavior, teach them what is right and what is wrong. Such supervision is not considered a constraint on freedom, but it is important for its protection and existence. Freedom alone may lead to wrong actions and destruction in society.

In conclusion, freedom is innate to human beings and they will fight as long as they live to keep this innate right. The West guaranteed freedom to its own people at the cost of occupying poor nations and depriving them of their rights, including freedom. Therefore, these poor nations fought hard to restore their freedom and autonomy. Allah has given us freedom for free, so we must do our best to maintain such a right. Everyone is free to make decisions regarding their own lives albeit with certain limitations. Our right of freedom should never harm any other human being, directly or indirectly.