One Arabic word for justice is Qist. Strangely enough, it carries the connotation of injustice too. Words which carry contrary meanings are known as contranyms. The context in which such words are used will clearly denote what they actually mean. English language has such a category of words too. Such words are like the arrows of Cupid. One arrow of Cupid can make a man fall in love; another arrow can bring about the cessation of love. Cupid is the source of both love and loss of love, according to Greek mythology.
Another Arabic word for justice is Adl. Urdu word ‘adalat’ meaning court of justice is derived from it. Arabia is rich in synonyms.
Man is a social animal and, while rubbing shoulders with others, chances for friction come unsought. The resulting sparks can burn the prospects of friendship and mutual understanding to ashes. Man’s abhorrence of solitariness and obsession with company cannot withstand such an unfortunate eventuality. Man’s instinct for company craves for understanding, adjustment, forbearance, forgiveness, friendship and unity in diversity.
When people gather, they tend to sub-divide on various issues and then they resort to intrigues for survival or domination or preserving the independence of each sub-division. Though fissiparous, these tendencies have a way of their own. The holy men of the Cave, numbering seven, were sub-divided into two groups! (18:12) Their undivided dedication to the Creator of the multitude of universes held them together and their split ceased to be subversive. An appeal to and reliance on dynamic social justice becomes an unavoidable imperative, when one is not inclined to take law into one’s hands.
Social justice takes into account the rights of parents, family and relatives, in-laws, neighbours (both travelling and residential), business partners, colleagues in one’s profession, party, club, organisation etc., officers vested with authority and subordinates in a hierarchy, and the rights of many others not mentioned here. The State creates institutions to establish and ensure social justice on the roads and in a habitation. Such institutions should be allowed to function without any obstruction and their personnel should be given due respect.
Factors which jeopardise social justice are many. A few can be hinted at here: egoism, anger, hatred, revenge, denial of rights, suppression, oppression, sex crimes, scary living conditions, greed, jealousy of the dispossessed, craze for pump and pleasure, ingratitude, real or imaginary grievances, nepotism, ethnic superiority complex, exploitation, extortion, corruption, deception and fraud, groupism and struggle for domination, crime as a profession, honour killing, hate speeches, etc. Persons blinded by these factors cross the limits.
Aware of these factors and holding a holistic view of social justice, Islam instils in its followers a well-integrated belief system that keeps them well-informed and well-motivated to uphold justice in general and social justice in particular. Muslims are known as Muslims because they have renounced their autonomy and have submitted themselves joyously and voluntarily to the authority of Allah and His last Messenger (Allah’s blessings and peace be unto him). Islam lays the highest stress upon belief in One Living God because this belief has the potential to purify and reform an individual, to have a political system in which God is sovereign, and to restructure society for the optimal use of its inherent strengths. Social justice is the key to peace, progress and prosperity and to realise the ideal of human brotherhood. There should be no discrimination, no deprivation of rights, and no exclusion or suppression of any section of society. That situation to emerge requires a blissful absence of conflict between precept and practice.
To keep the Muslims steadfast on the path of social justice they are made to remember perpetually that Allah will be the Judge on the Day of Judgment, that Prophet Muhammad was asked to judge people in the light of the Qur’ān, and that Muslims will have to bear witness and be accountable on the Day of Judgment. That Day will not arrive before one’s death and if the certainty of death is not lost sight of, the need for fairness in dealings will gain strength and compulsiveness.
ALLAH AS THE JUDGE
Allah always lives and sustains and supports the universe. He never dies (25:58). He has created life and death (67:2), the heavens and the earth (6:1), the human beings and other living creatures. He does not have the infirmity of sleep and is an eternal Eye-witness to all activities that are going on in His universe. He does not get tired while discharging His duties for billions of years. He knows each and everything that He has created. No one can add anything to His knowledge while deciding a case. Whatever knowledge one possesses has been granted by Him. No one can encompass His knowledge. He exercises His authority over the multitude of universes and has been doing so all the time that the universe has been in existence. He has the right to take cognizance of any offence committed anywhere because He has legal jurisdiction over the universe. (2:255)
All those who dwelt and are dwelling in the heavens and on earth are His subjects and belong to Him (21:19) and they are accountable to Him. “None shall question Him about what He does, but they shall be questioned.” (21:33) “Every living being shall taste death and We shall subject you to ill and good by way of trial, and to Us shall all of you be eventually sent back.” (21:35) He will inform us how we fared in the trial.
Perfect justice cannot be rendered in the present scheme of things. Motive, action and the direct and indirect consequences of that action spread over centuries have to be taken into account in order to serve the cause of most satisfying justice. Therefore, a day has been fixed by Allah to judge mankind. Only He has the requisite eligibility to sit in judgment over others, (read) His servants, whose wages He will pay in full. In the Qur’ān, in its very first chapter, He projects Himself as the Owner of the Day of Judgment.
In order to be just and fair, He has taken all precautionary and elaborate measures to record the activities of each individual. He knows each person through and through. He has employed His angels to record what one says loudly and what one hides and what one does in secrecy and in public. (21:4,110; 19:79, 50:118; 27:88-90)
On that Day, Balances will be set up, “Whoever does an atom’s weight of good shall see it; and whoever does an atom’s weight of evil shall see it.”(99:7-8) (See Ecclesiastes, 12:14) “The earth shall disclose her blood and shall no more cover her slain.” (Isaiah, 26:21) Transparency will characterise all His judicial activities. “And then the Record of their deeds shall be placed before them and you will see the guilty full of fear for what it contains, and will say: “Woe to us! What a Record this is! It leaves nothing, big or small but encompasses it.” They will find their deeds confronting them. Your Lord wrongs none.” (18:49)
The impact of these verses and the realisation that we have to meet Allah and will be questioned by Him who knows all about us and whom we cannot hoodwink will have a salutary effect upon us and, consequently, the cause of social justice will be championed zealously by us. Allah has reminded us, “He suffices as the Knower of the sins of His servants.” (25:58)
PROPHET MUHAMMAD AS JUDGE
Prophet Muhammad (Allah’s blessings and peace be unto him) held the reins of government in Madinah; he was the chief judicial executive too. “Allah sent His Messengers with clear signs and sent down with them the Book and Balance that people may uphold justice.” (16:90)
Prophet David is no exception. “(We said to him) O David, We have appointed you vicegerent on earth. Therefore, rule among people with justice and do not follow your desire lest it should lead you astray from Allah’s Path.” (38:26)
Similarly, Prophet Muhammad is given this order, “(O Messenger), We have revealed to you this Book with the Truth so that you may judge between people in accordance with what Allah has shown you. (4:105) See also 2:213, 5:49.
The judgments that our beloved Prophet (Allah’s blessings and peace be unto him) passed should be accepted in faith, willingly and submissively. “But no, by your Lord, they cannot become true believers until they seek your arbitration in all matters on which they disagree among themselves; and then do not find any vexation in their hearts over your judgment, and accept it in willing submission. (4:65)
Scholars have compiled the judgments passed by him and we can read them for our instruction and enlightenment. The variety of cases settled by him is wide and complex and the reader is left with a sense of wonder at his judicial acumen.
The fact that Allah called upon His Last Messenger to render justice cannot fail to bring home to the Muslims the fact that they should not be guilty of any kind of injustice. This motivates them to be fair in their dealings with others. After all, the Qur’ān says to the Muslims, “The Messenger may be a witness over you and that you may be witnesses over all mankind.” (22:78) Knowing that our Prophet is a witness over us, we cannot neglect the cause of social justice.
Prophet Muhammad is ordered to remind Muslims that Allah enjoins justice. (7:29) He himself sought justice and support from Allah against those who accuse him falsely and defame him. (21:42)
In the Hereafter, our Prophet’s engagement with justice will continue at a higher level. With the divine permission of Allah, Prophets will intercede on behalf of their respective followers.
And our Prophet (Allah’s blessings and peace be to him) will be the Intercessor par excellence. A distinctly unique honour will be conferred on him.
MUSLIMS ARE UPHOLDERS OF JUSTICE
“O Believers! Be upholders of justice, and bearers of witness to Truth for the sake of Allah, even though it may be against yourselves or against your parents and kinsmen, or the rich or the poor, for Allah is more concerned with their well-being than you are. Do not follow your desires lest you keep from justice. If you twist or turn away from (the Truth), know that Allah is well-aware of all that you do.” (4:135)
“Surely Allah enjoins justice, kindness and the doing of good to kith and kin and forbids all that is shameful, evil, and oppressive. He exhorts you so that you may be mindful.” (16:90)
Muslims read the following verses: “Allah does not love those who exult (in their riches).” “Allah loves not those who create mischief.” (28:76,77). “Surely He does not love the transgressors.” “Surely Allah’s mercy is close to those who do good.” (7:55, 56) “Surely Allah loves the just.” (5: 42) “Make peace between them with justice, and be equitable for Allah loves the equitable.” (49:9) The Qur’ān abounds in such verses. Muslims are extremely eager to be included among those whom God loves. And so, on the issue of social justice, this eagerness will stand them in good stead. Muslims have been trained to fear and obey and thank the invisible God through fasting and other forms of worship. Improper conduct cannot be expected from them, let alone unjust conduct.
Muslims are expected to emulate the edifying Exemplar of human conduct who is none other than the last Messenger of Allah. He is described by Allah as “Mercy to people of the whole world.” (21:107) The scheme of social justice as given by Allah, whose concern for the well-being of all is nonpareil, through His last Messenger who is mercy unto the nations of the world, and through the Qur’ān, a manual of guidance from the Most Compassionate and eternally Most Merciful Allah cannot but be perfect. Allah says about the Qur’ān, “This is a Blessed Admonition that We have revealed. Are you, then, going to reject it?” (21:50)
Still there are people who find fault with purdah, polygamy, a woman’s evidence in court or her share in inheritance, laws of divorce or punitive laws. They just have to look within. What appears to be defective, deficient and unjust need not be so; it may be a red herring distracting them from the perception of truth, mercy and justice. Remediation is always possible if misery results while implementing the Islamic scheme of social justice. The Qur’ān is a source of both guidance and misguidance. Those who are bent on denying the Truth are misguided through parables which function as red herrings. “He causes many to go astray just as He directs many to the Right Way. And He thereby causes to go astray only the transgressors.” (2:26)
Muslims who have put their trust in Allah and His Last Messenger declare, “We hear and obey”. (2:285) They believe in their wisdom and sense of justice, and not in the opinions and doubts of the critics. Sometimes we prefer what is harmful to us and reject what is beneficial to us. It is better to submit to the commands of Allah and His last Messenger. Unquestioningly!