In
the Islamic worldview, justice denotes placing things in their rightful
place. It also means giving others equal treatment. In Islam, justice
is also a moral virtue and an attribute of human personality, as it is
in the Western tradition. Justice is close to equality in the sense that
it creates a state of equilibrium in the distribution of rights and
duties, but they are not identical. Sometimes, justice is achieved
through inequality, like in unequal distribution of wealth. The Prophet
of Islam declared:
“There are seven categories of people whom God will shelter under His shade on the Day when there will be no shade except His.
God spoke to His Messenger in this manner:
“O My slaves, I have forbidden injustice for Myself and forbade it also for you. So avoid being unjust to one another.”
Thus, justice represents moral rectitude and fairness, since it means things should be where they belong.
The importance of justice
The
Qur’an considers justice to be a supreme virtue. It is a basic
objective of Islam to the degree that it stands next in order of
priority to belief in God’s exclusive right to worship (Tawheed) and the
truth of Muhammad’s prophethood. God declares in the Quran:
“God commands justice and fair dealing...” (Qur’an 16:90)
And in another passage:
And in another passage:
“O you who believe, be upright for God, and (be) bearers of witness with justice!...” (Qur’an 5:8)
Therefore,
one may conclude that justice is an obligation of Islam and injustice
is forbidden. The centrality of justice to the Qur’anic value system is
displayed by the following verse:
“We sent Our Messengers with clear signs and sent down with them the Book and the Measure in order to establish justice among the people…” (Qur’an 57:25)
The
phrase ‘Our Messengers’ shows that justice has been the goal of all
revelation and scriptures sent to humanity. The verse also shows that
justice must be measured and implemented by the standards and guidelines
set by revelation. Islam’s approach to justice is comprehensive and
all-embracing. Any path that leads to justice is deemed to be in harmony
with Islamic Law.
God
has demanded justice and, although He has not prescribed a specific
route, has provided general guidelines, on how to achieve it. He has
neither prescribed a fixed means by which it can be obtained, nor has He
declared invalid any particular means or methods that can lead to
justice. Therefore, all means, procedures, and methods that facilitate,
refine, and advance the cause of justice, and do not violate the Islamic
Law are valid.
Equality in justice
The
Qur’anic standards of justice transcend considerations of race,
religion, color, and creed, as Muslims are commanded to be just to their
friends and foes alike, and to be just at all levels, as the Qur’an
puts it:
“O
you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah,
even if it be against yourselves, your parents, and your relatives, or
whether it is against the rich or the poor...” (Qur’an 4:135)
According to another Quranic passage:
“Let not the hatred of a people swerve you away from justice. Be just, for this is closest to righteousness…” (Quran 5:8)
With regards to relations with non-Muslims, the Qur’an further states:
“God
does not forbid you from doing good and being just to those who have
neither fought you over your faith nor evicted you from your homes...” (Qur’an 60:8)
The
scholars of the Qur’an have concluded that these rulings apply to all
nations, followers of all faiths, as a matter of fact to all humanity.
In the view of the Qur’an, justice is an obligation.
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