Justice and Societies
A close examination of developments all over the world reveals that the performance of justice varies according to place, time and people. For instance, in some societies, the colour of someone's skin influences decisions. Even under the very same circumstances, the same decision may not apply to a white and a black man. In some societies, race is of great importance to people. In the 20th century, Hitler's annihilation of millions of people solely because he deemed the Aryan race superior to other races is a good example of this. In our days too, there are people being subjected to cruel and unjust treatment because of the colour of their skin or their race. In the United States and South Africa, black people were for many years treated as second-class citizens, and savage conflicts raged in many Asian and African countries simply because of racial differences. However, Allah, our creator informs us in the Qur'an that the purpose in the creation of different tribes and peoples is "that they should come to know each other" (Qur'an, 49: 13).
Different nations or peoples, all of whom are the servants of Allah, should get to know one another, that is, learn about their different cultures, languages, traditions and abilities. In brief, the purpose of the creation of different races and nations is not conflict and war but cultural richness. Such variation is a bounty of Allah's creation. The fact that someone is taller than someone else or that his skin is yellow or white neither makes him superior to others nor is something to feel ashamed of. In his time, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) treated people of different races and places with the utmost justice. He severely criticised subjecting people to different treatment because of their race, and attributed such acts to the "morality of the ignorant." The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) reminded his people that people in ignorant societies may harbour enmity towards other people because of their colour or race, and warned all Muslims against such an attitude, which is described as "ugly" in the Qur'an. Around 1,400 years ago, all these primitive ideas were abolished through the Qur'an, which was sent to mankind as a mercy, and it was proclaimed that all people, regardless of their colour, race and language, are equal.
The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) criticised the unbecoming practice of people of ignorant societies who assessed others according to their race and colour. He cautioned the Arab people in these words in his last address to them: An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab, nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black, nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action.
Seeing a definition of justice, we may think how easy it is to act justly, and we might feel quite content because we have always made just decisions. However, would it still be so easy for us to act justly if the consequences of your just decision were to harm us, our parents or loved ones, either physically or spiritually? Would we still manage to be objective, just and honest when judging a loved one who had swerved from the right path? In the face of such a question, many people vacillate. Indeed, such a decision may be very difficult for some. They may simply be more tolerant to a loved one and ignore the facts. Yet what matters is not to depart from justice, no matter what the circumstances and conditions may be, and to meticulously comply with the verse, "O You who believe ! Be upholders of justice, bearing witness for God alone, even against yourselves or your parents and relatives..." (Qur'an, 4:135) What earns peoples' trust is this unswerving commitment to justice they observe. Protecting people because of kinship or friendship creates unease and
insecurity. Observing such a disposition in leaders in particular causes great social unrest. Someone who acts in conformity with the laws of the Qur'an, however, follows the recommendation of Allah: "...that you are equitable when you speak—even if a near relative is concerned; and that you fulfil Allah's contract. That is what He instructs you to do, so that hopefully you will pay heed." (Qur'an, 6:152). This conduct is the manifestation of one's strong faith in Allah and the moral perfection he displays. In the Qur'an, one example is related from the life of the Prophet Musa (AS). The verse reads: He entered the city at a time when its inhabitants were unaware and found two men fighting there—one from his party and the other from his enemy. The one from his party asked for his support against the other from his enemy. So Musa hit him, dealing him a fatal blow. He said, "This is part of Satan's doing. He truly is an outright and misleading enemy." (Qur'an, 28:15)
Hatred and anger are the major sources of evil, and are likely to prevent people from making just decisions, thinking soundly and conducting themselves rationally. Some people can readily inflict all kinds of injustice on people for whom they feel enmity. They may accuse these people of acts they have never committed or bear false witness against them, although their innocence is known to them. On account of such enmity, many people may be subjected to unbearable oppression. Some people avoid bearing witness in favour of people they disagree with, although they know they are innocent, and they keep evidence which would reveal their innocence hidden. Furthermore, they take pleasure in the misery these people face, their encounters with injustice or great suffering. Their greatest worry, on the other hand, is that justice should be done and these peoples' innocence proved. For these reasons, it is very hard for people in corrupt societies to trust one another. People worry about falling victim to someone else all the time. Having lost mutual trust, they also lose their human feelings, such as tolerance, compassion, brotherhood and co-operation, and start hating one another. However, the feelings someone holds in his heart towards a person or community should never influence a believer's decisions. No matter how immoral or hostile the person he is considering may be, the believer sets all these feelings aside and acts and makes his decisions justly and recommends that which is just. His feelings towards that person cast no shadow over his wisdom and conscience. His conscience always inspires him to comply with Allah's commands and advice, and not to abandon good manners, because this is Allah's command in the Qur'an. In Sura Ma'ida, it is related as follows: O You who believe! Show integrity for the sake of Allah, bearing witness with justice. Do not let hatred for a people incite you into not being just. Be just. That is closer to faith. Heed Allah [alone]. Allah is aware of what you do. (Qur'an, 5:8)
A close examination of developments all over the world reveals that the performance of justice varies according to place, time and people. For instance, in some societies, the colour of someone's skin influences decisions. Even under the very same circumstances, the same decision may not apply to a white and a black man. In some societies, race is of great importance to people. In the 20th century, Hitler's annihilation of millions of people solely because he deemed the Aryan race superior to other races is a good example of this. In our days too, there are people being subjected to cruel and unjust treatment because of the colour of their skin or their race. In the United States and South Africa, black people were for many years treated as second-class citizens, and savage conflicts raged in many Asian and African countries simply because of racial differences. However, Allah, our creator informs us in the Qur'an that the purpose in the creation of different tribes and peoples is "that they should come to know each other" (Qur'an, 49: 13).
Different nations or peoples, all of whom are the servants of Allah, should get to know one another, that is, learn about their different cultures, languages, traditions and abilities. In brief, the purpose of the creation of different races and nations is not conflict and war but cultural richness. Such variation is a bounty of Allah's creation. The fact that someone is taller than someone else or that his skin is yellow or white neither makes him superior to others nor is something to feel ashamed of. In his time, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) treated people of different races and places with the utmost justice. He severely criticised subjecting people to different treatment because of their race, and attributed such acts to the "morality of the ignorant." The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) reminded his people that people in ignorant societies may harbour enmity towards other people because of their colour or race, and warned all Muslims against such an attitude, which is described as "ugly" in the Qur'an. Around 1,400 years ago, all these primitive ideas were abolished through the Qur'an, which was sent to mankind as a mercy, and it was proclaimed that all people, regardless of their colour, race and language, are equal.
The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) criticised the unbecoming practice of people of ignorant societies who assessed others according to their race and colour. He cautioned the Arab people in these words in his last address to them: An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab, nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black, nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action.
Seeing a definition of justice, we may think how easy it is to act justly, and we might feel quite content because we have always made just decisions. However, would it still be so easy for us to act justly if the consequences of your just decision were to harm us, our parents or loved ones, either physically or spiritually? Would we still manage to be objective, just and honest when judging a loved one who had swerved from the right path? In the face of such a question, many people vacillate. Indeed, such a decision may be very difficult for some. They may simply be more tolerant to a loved one and ignore the facts. Yet what matters is not to depart from justice, no matter what the circumstances and conditions may be, and to meticulously comply with the verse, "O You who believe ! Be upholders of justice, bearing witness for God alone, even against yourselves or your parents and relatives..." (Qur'an, 4:135) What earns peoples' trust is this unswerving commitment to justice they observe. Protecting people because of kinship or friendship creates unease and
insecurity. Observing such a disposition in leaders in particular causes great social unrest. Someone who acts in conformity with the laws of the Qur'an, however, follows the recommendation of Allah: "...that you are equitable when you speak—even if a near relative is concerned; and that you fulfil Allah's contract. That is what He instructs you to do, so that hopefully you will pay heed." (Qur'an, 6:152). This conduct is the manifestation of one's strong faith in Allah and the moral perfection he displays. In the Qur'an, one example is related from the life of the Prophet Musa (AS). The verse reads: He entered the city at a time when its inhabitants were unaware and found two men fighting there—one from his party and the other from his enemy. The one from his party asked for his support against the other from his enemy. So Musa hit him, dealing him a fatal blow. He said, "This is part of Satan's doing. He truly is an outright and misleading enemy." (Qur'an, 28:15)
Hatred and anger are the major sources of evil, and are likely to prevent people from making just decisions, thinking soundly and conducting themselves rationally. Some people can readily inflict all kinds of injustice on people for whom they feel enmity. They may accuse these people of acts they have never committed or bear false witness against them, although their innocence is known to them. On account of such enmity, many people may be subjected to unbearable oppression. Some people avoid bearing witness in favour of people they disagree with, although they know they are innocent, and they keep evidence which would reveal their innocence hidden. Furthermore, they take pleasure in the misery these people face, their encounters with injustice or great suffering. Their greatest worry, on the other hand, is that justice should be done and these peoples' innocence proved. For these reasons, it is very hard for people in corrupt societies to trust one another. People worry about falling victim to someone else all the time. Having lost mutual trust, they also lose their human feelings, such as tolerance, compassion, brotherhood and co-operation, and start hating one another. However, the feelings someone holds in his heart towards a person or community should never influence a believer's decisions. No matter how immoral or hostile the person he is considering may be, the believer sets all these feelings aside and acts and makes his decisions justly and recommends that which is just. His feelings towards that person cast no shadow over his wisdom and conscience. His conscience always inspires him to comply with Allah's commands and advice, and not to abandon good manners, because this is Allah's command in the Qur'an. In Sura Ma'ida, it is related as follows: O You who believe! Show integrity for the sake of Allah, bearing witness with justice. Do not let hatred for a people incite you into not being just. Be just. That is closer to faith. Heed Allah [alone]. Allah is aware of what you do. (Qur'an, 5:8)