Justice in Islam refers to the equality in giving rights and in abiding by obligations without discriminations for any reason, either for religion, race, color, etc. In Islam justice is the foundation upon which dogma is built, and is directly related to the sphere of Islamic faith itself. The concept of justice pervades the Quran. About sixty Quranic verses command those in power to be just; over two hundred admonish against injustice; and almost hundred expressions embody the notion of justice in a variety of direct or indirect expressions. The establishment of justice on earth is unequivocally declared by the Quran to be a necessary condition for Taqwah, being pious and God-fearing, which is one of the basic teachings of the Quran. Hence, faith that is mingled with injustice is not recognized by Almighty Allah. In other words, belief in Almighty Allah entails an automatic duty to do justice. The Quran proclaims: “We created not the heavens, the earth, and all between them, but forjust ends.” Thus Muslims are not merely exhorted but persistently urged by the Quran to establish justice, even if this hurts one’s own interest or the interests of one’s near relatives. The Quran says: “O ye who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be [against] rich or poor: For Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts [of your hearts], lest ye swerve, and if ye distort [justice] or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do.” Another feature of the Islamic concept of justice is that Allah commands Muslims not only to uphold justice, enjoin good deeds, and give assistance and aid to relatives, but also forbids evil deeds and injustice. The Quran expressly states that the giving of any assistance to an unjust person or having an inclination to associate or participate with him will result in punishment.
“Social justice is to treat man as an individual with liberty and equality as his birthright; to provide him with equal opportunities of developing his personality so that he is better fitted to fill the situation to which he is entitled; to give such individual his due, wherever his course of life may lie; and to regulate his relation with society in such a manner that, far from being harmful to the interest of society, he contributes his own to its moral values and welfare. These can be examined in terms of Islamic understanding of poverty, economic equality, and basic necessities of life”.
While the Quran deals with different kinds of justice, it gives special attention to social and economic justice. Although all kinds of justice are important in any society, economic justice is more important than others. The Islamic teaching of brotherhood and equal treatment of all individuals in society and before the law would not be meaningful unless accompanied by economic justice so that everyone gets his due for this contribution to society or to the social product and that there is no exploitation of one individual by another.” Thus it can be said that economic justice forms the cornerstone of the Islamic social justice. The Quran severely condemns the existence of class distinctions in a community where some live in luxury, and others live in inhumane conditions. The aim of Islam is to create a balanced and humane society where each individual must feel that he forms with the others a compact and solid unity, based on fraternity, social solidarity and equity of rights and duties. Social justice is to treat man as an individual with liberty and equality as his birthright; to provide him with equal opportunities of developing his personality so that he is better fitted to fill the situation to which he is entitled; to give such individual his due, wherever his course of life may lie; and to regulate his relation with society in such a manner that, far from being harmful to the interest of society, he contributes his own to its moral values and welfare. These can be examined in terms of Islamic understanding of poverty, economic equality, and basic necessities of life.
[email protected]
