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Old Friday, October 28, 2005
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What is meant by justice?Explain its importance in Islam?

MEANING OF JUSTICE:

Islam is built on the five basic pillars of the religion. These relate to faith and to practice, but at a deeper level it might be said that there are two great pillars which support the whole edifice. These are Peace and Justice. They are clearly connected with each other as there can be no enduring peace without justice. The very word "Islam" comes from the same verbal root as "salam" meaning “peace” and, since the religion is based upon total submission to the will of God, Muslims believe that real peace is out of reach unless it is based upon this submission within the universal order. They believe equally that there can be no real justice except as an aspect of submission to the source of all that is just and well ordered. Although God in Himself is beyond comprehension or analysis, the Qur’an gives us hints as to His true nature through what are sometimes called “the 99 names” and one of these is al-ªAdl, “the Just”. Another of these names is al-Muqsiö, “the Dispenser of Justice” or “He who gives to each thing its due”.


The Quran praises those who always act “in the light of truth” and tells us,

“Perfected are the words of your Lord in truth and justice”.

It tells us also,

“Behold, God enjoins justice and good actions and generosity to our fellow.”

and it also commands us never to let hatred lead us into deviating from justice

“Be just! That is closest to God consciousness”.


IMPORTANCE OF JUSTICE:

Islam attaches the highest importance to justice. In fact, Divine Justice is the backbone of the whole act of creation. The balance and the due proportion evident in the heavens and the earth are a manifestation of God's justice.

In Islam, balance and justice are central to concept. It is the consequence of Divine Justice that man posesses free will because, without free will, man does not merit eitherreward or punishment for his deeds. For this reason, the great scholars of Islam have called free will the Principle of Justice.

The reason for the ruin of many past civilizations is that they negelected the roots of justice.Islam imparts great significance to the principle of justice and believs in teh sever punishment of those who violate its fundamentals.Infact this is the valuable lesson which we gain from teh study of past history .We observe nations that were destroyed because of their inequities.

Allah commands us in the Qur’an to do good and to avoid shameful deeds, injustice He commands us to be just, even if we hate people.Nations that that live and act in accordence with the Divine law bring prosperity and grow strong.An unjust and reactionary nation has always suffered doom.The basic Islamic principle is that nations succeed or fall as a consequence of tehir own acts .As it has been stressed in Quran,

"He who has to perish ,perishes by s clear proof and he who ahs to survive strives by a clear proof"
So God does not do injustice to anyone but it is because of teh very acts of the people which they employ and in the consequence suffer from the downfall.

QUALITIES OF JUST RULER:

In order to know the obligations of a ruler towards dispensing justice in Islam, a letter of Khwaja Hasan Basri written in reply to a query by Caliph Umar Bin Abdul Aziz (RA) makes a very informative and revealing reading. The question posed by the Caliph was “what are the qualities of a just ruler”. In reply he wrote,

“A just ruler is a “guide” and “corrector” for all those who try to go astray, a friend and supporter of good citizens and a helper to all those who are weak and a redeemer for the oppressed and helpless. He is like a shepherd, kind to his camels, selects best grazing ground for them, saves them from harmful pastures, saves them from carnivorous animals and protects them from heat and cold. A just ruler is like a loving father who brings up his children with great care and affection, trains and educates them, earns for them and leaves enough for them when he dies. He is like kind and soft hearted mother who gives birth to children, suckles them and is happy when her children are happy and is highly disturbed when her children are in trouble.

He further says
“A just ruler is the protector and treasurer of orphans and have- nots and provides sustenance to all the needies. He is like heart in the body and if the heart functions properly, the whole body is healthy and if heart is sick, the whole body is sick. He is a link between man and God and he conveys the message of God to the people. A ruler should be like a functionary who is trusted with some property and should not but waste and squander this property. He should abide by all limits on human conduct as prescribed by God. If he violates those limits, the results will be disastrous”.

Addressing the Caliph, Khwaja Hasan Basri warns: “O leader of the Muslims, you should remember that one day you will die like all other people and there will be none to help you. There is another abode waiting for you where you will be all alone and only your good deeds will be your support there”.

Regarding selection of Government functionaries, Khwaja Sahib says that:

“A just ruler should appoint good persons to manage the affairs of the masses and only those who are just should be elevated in status, position and stature. In case of appointment of non-deserving officials and functionaries, the ruler will be responsible for their actions and conduct. In case of unjust conduct of his functionaries, the prayers of a ruler will not be approved and acceptable to God. Appointment of non-deserving officials is dishonesty towards God”.

As for dealing with enemies and opponents Khwaja Hasan Basri says: “A just ruler should deal justly with enemies and opponents also because the doors of Islamic courts of justice are open for all and there should be no discrimination in the matter of justice, which should be absolutely unbiased. A just ruler should not listen to the unlettered people and should not impose the more powerful on the weak ones”.

The qualities of a just ruler enumerated by Khwaja Hasan Basri are very clear. He should be just, in every way of the word. He should conduct himself in personal life and Government affairs strictly according to the tenets of Islam. He should himself be accountable in the courts of law. He should administer social justice, as all human beings are family of God.

SOCIAL JUSTICE:

Islamic system of justice includes social justice, which means that the Government must manage to meet and fulfil the needs and requirements of all citizens. This includes provision of job, means of subsistence and economic justice. This further implies that it is the responsibility of the State to provide food, shelter and clothing to all the citizens of the State. Economic justice is aimed at equitable distribution of means of living and check concentration of wealth in a few hands. That is why the rightly guided Second Caliph Hazrat Umar refused to allot lands to the Muslim soldiers and commanders in areas conquered by Muslims in Iran, Iraq and Syria.

Social justice is an important prerequisite for peace in the world since an unjust social system can errupt and can become a significant cause of the gloom,destruction of the society.Islam as a religion imparts great imporatnce to the social and political concerns of teh society.Islam strongly opposes the all forms of justice and takes all measures to ensure the prevalence of justice in every field of human existence.The emphasis of justice clearly bears out Islam's stance on a justly balance society which is free from the exploitation of any individual.

DEMANDS OF THE SOCIAL JUSTICE:

THe concept of social justice requires that all human being sshould be treated on equal footing .It doesn't allow the distinctions on the basis of colour,creed or culture rather it develops in man the insight of openmindedness and promotes equilibrium and harmony among the people of teh society.All members of the community must enjoy equal rights and status.Again and agin it has been streesed that there is are no distinctive cahracteritics among the members of the society,as
"The believers are but a single brothehood"
Thus the islam social order emphaiszes the development of mutual relationship among each other.

ADMINISTRATIVE JUSTICE:

Only justice can create discipline in life of the people. Also essential is administrative justice, which means that all State functionaries are also subject to accountability and do not consider and treat people as “slaves” or “personal servants”. They should not insult the people in any manner. They should be honest and efficiently administer public affairs. It should be observed carefully that the concentration of wealth in one class or in a few hands does not occur.


CONCLUSION:
Social and economic justices are the foundations on which an Islamic society is built. Only equality, equity and social balance can ensure a balanced and healthy society. Injustice and imbalances create disruption in the society. It is incumbent upon a ruler of an Islamic country to see that none goes hungry, none is jobless and none is shelter less. Besides all citizens must be equal before law and are respected.
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