Sense of Justice according to Islamic Fiqh
The word “adalah” means justice and it has connotations of justly behavior and finding a common ground with balance. It also means to stay away from every form cruelty and having mercy.
Islamic sense of justice means treating everyone equally in front of laws regardless of people’s race, ethnic and cultural backgrounds and social positions. Especially Islam erases the discrepancies between the ones in charge and the ones who are poor and needy.
It doesn’t favor nepotism or jingoism. With that in mind, Holy Quran commands justice for all and the principal practices of Prophet Muhammad(saw) suggested these features long before any “modern” constitution which claimed to be universal.
This ayat from Holy Quran emphasizes the core mentality of why every Muslim should stick to and seek for justice:
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. (An-Nisa 4/135)
None of the man-made law systems on earth guarantees justice for war-criminals and prisoners of wars. Long before any “Geneva” convention, Islam brought such rules and applications into Islamic fiqh.
O ye who believe! stand out firmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to piety: and fear Allah. For Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do. (Al-Maeda 5/8)
Prophet Muhammad(saw) gives us the good news that the “leader” who sticks to justice and governs his society with such sense will be closest to Allah(j.j) on the judgement day according to a hadith in Tirmizi.
Throughout the history, there have been many attempts to bring social justice to mankind but all failed miserably.
There are myriad number of interpretative schools of Islamic fiqh, all seek to follow the very basic principles which Holy Quran instructs mankind and the practices we saw in Prophet Muhammad(saw) life.
What better way to inspire a society with such simple yet effective ayat:
Allah commands justice, the doing of good, and liberality to kith and kin, and He forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion: He instructs you, that ye may receive admonition. (An-Nahl 16/90)
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