Islam is a religion of peace, that promotes equality among its followers and encourages them to establish a system of justice where all get access to justice and no injustice breeds in the society. 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. Justice refers to equality in giving rights and in enduring obligations without discrimination for any reason, either for religion, race or colour. Allah says:
لَا الشَّمْسُ يَنبَغِي لَهَا أَن تُدْرِكَ الْقَمَرَ وَلَا اللَّيْلُ سَابِقُ النَّهَارِ وَكُلٌّ فِي فَلَكٍ يَسْبَحُونَ
“Not the sun is permitted for it – that it overtakes the moon, and not the night (can) outstrip the day, but all in an orbit they are floating.” (Surah Ya-Sin 36:40)
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. Allah says:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُونُوا قَوَّامِينَ لِلَّهِ شُهَدَاءَ بِالْقِسْطِ وَلَا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَآنُ قَوْمٍ عَلَىٰ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا اعْدِلُوا هُوَ أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَىٰ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ
“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.” (Surah Al-Maidah 5:8)
There is one word that captures the essence of all Islamic laws and all Islamic teachings; one word that describes the overriding value that permeates all Islamic values. Justice does require retribution and Islam does call for, “an eye for an eye.” But it does not mean an innocent eye for an innocent eye; it means the eye of the perpetrator for the eye of the victim. Allah says:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَن تُؤَدُّوا الْأَمَانَاتِ إِلَىٰ أَهْلِهَا وَإِذَا حَكَمْتُم بَيْنَ النَّاسِ أَن تَحْكُمُوا بِالْعَدْلِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ نِعِمَّا يَعِظُكُم بِهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ سَمِيعًا بَصِيرًا
“Allah doth command you to render back your Trusts to those to whom they are due; and when ye judge between man and man, that ye judge with justice: verily how excellent is the teaching which He gives you! For Allah is He Who hears and sees all things.” (Surah An-Nisa 4:58)
The Holy 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 believe in God’s exclusive right to worship (Tawheed) and the truth of Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) prophethood. The very fact that two of the attributes of Allah are closely linked to justice, apparently.
Importance and Benefits of Peace and Justice in Islam:
- Islam emancipates the mind from superstitions
- Islam Commitment means striving for peace
- Islam teaches one should not harm others
- Islam allows a person to truly God’s love
- Islam teaches a true living an Islamic life
- Islam gives a person a clear perspective
- Islam free to no longer slaves to fashion
- Islam itself is an inherently inner peace
- Islam teaches us about good and bad
- Islam provides equal opportunity
- Islam trend to a believer in God
- Islam is the future of the world
- Islam bend to mutual caring
- Islam make our life be better
- Islam will help go to Heaven
- Islam encourages God’s mercy
- Islam actually the true way of life
- Islamic rules being a good Muslim
- Islam considers to rights of others
- Islam is to develop a peaceful society
- Islam teaches that ultimately be judged
- Islam believe judged based on intentions
- Islam emphasizes both evidence and faith
- Islam teaches that God is the Most Justice
- Islam has a message for people at all times
The Quranic standards of justice transcend considerations of race, religion, colour, and creed, as Muslims are commanded to be just to their friends and foes alike, and to be just at all levels, as the Quran puts it: Allah says:
إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ لِتَحْكُمَ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ بِمَا أَرَاكَ اللَّهُ وَلَا تَكُن لِّلْخَائِنِينَ خَصِيمًا
“We have revealed to you the scripture with the truth that you may judge between people by what God has taught you.” (Surah An-Nisa` 4:105)
One of the important essentials of justice in Islam is that a person’s friends, relatives, nation and state cannot be held responsible for the mistake of that person. Everybody is punished due to their own sins. A person who commits a murder, not anybody else, will be punished because of that murder. However, if someone causes another person to commit a sin, both the sinner and the one that causes it will be punished.
Islam is a religion of peace in the fullest sense of the word. Allah states the following in verses:
- “God commands justice and fair dealing…” (Quran 16:90)
- “It describes reconciliation as the best policy.” (Quran: 4:128)
- “Nor can a bearer of burdens bear another’s burden…” (Fatir, 18)
- “…If you judge, judge between them with justice…” (Quran 5:42)
- “If you fear that you cannot be just, then marry only one…” (Quran 4:3)
- “and states that God abhors any disturbance of the peace.” (Quran: 2:205)
- “Whoever transgresses the limits of God does verily wrong his own soul.” (Quran: 65:1)
- “Allah doth command you to render back your Trusts to those to whom they are due; and when ye judge between people that ye judge with justice...” (an-Nisa, 58)
- “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…” (Quran 60:8)
- “These are the limits ordained by God. So do not violate them. If any do violate the God-ordained limits, verily they are the transgressors.” (Quran: 2:229)
- “Then shall anyone who has done an atom’s weight of good, see it! And anyone who has done an atom’s weight of evil shall see it.” (Az-Zilzal, 7-8)
Allah, who is absolutely just, is not unaware of what oppressors do; oppressors and traitors will definitely be accounted for what they do in detail in the presence of divine justice. The word “people” not “believers” is used when justice is mentioned. Accordingly, it is necessary to treat everybody with justice whether they are friends or enemies. Allah says:
وَلَا تَرْكَنُوا إِلَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا فَتَمَسَّكُمُ النَّارُ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ مِنْ أَوْلِيَاءَ ثُمَّ لَا تُنصَرُونَ
“And incline not to those who do wrong, or the Fire will seize you, and ye have no protectors other than Allah, nor shall ye be helped.” (Surah Hud 11:113)
God Almighty has determined boundaries in the Quran so that people will not violate one another’s rights; He has named them as “boundaries of Allah”. He tells us that those who transgress those boundaries will be regarded as oppressors and warns them that they will suffer divine torture. Allah says:
وَكَمْ قَصَمْنَا مِن قَرْيَةٍ كَانَتْ ظَالِمَةً وَأَنشَأْنَا بَعْدَهَا قَوْمًا آخَرِينَ
“And how many We (have) shattered of a town (that) was unjust, and We produced after them, other people.” (Surah Al-Anbiya` 21:11)
This is the reality of Islam. Then, it is necessary to look for the reason why some Muslims who are away from the spirit of Islam is involved in terror and oppression in their ignorance and souls instead of in the religion of Islam. In the Quran, God Almighty states that the cruel nations that do not rule by justice will have a sad ending. We will give two verses as an example: Allah says:
أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَتَكُونَ لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ يَعْقِلُونَ بِهَا أَوْ آذَانٌ يَسْمَعُونَ بِهَا فَإِنَّهَا لَا تَعْمَى الْأَبْصَارُ وَلَٰكِن تَعْمَى الْقُلُوبُ الَّتِي فِي الصُّدُورِ
“So have not they travelled in the land and is for the hearts (to) reason with it or ears (to) hear with it? For indeed, [it] not (are) blinded the eyes but (are) blinded the hearts which (are) in the breasts.” (Surah Al-Hajj 22:46)
The centres that prevent Muslims from learning the real Islam from its original resources and practising it, that encourage them to be alienated from their religion by leading them to debauchery and that cause Muslims to be poor by exploiting them ruthlessly are to be held responsible for the Muslims that fall into anarchy. These centres had better call themselves to account and question their own conscience instead of blaming others.
