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Parables of the Qur’an
Episode Eleven
Amr Khaled
Justice
In the Name of Allah, and Prayers and Peace of Allah be upon the His Messenger (SAWS).
What would you do …? If they wrongly accuse your bad neighbor’s son of robbing a flat that you know your cousin had robbed? Would you tell your uncle and relieve your conscience, compensate the man with money, or just keep silent because he deserves Allah’s punishment?
Justice: The theme of this episode is justice. Allah says, “Our Lord, in no way have You created this untruthfully. All Extolment be to You!” (TMQ, 3:191). Ibnul-Qayyim says, “Unity and justice are the utmost of perfection in the attributions of Allah (SWT)'.' Yet, there are many tough situations where justice is not that easy.
We keep complaining… but justice is a duty as it is a right: The Prophet (SAWS) says that seven stand in the shade of Allah, when there is no shade but His; among them is a just leader. This is a call for all the leaders in our nations. The Prophet (SAWS) said that a just leader gets the most thawab in this world. I dedicate to them a statement by Ibn-Taymiyah that Allah (SWT) establishes the just nation even if it were a rejecter of faith and does not establish the oppressing nation even if it were Muslim.
Allah (SWT) says, “ Surely Allah commands to justice and fairness and bringing (charity) to a near kinsman, and He forbids obscenity and malfeasance and iniquity…'' (TMQ, 16: 90) and He says, “Surely Allah commands you to pay deposits back to their qualified family (i.e. the owners) and, when you judge among mankind, that you judge with justice. How favorable is that to which Allah surely admonishes you'' (TMQ, 4:58). Allah also says, “O you who have believed, be constantly upright for Allah, witnesses with equity, and let not antagonism of a people provoke you to not do justice. Do justice; that (Literally: it) is nearer to piety'' (TMQ, 5:8) and, “O you who have believed, be constantly upright with equity (with others), witnesses for Allah, even if it be against yourselves or (your) parents and nearest kin. In case (the person) is rich or poor, then Allah is the Best Patron for both. So do not ever follow prejudice, so as to do justice; and in case you twist or veer away, then surely Allah has been Ever-Cognizant of whatever you do.” (TMQ, 4:135)
Can you now answer the “what would you do” question? Think and contemplate what Allah says, “And as for the inequitable, then they are firewood for Hell.” (TMQ, 72:15). To all those who were unjust to a wife, son or anyone else, you should know that the inequitable are firewood for hell. Allah (SWT) says, “And do not confound the Truth with the untruth and do not keep back the Truth and you know (it)” (TMQ, 2:42), and Allah says, “And do not keep back the testimony; and whoever keeps it back, then surely his heart is vicious” (TMQ, 2:283). It is as if the sin suddenly flowed in all the veins towards your heart. The Prophet (SAWS) says that prayers of three people are never declined, of these is that of an oppressed man to which the gates of the skies are opened. The Prophet (SAWS) also says that the dispensers of justice will be seated on pulpits of light on the right side of the All Merciful.
Persecution and Enmity: The Prophet (SAWS) was persecuted for 13 years and none of the tribes gave him shelter. Then six young men from al-Ansar from al-Aws tribe, offered him shelter but he refused because of their enmity with al-Khazraj tribe; who would then not believe in him. The Prophet (SAWS) waited two more years until the believers became 72 and he immigrated to Madinah.
The Situation at Madinah: It was not easy or simple at Madinah, especially with the conflicts between al-Aws and al-Khazraj tribes. The Prophet (SAWS) had to stop several wars from starting between them. There were many other tribes in Madinah who did not believe in Muhammad (SAWS) and continuously tried to hurt him too. Even after they believed, they continued to hurt him.
The Stolen Armor: An incident happened when a man’s armor, from al-Aws, got stolen and a man from al-Khazraj was accused. A Jewish man was caught with the armor and so the Prophet (SAWS) announced him guilty, and the Muslim innocent. Jibril (AS) Gabriel descended upon the Prophet before fajr (dawn) prayer and uncovered a conspiracy by the Muslim against the Jew. After prayer, the Prophet announced the innocence of the Jew because justice was more important than tribe conflicts or faith differences. He recited the verses, “Surely, We have sent down to you (i.e. the prophet) the Book with the Truth that you judge among mankind by whatever Allah has shown you; and do not be a constant adversary of the treacherous. And ask forgiveness of Allah; surely Allah has been Ever-Forgiving, Ever-Merciful. And do not dispute concerning the ones who betray themselves; surely Allah does not love him who has been constantly treacherous, (and) vicious. They seek to conceal themselves from (other) men, (Literally: mankind) and they do not seek to conceal themselves from Allah, and He is with them as they brood by night a saying with which He is not satisfied; and Allah has been Supremely Encompassing of whatever they do. Now, you are the ones (Literally: these) who have disputed concerning them in the present (Literally: the lowly life, i.e., the life of this world) life; then who will dispute with Allah concerning them on the Day of the Resurrection, or who will be a constant trustee for them? And whoever earns an odious (deed) or does an injustice to himself (and) thereafter asks Allah His forgiveness, he will find Allah Ever-Forgiving, Ever-Merciful. And whoever earns a vice, surely then he earns it only against himself; and Allah has been Ever-Knowing, Ever-Wise. And whoever earns an offense or a vice (and) thereafter throws (the blame thereof) upon an innocent one, then he has readily burdened himself with all-malicious calumny and evident vice.” (TMQ, 4:105-112).
This story is for every false witness, all those who oppress their wives, every forger or lawyer who defends someone he knows is guilty, and to all who swear falsely by Allah in courts. The Prophet (SAWS) was once heard to have said that the major sins are three, to disbelieve in Allah, to kill a soul, and to make a false testimony. He stressed on the last.
What comes after applying justice? Al-Khazraj did not cause any problems afterwards because of what they had seen of justice and security. The Jew did not become a Muslim, which shows that this was not intended by the Prophet’s justice. The thief escaped from Madinah and went to the enemies of Islam. Thus a Qur’anic ayah was revealed, saying, “And whoever constantly opposes the Messenger, even after the guidance has become evident to him, and closely follows (a way) other than the believers’way, We turn him away to whatever (patron) he turns away to, and We roast him at Hell; and what an odious Destiny!” (TMQ, 4:115).
A word for every traitor to justice: Allah says “…surely Allah does not love him who has been constantly treacherous, (and) vicious.” (TMQ, 4:107). I tell everyone who has been unjust, repent, and return people’s rights; injustice is darkness on the Day of Judgment.
The Watcher (SWT): In our story about the armor theft, Jibril (AS) descended with the truth, but that does not happen in courts. Allah is watching, so keep your conscience alert. There is a supplication that arouses your conscience and which you can say before you go to sleep. It says, “Allah is witnessing, Allah sees me, Allah is watching me.”
When the name of Allah “The Watcher” was vivid in the hearts: Omar Ibnul-Khattab (RA) once met a shepherd boy. To test his faith, Omar asked him to sell him a sheep and tell his master that the wolf ate it. The boy refused and said that Allah is watching. Another time Omar heard a girl blaming her mother who was a milk seller for adding water to milk. She reminded her that Omar forbade that. The mother replied, “He could not see us!”. So her daughter said, “But Allah could”.
The first rule of justice: Allah forgives. Allah says, “And whoever earns an odious (deed) or does an injustice to himself (and) thereafter asks Allah His forgiveness, he will find Allah Ever-Forgiving, Ever-Merciful.” (TMQ, 4:110). It was reported that Allah (SWT) says that as long as the son of Adam asks for forgiveness and repents to Allah, Allah will forgive him. Even if his sins were so many that they reached the sky, and if he had so many sins but worshipped Allah alone, Allah will forgive him.
The second rule: Allah (SWT) says, “And whoever earns a vice, surely then he earns it only against himself;” (TMQ, 4:111) We should not blame people for the faults of one of them.
The third rule: Allah says, “And whoever earns an offense or a vice (and) thereafter throws (the blame thereof) upon an innocent one, then he has readily burdened himself with all-malicious calumny and evident vice” (TMQ, 4:112).
Justice starts from our homes: If we could apply justice with our women, we will be able to apply it with the rest of the human beings on Earth. We have to start from our homes. The Surah of an-Nisa’ stresses this value.
The wisdom of today’s story:
1- Justice …. Start with yourself and your family. You will see it everywhere.
2- Remember Allah’s Name – The Watcher.
3- Repent. Give people their rights back.
Translated by: The English Convoy – Dar al-Tarjama
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