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'Adalah (Justice): Difference between revisions
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{{QualityScore|Lead=3|Structure=2|Content=2|Language=1|References=3}}'''<nowiki/>'Adalah''' (عدالة) is the Arabic word for "justice" and is used in various forms throughout the [[Portal: Islamic Scriptures|Islamic scriptures]]. While the basic concept of justice in Islam and [[Portal: Islamic Law|Islamic law]] is not wholly distinct from modern conceptions of the word, in the definitional sense of justice being what is fair and reasonable, there are many contexts in which what is considered Islamically just is, in practice, significantly distinct from what a modern sense of justice would entail. An important example of this difference is found in the frequent and broad-ranging preferential legal and financial treatment of Muslims over and above [[non-Muslims]] and of men over and above [[Islam and Women|women]] in [[Sharia]] courts -- while such treatment would not evoke in many modern persons the feeling that justice had been attained, it is nonetheless considered just under Islamic law. In addition to these substantive distinctions, which are themselves significant, there are also certain meaning-laden phraseologies and symbols with which the concept of justice is associated in the [[Portal: Islamic Scriptures|Islamic scriptures]] which are noteworthy for historical and literary reasons. One recurrent and still-popular image in the [[Quran]] is that of the Scales of Justice, which are supposed to be employed to determine individuals fate (be it [[Jahannam (Hell)|Hell]] or [[Jannah (Paradise)|Heaven]]) on the Day of Judgement. | {{QualityScore|Lead=3|Structure=2|Content=2|Language=1|References=3}}'''<nowiki/>'Adalah''' (عدالة) is the Arabic word for "justice" and is used in various forms throughout the [[Portal: Islamic Scriptures|Islamic scriptures]]. While the basic concept of justice in Islam and [[Portal: Islamic Law|Islamic law]] is not wholly distinct from modern conceptions of the word, in the definitional sense of justice being what is fair and reasonable, there are many contexts in which what is considered Islamically just is, in practice, significantly distinct from what a modern sense of justice would entail. An important example of this difference is found in the frequent and broad-ranging preferential legal and financial treatment of Muslims over and above [[non-Muslims]] and of men over and above [[Islam and Women|women]] in [[Sharia|Shariah]] courts -- while such treatment would not evoke in many modern persons the feeling that justice had been attained, it is nonetheless considered just under Islamic law. In addition to these substantive distinctions, which are themselves significant, there are also certain meaning-laden phraseologies and symbols with which the concept of justice is associated in the [[Portal: Islamic Scriptures|Islamic scriptures]] which are noteworthy for historical and literary reasons. One recurrent and still-popular image in the [[Quran]] is that of the Scales of Justice, which are supposed to be employed to determine individuals fate (be it [[Jahannam (Hell)|Hell]] or [[Jannah (Paradise)|Heaven]]) on the Day of Judgement. | ||
Distinct from the legal and literary senses of 'Adalah, or justice, in Islam is the theological nature of theological expectation of Justice from Allah. According to mainstream Islamic theologies, which defined themselves directly against the Mu'tazilites of the early Islamic period, God must be more powerful than he is just. While the Mu'tazilites, or rationalists, of early Islamic history maintained that God was bound to justice and could neither favor nor disfavor anyone except by their merits and demerits, the theological schools (particularly the Ash'ari school) that emerged to denounce this view as heretical would win first political favor and finally the contest of history. Today, all major schools of Islamic theology hold that while one may expect justice from God, he is not bound by it, and may arbitrarily decide to punish or reward whoever he wills, for justice, it is believed, must be beholden to an all-powerful God rather than vice-versa. | Distinct from the legal and literary senses of 'Adalah, or justice, in Islam is the theological nature of theological expectation of Justice from Allah. According to mainstream Islamic theologies, which defined themselves directly against the Mu'tazilites of the early Islamic period, God must be more powerful than he is just. While the Mu'tazilites, or rationalists, of early Islamic history maintained that God was bound to justice and could neither favor nor disfavor anyone except by their merits and demerits, the theological schools (particularly the Ash'ari school) that emerged to denounce this view as heretical would win first political favor and finally the contest of history. Today, all major schools of Islamic theology hold that while one may expect justice from God, he is not bound by it, and may arbitrarily decide to punish or reward whoever he wills, for justice, it is believed, must be beholden to an all-powerful God rather than vice-versa. | ||
== | == Justice in the Shariah == | ||
===Non-Muslims=== | ===Non-Muslims=== | ||
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{{Quote|{{Quran|4|11}}|"Allah enjoins you concerning your children: The male shall have the equal of the portion of two females; then if they are more than two females, they shall have two-thirds of what the deceased has left, and if there is one, she shall have the half; and as for his parents, each of them shall have the sixth of what he has left if he has a child, but if he has no child and (only) his two parents inherit him, then his mother shall have the third; but if he has brothers, then his mother shall have the sixth after (the payment of) a bequest he may have bequeathed or a debt; your parents and your children, you know not which of them is the nearer to you in usefulness; this is an ordinance from Allah: Surely Allah is Knowing, Wise."}} | {{Quote|{{Quran|4|11}}|"Allah enjoins you concerning your children: The male shall have the equal of the portion of two females; then if they are more than two females, they shall have two-thirds of what the deceased has left, and if there is one, she shall have the half; and as for his parents, each of them shall have the sixth of what he has left if he has a child, but if he has no child and (only) his two parents inherit him, then his mother shall have the third; but if he has brothers, then his mother shall have the sixth after (the payment of) a bequest he may have bequeathed or a debt; your parents and your children, you know not which of them is the nearer to you in usefulness; this is an ordinance from Allah: Surely Allah is Knowing, Wise."}} | ||
== Justice and Allah in Islamic theology == | |||
The evil deeds of a rich man, when placed upon [[Allah|Allah's]] scales of judgment, will weigh more than had he been a poor man. The hadith describe how the atonement (the good deed required to make up for the evil deed) is different depending on one's income level. | |||
{{Quote|1={{Bukhari|3|31|157}}|2=Narrated Abu Huraira: | |||
While we were sitting with the Prophet a man came and said, "O Allah's Apostle! I have been ruined." Allah's Apostle asked what was the matter with him. He replied "I had sexual intercourse with my wife while I was fasting." Allah's Apostle asked him, "Can you afford to manumit a slave?" He replied in the negative. Allah's Apostle asked him, "Can you fast for two successive months?" He replied in the negative. The Prophet asked him, "Can you afford to feed sixty poor persons?" He replied in the negative. The Prophet kept silent and while we were in that state, a big basket full of dates was brought to the Prophet . He asked, "Where is the questioner?" He replied, "I (am here)." The Prophet said (to him), "Take this (basket of dates) and give it in charity." The man said, "Should I give it to a person poorer than I? By Allah; there is no family between its (i.e. Medina's) two mountains who are poorer than I." The Prophet smiled till his pre-molar teeth became visible and then said, 'Feed your family with it."}} | |||
Other narrations describe rich people being judged more harshly on the day of judgement | |||
==Symbolic associations in scripture== | |||
=== Scales of Justice in the hereafter === | |||
Scales can be considered a universal sign for justice. Many ancient religions had such a concept. Maat, the Egyptian goddess of truth, right, and orderly conduct holds the scales which weigh the human heart in the judgment of the dead. Iustitia, the Roman's [[W:Lady_Justice|Lady Justice]], is another goddess of justice who carries measuring balances. And the book of Daniel refers to scales being used to judge a man just as with other ancient religions.<ref>Daniel 5:27</ref> | |||
====In the Qur'an==== | |||
{{Quote|1={{Quran|21|47}}|2=We shall set up scales of justice for the Day of Judgment, so that not a soul will be dealt with unjustly in the least, and if there be (no more than) the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it (to account): and enough are We to take account.}} | |||
{{Quote|1={{Quran|23|102-103}}|2=Then those whose balance (of good deeds) is heavy,- they will attain salvation: But those whose balance is light, will be those who have lost their souls, in Hell will they abide.}} | |||
{{Quote|1={{Quran|101|6-11}}|2=Then, he whose balance (of good deeds) will be (found) heavy, Will be in a life of good pleasure and satisfaction. But he whose balance (of good deeds) will be (found) light,- Will have his home in a (bottomless) Pit. And what will explain to thee what this is? (It is) a Fire Blazing fiercely!}} | |||
====The Law of Honest Scales==== | |||
The Tanakh codified the law that scales and measuring balances be honest. Such a rule and similar statements can be found in the [[Torah]]<ref>Leviticus 19:36</ref> and the book of Proverbs<ref>Proverbs 11:1</ref><ref>Proverbs 16:11</ref>. The Qur'an includes the same: | |||
{{Quote|1={{Quran|26|181-182}}|2=Give just measure, and cause no loss (to others by fraud). And weigh with scales true and upright.}} | |||
==Islamic Scholar on Justice and Human Rights== | ==Islamic Scholar on Justice and Human Rights== | ||