The Universal Law of Justice

In our daily prayers we recite Surah Al-Fatihah, the opening chapter of Al-Quran. In it we supplicate earnestly (Keep us on the right path. [Al-Fatihah, 1:6]) Al-Quran is actually the answer to this request.

Among the guidance contained in Al-Quran are the rules and laws that Allah (SWT) has stated and explained.? One category of these rules take the form of obligations, permissions and prohibitions; the dos and the donts. These rules however apply only to the believers. Examples include

the obligation of fasting; (O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that you may (learn) self-restraint.) [Al-Baqarah, 2:183]

the general permissibility of food from the sea; (Lawful to you is the pursuit of water-game and its use for food,- for the benefit of yourselves and those who travel;) [Al-Maidah, 5:96]

and the prohibition of drinking liquor and gambling. (O you who believe! Intoxicants and gambling, (dedication of) stones, and (divination by) arrows, are an abomination, of Satan's handwork: eschew such (abomination), that you may prosper.) [Al-Maidah, 5:90]

In addition, there is the category of the general and universal laws that apply to all mankind; Muslims, believers and all others, regardless of faith.
(Many were the Laws of Life that have passed away before you: travel through the earth, and see what was the end of those who rejected Truth.) [Ali-'Imran, 3:137]

These laws encompass physical laws and phenomena like

the lunar orbit; (And the Moon, We have measured for her mansions (to traverse) till she returns like the old (and withered) lower part of a date-stalk.) [Yasin, 36:39]

and the law of social change.(Verily never will Allah change the condition of a people until they change it themselves (with their own souls)) [Ar-Ra'd, 13:11]

These laws remain valid for all mankind, everywhere and at all times. There were limited occasions in history when the application of some of these laws were suspended or changed momentarily. Some of these incidents were the miracles that Allah (SWT) granted upon his Messengers (AS) like the huge fire that became cool and safe for Prophet Ibrahim [Al-Anbiya, 21:69] and the sharp knife that could not cut when Ibrahim (AS) tried to slaughter his son Ismail (AS) in obedience to Allah's (SWT) command.

One of these universal laws is the law of justice. Justice and fairness form the main pillar and objective of the various rulings in Islam.
(Allah commands you to render back your Trusts to those to whom they are due; And when you judge between man and man, that you judge with justice: Verily how excellent is the teaching which He gives you! For Allah is He Who hears and sees all things.) [An-Nisaa, 4:58]

(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 you may receive admonition.) [An-Nahl, 16:90]

The example verses above impress upon us that Muslims are obligated to enshrine and uphold justice and fairness at all times in dealing with Muslims and non-Muslims. There is no provision for an exception. The Muslim cannot give an excuse to intentionally decide unfairly and deny justice to any person regardless of faith.

The great scholar Imam Ibn Taimiyah expressed this law of justice in a bold but thoughtful way when he said, Verily Allah (SWT) establishes/strengthens the just nation even if it disbelieves and He (SWT) does not strengthen the unjust nation even if it was Muslim. This simply means that an unjust nation of Muslims will perish and the nation of disbelievers that is just will remain.

Imam Ibn Taimiyah also said, The world will last with justice and kufr but will not last with unjustice and Islam. Thus even if we are Muslims, even if all our children memorize the Holy Quran, we will not rise, we will not establish ourselves until we establish justice among us. Verily from among the known laws of Allah (SWT) is the law of justice.