Social Justice: The first pillar of Islam

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(Al-qist/the Justice)

“Do not read to contradict and refute, nor to believe and take it for granted, but to weigh and consider”

The Quran, chapter 16/98: …When you read the Quran, you shall seek refuge in God from the Satan the Rejected

Shahaada

3/18: God bears witness/shahaada surely that ‘‘la ilaha illa hua’/there is no god except Him, and so do the angels and those with the knowledge, established in Justice/al-qist. There is no god except He, The Mighty, The Wise.
شَهِدَ اللّهُ أَنَّهُ لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ وَالْمَلاَئِكَةُ وَأُوْلُواْ الْعِلْمِ قَآئِماً بِالْقِسْطِ لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ

As it can be read in the above verse, establishing Justice/’al-qist’ is a requirement for the very basic tenet of the Quran and Islam, the “Shahaada”, i.e. bearing witness to the unity of God/Allah, that ‘la ilaha illa allah’/’there is no god except God’. Establishing Justice is also the least important tenet for many Muslims. They will take to the streets protesting, burn effigies and embassies, and boycott foreign goods all for some stupid cartoons. Not that all Muslims are like that, only a minority. But poverty, child labor, honor killings, unjust death fatwas, and the so-called “terrorism”(fasaad) etc. i.e real problems causing injustice are not worth making an effort for most of them, the so-called followers of the Quran.

The Muslims consider themselves so close to the Quran, yet they are so far away from it that even the “first pillar of Islam” has become mere lip-service, as one cannot be witness to the unity of God unless he/she takes a firm stand with Justice.

4/135: O you who believe! Be established in Justice, as witnesses/shuhada for God, even if it be against yourselves, or your parents, or your relatives, whether they be rich or poor: for God is the protector of both. Therefore follow not the desires (of your hearts), lest you swerve from being impartial, and if you deviate or turn away, surely God is well-acquainted with whatever you do.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ كُونُواْ قَوَّامِينَ بِالْقِسْطِ شُهَدَاء لِلّهِ وَلَوْ عَلَى أَنفُسِكُمْ أَوِ الْوَالِدَيْنِ وَالأَقْرَبِينَ إِن يَكُنْ غَنِيًّا أَوْ فَقَيرًا فَاللّهُ أَوْلَى بِهِمَا فَلاَ تَتَّبِعُواْ الْهَوَى أَن تَعْدِلُواْ وَإِن تَلْوُواْ أَوْ تُعْرِضُواْ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا

When a Muslim stands firmly with Justice, only then can he be witnesses/shuhada of God’s oneness. Its importance can be realized by the fact that the Quran requires him to let nothing prevent himself from being impartial in discharging Justice, not even his parents or closest relatives, let alone his religion or nationality etc. For believers in the Quran, the top priority is supposed to be establishment of Justice and impartial treatment of all people.

5/8: O you who believe! Be established, for God, as witnesses/shuhada with Justice, and let not the hatred of any nation prevent you from being impartial(with them)…
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ كُونُواْ قَوَّامِينَ لِلّهِ شُهَدَاء بِالْقِسْطِ وَلاَ يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَآنُ قَوْمٍ عَلَى أَلاَّ تَعْدِلُوا

Again, the believers are commanded to stand firmly as ‘shuhada lillah bil qist’/’witnesses for God, with Justice’ and even if they have a reason to hate some nation, they should not let the hatred prevent them from being just and impartial with them. No chanting death to entire nations for the injustices committed by their elites. The verse continues…

5/8: …Be impartial; that is closest to at-taqwa: and fear God. For God is well-acquainted with all that ye do.
ْ اعْدِلُواْ هُوَ أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَى وَاتَّقُواْ اللّهَ إِنَّ اللّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ

The closest that a person can get to attaining Taqwa is to attain Impartiality/’al-adl’ in one’s discharge of Justice/’al-qist’. And attaining Taqwa is the only basis for increasing one’s value in the sight of God:

49/13: O people! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes that you may be able to identify(each other). Surely the most honored/’akram’ of you in the sight of God is the one with most Taqwa. Surely God is knowledgeable, well acquainted.
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ وَأُنثَى وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ

The above verse addresses all humanity, without any classification by color, region or even religion. Therefore Quranically, no white person has any basis to feel more valuable/noble than a black, no Pakistani more than an Indian, no Muslim more than a non-Muslim, and vice versa. No basis, other than his/her Taqwa, i.e. the awareness and discharge of Justice and Impartiality.

Keeping in mind that Taqwa best manifests itself in the form of social justice and impartiality….

Masaajid

9/107: And there are those who take a masjid to harm by causing Kufr/Rejection(of God’s message) and to divide the Believers – and as an outpost for those who have been waging war against God and His messenger from before. They will indeed swear that their intention is nothing but good; while God bears witness that they are liars indeed.
9/108: You shall NEVER (even) stand therein. The masjid whose foundation was laid from the first day on Taqwa, is more deserving that you stand therein. In it are men who love to be purified; and God loves those who make themselves pure.
وَالَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُواْ مَسْجِدًا ضِرَارًا وَكُفْرًا وَتَفْرِيقًا بَيْنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَإِرْصَادًا لِّمَنْ حَارَبَ اللّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ مِن قَبْلُ وَلَيَحْلِفَنَّ إِنْ أَرَدْنَا إِلاَّ الْحُسْنَى وَاللّهُ يَشْهَدُ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَاذِبُون
َلاَ تَقُمْ فِيهِ أَبَدًا لَّمَسْجِدٌ أُسِّسَ عَلَى التَّقْوَى مِنْ أَوَّلِ يَوْمٍ أَحَقُّ أَن تَقُومَ فِيهِ فِيهِ رِجَالٌ يُحِبُّونَ أَن يَتَطَهَّرُواْ وَاللّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُطَّهِّرِينَ

According to the above verses, the masaajid whose foundations are laid on Taqwa are more worthy for the believers to stand in it. The masaajid which do not take a firm stand for the establishment of social justice and impartial treatment of all people, are a way of causing ‘Kufr’/Rejection(since such masaajid do not judge by the book of God), and division among believers. Such masaajid become an outpost for those who cause ‘Fasaad’/mischief(the so called “terrorism”) by waging war against God and His messenger’s impartial system of Justice, something the Quran does not take lightly(5/33).

The Quran commands that such masaajid should be abandoned by the believers who want to become ‘shuhada bil qist’ for God and should instead take a stand in masaajid where the priority from day-one is to promote awareness and establishment of Justice.

Salaat(“Namaaz”)

The concept of Salaat(or “namaaz”) has been reduced to a daily ritual(weekly for many). Just stand up, sit down, head down a couple of times and you are made to think that you have fulfilled your most important “farz/obligation” as a Muslim. Due to the false division between ‘Huqooq ullah'(the rights of God) and ‘Huqooq ul ibaad'(the rights of people), you are made to think that you have at least fulfilled your duty towards God by performing some rituals. But the fact is that ‘Huqooq ullah’ and ‘Huqooq ul ibaad’ are the same thing, because even Salaat should result in Taqwa(social justice and impartial treatment), if the purpose of Salaat is heeded:

20/132: And enjoin your people with Salaat and be patient about it. We do not ask you(for) provision, We provide(for) you. And the end-result is to(attain) Taqwa.
وَأْمُرْ أَهْلَكَ بِالصَّلَاةِ وَاصْطَبِرْ عَلَيْهَا لَا نَسْأَلُكَ رِزْقًا نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُكَ وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلتَّقْوَى

But in the presence of over a billion “practicing/praying” Muslims, the so-called “followers” of the Quran, about 30,000 children die every day of easily preventable causes due to non-availability of basic needs. The Quran mocks such ‘musalleen'(those who establish Salaat), calls them those who belie ‘ad-deen’/’al-islam’:

107/1: Have you seen the one who belies ad-deen(al-islam)?
107/2: that is he who repels the orphans
107/3: and does not urge the feeding of the needy.
107/4: Therefore, woe unto ‘al-musalleen’/who are in Salaat,
107/5: those who are heedless of (the purpose of)their Salaat
107/6: Who would be seen(at salaat)
107/7: but refuse even small necessities (to the needy)
أَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي يُكَذِّبُ بِالدِّينِ
فَذَلِكَ الَّذِي يَدُعُّ الْيَتِيمَ
وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَى طَعَامِ الْمِسْكِينِ
فَوَيْلٌ لِّلْمُصَلِّينَ
الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَن صَلَاتِهِمْ سَاهُونَ
الَّذِينَ هُمْ يُرَاؤُونَ
وَيَمْنَعُونَ الْمَاعُونَ

For such Muslims, their shahaada, their salaat, their masaajid, don’t fulfill the purpose.

Solution: Judgment by the Book of God

God commands that whenever believers judge between people, they should judge with Impartiality…

4/58: …And when you judge between people, judge with Impartiality…
وَإِذَا حَكَمْتُم بَيْنَ النَّاسِ أَن تَحْكُمُواْ بِالْعَدْلِ

…and the way to judge among people with Impartiality is to judge with the book of God:

4/105: Surely We have sent down to you the Book(of God) in truth, that you may judge between people, …
إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ لِتَحْكُمَ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ

2/213: People used to be one single nation, and God appointed the Prophets as bringers of glad-tidings and warnings; and with them He sent down the Book(of God) in truth, so that they may judge between people wherein they differed in it;…
كَانَ النَّاسُ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً فَبَعَثَ اللّهُ النَّبِيِّينَ مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ وَأَنزَلَ مَعَهُمُ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ فِيمَا اخْتَلَفُواْ فِيهِ

But try inviting them towards God and His messenger to judge by the Book of God and see how many turn away averse, not content with the Impartial judgment of God’s book:

3/23: Have you not seen those who have been given a portion of the Book(of God)? They are invited to the Book of God, to judge between them, then a group of them turn back in aversion.
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ أُوْتُواْ نَصِيبًا مِّنَ الْكِتَابِ يُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى كِتَابِ اللّهِ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ يَتَوَلَّى فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُمْ وَهُم مُّعْرِضُونَ

24/48: And when they are invited towards God and His messenger to judge between them, a group of them turn back in aversion,
وَإِذَا دُعُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَهُمْ إِذَا فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُم مُّعْرِضُونَ

Muslims’ responsibility towards Humanity and their abandonment of the Quran

The ignorance of these important Quranic commandments displays the Muslims’ abandonment of the Quran:

25/30: And the Messenger will say “My Lord, my nation has treated this Quran as a thing to be abandoned.”
وَقَالَ الرَّسُولُ يَا رَبِّ إِنَّ قَوْمِي اتَّخَذُوا هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ مَهْجُورًا

Are problems like the mufsideen(“terrorists”) killing innocents in the name of God and His messenger, honour killings, child labour etc not worth protesting for? Are 10 million children(under 5 years old) dying every year due to poverty not worth getting emoted for? According to the Quran, saving a single life is equal to saving all humanity. But they would rather protest against cartoonists, Rushdies and popes while humanity is killed thousands of times everyday:

5/32: …and whoever saved a single person, it would be as if he saved the whole humanity…
وَمَنْ أَحْيَاهَا فَكَأَنَّمَا أَحْيَا النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا

The true followers of the Quran are supposed to be maintainers of the Balance in the distribution of Justice:

55/7: And the sky has He raised high, and He has set up the Balance,
55/8: that you may not transgress in the Balance.
55/9: And establish the Weight in Justice and fall not short in the Balance.
وَالسَّمَاء رَفَعَهَا وَوَضَعَ الْمِيزَانَ
أَلَّا تَطْغَوْا فِي الْمِيزَانِ
وَأَقِيمُوا الْوَزْنَ بِالْقِسْطِ وَلَا تُخْسِرُوا الْمِيزَانَ

Establishing a balanced system of social justice and impartial treatment by judging/ruling in accordance with the book of God, is a responsibility of the Muslims because they consider themselves to be believers and followers of the Quran. God revealed His book so that people may establish Justice. Is that how the the book of God is being used by its self-proclaimed custodians and labeled followers?! Or is it being used to establish only their superstitious beliefs and practices?!

57/25: We have sent our messengers with Clarifications. And We revealed with them the Book(of God) and the Balance, so that people may establish Justice…
لَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا رُسُلَنَا بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ وَأَنزَلْنَا مَعَهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْمِيزَانَ لِيَقُومَ النَّاسُ بِالْقِسْطِ

—
Fahad Ali Khan, August 20, 2007
http://takhlees.blogspot.com/

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