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Published time: 08 ,February ,2017      13:08:32
It is inconsistence with the wisdom of God to admit the Pharaoh for instance into the Paradise while Hazrat Musa (Peace be upon him) is admitted into the Hell (May God forbid!). It is here the issue of justice comes in that a benevolence needs to rewarded and appreciated while the malevolence should be punished. Allah is Wise and Just and He will never do anything that is contrary to wisdom and Justice.
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JUSTICE OF GOD

JUSTICE OF GOD

By: Hassan Adam

ABSTRACT

It is inconsistence with the wisdom of God to admit the Pharaoh for instance into the Paradise while Hazrat Musa (Peace be upon him) is admitted into the Hell (May God forbid!). It is here the issue of justice comes in that a benevolence needs to rewarded and appreciated while the malevolence should be punished. Allah is Wise and Just and He will never do anything that is contrary to wisdom and Justice.

Introduction

Divine justice is one of the most important theological issues and one of the fundamental differences between the two major Sunni schools of thought; the Ash’arites and the Mu’tazilites. However, the Shi’ite’s perspective on this is slightly in agreement with that of the Mu’tazilites. For this reason, they have been known as the ‘Adliyyah vis-a-vis Ashā’irah.

Meanwhile, this topic is of great importance in the field of theology, it is known to be the crux of the matter in theological issues, and it is even acknowledged as one of the principles of belief particularly in the Mu’tazilite and the Shi’ite schools of thought.

The concept of justice

The lexical meaning of the word "Justice” is: ‘to equalize’; ‘uniformity’; and is commonly known as the consideration of the rights of others. However, in Islamic terminology, it is defined as ‘granting rights to one who deserves’.

Therefore, initially, one must conceive an existence, which enjoys right, and then the consideration of its right will be known as justice while the violation of it will be regarded as tyranny. However, the concept of justice can be extended occasionally and regarded as ‘the performance of work befittingly or as to place all things in its proper place’.

According to the latter definition, justice is tantamount to wisdom and just work is a wise work. Nevertheless the determination of the ‘right of the deserved-one’ and what a ‘proper place’ is, involves a vast domain of words, which is usually discussed in the philosophy of ethics and in the philosophy of rights.[1] 

Justice has, then, an extensive meaning, which naturally includes the avoidance of oppression and all foolish acts. Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (Peace be upon him) while explaining the God's justice says:

"Justice in the case of God means that you should not ascribe anything to God that if you were to do it would cause you to be blamed and reproached” [2]

Similarly, Imam Ali (Peace be upon him) while describing the fulfilment of one’s right was quoted to have said: "The most just from all creation is he who fulfills rights most indiscriminately”[3].

Justice as God’s attribute

Meanwhile, it is pertinent to know that justice is one of the attributes of God. Thus, Allah while describing His justice in the Holy Qur’an says:

 

"Surely Allah does not do injustice to the weight of an atom, and if it is a good deed He multiplies it and gives from Himself a great reward” [4]

Also,

"…and Allah was not unjust to them, but they were unjust to themselves. So the evil (consequences) of what they did shall afflict them and that which they mocked shall encompass them” [5]

And,

"…so it was not Allah Who should do them injustice, but they were unjust to themselves”[6]

And,

"This is for what your own hands have sent before and because Allah is not in the least unjust to the servants” [7]

Also,

"This day every soul shall be rewarded for what it has earned; no injustice (shall be done) this day; surely Allah is quick in reckoning” [8]

 

Similarly, Amir-ul-Mu’minin (AS) was once asked about the unity of God (i.e. Tawheed) and the Divine Justice to which he replied thus:

"Tawheed is that you do not imagine Him; and Justice is that you do not accuse Him”[9]

Interestingly, it is important to discuss the views of some of our great scholars on this topic at this juncture. For instance, Sayyid Mujtaba Musavi Lari mentioned in his book ‘Divine Justice’ said: "Some Sunnis who follow the views of Abu'l Hasan Ash'ari do not believe in God's justice as a matter of faith, and they deny that justice is accomplished by the divine acts. These Ash'aris, thus, distinguish God's attribute of justice from His acts and they, therefore, regard as just whatever can be attributed to God. If He rewards the virtuous and punishes the sinful, this is justice, but so would be the reverse; it would still be in the broad sphere of His justice. Their claim that the very terms "justice" and "injustice" are meaningless when applied to God is no doubt, intended to elevate God's most sacred essence to the position of the highest transcendence. But no thoughtful person will regard these superficial and inadequate notions as having anything to do with God's transcendence. In fact, they involve a denial of order in the world, of the principle of causality both in the general order of the world and in the conduct and deeds of individual men”[10]

However, the Mu’tazilites and the Shi’ites on the contrary have considered justice among the attributes of God as a fundamental principle of their creed. Relying on both texts and rational proofs, they have also refuted and rejected as incompatible with the principle of justice, the doctrines of the unmediated effect of divine destiny and the predetermination of man's acts.[11]

Ayatullah Makarim Shirazi in response to this important topic, said that, several points should be noted, in which one of them to be mentioned here is: Among God's attributes, justice is so important that many other qualities return to it because justice in the general, extensive sense means 'putting everything in its place'. Here, then, ‘Hakim’, ‘Razzaq’, ‘Rahman’, ‘Raheem’ and similar attributes are all dependent upon it.[12]

There are some reasons as to why one would act unjustly and one of such is due to a weakness. It could be that a person himself had been unfairly treated and as he could not stand up for his rights or defend himself, he instead inflicts his enmity on others and abuses their rights. These are the motives for cruelty and injustice. Thus, can any of these motives be found in God that would drive Him to cruelty? Never! God is Powerful, Wise and Just and He is neither weak nor bias in His actions. Rather, He treats all His creatures based on justice.

The Divine Justice is widely spread and extensive and unlike what we imagine it to be, is not restricted. And there is a misconception on two concepts: Justice and Equality. Some had a notion that if truly God is Just, then why His provision to creatures not distributed equally?!

By God’s grace, this shall be one of the sub-titles that would be discussed in the next article under the title: ‘Coercion and choice’.

 

 

 

 

References:



[1] - Ayatullah Muhammad Taqi, Misbah Yazdi, Theological Instructions, page, 159

[2] - Kifayat al-Muwahhidin, I, p.442.

[3] - Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 3014

[4] - The Holy Qur’an, 4:40

[5] - The Holy Qur’an, 16:33-34

[6] - The Holy Qur’an, 9:70

[7] - The Holy Qur’an, 3:182

[8] - The Holy Qur’an, 40: 17

[9] - Bihar al-Anwar, by Majlisi, vol. 5, p. 52

[10] - Sayyid Mujtaba Musavi, Lari, The Divine Justice, page 1.

[11] - Ibid, page 2.

[12] - Ayatullah al-Uzma Nasir, Makarim Shirazi, Let’s learn about Divine Justice, page 2.

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2638/04/29
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Iran, Islamic Republic of
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Anonymous
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Nice one. Looking forward to the next edition. Thanks
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