1. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: «إنَّ المُقسطينَ عندَ اللَّهِ على منابرَ من نورٍ عن يمينِ الرَّحمنِ، الذينَ يَعدلونَ في حُكمِهم وأهلِيهِم وما وَلوا.» Translation: “Indeed, the just who act justly in their families, in their judgments, and in their responsibilities, will be with Allah on thrones of light, on the right hand of the Most Gracious.”
2. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: «سبعةٌ يظلُّهم الله في ظلِّه يومَ لا ظلَّ إلا ظلُّه: إمامٌ عادلٌ…» Translation: “There are seven groups whom Allah will shade under His shade on a day when there is no shade except His shade: …”; one of them is the just Imam…”
3. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: «وأهل الجنة ثلاثةٌ: ذو سلطانٍ مُقسط…» Translation: “The people of Paradise are three groups: one of them is a ruler who is just…”
4. Sa’ad ibn Ubadah narrated: «ما من أميرٍ إلا يُؤتى به يوم القيامة مغلولاً لا يفكُّه من ذلك الغلِّ إلا العدل.» Translation: “There is no ruler except that he will be brought on the Day of Resurrection with a collar around his neck, and nothing will free him from this collar except justice.”
5. Abdullah ibn Umar (MAPH) narrated: «الظُّلمُ ظُلُماتٌ يومَ القيامةِ.» Translation: “Injustice will be the darkness of the Day of Resurrection.”
6. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: «ما من والٍ يلي رعيةً من المسلمين فيموتُ وهو غاشٌّ لهم إلا حرَّم الله عليه الجنة.» Translation: “There is no ruler who takes over the affairs of the Muslims and dies while he is a traitor to them, except that Allah has forbidden Paradise for him.”
7. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: «إنَّ أشدَّ أهلِ النارِ عذابًا يومَ القيامةِ مَن قتل نبيًّا أو قتله نبيٌّ، وإمامٌ جائرٌ…» Translation: “The most severe inmates of the Fire in punishment on the Day of Resurrection are those who kill a Prophet or a Prophet kills him, and an oppressive Imam…”
The above verses and hadiths indicate the high position of justice in the political system of Islam. Islam is a religion of justice and has always opposed oppression, lawlessness, and tyranny. Rulers in Islam must possess qualities such as compassion, mercy, gentleness, filial piety, justice, and impartiality so that they can rule over the hearts of the people and establish a strong spiritual and heartfelt relationship with them.
Justice and Piety: Criteria for Deserving Rulers
Islam believes that only those who believe in Allah, practice piety, and fear the judgment of the Day of Judgment are capable of establishing true justice. In contrast, those who seemingly proclaim the slogan of justice and equality but, in practice, violate it are actually using these slogans to achieve personal goals.
Experience has shown that after reaching power, such individuals resort to hypocrisy and deceit to consolidate their position. Behind the mask of law-abidingness, these people resort to oppression and tyranny and become the source of social corruption.
The Prophet of Islam and the true rulers of Islamic history have been practical examples of justice. They never allowed family ties, religious differences, personal interests, or pressure from powerful people to prevent the administration of justice.
The Mother of the Believers, Hazrat Ayesha (may Allah be pleased with her), narrated: A woman named Fatima bint Aswad from the tribe of Banu Makhzum, one of the major tribes of Quraysh, committed theft. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) ordered that the punishment for theft be applied to her and that her hand be cut off. This greatly upset the Quraysh. They decided to find someone who was respected and honored by the Prophet (PBUH) to intercede in this matter. Usama bin Zaid, who was beloved by the Prophet, was appointed to do this. Usama mentioned this matter to the Prophet (PBUH). However, he said seriously: “Do you intercede for a limitation from the limits of Allah?” Then he delivered a lecture and said: «إنما أهلک الذین قبلکم أنهم كانوا إذا سرق فيهم الشريف تركوه وإذا سرق فيهم الضعيف أقاموا عليه الحد وأيم الله لو أن فاطمة بنت محمد سرقت لقطعت يدها» Translation: “The destruction of those before you was that if a noble among them stole, they would let him go; but if a weak person stole, they would impose the punishment on him. By Allah, if Fatima, the daughter of Muhammad, had stolen, I would have cut off her hand.”
Jablah al-Aiham, a powerful Arab king from the Banu Ghassan, converted to Islam with a number of his followers. One day, during the circumambulation of the Kaaba, a pilgrim accidentally stepped on his clothes lying on the ground. Jablah became angry and hit the man on the nose, causing blood to flow. The man complained to Hazrat Umar. Hazrat Umar, disregarding the status of Jablah, punished him according to Islamic justice.
In another case, Hazrat Umar flogged a person, but when it became clear that he had flogged him without a legitimate reason, he immediately gave the whip to the one who had been flogged and asked him to take revenge. However, the person pardoned Hazrat Umar. This scene shows that even the most powerful ruler of the time submitted to the law and insisted on enforcing justice against the weakest member of society.
An example from the caliphate of Hazrat Ali (MAPH): In a case, a Jew complained to the judge Shurayh against Hazrat Ali (MAPH) and claimed that the armor with Hazrat Ali belonged to him. After examining the evidence, the judge ruled in favor of the Jewish man, and the armor was returned to him. This incident shows that neither the position of Hazrat Ali (MAPH) nor the difference in religion prevented the administration of justice and the issuance of a verdict in favor of the Jew.
It is incumbent upon Muslim statesmen to implement true justice by following the injunctions of Islam and imitating the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the Rightly Guided Caliphs, and the pious rulers. They must show the false claimants of justice and equality that Islam established universal and human equality fourteen centuries ago when the world was immersed in the darkness of discrimination, tyranny, and racism.
Verses and Hadiths that Indicate this Truth:
1. «يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ مِنْ ذَكَرٍ وَأُنْثَى وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ» Translation: “O people, We created you from a single male and a female and divided you into groups and clans so that you may know one another. Indeed, the best of you in the sight of Allah is the most pious of you.”
2. «إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّوَجَلَّ قَدْ أَذْهَبَ عَنْكُمْ عَيْبَةَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ وَالْفَخْرَ بالْآبَاءِ…» Translation: “Indeed, Allah, the Exalted, has removed from you the disgrace of ignorance and the pride of lineage. All people are the children of Adam, and Adam was created from dust. Those who were proud of their lineage in ignorance are lower in the sight of Allah than the gnat that carries away impurities with its nose.”
These divine messages prove the truthfulness and comprehensiveness of Islamic justice. Muslim statesmen should, inspired by these divine commands, challenge the existing oppressive and imperfect systems and present a practical model of Islamic justice.
By this declaration, Islam abolished the desire for privileges based on race, language, region, color, and skin, and made all humans brothers. The only criterion for superiority in the eyes of Islam is piety.
Tell the false justice claimants: Let us all come together under the umbrella of piety and servitude to Allah, and by collectively following the divine religion of Islam—a religion that began with Prophet Adam (PBUH) and was perfected with the mission of the Seal of Prophets, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)—let us achieve global unity, global peace, and global justice.
