Islam is a comprehensive system that addresses all aspects of life. As it encompasses worship and belief, it also encompasses behavior, ethics, and divine concepts that regulate people's lives and their public and private affairs. Islam has paid attention to every morality that elevates the value of affection, mercy, and solidarity among people, and strengthens the bonds of love and goodness. Thus, social justice in Islam is an inherent branch of religion, as it organizes all aspects of people's lives.
It is a comprehensive concept that refers to the distribution of rights and duties among members of society in a way that achieves equality and justice, ensures equal opportunities, and preserves human dignity, while taking into account the natural differences among people.
This concept is based on several fundamental principles derived from the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet, ensuring the realization of the principle of social justice as Allah has established in His Book, and as emphasized and applied by the Sunnah.
The Foundations of Social Justice Principle in Islamic Culture
- Monotheism and Servitude to Allah:
Social justice in Islam stems from the principle that Allah is the Creator of all humans; therefore, all people are equal before Him, regardless of race, gender, or color. Allah says, “O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you.” (Al-Hujurat: 13)
Today, we might read or hear these concepts naturally without them leaving negative or sometimes hostile impressions. When Islam came, it caused a significant division in the pre-Islamic society between the elite class, who thought they belonged to a different class than the commoners and slaves. They believed they had the right to torture their slaves as if they were objects of their property and not humans with rights. Islam came to equalize all these people, declaring them all as humans and slaves of Allah, the One True God. Perhaps this was the primary cause of the initial enmity between the leaders of disbelief and Islam. Honor and preference are not for color, wealth, gender, or status, but for piety among humans from the perspective of servitude to Allah.
Monotheism was not merely a belief directing people to worship their Lord without all other alleged gods. Rather, monotheism was a reference for Muslims in all their private and public, individual and social affairs. By declaring monotheism, it was as if one said, “I belong entirely to Allah; He commands me as He wills, and I am His obedient servant.”
- Achieving Equality:
Islam calls for equality in rights and duties without discrimination. There is no place for bias based on social class or wealth. As long as we believe in the Creator who has equalized all His creation, Allah says, “And We have certainly honored the children of Adam and carried them on the land and sea and provided for them of the good things and preferred them over much of what We have created, with [definite] preference.” (Al-Isra: 70) Honor is for every human being, and equality is for all, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “People should stop boasting about their fathers who have died, while they are but coals of Hell, or they will be more humiliated with Allah than the dung beetle who rolls dung with his nose. Indeed Allah has removed the pride of Jahiliyyah from you, and its boasting about lineage. [Indeed a person is either] a pious believer, or a miserable sinner. And people are all the children of Adam, and Adam was [created] from dust..” (Reported by At-Tirmidhi)
- Economic Justice:
Islam advocates an economic system that reduces the gap between social classes, rich and poor, through zakat (obligatory charity), sadaqat (voluntary charity), the prohibition of usury, and the banning of monopolization. Allah says, “Take, [O, Muhammad], from their wealth a charity by which you purify them and cause them increase.” (At-Tawbah: 103) Wealth remains impure until the right of the poor is taken from it through zakat, which is a right, not a favor from the rich to the poor. It is not a point of pride but a right in Allah's wealth entrusted to some of His servants, which preserves the dignity and rights of the poor. Justice and benevolence are the foundations of a healthy social life.
- Judicial Justice:
Islam makes everyone equal before the law, regardless of who they are or their lineage. There was an incident involving a woman from the Makhzum tribe who stole during the Prophet's (peace be upon him) time, and the decisive response was equality in punishment. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Those who came before you were destroyed because, whenever a noble person among them stole, they would let him go. But if a person who was weak stole, they would carry out the punishment on him. By Allah, if Fatimah the daughter of Muhammad were to steal, I would cut off her hand.” (Reported by al-Bukhari)
- Social Solidarity:
Social justice is only achieved through a system based on cooperation and solidarity among members of society. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The believers in their mutual kindness, compassion and sympathy are just like one body. When one of the limbs suffers, the whole body responds to it with wakefulness and fever.” (Reported by al-Bukhari) Regarding the right of the needy in the wealth of the rich, Allah says, “And from their properties was [given] the right of the [needy] petitioner and the deprived.” (Adh-Dhariyat: 19) To maintain the economic image of society, Allah says, “So that it will not be a perpetual distribution among the rich from among you.” (Al-Hashr: 7)
Jurisprudential Principles Supporting Social Justice
- “No Harm and No Reciprocating Harm”: Dealing in the Muslim community is based on a principle established by the Prophet (peace be upon him) in his saying: “There should neither be harming (of others without cause), nor reciprocating harm (between two parties).” (Reported by Ibn Majah), such as the prohibition of monopolization.
- “The Original Ruling Regarding Things is Permissibility Until Evidence Shows Otherwise”: There is no restriction on human freedom except by prohibitive text. Allah says, “It is He who created for you all of that which is on the earth.” (Al-Baqarah: 29)
- “Harm Must Be Removed”: This means hastening in removing any harm inflicted on an individual or society. Allah says, “And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression.” (Al-Maidah: 2)
- “Necessity Removes Restriction”: Allah says, “But whoever is forced [by necessity], neither desiring [it] nor transgressing [its limit], there is no sin upon him.” (Al-Baqarah: 173)
- “Justice is the Foundation of Governance”: Allah says, “Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct.” (An-Nahl: 58)
- “Preventing Harm Takes Precedence Over Acquiring Benefits”: Allah says, “And cause not corruption upon the earth after its reformation.” (Al-A’raf: 56)
- “Matters shall be Judged by their Objectives”: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Deeds are to be judged only by intentions.” (Reported by al-Bukhari)
- “Liability Corresponds with Benefit”: Whoever benefits from something must bear its consequences. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The hand (which takes) is responsible for what it has taken till it returns it.” (Reported by At-Tirmidhi)
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