The Consequences and Harms of Injustice
Injustice has severe repercussions and negative consequences that affect both individuals and societies when it becomes prevalent. Below are some of these effects:
- Injustice often leads to numerous calamities impacting humanity. A victim of injustice may live in despair, feeling useless, in stark contrast to individuals in a society where justice prevails, leading to a happier and more fulfilled existence.
- Injustice brings about destruction and loss for the perpetrator; no wrongdoer will succeed in the eyes of God.
- Injustice is a despised quality that God has prohibited, promising severe punishment for wrongdoers as recompense for their transgressions.
- Injustice reflects a defiance against God’s ordained order, resulting in corruption on earth and oppression of people. God warns the unjust that they will face consequences, whether swiftly or eventually.
- God may send darkness upon the unjust, causing them to suffer as a consequence of their misdeeds, especially if injustice dominates a particular community.
- Injustice leads people to invoke curses upon one another, which may prompt God to heed the cries of the oppressed against their oppressors.
Forms of Injustice
Various forms of injustice can be committed by individuals, the gravest of which is the injustice against God Himself, exemplified by associating partners with Him. This type of injustice is unforgivable unless one repents. Death upon the sin of associating partners with God results in no forgiveness. The second form involves a person wronging themselves through sins and transgressions. God has the power to forgive these sins, but He may also choose to punish and hold individuals accountable. The third form of injustice is the transgressions that occur between people, such as when one individual unjustly takes the rights of another. The manifestations of such injustices are numerous, including:
- Infringement on land and property rights among individuals without any legitimate cause.
- Employers failing to honor the rights of their workers or overburdening them with excessive responsibilities.
- Gossiping and spreading rumors about others, which is also a form of injustice.
- Parental neglect of their children through inadequate upbringing and guidance.
Strategies to Avoid Injustice
There are certain considerations that, if reflected upon and acted upon, can assist an individual in refraining from wronging themselves and those around them. Notable strategies include:
- Remembering the fate of wrongdoers and the adverse outcomes they face.
- Constantly being aware of God’s presence and feeling His observance.
- Turning to God as the ultimate manager of affairs and responsibilities.
- Recalling that retribution corresponds to one’s actions; therefore, the unjust may face injustice toward those they love, prompting them to avoid wrongdoing out of concern for their loved ones.