Understanding Injustice
The term “injustice” stems from the Arabic verb “ظَلَمَ” (to oppress or wrong), with various interpretations. It encompasses violations of individuals’ rights, properties, and honor, straying from the truth, or misplacing matters—whether by exaggeration or minimization—to align with the desires or interests of the perpetrator. Additionally, it includes unjustly claiming authority over others’ assets, lives, and feelings without appropriate consent or justification.
Injustice Defined in Islamic Law
In Islamic jurisprudence, injustice is categorized into three distinct types, each with its own definition:
- Injustice towards God: This type involves worshipping entities other than Allah, such as trees, stars, angels, and animals, or associating partners with Allah, as seen in the Christian concept of the Holy Trinity. It also includes misdirecting acts of worship to beings other than Allah, such as seeking intercession from prophets or saints, offering vows at graves, visiting shrines, and consulting sorcerers or astrologers for information that is beyond human knowledge.
- Injustice towards oneself: This entails engaging in minor forms of polytheism, such as superstition, as well as committing religious innovations and deviating from the guidance of the Quran and Sunnah. It also includes indulging in sins and transgressions, such as lying, neglecting prayers, engaging in gossip, and committing other wrongdoings.
- Injustice towards others: This form involves harming others, whether they are Muslims or non-Muslims, through acts of aggression such as stealing their possessions, illegally taking their lives, or inflicting emotional and physical harm. It also extends to mistreatment of spouses, children, and employees, reflecting broader social injustices.
Causes of Injustice
Several critical factors contribute to the prevalence of injustice:
- A lack of awareness regarding Allah’s supreme power and a disregard for the serious repercussions faced by the oppressor, both in this life and the hereafter.
- Poor upbringing in an environment devoid of fear of Allah, along with the absence of positive role models, further exacerbated by the presence of unjust leaders.
- Accessibility to power and resources often tempts individuals to wrong others, leveraging their wealth, status, and physical strength to do so.
- The failure to hold corrupt individuals and oppressors accountable, leading to a sense of impunity due to the absence of oversight by authorities or impartial entities.
- Neglecting the severe consequences that befall the oppressor in both this world and the next; the prayers of the oppressed reach Allah without barriers, and He grants reprieve but does not disregard injustice.
- Ignorance of religious principles may lead individuals to commit injustices against themselves and others.
- A misguided belief that the best way to protect oneself from harm is to preemptively commit wrongdoings against others.
- Competition over wealth, resources, and land often leads to oppressive behavior.