Fairness
is “giving others the same rights you would want to receive from them if you
were in their place, in word and deed, in contentment and anger, whether you
love them or hate them.” It is also “justice in dealing with oneself and
others.” The difference between fairness and justice is that if judgment is
based on external standards and laws, this is justice. If judgment comes from
within oneself without being between more than one person, this is called
fairness. Fairness is a precious quality, attained only by those who do not
follow their desires and who train themselves to be fair, giving everyone their
due. Therefore, not everyone is capable of fairness, and no one can adorn
themselves with this behavior unless fairness has taken root in their heart,
becoming one of their moral values and a principle they apply in their daily
life. Fairness begins with a person being fair to themselves first, for whoever
is not fair to themselves cannot be fair to others. But how does a person be
fair to themselves? The answer is simple: by not claiming for themselves what
is not rightfully theirs, thus transgressing all moral values and committing
injustices. Sins, transgressions, and wrongdoings. And that a person should be
just to his Creator, Sustainer, and the One who oversees all his affairs by
permitting what He has permitted and forbidding what He has forbidden. Can any
rational person imagine that a person can be just to creation while not being
just to the Creator? And that he should be just to the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) by believing in him, loving him, and giving that love
above the love of all creation, obeying him, honoring him, and venerating him,
and giving precedence to his commands and prohibitions over all others. And
that he should be just to his fellow Muslim and to others, even if they differ
from him in opinion, religion, sect, or anything else. Being just to people
means fulfilling their rights, not demanding from them what is not yours, not burdening
them beyond their capacity, and treating them as you would like to be treated
(Ibn al-Qayyim).
The
Quran called for justice in the words of God. Almighty: "They are not
[all] the same; among the People of the Scripture is a community standing [in obedience],
reciting the verses of Allah during periods of the night and prostrating [in
prayer]” (Surat Al Imran 3:113). This verse indicates Allah’s justice
towards a group of People of the Book who recite His verses at night while
prostrating. Similarly, Allah commands us to be just with our parents and
relatives. God Almighty says, “O you who believe! Violate not the
sanctity of the symbols of Allah, nor of the sacred month, nor of the animals
brought for sacrifice, nor of the garlanded people or animals, etc. [Marked by
the garlands on their necks made from the outer part of the tree stems (of
Makkah) for their security], nor the people coming to the Sacred House
(Makkah), seeking the bounty and good pleasure of their Lord. But when you
finish the Ihram (of Hajj or 'Umrah), you may hunt, and let not the hatred of
some people in (once) stopping you from Al-Masjid-al-Haram (at Makkah) lead you
to transgression (and hostility on your part). Help one another in Al-Birr and
At-Taqwa (virtue, righteousness, and piety), but do not help one another in sin
and transgression. And fear Allah. Verily, Allah is severe in punishment”
(Surat An-Nisa 135). And kindness to all people, as stated in the words of
God Almighty: “O you who believe! Stand out firmly for Allah and be just
witnesses, and let not the enmity and hatred of others make you avoid justice.
Be just: that is nearer to piety, and fear Allah. Verily, Allah is
well-acquainted with what you do” (Surat Al-Ma'idah: 2) And that we be fair
to ourselves by refraining from what degrades the soul, such as obscenity,
wrongdoing, and transgression, and by adorning ourselves with noble values
such as justice, kindness, and spending on relatives, as stated in his words:
"Verily, Allah enjoins Al-Adl (i.e., justice and worshipping none but
Allah Alone—Islamic Monotheism) and Al-Ihsan [i.e. to be patient in performing
your duties to Allah, totally for Allah's sake and in accordance with the
Sunnah (legal ways) of the Prophet SAW in a perfect manner], and giving (help)
to kith and kin (i.e., all that Allah has ordered you to give them, e.g.,
wealth, visiting, looking after them, or any other kind of help, etc.), and
forbids Al-Fahsha' (i.e., all evil deeds, e.g., illegal sexual acts,
disobedience of parents, polytheism, telling lies, giving false witness,
killing a life without right, etc.), and Al-Munkar (i.e., all that is
prohibited by Islamic law: polytheism of every kind, disbelief, and every kind
of evil deed, etc.), and Al-Baghy (i.e., all kinds of oppression). He admonishes
you, that you may take heed” (Surat - An-Nahl: 90). And kindness to all
people, as the Almighty says: “O you who believe! Stand out firmly for Allah
and be just witnesses, and let not the enmity and hatred of others make you
avoid justice. Be just: that is nearer to piety, and fear Allah. Verily, Allah
is well-acquainted with what you do” (Surat Al-Ma'idah: 2).
Justice
and its encouragement were inherent qualities of our Prophet Muhammad (peace
and blessings be upon him), reaching the highest degree of perfection. He
encouraged and urged us to be just with ourselves, as justice with oneself is a
fundamental aspect of faith, as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said,
“Three things: whoever possesses them has perfected faith: being just with
oneself, extending peace to all, and giving charity even in times of hardship.”
(Narrated by Ammar; Source: Al-Bukhari included it in his Sahih. He also
emphasized justice with his family, dividing his time and resources equally
among them, saying, “O Allah, this is my division in what I possess, so do not
blame me for what You possess and I do not.” (Narrator: Aisha, Mother of the
Believers; Source: Al-Badr Al-Munir); and fairness towards children, as
narrated by Aisha: “The wives of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him
peace, were with him, and he had not left any of them. Then Fatima came
walking, and her gait was exactly like the gait of the Messenger of God, may
God bless him and grant him peace. When he saw her, he welcomed her, saying,
‘Welcome, my daughter,’ and then he seated her to his right or to his left.”
(Narrator: Aisha, Mother of the Believers; Source: Sahih Muslim); and fairness
towards his companions, as narrated on the authority of Usaid bin Hudair, who
said, “While he was talking to the people, and he was joking and making them
laugh, the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, poked him in his
side with a stick. He said, ‘Let me be patient.’ So he said, ‘Be patient.’ He
said, ‘You have a shirt on, and I do not have a shirt on.’ So the Prophet, may
God bless him and grant him peace, lifted his shirt, and he hugged him and
began kissing his side. He said, “This is what I wanted, O Messenger of God.”
(Narrator: Usaid bin Hudair; Source: Sahih Abi Dawud). Likewise, among his
fairness, may God bless him and grant him peace, is his rebuke of Usama when he
interceded for the Makhzumi woman and said, “Those who came before you were
destroyed because when a noble person among them stole, they let him go, and
when a weak person among them stole, they carried out the punishment on him. By
God! If Fatima, the daughter of Muhammad, had stolen, I would have cut off her
hand.” (Narrated by Aisha, the Mother of the Believers; Source: Sahih
al-Nasa’i). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was just even with
the disbeliever, saying, “Whoever wrongs a person with whom a covenant has been
made, or diminishes his rights, or burdens him beyond his capacity, or takes
anything from him without his consent, then I will be his adversary on the Day
of Resurrection” (Narrated by several of the sons of the Prophet’s companions;
Source: Sahih Abi Dawud). He (peace and blessings be upon him) also said,
“Whoever kills a person with whom a covenant has been made will not smell the
fragrance of Paradise, even though its fragrance can be found from a distance
of forty years’ journey.” (Narrated by Abdullah bin Amr; Source: Sahih
Al-Bukhari).
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