In a society where everybody has freedom of speech is said to be a society that allows an individual to have points of views. The society that has social justice is defined by the supporters that are normally advocates. There are some principles followed in a society where there is social justice. Equality and solidarity are the two major principles that would be seen in a society where there is social justice.

Defining the policies is the responsibility of the state but to have them implemented there is also some role to be played by the citizens. If we particularly discuss the situation of social justice in the countries that are developed, then it would be rather unfair not to mention the United Kingdom as one of those states that have very strong laws of social justice. Society will always prosper when there are rights given to every individual. There is always a provision of amendments in the laws defined by the state, but all of these are done according to the circumstances. As far as the situation of social justice in the United Kingdom, it is concerned there is complete protection of the social justice provided to every individual. People from different parts of the world reside in the UK for different purposes.

The question is how can you have an idea about the social justice in the country? Social justice can be well judged by the fact that there should be no injustice in the society. Every individual, whether the native of the country or a foreigner, should be provided with protection by the laws. Every individual has a dignity that needs to be protected. There are strategies defined in the laws entitled with the social justice.

But from last three years or so United Kingdom has faced problems regarding the social justice issues of the society. The overall bad economic condition may have some role to play as there are not much employment opportunities created by the government. Now the government of the United Kingdom is taking steps to cope with these kinds of issues and how to be resolved. The social justice cabinet committee is working on the issues, and there are few things that are highlighted by the committee. We will look into these details.

The government is trying to transform the lives of their people by looking at the issues from where the problems are originating. The government is supporting the families by providing them with education and support. Young people should be focused on, and they have to be put on the right track. Most of the adults that are off track should be brought back on it. There should be multiple adopted approaches to tackle multiple disadvantages, as well. There is a need of strong local partnerships so that the right environment could be created. There should be some rule of the new social economy.

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Islam is the biggest supporter of Adl and gives unprecedented rights to all humans. The Source of Islamic injunctions and laws is Allah Almighty’s infinite and Divine wisdom revealed directly to Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and are undoubtedly most perfect and applicable for all times.  It is no wonder that it advocates peace, justice, equality and humanity like no other system.

Adl

Adl is the central theme of Quran and Sunnah. Adl represents fairness, justice, equality, and balance. Adl is a virtue which Allah Almighty – All Wise has chosen for Himself and made Zulm (injustice or not giving what’s due) haram for His slaves. Moreover Allah Almighty has mentioned at countless places in the Holy Quran that He loves establishers of Adl.

Adl is the most basic of human rights from which all the other rights are derived. It is such a universal right that He Almighty commands us to practice justice even for non Muslims and enemies.

“O believers, be the establishers of justice, giving witness for the sake of Allah, and do not let your animosity towards any people incite you against practicing justice. Be just! That is the pious way.” (Holy Quran 5:8)

Adl, which essentially means giving everyone and everything its due, is to be observed regardless of cast creed, status, religion  and nationality and even if it disfavors one’s own relatives .

Holy Quran clearly says,

 “O believers, be the establishers of justice, giving witness for the sake of Allah, even if it is against yourselves, your parents or your kith and kin. Whether they are rich or poor, Allah has more rights than any on them. Do not let pursuing your desires come in the way of being just.” (4:135)

Harvard Law School has described the above verse as the greatest expression of justice in history.

Adl is very extensive concept and includes fairness in everything we do or say.

“And when you speak, be just, even if it concerns a close relative.”(6:152)

It encompasses all comments and judgments, and all unfair treatments, be it inside court or outside; in selecting candidates, marking papers and all such situations.

Equality

Islam has made it mandatory to treat all people black or white, slave or master, man or a woman, and Arab or non Arab with equality

Holy Prophet (PBUH) in his last sermon said,

All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety  and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselves.

Justice and Islamic society:

Allah is Just and enjoins His slaves to be just in all their dealings, and words.  All Islamic societies should strive to make Adl their aim. Justice is compromised when peoples self interests, biases, prejudices, fears and insecurities come into play. When rich and influential of the society are given concessions and bails, when relatives are preferred and exceptions are made based on nationality or race frustration and unrest starts to prevail. Holy Prophet (PBUH) once ruled to sever hand of a woman named Fatimah for theft who came from a noble family. People sent His (PBUH)’s loved ones to seek pardon for her. He (PBUH) became angry and said. “O people! Those before you went astray because they let go the influential while the common folks were punished. By Allah, had it been my own daughter, Fatimah, I would have cut her hand as well.” (Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim)
This immaculate justice was the reason many accepted Islam knowing that this type of rulings can only come from the religion of Allah.

The dream of universal peace can’t be realized unless there is absolute justice in societies.  Allah has given those who practice and propagate Adl glad tiding of Jannah. It is about time that we rise above the inconsequential and short term favors of this world and strive for the Eternal Gardens by making Adl the only way to go.
 

 

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The young girl, by the name of Malala, who the Taliban wanted to have dead has not only survived, but is now capable of walking. She is one of the survivors and there are not many like her who have been able to live through such vicious attacks. According to the authorities, 15-year-old Malala’s ordeal is not over yet because she will have to be readmitted to the hospital in late January for cranial reconstructive surgery. Malala left the hospital just a couple of days after the vicious gunmen attacked a van in the Pakistani Swabi District around an hour away from Islamabad. The gunmen attacked around six women and a man that worked in the children’s community center. Around five teachers were killed along with two other health care workers in the area.

There was also another attack that unfolded at the time that Malala was released from the hospital. In India there was another shocking issue in which a lady that had dreams of becoming a doctor was brutally raped by a gang of men and later died in a Singapore Hospital. Her story has not just been a big ordeal in India, but it has put the whole nation in a state of shock. The girl’s name has not been released, but it has been said that she and her father had sold their land in a rural area and moved to Delhi so that his daughter could accomplish her dreams of becoming a doctor.  Now this dream is left unaccomplished and the world is left heartbroken by the chilling news.

All of these attacks on women have a connection with each other and are leading to the deaths of innocent lives. These women like the millions of women all over the world have dreams and of becoming successful teachers, doctors, or politicians some day so that they can have a brighter future. The outlook of any country is highly dependent on the people who are able to make it a better place with their talent. It is only those tough women like Malala that are able to promote women’s rights and fight for their lives. Ever since these incidences the world is beginning to recognize the value and contributions of women and girls and educate them on how they can handle difficult situations. In order to fight in difficult times it is essential that one must take a stand and be willing to make a difference. If we all work together and help create a safe society we can prevent dangerous attacks from occurring to protect the women of our society.

These days there are numerous organizations that have been developed for the protection of women’s rights and they are doing a great job of educating the world. These societies are put together by women that want to help other women who have encountered tough times and are in need of assistance.

 

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A Muslim man is seeking answers from federal law enforcement agencies about what he describes as their harassment of him and his family since his return to Oklahoma from the Middle East.

Saadiq Long, a U.S. Air Force veteran and McAlester native, said Thursday he and his sister have been followed by the FBI and have had several unexpected and unwanted encounters with agents of the federal agency since he arrived in Oklahoma from Qatar on Nov. 19.

Adam Soltani, executive director of the Oklahoma chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said the Muslim civil rights group sent a letter Thursday to the federal Justice Department asking the government agency to investigate the recent treatment of Long and his family.

The letter, written by Gadeir Abbas, an attorney for the civil rights group, requested that the justice department "investigate and hold accountable those responsible for the dangerous and illegal cowboy antics" of the FBI's field office in Oklahoma City.

Soltani, Long and Long's sister Ava Anderson, of Oklahoma City, spoke at a news conference held by CAIR's Oklahoma chapter Thursday at its office at 1112 NW 23.

NewsOK, 14 December 2012

See also McAlester News-Capital, 13 December 2012

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We are living in a world where there could obviously be more peace. As Muslims, we realize this fact more than most people, as the peace of many of our brothers and sisters in various parts of the globe has been tragically disrupted: Palestine, Chechnya, Afghanistan, Kashmir, and other locales. Similarly, we are living in a world where there could be more justice. We read almost daily of assassinations in various parts of the world where terrorist groups, military forces, or intelligence services, oftentimes in summary fashion, declare victims guilty and then proceed to execute them. Unfortunately, such unprincipled political behavior has become increasingly common in both the foreign and domestic policies of this country, causing untold damage to her image and credibility abroad.

These two issues, peace and justice, are joined in the slogans we hear from many activists, especially here in the United States, “No Justice, No Peace!”¹ This linkage is logical, as justice must be considered one of the indispensable prerequisites of any lasting peace. This article intends to briefly look at the ideas of peace and justice in Islam and explore their deeper significance in the life of a Muslim,

Peace

In the Arabic language, the word peace is derived from the radicals S-L-M. The scholars of language mention four closely related terms that can be derived from this origin: Salam, Salamah, Silm, and Salm. Raghib al-Isfahani says in his lexicon of Qur’anic terms, “As-Salm and as-Salamah mean freedom from any external or internal ruination.”² Based on that, he mentions that true peace will only exist in Paradise, for only there will there be perpetuity with no end, complete satisfaction with no need, perfect honor with no humiliation, and perfect health with no disease. In this regard, God is known as As-Salam, because He alone is described as being totally free from any defects or flaws.³ This understanding of true peace being a reality associated with a transformed world is also understood in both Jewish and Christian theology.⁴

At the level of interstate relations, if we ponder the above definition, we can consider peaceful relations between nations as a condition where violence, a state inevitably involving both internal and external ruination, is absent. In this sense, war can be viewed as an aberrational state. The aberrational nature of war is made clearer if we consider that murder, the ultimate consequence of war, is considered an innovation that destroyed the peace formerly existing among the human family. It is stated in a prophetic tradition, “No soul is killed unjustly, except that the elder son of Adam (Cain) shares in the stain of the crime. That is because he was the first to innovate murder [in the human family].”⁵

At the individual level, peace can be viewed as an absence of the ruinations of the heart. One free from such ruinations will succeed, God-willing, when he/she meets his/her Lord. Therefore, he/ she will enter safely into the Abode of Peace (Dar as-Salam). God says in that regard, [On] the day no amount of wealth or children will be of any benefit. [The only one benefited] will be one who comes before God with a sound (salim) heart. [Quran 26:89]

If one reflects on these meanings, it should be clear that the wars that Muslims have been involved in throughout our long history do not nullify the validity of the statement, “Islam is the religion of peace.” what is meant by that expression, and God knows best, is that Islam provides a path for the human being to enter Paradise (Dar as-Salam), and there he/she will know true peace.

Peace has meanings wider than those mentioned above. One of the loftier objectives of our religion is to introduce into the world an ethos that facilitates the spreading of peace at every level. Our personal relations with our fellow Muslims should begin with the implementation of the Prophetic order “Spread peace between you all.”⁶ This order is so pressing that the Beloved Prophet – advised its indiscriminate implementation. He said at the end of a tradition in which he described one of the best forms of Islam, “Extend the greeting of peace, to those you know and those you know not.”⁷ This is a very weighty matter that calls for our deeper reflection. Its weightiness is illustrated by the fact that it is mentioned as being one of the things that completes our faith. The Prophet  said in that regard, “You will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I indicate to you something that will surely lead to your mutual love? Spread the greeting and spirit of peace between yourselves.”⁸

Our relations with our spouses should also be characterized by peace. God admonishes us concerning those relations, And peace is best. [Quran 4:128] Similarly, in our relations with other nations, God commands us, If they (the enemy) incline towards peace, then you should similarly incline, and place your trust in God. [Quran 8:61] As mentioned above, peace is the original state that prevailed in relations between individuals and societies. This opinion is based, among other narrations, on the saying of the Prophet that Jesus “will return the world to a state of peace” (Yurji’ as-Salim) after his appearance at the end of time.⁹

Justice

Our lexicographers define justice, variously, as “to rule based on that contained in the Book of God and the tradition (Sunna) of His Messenger  and refraining from ruling based on empty opinion.” It is also defined as “extending inherent rights [to their possessors] equitably.”¹⁰ This latter definition emphasizes the importance of equity as an essential aspect of distributive justice.

The concept of justice is one of the essential pillars in the maintenance of both the natural and social orders. God, be He Exalted, has said, He has established the scale, therefore, do not transgress in the scale [of justice]. Undertake the measuring with justice and do not cheat concerning the scale. [55:7-8] Justice, as many of our scholars point out, is one of the underpinnings of the order that has been established by God. This reality is also a foundation of a healthy social order. God says in that regard, O, You who believe! Be upright for God, witnesses to justice; and do not let your hatred of a people move you to a position where you are unjust. Be just, that is closer to piety. Be mindful of God! Verily God is well informed concerning all that you do. [Quran 4:135]

This social aspect of justice has been beautifully summarized by Imam al-Qurtubi. He says, discussing the relationship between two words that are usually translated as justice (al-’Adl), and distributive justice (al-Qist), “Justice is the basis of all human relations and a foundation of Islamic rule.”¹¹ This saying is illustrative of the meaning conveyed by the saying of God, Verily, we have sent Our Messengers with clear proofs, and we have revealed unto them the Scripture and the Balance in order that they lead people with justice…

Imam al-Mawardi has summarized the social implications of distributive justice in the following way:

One of the things that reforms worldly affairs is the principle of distributive justice. It facilitates amicable relations between people, engenders obedience to the Divine Law, and brings about the prosperity of countries. It is the basis of a thriving economy, strong families, and stable government. Nothing devastates the land nor corrupts the mind as quickly as tyranny. That is because there are no acceptable limits [to regulate tyranny].¹²

For this reason, Ibn Taymiyya sees the responsibilities of Islamic government emanating from a single verse in the Qur’an, God enjoins that you deliver the Trusts to their rightful possessors. And when you rule over [or judge between] people, that you do so with justice… [Quran 4:58]¹³ The Noble Prophet has said in this context, “Surely the most beloved of people with God and the closest to Him on the Day of Resurrection will be a just leader. And the most hated of people and the furthest removed from Him will be a tyrannical leader.

Clearing himself from even an inadvertent association with oppressive, unjust acts, our beloved Prophet is reported to have said:

You bring your disputes to me for adjudication; perhaps one of you is less eloquent than another, and I rule against the wronged party on the basis of what I have heard. Therefore, if I inadvertently grant one of you something owed to his brother do not take it, for I am granting him something that constitutes a piece of Hellfire.¹⁵

Our impeccably just Khalifa ‘Umar b. al-Khattab uttered the following penetrating words:

Verily, God sets forth parables for you, and He directs admonition towards you in order that hearts will be quickened. Surely, the hearts are dead until God quickens them. Justice has signs and portents. As for its signs, they are shyness, generosity, humility, and gentleness. As for its portents, they are embodied in mercy. He has [likewise] made for every affair a gate, and He has made that gate accessible by providing a key. The gate of justice is a deep consideration of consequences, and its key is otherworldliness. Consideration of consequences ultimately involves remembering death and preparing for it by freely parting from one’s wealth. Otherworldliness involves dealing justly with everyone and being satisfied with what suffices. If one is not satisfied with what suffices him, no abundance will every enrich him.

Much of this discussion has focused on distributive justice. However, the Qur’an also places great emphasis on commutative justice. God commands us, Do not be moved by partiality to discriminate in meting out divinely legislated punishments. [Quran 24:2] The Prophet Muhammad mentioned that one of the reasons behind the ruination of a nation is a lack of commutative justice.¹⁷ In this context, he mentioned that if his very daughter were to steal, he would not hesitate to punish her to the full extent of the law.

In summary, this brief discussion should make it clear to any Muslim that peace and justice are comprehensive concepts with deep implications and we have to be people committed to peace and justice. We must clearly illustrate to the world that our religion is indeed the religion of peace. However, our striving for peace must never allow us to be unjust, nor should it allow us to passively accept injustices. We must take a stand for justice, as we are ordered in the Qur’an, Be you upright supporters of justice… [4:135] However, that stand must go far beyond slogans, such as the one mentioned at the beginning of this article, and move into the realm of positive action; action inspired by the Qur’an and the words and deeds of our illustrious Prophet

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First we would like to start by asking, how long will more than 1.5 billion Muslim around the world and not only in Tennessee or the United States suffer from irrational fear and hate?

Then we would like to answer the question about why is a huge Muslim compound going up where there are very few Muslims? Especially that in Spencer’s opinion the population of Muslims in America didn’t suddenly Spike and that they are not even close.

How is it that Spencer is so sure that there are very few Muslims in the area of the new Mosque specially that the United States Census Bureau didn’t use to ask about religious believes when conducting surveys and no one used to be sure or even know exactly how many persons of any religion or faith live in America or in any specific state, until recently the Census Bureau felt that there is a growing need to ask about religious believes in the surveys.

Do you know from where did this need come from? It is the stunning increase and an outstanding rate of growth of Muslims in America!

According to the latest U.S. Religion Census which is called 2010 report, the fastest growing religion in America is Islam.  The data for the census was compiled by the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies.

From year 2000 to year 2010, the census found that the number of Muslims living inside the United States increased from 1 million to 2.6 million. This is an increase of 66.7 percent.

This reminds us of the statement of President Barack Obama when he once said that “we are no longer a Christian nation”.

Even if the number of Muslims in Tennessee remains unclear, everyone agrees that it’s rising, and fast. Since Islam is growing rapidly this leads to the need of building new mosques for worship.

Based on the previous can you still say that Muslims are Very Few in this specific region?

Now regarding the size of the mosque or the huge compound as Spencer believes:

A professor of Islamic Studies at the University of Kentucky, Ihsan Bagby, said once in one of his statements that all over the United States mega mosques are seen or being constructed. And these mega-mosques are not going unused.  In some areas of the country, Islamic communities are experiencing absolutely explosive growth.

Moreover, we would like to correct the misleading hidden messages given by Spencer concerning the following statement made by the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro:

‘’ The main focus is to insure that the Mosque strong holds on our community and to expand beyond religious teachings…we must work hard so that the ICM have a prominent role in the development and progression of not only of Murfreesboro but of Middle Tennessee’’

The Islamic Center of Murfreesboro here meant when saying ‘’expand beyond religious teaching’’ his aim to create a full-service prayer center and not only a mosque, but also outdoor sports fields, pavilions and playgrounds, educational facilities, a multi-purpose facility, a gym and a cemetery.

And the goal, according to the center’s website, is “to improve the practice, knowledge and understanding of Islam among all people and elevate the image of Islam” by providing “correct information from accredited sources about Islam.”

So the Islamic Center totally explained what is meant by expanding beyond religious teaching and didn’t leave any doubts about his intentions in order for Spencer to start inducing the readers to start reaching their own conclusions.

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Prosecutors call Tarek Mehanna a dangerous radical, but he says he's being punished for not turning into an FBI informant.

Guardian, 10 April 2012

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