By Sheikh Sami Al Majid
Islam did not come only to guide people to happiness in the Hereafter. Neither did it come to direct them in their spiritual development while leaving their worldly lives in disarray, without any concern for developing and bettering the world, as claimed by some ignorant people and those who deliberately wish to misrepresent Islam.
Islam came to guide people to all that is best for them in this world and the next and to combat all forms of corruption in people’s worldly lives. Its purpose is not restricted to correcting our worship and our spiritual affairs.
All of God’s messengers were focused on dispelling corruption and falsehood in matters of religious belief, worship, and worldly affairs alike, matters concerning the rights of Allah as well as those concerning the rights of the people. All religions have this in common.
Prophet Saleh said to his people:
And do not obey the order of the transgressors, who cause corruption in the land and do not make amends. (26:151-52)
Prophet Shuaib said to his people:
Give full measure and do not be of those who cause loss. And weigh with an even balance. And do not deprive people of their due and do not commit abuse on earth, spreading corruption. (26: 181-83)
We see this clearly with Moses. We read in the Quran: And Moses said to his brother Aaron, ‘Take my place among my people, do right by them, and do not follow the way of the corrupters.’ (7: 142)
God addresses Moses and his brother in the Quran, saying: Go to Pharaoh and say, ‘We are the messengers of the Lord of the worlds, that you send with us the Children of Israel.’ (26: 16-7)
Moses said to Pharaoh, condemning his enslavement of the Children of Israel:
And is this a favour of which you remind me – that you have enslaved the Children of Israel? (26: 22)
Every messenger of God strived to establish among his people the values and habits that are needed for their welfare. They suffered greatly in combating oppression, corruption, and persecution. They struggled to establish justice and to liberate people from every form of servitude to other than God.
It would be no exaggeration to say that seeking happiness in the Hereafter cannot be accomplished without bettering the world, upholding wholesome values, protecting people’s rights, fighting against baseness, protecting what is proper, and defending the truth. Those who bring ruin upon the lives of others consequently ruin their own lives in the Hereafter.
The way to ensure the good in the next life, without doubt, requires ensuring the good of this life by establishing justice, ensuring people’s rights, and preventing oppression.
It is true that Islam calls its followers to asceticism. However, this does not mean that they should refrain from supporting the oppressed, establishing justice, and ensuring that people get all that they are rightly due.
Aloofness from the world does not mean that people should leave their lives in disorder. It does not mean that they should seclude themselves in the mosques and cut themselves off from everything other than worship.
What it means is that they should not let the preoccupations of this life distract them from doing what is necessary to achieve success in the next, which includes fighting oppression, establishing justice, and upholding people’s rights.
One of the aspects of a Muslim’s asceticism is to waive the rights they have over others, especially when those others are unable to fulfill their obligations. This is leniency. Other aspects of true asceticism are to be unselfish, to shun ostentatious displays of wealth, and to avoid vanity, arrogance, and hubris.
True asceticism requires giving preference to others, and this means a willingness to make sacrifices for the sake of truth and justice, to uphold wholesome values and preserve noble social norms. All of this contributes to the betterment of human life.
Islam fought against every form of oppression, corruption, wantonness, and slavery that had endured for centuries. Just like Islam fought against moral corruption, it also fought against economic, intellectual, and governmental corruption. Islam is completely innocent of the backwardness and weakness that has beset the Muslim world and brought shame to its people.
Imam Al Shatibi writes:
“It is affirmed that the Lawgiver’s purpose in legislating is to promote human welfare in this world and the next, so that considerations of welfare are never systematically compromised in any general or particular sense, regardless of whether the consideration of welfare is a necessity, need, or refinement of life.
Had it been set forth in a way that its system or legal rulings could ever possibly compromise those considerations, then the legislation would not have been set forth for that purpose, because being a cause of human welfare in that case would be no more likely than being a cause of harm.
God will support the just state even if it is an unbelieving state, but God will not support the oppressive state...
However, it is the Lawgiver’s purpose that the laws are categorically for considerations of human welfare, so that the legislation will always be for that purpose under all circumstances and for all time, generally for every legal obligation and legally accountable person in every situation. This is, indeed, how we find it to be.” (Al Muwafaqat, 2/62)
Ibn Taymiyah writes:
“The people’s affairs in the world are better off when there is justice mixed with some sin then where there is oppression and the denial of rights in the absence of sin. This is why it is said that God will support the just state even if it is an unbelieving state, but God will not support the oppressive state even if it is a Muslim state. It is also said that the world can keep going when there is justice and disbelief, but it cannot keep going when there is oppression, even if it is with Islam.
The Prophet (PBUH) said: “No sin is more swiftly punished than oppression and breaking off family ties.”
The oppressor’s punishment is hastened on in this world, whether or not he is forgiven or shown leniency in the Hereafter. This is because justice is what gives everything its proper order, so if the affairs of the world are established upon justice, then everything runs smoothly, even if the people involved have no share in the Hereafter.
Likewise, whenever justice is not established, worldly affairs do not run smoothly, even if the people involved possess faith that will avail them in the Hereafter.”
The objectives of Islamic Law are “the meanings and aspects of wisdom that can be discerned from the Lawgiver in all or most aspects of legislation.” (The Objectives of Islamic Law, 50)
There are many verses in the Quran that enjoin justice, fair dealings, kindness and mercy
Anyone who undertakes a thorough investigation of the revealed texts will conclude with certainty that Islamic Law is concerned with human rights and human welfare, in order that people can live wholesome, well-balanced lives. God says in the Quran:
And we did not send you (O Muhammad) except as a mercy to all peoples. (21: 107)
Likewise, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “God only shows mercy to His servants who show mercy.” (Authenticated by Al Albani, 96) and:
“Show mercy to those who are on Earth and the one in Heaven will show mercy to you.”(Tirmidhi, 1927)
Once, when eggs were taken away from a bird’s nest, the Prophet heard the mother’s cries and said: “Who has hurt this bird’s feelings by taking her young? Return them to her.”
There are many verses in the Quran that enjoin justice, fair dealings, kindness and mercy upon the people. Just a few of these are as follows:
We have already sent Our messengers with clear proofs and sent down with them the Scripture and the balance that the people may maintain their affairs in justice. (57:25; also 5:8,2; 6:152;16:90; 4:58)
Likewise, the sacred texts frequently warn against injustice, transgression, and oppression, and call to the sanctity of human life and warn against showing disregard for it.
We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whosoever kills a human being for other than [justice against] murder or corruption in the earth, it shall be as if he had killed all humanity, and whoso saves the life of one, it shall be as if he had saved the life of all humanity. (5: 32)
Do not transgress. God does not love the transgressors. (2: 190; 7:85; 42:42; 4:29)
the objectives of Islamic Law can be categorised in this regard on three levels...
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:
“There shall be no harm or causing of harm.”(Ibn Majah, 2341)
He also said: “Whoever cheats us is not one of us.” (Ibn Majah, 2225)
There can be no dispute about the imperative for justice in Islam, since Islam has honored humanity and human concerns. God says in the Quran:
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 marked preference. (17:70 also 7:26)
After establishing this fact, we can turn our attentions to the consideration of human rights and human welfare in the context of the objectives of Islamic Law. Scholars have determined that the objectives of Islamic Law can be categorised in this regard on three levels: necessities, needs, and refinements of life.
Necessities are those things which are indispensible for the proper functioning of people’s religious and worldly lives. If they are absent, life cannot function properly. The consequence of their absence is corruption, disorder, and loss of life in this world, and the loss of salvation in the Hereafter.
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