
‘Even If It Is Against Yourselves’ – Abdur Rahman’s Corner
Peace, one and all…
In the Quran, we read the following verse:
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُونُوا۟ قَوَّٰمِينَ بِٱلْقِسْطِ شُهَدَآءَ لِلَّهِ وَلَوْ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَوِ ٱلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ وَٱلْأَقْرَبِينَ ۚ إِن يَكُنْ غَنِيًّا أَوْ فَقِيرًۭا فَٱللَّهُ أَوْلَىٰ بِهِمَا ۖ فَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا۟ ٱلْهَوَىٰٓ أَن تَعْدِلُوا۟ ۚ وَإِن تَلْوُۥٓا۟ أَوْ تُعْرِضُوا۟ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًۭا ١٣٥
‘You who believe, uphold justice and bear witness to God, even if it is against yourselves (anfussikum), your parents, or your close relatives. Whether the person is rich or poor, God can best take care of both. Refrain from following your own desire (al-hawa), so that you can act justly- if you distort or neglect justice, God is fully aware of what you do’ (Quran 4:135)
If my faith is to be real, I must uphold justice, and not just where it is easy. I must strive to uphold justice against myself, my beloved parents and my close relatives. I must be just, regardless of someone’s wealth or status. And what is the most fundamental cause of injustice? Following our own desires (hawa) to the detriment of others, and putting those desires, those whims, before the needs of others. Moreover, as this verse makes clear, every deceitful behaviour is ultimately in vain: Allah is fully aware of all that we do.
Reading this verse in Ramadan has really made clear to this one that injustice starts within the human heart and so we must all be on our guard. More personally, it means that I need to ensure that I am being just myself. This requires self-examination, honesty and above all, divine assistance. I receive this ayah today as a gift from God: justice is the action of divine love in the world, cleansing our hearts and restoring our inward equilibrium.
And our last prayer is in praise of God, Lord of all the worlds.