Introduction

As you read these lines, wars are going on in all corners of the world. People are being forced from their homes, dying and being maimed, injured or disabled. In heavy rain and severe cold, refugees struggling to walk to their destination hundreds of miles away are being threatened with starvation, epidemics and death, while those who are responsible for such misery sleep soundly in their warm beds. These events do not evoke a speck of guilty conscience in them. A look at some of the countries in the world in general today reveals that justice has become a tool which is applied at will by minorities who possess material wealth. If they only "came to reason," they would then extend a helping hand to the desperate, and would exercise justice. In all corners of the world, some people have ended up on welfare because of abuse of power, unjust earnings and exploitation of the poor. While punishment is inflicted on the innocent, the real offenders are awarded respect and admiration. In brief, injustice wins out in many countries all over the world.What is the justification for this? Don't people feel the need for just administrations?

When we talk about justice, everybody shares essentially the same basic concepts, and these are accepted by the majority of people right away. This justice will include people from all walks of life, with no discrimination between them. It will allocate resources fairly among people, without taking their race, religion and language into consideration and will aim to create a world in which the superior is the one who is right, not the powerful.

What often distances people from justice is their rejection of it. They may concur in princi-ple, but they reject it when it conflicts with their own interests. Everyone, for instance, spurns bribery and in theory agrees that taking bribes is immoral. However, faced with an attractive offer of a bribe, some people fabricate "justifications" and violate the principles they theoreti-cally agree with.

Similarly, everybody knows and agrees that in finding out the truth and in the establishment of justice, the authenticity of witness statements are of major importance. In courts, however, some people whose evidence is given may readily lie and mislead the jury when their own interests or the interests of someone they love are at stake. These people accept justice in principle, yet see no reason not to violate it when the truth and their personal interests turn out to be at odds. Alternatively, everybody agrees that public resources should be shared equally. However, the recipients of an "aid campaign" may attempt to take a greater share and even tread over others to accomplish that. In this case, too, personal interests supersede justice.

The examples are legion. Yet we ultimately face the very same truth: even if some people be-lieve in the necessity of justice, they may violate it when their interests are at stake. Since some people with such mentalities are in the majority in some societies, justice remains an illu-sionary concept.

For due administration of justice over the world, a morality which will enable people to set aside their personal benefits for the sake of justice is needed.

This morality is the values of the Qur'an which Allah commands and instructs us with in the Qur'an. That is because the values of the Qur'an command an absolute justice that makes no discrimination between people, that sides only with what is true and just. In Sura Nisa', Allah commands people to rule with justice, even if it works against themselves:

You who believe! Be upholders of justice, bearing witness for Allah alone, even against yourselves or your parents and relatives. Whether they are rich or poor, Allah is well able to look after them. Do not follow your own desires and deviate from the truth. If you twist or turn away, Allah is aware of what you do.  (Surat an-Nisa', 135)

As it is maintained in the verse, justice that is carried out with the fear of Allah and with the sole intention of earning Allah's approval is true justice. This form of justice makes no dis-crimination between people. When such justice is the main goal, neither one's personal interests, kinship, enmity, outlook on life, language, color, nor race will influence his decisions. He will decide only in favor of righteousness. In societies in which people live by the values of the Qur'an, it is certain that people will enjoy true justice, peace and trust. Only someone who fears Allah and knows that he will be questioned on the Day of Judgment can exercise true jus-tice.

Indeed, history confirms this fact. As Allah informs us in the verse, " Among those We have created there is a community who guide by the Truth and act justly according to it." (Surat al-A'raf, 181), throughout history there have been times when justice prevailed. The prophets and numerous just leaders who followed in their footsteps established peaceful socie-ties, thereby creating a role model for the world to emulate. Both the Seljuk Turks and the Ot-toman Empire ensured the co-existence of people of different religions and nations under one flag. Muslim Turks were known for their justice in the lands they ruled. Due to their merciful, peaceable and compassionate attitudes, they were received with joy by the natives of conquered lands.

The purpose of this book is to describe the justice in the Qur'an. Yet bear in mind that to attain such a peaceable life and one full of trust, you must also make your own efforts. For a peaceful life which will also secure a just and secure environment for the next generation, you, more than anyone else, must administer your own justice and thus become a role model for others. There is an opportunity ahead to be one of those who "command justice. " (Surah Al 'Imran, 21) Never forget that "... Allah loves the just." ( Surat al-Ma'ida, 42)

Allah Commands Us To Be Just

The true justice described in the Qur'an commands man to behave justly, not discriminating between people, protecting others' rights and not permitting violence, no matter what the cir-cumstances, to side with the oppressed against the oppressor and to help the needy. This justice calls for the rights of both parties to be protected when reaching a decision in a dispute, assessing all aspects of an incident, setting aside all prejudices, being objective, honest, merciful and compassionate. In the event one fails to display any of these characteristics or attaches greater importance to a particular one, then it becomes hard to exercise true justice. For in-stance, someone who cannot assess events in a moderate way, and who is swayed by his emotions and feelings, will fail to arrive at sound decisions and will remain under the influence of those feelings. However, someone who rules with justice needs to set all his personal feelings and views aside. He needs to treat all parties with justice when they ask for help, to side with what is right under all circumstances, and not to diverge from the path of honesty and truthfulness. A person should incorporate the values of the Qur'an into his soul in such a way that he may be able to consider the interests of other parties before his own and maintain justice, even if this harms his own interests.

You who believe! Show integrity for the sake of Allah, bearing witness with justice. Do not let hatred for a people incite you into not being just. Be just. That is closer to taqwa. Have taqwa of Allah. Allah is aware of what you do. (Surat al-Ma'ida, 8)

As it is suggested in the above verse, Allah knows everything a man does. A person who fears Allah and who is aware that he will have to account for his deeds on the Day of Judgment, issues his commands in a just way in order to earn the good pleasure of Allah. He knows that all his words and thoughts will be judged on the Day of Judgment and will be rewarded accordingly.

For this reason, what one has to do to earn the good pleasure of Allah, to be saved from the torment of Hell and to attain the infinite favors of Paradise is to fully live by the Qur'an. In order to attain this morality, everyone must make personal efforts and set aside all his selfish desires and personal interests and adopt the guidance of justice, compassion, love and peace. Allah gives a detailed description of true justice in the Qur'an and informs us that all sorts of disagreements can be solved by the maintenance of justice. In a society made up of righteous administrators and just people, it is obvious that all problems can be readily overcome. In the Qur'an, Allah gives a detailed description of justice and informs believers of the attitude they have to adopt in the face of incidents they encounter and of the ways to exercise justice. Such guidance is a great comfort to believers and a mercy from Allah. For this reason, those who be-lieve are responsible for exercising justice in an undivided manner both to earn Allah's approval and to lead their lives in peace and security.

Justice Should Be Exercised Equally Among All People, With No Consideration of Language, Race, or Ethnicity

A close examination of developments all over the world reveals that the performance of jus-tice varies according to place, time and people. For instance, in some societies, the color of someone's skin influences decisions. Even under the very same circumstances, the same decision may not apply to a white and a black man. In some societies, race is of great importance to peo-ple. In the 20th century, Hitler's annihilation of millions of people solely because he deemed the Aryan race superior to other races is a good example of this. In our day, too, there are people being subjected to cruel and unjust treatment because of the color of their skin or their race. In the United States and South Africa, black people were for many years treated as second-class citizens, and savage disputes raged in many Asian and African countries simply because of racial differences.

The fact is, however, that Allah reveals in the verses of the Qur'an that one of the pieces of wisdom behind the creation of different peoples and nations is to allow them "to come to know one another." Different nations or peoples, all of whom are the servants of Allah, should get to know one another, that is, learn about their different cultures, languages, traditions and abili-ties. In brief, the purpose of the creation of different races and nations is not conflict and war but cultural richness. Such variation is a bounty of Allah's creation. The fact that someone is taller than someone else or that his skin is yellow or white neither makes him superior to others nor is something to feel ashamed of. Every trait a person has is a result of Allah's purposeful creation, but in the sight of Allah, these variations have no ultimate importance. A believer knows that someone attains superiority only by fearing Allah and in the strength of his faith in Allah. This fact is related in the following verse:

Mankind! We created you from a male and female,and made you into peoples and tribes so that you might come to know each other.The noblest among you in Allah's sight is the one with the most taqwa.Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware.  (Surat al-Hujurat, 13)

As Allah informs us in that verse, the justice ordained by Him calls for equal, understanding and peaceable treatment of everyone, with no discrimination.

In his time, the Prophet Muhammad (saas) treated people of different races and places with the utmost justice. He severely criticized subjecting people to different treatment because of their race, and attributed such acts to the "morality of the ignorant."

The Prophet Muhammad (saas) reminded his people that people in ignorant societies may har-bour enmity towards other people because of their color or race, and warned all Muslims against such an attitude, which is described as "ugly" in the Qur'an.

1,400 years ago, all these primitive ideas were abolished through the Qur'an, which was sent to mankind as a mercy, and it was proclaimed that all people, regardless of their color, race and language, are equal. The Prophet Muhammad (saas) criticized the unbecoming practice of people of ignorant societies who assessed others according to their race and color. He cautioned the Arab people in these words in his last address to them:

An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab, nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Ar-ab; also a white has no superiority over a black, nor a black has any superiority over white ex-cept by piety and good action.

With these words, the Prophet Muhammad (saas) once again reminded all mankind the fact re-lated in Sura Hujurat, verse 13; that superiority among people is attainable only through fear of Allah. Islam, as the Prophet Muhammad (saas) also stresses, completely abolishes all these primitive ideas. In an environment where the values of Islam are established, a man cannot be accused, subjected to discriminatory treatment or oppressed because he is a Jew, a Christian, a black or an Indian. Allah decides what race a person should belong to. He shaped man in the most perfect manner. Man's duty is always to be just, loving, respectful, compassionate to and at peace with everyone.

This aside, the fact that a person is well-off or poor does not pose a hindrance to a believer's provision of justice or the way he makes his decisions. It is utterly unacceptable that someone should oppress other people just because he possesses the financial means, and hence be allowed to get away with committing a crime. However, in our day a look at some of the countries in the world reveals a mentality that favors the rights of the wealthy and treats the poor as second-class citizens. Accordingly, some wealthy people benefit more from justice and deem it as their right to be favored over the poor. Furthermore, they try to make judicial mechanisms work for their own interests. This mentality causes great injustice in societies where people do not live by religion; while some people struggle to survive in misery, others enjoy the benefits of being wealthy.

However, despite this adverse situation, it is possible to establish justice and social peace. The dominance of the values of the Qur'an and peoples' unyielding insistence on living by the values of the Qur'an can make this possible. Allah issues the following commands in the Qur'an:

… be upholders of justice, bearing witness for Allah alone, even against yourselves or your parents and relatives. Whether they are rich or poor, Allah is well able to look af-ter them. Do not follow your own desires and deviate from the truth. If you twist or turn away, Allah is aware of what you do.  (Surat an-Nisa', 135)

In compliance with this command of Allah, whether a person is wealthy or poor, he who has fear of Allah, exercises absolute justice, and his attitude never changes in line with peoples' financial status. He knows that being rich or poor is a worldly state of affairs by which Allah tests man. When one dies, nothing will remain from his possessions, and only his fear of Allah will be rewarded. The attitude which pleases Allah is described in the Qur'an: being just, honest and righteous. The reward for this morality is eternal gifts in the Hereafter.

In Matters Related to Orphans, Allah Commands Definite Justice

Another example given in the Qur'an regarding the maintenance of justice relates to the management of the property of orphans. In the Qur'an, Allah commands that the property of orphans be managed in the most just manner until they grow old enough to manage it themselves. In Sura An'am, Allah commands:

And that you do not go near the property of orphans before they reach maturity – except in a good way; that you give full measure and full weight with justice... ( Surat al-An'am, 152)

In many other verses, Allah reminds people not to dissipate the assets of orphans quickly be-fore they reach maturity, and to act in a just way. Some of these verses are as follows:

Give orphans their property, and do not substitute bad things for good. Do not as-similate their property into your own. Doing that is a serious crime.  (Surat an-Nisa', 2)

Keep a close check on orphans until they reach a marriageable age, then if you per-ceive that they have sound judgment hand over their property to them. Do not consume it extravagantly and precipitately before they come of age. Those who are wealthy should abstain from it altogether. Those who are poor should use it sensibly and cor-rectly. When you hand over their property to them ensure that there are witnesses on their behalf. Allah suffices as a Reckoner. (Surah an-Nisa', 6)

Do not go near the property of orphans before they reach maturity, except in a good way. Fulfil your contracts. Contracts will be asked about. (Surat al-Isra', 34)

Those who consume the property of orphans unjustly, in a manner that conflicts with these verses, and spend it unfairly are warned of a punishment which will last for all eternity. In the verse "People who consume the property of orphans wrongfully consume nothing in their bellies except fire. They will roast in a Searing Blaze." (Surat an-Nisa', 10), Allah forbids people to commit injustice. As this example also reveals, justice in the Qur'anic sense relates to all domains of life. The meticulousness one shows in performing justice, on the other hand, is an important factor that influences one's rewards in the Hereafter.

The Believer is Responsible for Exercising Justice, Even if its Consequences Work Against Him, His Parents or Rela-tives

Seeing a definition of justice, you may think how easy it is to act justly, and you might feel quite content because you have always made just decisions. However, would it still be so easy for you to act justly if the consequences of your just decision were to harm you, your parents or loved ones, either physically or spiritually? Would you still manage to be objective, just and honest when judging a loved one who had swerved from the right path?

In the face of such a question, many people vacillate. Indeed, such a decision may be very difficult for some. They may simply be more tolerant to a loved one and ignore the facts. Yet what matters is not to depart from justice, no matter what the circumstances and conditions may be, and to meticulously comply with the verse, " You who believe! Be upholders of justice, bearing witness for Allah alone, even against yourselves or your parents and relatives..."  (Surat an-Nisa', 135) What earns peoples' trust is this unswerving commitment to justice they observe. Protecting people because of kinship or friendship creates unease and insecurity.

Someone who acts in conformity with the laws of the Qur'an, however, follows the recom-mendation of Allah: "...that you are equitable when you speak—even if a near relative is concerned; and that you fulfil Allah's contract. That is what He instructs you to do, so that hopefully you will pay heed."  (Surat al-An'am, 152). This conduct is the manifestation of one's strong faith in Allah and the moral perfection he displays.

In the Qur'an, one example is related from the life of the Prophet Moses (as). Allah states in the verse:

He entered the city at a time when its inhabitants were unaware and found two men fighting there—one from his party and the other from his enemy. The one from his party asked for his support against the other from his enemy. So Moses hit him, dealing him a fatal blow. He said, "This is part of satan's doing. He truly is an outright and misleading enemy." (Surat al-Qasas, 15)

In this story, the Prophet Moses (as) witnesses two men fighting, one of them from his own tribe. He sides with the one from his party and strikes the man from the other party. He does not intend to kill him, but the man dies from the blow. The Prophet Moses (as) realizes that he has erred. This is an important example clarifying the concept of justice that a believer must adopt. It also conveys to us the message that if someone is in the wrong it is unjust to support him simply because of kinship or friendship. As a matter of fact, Moses (as), a blessed prophet, in this case immediately realizes the truth and calls his action, as revealed in one verse, "satan's doing".

Indeed, the "feeling of factionalism", which the Prophet Moses (as) describes as "satan's do-ing", is one of the factors responsible for all the bloodshed throughout history. Man's obsession to prove the righteousness of his family, tribe, ethnic group, followers or his race at all cost, with no consideration of justice, has been the main source of numerous conflicts and wars.

The attitude a believer must assume in the face of such incitement is also related in the Qur'an by referring to the exemplary life of the Prophet Moses (as). When he exercised his conscience, the Prophet Moses (as) readily realized that this unfavorable feeling inspired by sa-tan was a form of cruelty, repented and took refuge in Allah. This exemplary and conscientious conduct is related in the Qur'an thus:

He said, "My Lord, I have wronged myself. Forgive me." So He forgave him. He is the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Merciful. He said, "My Lord, because of Your blessing to me, I will never be a supporter of evildoers." (Surat al-Qasas, 16-17)

Hatred Felt Towards a Community Does Not Prevent Be-lievers From Exercising Justice

Hatred and anger are the major sources of evil, and are likely to prevent people from making just decisions, thinking soundly and conducting themselves rationally. Some people can readily inflict all kinds of injustice on people for whom they feel enmity. They may accuse these people of acts they have never committed or bear false witness against them, although their innocence is known to them. Only on account of such enmity, many people may be subjected to unbearable oppression. Some people avoid bearing witness in favor of people they disagree with, although they know they are innocent, and they keep evidence which would reveal their innocence hidden. Furthermore, they take pleasure in the misery these people face, their encounters with injustice or great suffering. Their greatest worry, on the other hand, is that justice should be done and these peoples' innocence proved.

For these reasons, it is very hard for people in corrupt societies to trust one another. People worry about being harmed by someone else all the time. Having lost mutual trust, they also lose their human feelings, such as compassion, brotherhood and co-operation, and start hating one another.

However, the feelings someone holds in his heart towards a person or community should never influence a believer's decisions. No matter how immoral or hostile the person he is considering may be, the believer sets all these feelings aside and acts and makes his decisions justly and recommends that which is just. His feelings towards that person cast no shadow over his wisdom and conscience. His conscience always inspires him to comply with Allah's commands and advice, and not to abandon good manners, because this is Allah's command in the Qur'an. In Sura Ma'ida, it is related as follows:

You who believe! Show integrity for the sake of Allah, bearing witness with justice. Do not let hatred for a people incite you into not being just. Be just. That is closer to faith. Heed Allah [alone]. Allah is aware of what you do. (Surat al-Ma'ida, 8)

As is related in the verse, displaying a just attitude is what most reflects having fear of Al-lah. A person of faith knows that he will attain the pleasure of Allah only when he acts justly. Every person who witnesses his or her good manners will trust this person, feel comfortable in their presence and trust them with any responsibility or task. Such people are treated with re-spect even by their enemies. Their attitude may even lead some people to have faith in Allah.

The best example to follow for believers in our day is also the actions of the Prophet Mu-hammad (saas) as described in the Qur'an. Similar to the Blessed Period of the first community of Islam—an age of well-being when people in general adhered to the Qur'an—in our day, too, people of different beliefs such as Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, atheists, idolaters and pagans live together. A Muslim is responsible for being understanding, forgiving, just and humane towards people, regardless of whom they may be. It is probable that in time everyone will place his faith in Allah, become a Muslim and surrender himself to Allah. A believer should always bear this fact in mind. The responsibility of a believer is to summon people to Allah's religion with a favorable, peaceful and sevgiyle attitude. The decision to follow divine guidance and have faith rests with another party. Compelling a person to have faith and forcing him to do things are against the Qur'an. Allah states the following about this:

There is no compulsion in religion. True guidance has become clearly distinct from er-ror. Anyone who rejects false deities and has belief in Allah has grasped the Firmest Handhold, which will never give way. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.  (Surat al-Baqara, 256)

The Messengers have All Commanded Justice

For the majority of people, an environment where the justice referred to in the foregoing sections prevails seems utopian, an illusory concept that can only exist in the realms of litera-ture. This attitude denies that a society in which there is real justice is possible. Nevertheless, history has witnessed periods when justice ordained in the Qur'an was built up and real peace, love and security pervaded human relations.

In communities to which the messengers of Allah were sent, social relations were marked by great understanding, peace and justice. As Allah informs us,"Every nation has a Messenger and when their Messenger comes everything is decided between them justly. They are not wronged"  (Surah Yunus, 47). No one was oppressed in their times, and true justice prevailed among people.

Allah commands all His messengers to administer justice with no consideration of race and ethnicity. The books revealed to the Prophet Jesus (as), Moses (as) and David (as) summoned peo-ple to good morals, compassion, peace and trust, as did the Qur'an revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (saas). The following verse makes it clear that one of the reasons why messengers are sent is "to establish justice":

We sent Our Messengers with the Clear Signs and sent down the Book and the Bal-ance with them so that mankind might establish justice...  (Al-Hadid, 25)

In the Qur'an, one of the prophets who is told to display exemplary conduct in ruling with justice is the Prophet David (as). Two litigants came to the Prophet David (as) requesting him to judge between them with truth:

Has the story of the litigants reached you? How they climbed up to the Upper Room and came in on Dawud who was alarmed by them. They said, "Do not be afraid. We are two litigants, one of whom has acted unjustly towards the other, so judge between us with truth and do not be unjust and guide us to the Right Path. This brother of mine has ninety-nine ewes and I have only one." He said, "Let me have charge of it," and got the better of me with his words. (Surah Sâd, 21-23)

As stated in the verse, the two litigants asked Allah's Prophet not to be unjust while judging between them and to guide them to the right path. They trusted in his justice and submitted themselves to his verdict. The answer of the Prophet David (as) was as revealed in the verse:

He said, "He has wronged you by asking for your ewe to add to his ewes. Truly many partners are unjust to one another—except those who believe and do right actions, and how few they are!"... (Surah Sâd, 24)

This decision of the Prophet David (as) sets a very good example for believers since he sided with the person who was in the right, rather than the more powerful one, and hence acted justly. In the 25th verse of the same Surah, the moral perfection displayed by the Prophet David (as) is praised, and he is given the glad tidings of a good homecoming as "he has nearness to Us and a good Homecoming". In the 26th verse, Allah reminds the Prophet David (as) of the importance of justice:

...We have made you a caliph on the earth, so judge between people with truth and do not follow your own desires, letting them misguide you from the Way of Allah. Those who are misguided from the Way of Allah will receive a harsh punishment because they forgot the Day of Reckoning.

The people of Jethro (as), who were sent to Madyan, were a tribe that acted unjustly in commercial life. They manipulated peoples' assets, devalued their goods and defrauded them. The Prophet Jethro (as) warned his people of their unjust attitudes and called them to justice. In one verse Allah states the following regarding this matter:

And to Madyan We sent their brother Shu'ayb who said, "My people, worship Allah! You have no other deity than Him. A Clear Sign has come to you from your Lord. Give full measure and full weight. Do not diminish people's goods. Do not cause corruption in the land after it has been put right. That is better for you if you are believers."  (Surat al-A'raf, 85)

In another verse, the Prophet Jethro (as) reminds his people that honest earnings are better for them, and tells them to exercise justice:

My people! Give full measure and full weight with justice; do not diminish people's goods; and do not go about the earth, corrupting it. What endures with Allah is better for you if you are believers. I am not set over you as your keeper.  (Surah Hud, 85-86)

In the Qur'an, Allah gives many examples related to the just attitudes displayed by the Prophet Moses (as), the Prophet Jesus (as), the Prophet Joseph (as) and other prophets, and the way they invited their people to do good is explained in detail.

The Prophet Muhammad (saas), too, administered justice among his people in compliance with the verse, "...Be upholders of justice, bearing witness for Allah alone..."  (Surat an-Nisa', 135). His utmost meticulousness in the administration of justice and his moral perfection were the main reason why people placed unshakeable trust in him and committed themselves to Allah's religion. Furthermore, during the first years of the revelation of the Qur'an, seeing the Prophet Muhammad's (saas) moral perfection and justice, many prominent unbelievers submitted themselves to him and converted to Islam.

Such examples are legion in the life of the Prophet Muhammad (saas), many of which have been conveyed to us in historical accounts and the sayings of the Prophet (hadith). His just, loving, compassionate attitudes became very good examples to follow for Muslims in every age. There are divine purposes in his words, attitudes and practices. Allah relates the moral perfection of the Prophet Muhammad (saas) and the great care he showed to believers as follows:

A Messenger has come to you from among yourselves. Your suffering is distressing to him; he is deeply concerned for you; he is gentle and merciful to the believers. (Surat at-Tawba, 128)

The Exemplary Life of the Prophet Muhammad (saas)

Allah commands His messengers to maintain justice among people. The Prophet Muhammad (saas), the last messenger, started to spread the religion of Islam in Mecca, where he received the revelations, with a just attitude.

At that period, the Arabian Peninsula, and especially Mecca, was shaken by social problems. In the period preceding the Age of Bliss, which is called the "The Age of Ignorance," there was severe discrimination between races and religions. Disputes among tribes, an unjust economic order, plundering, intolerant attitudes between members of different religions, differences be-tween the poor and the wealthy and many other injustices were the natural consequences of such discrimination. The maintenance of justice could not be established; the poor were oppressed by those in power and were subjected to violence because of their race, religion or language. People were forced to work under very hard conditions, and were virtually tortured.

In commercial life, under the burden of the interest-ridden system, small-scale businesses dis-appeared, whereas the wealthy tended to extravagant consumption. Some of these immoral acts became almost like traditions. For instance, the Arabs of the ignorant age who raided and plundered commercial caravans sold their spoils at very low prices and influenced market condi-tions. Sometimes, they kept these goods deliberately and generated a black market.

In the Qur'an, Allah gives information about the desert Arabs who made up the majority of society before the time of the Prophet Muhammad (saas). This society's disinclination to comply with the words of the messenger is related in the following verse:

The desert Arabs are the worst in disbelief and hypocrisy, and more fitted to be ig-norant of the limits which Allah has sent down to His Messenger. But Allah is Knowing, Wise. (Surat at-Tawba, 97)

The Prophet Muhammad (saas) was sent to such ignorant people to summon them to good morals and the right path. No difficulty could shake his commitment. He communicated Allah's message to a tribe which was particularly inclined to disbelief, and was throughout his life a role model for them. As also stated in the verse below, he called on his people to be just:

Say: "My Lord has commanded justice..."  (Surat al-A'raf, 29)

The message of the Prophet Muhammad (saas), coupled with his good morals, had a great impact all over the Arabian Peninsula, and people converted to Islam in great numbers. The just com-mands of the Qur'an—good morals, compassion, peace and a peaceful social order—prevailed during his time. One of the most important reasons for this is that, in compliance with the verse, the Prophet Muhammad (saas) observed social justice without discriminating between people:

Allah commands you to return to their owners the things you hold in trust and, when you judge between people, to judge with justice. How excellent is what Allah exhorts you to do! Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.  (Surat Aan-Nisa', 58)

One example is the contract the Prophet Muhammad (saas) signed with the people of Najran, who were among the people of the Book. This text reveals an exercise of justice which was un-precedented in that age. The article of the pact of Najran, "If any one of the people of Najran demands his rights, justice shall be done between the plaintiff and respondent. Neither oppres-sion shall be allowed to be perpetrated on them, nor shall they be permitted to oppress any one"1, manifest the kind of justice people enjoyed at that time. Due to this unprecedented ad-ministration, people placed strong trust in Allah's messenger, and even his most terrible enemies could not help being impressed by the Prophet's honesty.

These examples of good morals which appeared as a consequence of the Prophet Muhammad's (saas) meticulously observing Allah's commands also reflect the anlayışlı, peaceful order Allah's messengers introduced to social life. In a society where people comply with the values of the Qur'an meticulously, it is obvious that a peaceful life will be secured.

The Prophet Muhammad (saas) Opposed All Forms of Racism

The Prophet Muhammad (saas) upheld justice in his time and rejected the ignorant belief which considered some people superior to others because of their language, race, social status or eth-nicity. That is because such discrimination is severely condemned in the Qur'an. "Racism," as defined in our day, is an idea Allah prohibits in the Qur'an, but which receives extensive support in ignorant societies. As mentioned earlier, one of the divine purposes in the creation of the different races is "that they should come to know each other." In the sight of Allah, all people are equal, and the only superiority anyone can have over anyone else is his fear of Allah and faith in Him.

The Prophet Muhammad (saas) also declared to his people, who committed racism, that ethnic differences had no importance and that everyone was equal in the eyes of Allah. He repeatedly underlined that all that mattered was having sincere faith. While summoning his people to have faith, the Prophet Muhammad (saas) commanded them not to discriminate in his last sermon:

O people! Your Allah is One and your forefather (Adam) is one. An Arab is not better than a non-Arab and a non-Arab is not better than an Arab, and a red (i.e. white tinged with red) person is not better than a black person and a black person is not better than a red person, except in piety. Indeed the noblest among you is the one who is deeply conscious of Allah.2

The Prophet Muhammad (saas) also told people that Allah created man from nothing, that everyone is created equal and that everyone will give account of his deeds all alone before Allah. For this reason, he added that it would be a great wrong to look for superiority in one's descent.

The Prophet (saas) commanded thus:

(All of) you are children of Adam, and Adam is from dust. Let some men cease to take pride in others. 3

The Prophet (saas) stated that no criteria except for heedfulness are acceptable:

Your descent is nothing to be proud of. Nor does it bring you superiority. O people! All of you are the children of Adam. You are like equal wheat grains in a bowl ... No one has any supe-riority over anyone else, except in religion and heedfulness. In order to consider someone a wicked person, it suffices that he humiliates other people, is mean with money, bad-tempered and exceeds the limits.4

Throughout his life, the Prophet Muhammad (saas) advised his people to set aside their igno-rant and perverse values and to live by the Qur'an. In the Qur'an, racist attitudes are defined as "fanatical rage," and people's ambitious attitudes are criticized. A related verse reads:

Those who disbelieve filled their hearts with fanatical rage—the fanatical rage of the Time of Ignorance—and Allah sent down serenity to His Messenger and to the believers, and obliged them to respect the formula of heedfulness which they had most right to and were most entitled to. Allah has knowledge of all things. (Surat al-Fath, 26)

Muslims who obeyed Allah's call in the above verse led their lives in peace and security, both during the Blessed Period of the first community of Islam and in succeeding ages when just ad-ministrators reigned.

In the Period of the Prophet Muhammad (saas), Con-tracts Signed with the People of the Book and the Pagans Secured Justice in Society

After the migration of the Prophet (saas) from Mecca to Medina, he encountered many dif-ferent communities. At that period, Jews, Christians and pagans who held power were all living together. Under such circumstances, the Prophet Muhammad (saas) united the cosmopolitan structure to secure social unity and peace by making social agreements—either by sending let-ters or holding face-to-face meetings—with more than a hundred communities, and thus achieved social compromise.5 Prof. Thomas Arnold stresses the importance of the social unity established by the Prophet Muhammad (saas) in these words:

Arabia that had never before obeyed one prince, suddenly exhibits a political unity and swears allegiance to the will of an absolute ruler. Out of the numerous tribes, big and small, of a hundred different kinds that were incessantly at feud with one another, Muhammad's word created a nation.6

As is related in many verses in the Qur'an, living in peace with people of other religions is perceived as good by Islam. In one verse, Allah commands Muslims to believe in all the holy books revealed by Him and respect their beliefs:

So call and go straight as you have been ordered to. Do not follow their whims and desires but say, "I believe in whatever Allah has sent down [in the form] of a Book and I am ordered to be just between you. Allah is our Lord and your Lord. We have our ac-tions and you have your actions. There is no debate between us and you. Allah will gather us all together. He is our final destination."  (Surat ash-Shura, 15)

The above verse describes the relations a Muslim should establish with people of other reli-gions. Muslims are also held responsible for adopting the morality of the Prophet and being compassionate and just towards other people. This person can be anyone, a Buddhist, a Jew, a Christian or even an atheist. Such honest and just attitudes will make a very positive impact on their hearts, no matter what or who they believe in—or even if they have no beliefs at all—and they will become a means to make them feel closer to Islam.

The Prophet's (saas) migration to Medina and his administration there were marked by brotherhood and compassion, and proved that a peaceful life among groups of people of different religions, races and languages is possible. The fact that the first text the Prophet (saas) dictated was a peace agreement provides evidence for the fact that he was committed to the establishment of peace and friendship. Following his conquest of Mecca, the Prophet Muhammad (saas) released even those who had formerly tortured Muslims, and was tolerant towards them. This superior morality of the Prophet Muhammad (saas) was unprecedented in Arab society, and was greatly appreciated by people.

At that time, the Prophet Muhammad (saas) also became a role model for all believers regarding the establishment of true justice in conquered countries. Towards the natives of these lands, he exercised the justice described in the Qur'an and made agreements which pleased the parties involved. The fact that no party suffered even minor injustice was the distinctive feature of these agreements. For this reason, no matter which race or religion they belonged to, the people of conquered countries were always pleased with the justice introduced by Islam.

The Prophet Muhammad (saas) and the companions of the Prophet, peace be upon them all, were people who ensured justice among people, as the verse stresses: "Among those We have created there is a community who guide by the Truth and act justly according to it." (Su-rat al-A'raf, 181)

In the contract made with the Christians of Najran, who lived in South Arabia, the Prophet Muhammad (saas) demonstrates one of the best examples of understanding and justice. The contract included the following article:

The lives of the people of Najran and its surrounding area, their religion, their land, prop-erty, cattle and those of them who are present or absent, their messengers and their places of worship are under the protection of Allah and guardianship of His Prophet.7

By means of such contracts, the Messenger of Allah (saas) secured a social order for Muslims and the People of the Book alike, which was marked by peace and security. This order was a total manifestation of the following verse:

Those who believe, those who are Jews, and the Christians and Sabaeans, all who believe in Allah and the Last Day and act rightly, will have their reward with their Lord. They will feel no fear and will know no sorrow.  (Surat al-Baqara, 62)

The examples cited above are only a few of the measures implemented by the Prophet Mu-hammad (saas) that show the way he exercised justice. However, the most important of these con-tracts is the Constitution of Medina signed by Jews and pagan communities. This contract is still the subject of many articles today, and is closely examined.

The Constitution of Medina was prepared under the leadership of the Prophet Muhammad (saas) 1,400 years ago, that is in 622 AD, to meet the needs of people of different beliefs, and was put into practice as a written legal contract. Different communities of different religions and races that had harboured deep-seated enmity towards one another for 120 years became parties to this legal contract. By means of this contract, the Prophet Muhammad (saas) showed that conflicts between those societies, which had been enemies and quite unable to reach any form of compromise, could come to an end, and they could actually live side by side.

According to the Constitution of Medina, everyone was free to adhere to any belief or religion or to make any political or philosophical choice. People sharing the same views could come together and form a community. Everyone was free to exercise his own justice system. However, anyone who committed a crime would be protected by no-one. The parties to the contract would co-operate and provide support for each other, and remain under the protection of the Prophet Muhammad (saas). Conflicts between the parties would be brought to the Messenger of Allah.

This contract remained in force from 622 to 632 AD. Through this document, tribal struc-tures which had formerly been based on blood and kinship were abolished, and people of different cultural, ethnical and geographical backgrounds came together and formed a social unity. The Constitution of Medina secured absolute religious freedom. This freedom was articulated in the following article:

The Jews of Banu 'Awf are a community along with the believers. To the Jews their religion and to the Muslims their religion.8

This contract granted the right of membership to Jews and the idolater communities as well. Article 16 reads: "The Jew who follows us is surely entitled to our support and the same equal rights as any one of us. He shall not be wronged nor his enemy be assisted."9 The companions of the Prophet Muhammad (saas) also strictly adhered to this mentality and granted this right to Berbers, Buddhists, Brahmans and other similar communities. During this period, disputes were easily resolved, everyone respected other people's beliefs, and peace and justice prevailed for a long period of time.

The Prophet (saas) also made contracts with pagans as well as the people of the Book. Pagans were always treated with justice, and when they asked for protection, their requests were readily accepted by the Prophet Muhammad (saas).

This meant that these communities sought the protection of the Prophet (saas) in the face of an attack or a wrongful accusation. Throughout his life, many non-Muslims and pagans requested protection from the Prophet Muhammad (saas), and he took them under his protection and ensured their security. In Sura Tawba, Allah states that requests of pagans seeking protection be accepted by believers. Of this, Allah says the following:

If any of the associators ask you for protection, give them protection until they have heard the words of Allah. Then convey them to a place where they are safe….  (Surat at-Tawba, 6)

… As long as they are straight with you, be straight with them. Allah loves those who do their duty. (Surat at-Tawba, 7)

As Allah states in the verse 1}, He asks believers to assume a just attitude towards pagans and holds them responsible for ensuring their security in the event they seek protection from be-lievers.

The People of the Book In the Period of the Prophet Muhammad (saas)

When we examine the relations of the Prophet Muhammad (saas) with the people of the Book during the first years of Islam, we see that he co-operated with Christians. When Muslims were subjected to cruelty by pagans in Mecca, the Prophet Muhammad (saas) told them to migrate to Ethiopia, a place where Christians lived at that time. King Negus, the Christian ruler of that country, accepted the migrant Muslims and protected them against oppression.

In the Qur'an Allah also gives the example of Jesus' disciples to other believers for their loyalty to Allah and His Messenger (saas). There are also striking similarities between the first Muslims and the first Christians. The communities who first believed in Allah always remained faithful to Allah's messengers, despite being subjected to difficulty and torture. In the Qur'an, Allah relates that the first Christians in the time of the Prophet Jesus (as) were sincere Mus-lims who surrendered themselves to Allah:

When Isa' sensed disbelief on their part, he said, "Who will be my helpers to Allah?" The disciples said, "We are Allah's helpers. We believe in Allah. Bear witness that we are Muslims." (Surah Al 'Imran, 52)

And when I inspired the Disciples to believe in Me and in My Messenger, they said, "We believe. Bear witness that we are Muslims." (Surat al-Ma'ida, 111)

The compassionate attitude adopted by the Prophet Muhammad (saas) towards Jewish com-munities also sets a good example for all believers. During the period of the Constitution of Me-dina, the Prophet Muhammad (saas) treated Jews kindly and compassionately. He encouraged that there be co-operation, counselling and goodness between Muslims and Jews.10 Indeed, this was put into practice in daily life. This just and compassionate attitude of the Prophet (saas) surely applied to all people from all religions and races. Despite treachery, attacks and plots, the Prophet (saas) always forgave the perpetrators in compliance with the verse "those who pardon other people" (Surah Al 'Imran, 134). And as the verse suggests, "Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and kindly instruction, and discuss (things) with them in the politest manner..."  (Surat an-Nahl, 125), he always summoned people to Islam with gracious advice.

In the Period of the Caliphs Justice was Exercised in Compliance With the Qur'an

After the death of the Prophet Muhammad (saas), the caliphs who succeeded him were also very sensitive regarding exercising justice. In conquered countries, both natives and newcomers led their lives in peace and security. Abu Bakr, the first Caliph, demanded his people to adopt just and compassionate attitudes in these lands. All these attitudes were in compliance with the values of the Qur'an. Abu Bakr gave the following command to his army before the first Syrian expedition:

Stop, O people, that I may give you ten rules to keep by heart: Do not commit treachery, nor depart from the right path. You must not mutilate, neither kill a child or aged man or woman. Do not destroy a palm tree, nor burn it with fire and do not cut any fruitful tree. You must not slay any of the flock or herds or the camels, save for your subsistence. You are likely to pass by people who have devoted their lives to monastic services; leave them to that to which they have devoted their lives. You are likely, likewise, to find people who will present to you meals of many kinds. You may eat; but do no forget to mention the name of Allah.11

Umar ibn al-Khattab, who succeeded Abu Bakr, was famous for his justice and made contracts with the indigenous people of conquered countries, just like the Prophet Muhammad (saas) did. Each one of these contracts was an example of understanding and justice. For instance, in his declaration granting protection to Christians in Jerusalem and Lod, he ensured that churches would not be demolished and guaranteed that Muslims would not worship in churches in groups. Umar granted the same conditions to the Christians of Bethlehem. During the conquest of Medain, the declaration of protection given to the Nestorian Patriarch Isho'yab III (650 - 660 AD) again guaranteed that churches would not be demolished and that no building would be con-verted into a house or a mosque. The letter written by the patriarch to the bishop of Fars (Per-sia) after the conquest is most striking, in the sense that it depicts the compassion and compas-sion shown by Muslim rulers to the People of the Book in the words of a Christian:

The Arabs to whom Allah has given at this time the government of the world... do not per-secute the Christian religion. Indeed, they favor it, honor our priests and the saints of the Lord and confer benefits on churches and monasteries.12

The following document by Umar shows us the kind of love and compassion Allah grants to man, provided that he adopts the character traits described in the Qur'an:

This is the security which 'Umar, the servant of Allah, the commander of the faithful, grants to the people of Ælia. He grants to all, whether sick or sound, security for their lives, their possessions, their churches and their crosses, and for all that concerns their religion. Their churches shall not be changed into dwelling places, nor destroyed, neither shall they nor their appurtenances be in any way diminished, nor the crosses of the inhabitants nor aught of their possessions, nor shall any constraint be put upon them in the matter of their faith, nor shall any one of them be harmed.13

All these are very important examples revealing the understanding of justice and love of true believers.

By means of the conquests made in the period of caliphs, the communities in these regions were saved from violence and had the opportunity to come to know Islam. However, people were never forced to convert to Islam. As the verse, "To you your religion, and to me, mine"  (Surat al-Kafirun, 6) suggests, everyone practiced their religion freely and never faced any sort of oppression. They learned about the religion of Islam from the practices of Muslim people who observed its principles in their true sense, and thus they were greatly impressed. The majority of these people complied with the sincere call of these pious Muslims, and thus the number of people who converted to Islam increased steadily. For instance, in the time of Abu Bakr, some of the Christians in Kinde and Iyad converted to Islam of their own free will, as did others after the conquest of Damascus.14

The false assertion that people in conquered countries converted to Islam under threat has also been disproved by Western researchers, and the justice and compassionate attitude of Muslims has been confirmed. L.Browne, a Western researcher, expresses this situation in the following words:

Incidentally these well-established facts dispose of the idea so widely fostered in Christian writings that the Muslims, wherever they went, forced people to accept Islam at the point of the sword.15

In his book The Prospects of Islam, Browne goes on to say that the real motive behind the Muslims' conquests was the brotherhood of Islam.

Footnotes

1 The Pact of Najran, Article 8, http://www.islamicresources.com/Pact_of_Najran.htm

2 Mosnad Ahmad, #22978.

3 Narrated by Abu Hurayrah (r.a.), Ahmad, Abu Dawud, 4/331

4 Mosnad Ahmad, 4/158, Ibn Qasir, 4/218

5 Muhammad Hamidullah, Introduction to Islam, Publications of Centre Culture, Paris ,1957, p. 228.

6 Prof. Thomas Arnold, The Spread of Islam in the World, Goodword Books, 2001, p. 32-33

7 The Pact of Najran, Article 6, http://www.islamic resources.com /Pact_of_Najran.htm

8 The Constitution of Medina, http://www.islamic-study.org/jews-prophet-page-2.htm

9 The Constitution of Medina, http://www.islamic-study.org/jews-prophet-page-2.htm

10 Muhammad Hamidullah, Al-Vesaiq, pp. 44-45.

11 Tabari, Ta'rikh, I, 1850, cited in Majid Khadduri, War and Peace in the Law of Islam, Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore, 1955, p. 102

12 W.H.C. Frend, "Christianity in the Middle East: Survey Down to A.D. 1800", Religion in the Middle East, Ed. A.J. Arberry, I-II Cambridge, 1969, Volume I, p. 289.

13 Prof. Thomas Arnold, The Spread of Islam in the World, A History of Peaceful Preaching, Goodword Books, 2001, p. 56.

14 Narrated by Ibn Ishaq, Abu Yusuf, 146; Levent Öztürk, Asr-ı Saadetten Haçlı Seferlerine Kadar İslam Toplumunda Hıristiyanlar (Christians in the Islamic Society From the Blessed Period to the Crusades), İz Yayıncılık, Istanbul, 1998, p. 55.

15 L. Browne, The Prospects of Islam, pp. 11-15.