Mapping Justice in Islamic Thought: From the Premodern to the Postmodern (original) (raw)
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The Universality and Scope of Justice in Islam .docx
Definition of justice and its scope is something about what legal and political philosophers could never reach a unified position throughout a history. In these days, many in the West are trying to present Islam and its law and justice as something utterly uncivilized, unjust, cruel, and outdated and of no use in modern world. Positivist's concept of justice that prevails in the world today, mostly based on temporary secular-materialistic values, is in the most of the cases opposed to the eternal principles and rules laid down by God Almighty. Justice according to the early proponents of Natural law, if not based on the universal values in itself is not justice, and as such is doomed to failure. Today we are witnessing the kind of global justice that threatens even to destroy humanity. The present article is an effort to find out the most suitable definition of justice according to the Islamic law, and present the concept of universality and scope of justice in Islam in a way to show the absolute God's principles and values are unchangeable and everlasting, and only rightful solution to be followed today.
The concept of justice has always been one of the central issues that have occupied the minds of many philosophers, social scientists and political writers from the ancient to the modern times. So far most of the studies appear to have focused on the meaning and definition of this pivotal concept, as well as its social, economic and political implications. Several prominent Muslim philosophers in the past, such as al-KindÊ, al-FÉrÉbÊ, Ibn SÊnÉ, Ibn Rushd, AbË Miskawayh, and NaÎÊr al-Din ÙËsÊ, devoted a significant segment of their political and ethical writings to the subject-matter of justice, which they treated and examined more or less in a similar fashion as the ancient Greek philosophers, especially Plato and Aristotle, had done. Like them, they developed a rational conception of justice, which is generally viewed as natural, eternal, and immutable and ethically as the most comprehensive virtue. Muslim theosophers or Sufi philosophers, such as al-GhazÉlÊ, Ibn al-‘ArabÊ and MawlÉnÉ RËmÊ, have initially conceived justice in the same form as the philosophers just-mentioned above and, as will be seen in this study, elaborated it further mainly within the context of metaphysical wisdom that is eternally implanted by God in the universe. Then later, on the basis of their own interpretations of the relevant verses of the Qur’an and the Prophetic sayings, they developed their conception of justice. Anahtar Kelimeler Justice, wisdom, social justice, metaphysical wisdom, metaphysical justice, balance, injustice
JUSTICE AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN ISLAM
This paper aim at exploring Religion, Justice and Human rights in Islamic perspective. It will evaluate some challenges facing religion especially Islam in advocating for justice and human rights. The paper also establish the impact of religion in advocating for justice and human rights in society. In some instances it explore how Islamic teachings can be implemented to promote Justice and Human rights. The paper will help both the religious and political leaders to promote Justice and Human rights. Islam has Five Pillars of religion. These pillars rotate around faith and practice. Analyzing the pillars, one realize that Justice and human rights are highly emphasized in Islam. Muslims believe that there can be no real justice except as an aspect of submission to Allah who is the source of justice. Although Allah is beyond comprehension or analysis, the Holy Qur’an teach about His attributes through what are sometimes called “the 99 attributes of Allah” and one of these is al- ªAdl, “the Just”. Another of these names is al-Muqsit, “the Dispenser of Justice” or “He who gives to each thing its due”. the fact remains that no justice can be attained without truth. That is why Qur’an emphasize that truth must always be adhered to in all undertakings. The Prophet PBUH also compelled Muslims to always speak the truth even when in danger. This will make justice a reality hence attainment of Human rights The paper will focus on justice in Islam. It is divided into the following subsections; the introduction ; pillars of Islam and justice; Qur’an on truth and justice; reality of Islam and conclusion.
An Analysis of the Views of Al-Ghazali̇, İbn Al-‘Arabi̇ and Mawlana Rumi̇ on the Concept of Justice
2016
: The concept of justice has always been one of the central issues that have occupied the minds of many philosophers, social scientists and po litical writers from the ancient to the modern times. So far most of the studies appe ar to have focused on the meaning and definition of this pivotal concept, as well as its social, economic and political implications. Several prominent Muslim philosophers in the past, such as al-KindE, al-FErEbE, Ibn SEnE, Ibn Rushd, AbE Miskawayh, and NaIEr al-Din UEsE, devoted a significant segment of their political and ethical writings to the subject-matter of justice, which they treated and examined more or less in a similar fashion as the ancient Greek philosophers, especially Plato and Aristotle, had done. Like them, they developed a rational conception of justice, which is generally viewed as natural, eternal, and immutable and ethically as the most comprehensive virtue. Muslim theosophers or Sufi philosophers, such as al-Ghaz E l E, Ibn al-‘ArabE a...
Justice: in western and Islamic philosophy
ournal Of Contemporary Trends In Business And Information Technology, 2019
Justice is one of the pressing issues in the contemporary philosophies around the world. There are many descriptions and explanations of justice through its various principles like right, desert, needs etc. Any explanation of justice through any single domain supersedes the other. Thus there are no conclusive definitions till date that can incorporate all sub-domains of justice in the western philosophies. The philosophers and scholars define it according to their socio-political environment, which is subjected to change with place and time. The only definition that only
Theoretical Aspects of Justice in the Precept of Prophet of Islam
2016
The present article is an attempt to study theoretical aspects of justice in the precept of the holy Prophet of Islam, by focusing on practical and objective results. In the first place, the necessity and significance of political justice has been explained in three parts. In the next step, the nature, levels and foundation of justice in the viewpoint of the holy Prophet are discussed. For purpose of this study, equality is considered as the foundation of justice in human societies. Finally, the main indexes of justice and signs of justice are elaborated. In this paper, political justice in the viewpoint of the holy Prophet has two foundations, three levels, a starting point and one main index. The foundations of justice are reason; levels of justice are the universal system of being, society and human beings. The starting point of justice is the power center at any level of political system and naturally the higher levels are more important. Human beings, on the basis of their four...
This article examines Islamism as phenomenon and category in the context of the study of religion. It enquires about the experience of Islam in modernity at the juncture of Islam, justice, and civility in order to problematise the discourse on Islamism as political Islam. The argument is made that Islam is not a political religion, but a religion that has historically seen political power as part of its religious project. Further, that Islamism as a modern religio-political and socio-economic experience of Islam is inspired by contact between Islam and Marxism.
On Justice in the Current Arab Context
Tabayyun , 2013
This paper explores the deep-rooted, transcultural history of justice and fairness, which has fluctuated and evolved into the contemporary concept of justice, which is linked to citizenship through the concept of rights after a long separation between the two. In this paper, justice and its evolutionary path are thus traced to Plato, Aristotle, Zeno, Cicero, and Roman law; then to the Torah, Christian teachings, and the ideal Islamic conception of rule; and, finally, to the revolution of modern thought. Exploring justice, in the context of modernity, reveals the notion of "rights," upon which justice has been founded in the modern era. This essay further examines the expansion of the concept of justice to include social equality, in addition to natural equality, and to take "freedom" into account as one of the components of justice. Starting off with John Rawls and Amartya Sen, the paper moves on to discuss the Arab's encounter with Western modernity-especially through Egyptian intellectual Rifaa al-Tahtawi-and the current challenges confronting Arab thought with regards to what constitutes "justice" in terms of the rights related to equal citizenship, social justice, and civic and political freedoms. The paper argues that transitional phases, such as the one currently witnessed in the Arab world, represent an opportunity to broach the subject of justice and to make theoretical and practical propositions around this question. Central to this paper is also the question of identity, a notion that is key to the building of a modern state. Identity is even more crucial in the context of the Arab world, where the phenomenon of the politicization of sub-identities within the state emerges as part of the struggle against despotism. To the author, all these challenges must be dealt with from an enlightened perspective; in search of a theory that not only organizes the relationship between the principles of equality and freedom, but also explores the concept of "justice" as inclusive of all identity groups, though not at the expense of freedom and equality. * This study was originally published in the fifth Edition of tabayyun (Summer 2013, pp. 7-26). Tabayyun, published by the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies, is a peer-reviewed academic quarterly journal devoted to philosophical and cultural studies. It was translated by the ACRPS Translation and English Editing Department. The original Arabic version can be found here. To read the full text , click on the image below.