This writing, through reflection on the luminous verses of the Holy Quran, examines the fundamental concepts of the faith community, justice (practical equity), and the necessity of establishing a balanced and systematic society. These concepts, rooted in Divine verses, provide guidance for constructing a just and benevolent community. The present text, inspired by the lectures of religious scholars, endeavours to elucidate these notions in a clear and dignified manner, framed within a scientific and coherent structure. Like a garden whose branches dance with the Divine breeze, this writing strives to depict the truth in the mirror of verses and profound reflections.
The faith community, described in the Quranic verses as a guardianship-based society founded upon justice, is a community where practical justice (equity) is not merely a theoretical ideal but an active reality in behaviours and rulings. This society, transcending prejudices and barriers, is committed to implementing justice. The Holy Quran states:
O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for Allah, even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives.
This verse, found in Surah An-Nisa (4:135), portrays the faith community as a lamp in darkness, illuminating the path to felicity with the light of justice. Comparing this verse with another from Surah Al-Maidah, namely Be persistently standing firm for Allah, witnesses in justice (5:8), illustrates the diversity and elegance in expressing the concept of justice. In these verses, justice means practical equity that must pervade all aspects of life. The faith community is one where individuals, regardless of familial ties or personal interests, adhere to the enforcement of justice.
Key Point: The faith community is a guardianship-based society that, by upholding justice, implements equity not only in speech but also in conduct and rulings. This community advances towards goodness and felicity by removing historical and social obstacles.
The history of Islamic societies demonstrates that numerous obstacles, including prejudices and social limitations, have hindered the implementation of justice. From the pre-constitutional era to afterwards, people were often deprived of active participation in communal affairs. These restrictions, rooted in centuries past, prevented freedom of expression and just action. Nevertheless, thanks to religious movements and extensive self-sacrifice, a space for dialogue and dynamism in religious sciences has been established. This dynamism, flowing like a clear stream within the fabric of society, has laid the groundwork for the implementation of justice and the realisation of a just community.
The enforcement of justice in the faith community requires the removal of obstacles that have long stood in the way of equity. These barriers, sometimes manifesting as fear, prejudice, or personal interests, have prevented society from being truly faithful and guardianship-based. Religious scholars, inspired by the Quranic verses, must derive a just system in which justice flows not only in words but also in deeds. This system acts like a bridge guiding society from division and injustice towards solidarity and goodness.
The faith community, described in the Quran with emphasis on justice and practical equity, is a society in which individuals are committed to bearing witness for God and enforcing justice. By overcoming historical and social obstacles, this community can flourish like a fruitful garden, bringing forth goodness and felicity. Religious sciences, by extracting just systems, play a pivotal role in the realisation of this ideal.
Under-measuring, severely condemned in the Holy Quran, is a sign of injustice in society. This concept extends beyond the literal meaning related to scales and trade, encompassing any deficiency in fulfilling duties and responsibilities. The Quran states:
Woe to those who give less [than due], who when they take a measure from people, take in full, but if they give by measure or by weight to them, they cause loss.
These verses, from Surah Al-Mutaffifin (83:13), introduce under-measuring as a plague that weakens the foundations of society. Under-measuring is not limited to deficiencies in weight and measure but includes any negligence in fulfilling duties, whether by scholars, rulers, teachers, or even parents. A society afflicted by under-measuring distances itself from goodness and justice, succumbing to deterioration and loss.
Key Point: Under-measuring is a manifestation of injustice that permeates all facets of societyfrom knowledge and education to commerce and governance. The faith community must strive towards over-measuring (providing more than expected) to progress towards justice and goodness.
Contemporary society sometimes suffers from the ailment of under-measuring and the tendency to earn profits without adequate effort or with minimal work. This tendency, like a cancer infiltrating the body of society, results in inequality and injustice. In contrast, a community committed to over-measuring, like a fruitful tree, brings forth goodness and blessings. The Holy Quran, emphasising Give full measure and weight in justice (Surah Al-Isra 17:35), calls society to uphold fairness and equity in all matters.
From a psychological perspective, the tendency towards under-measuring signals a weakness in ethics and social integrity. Individuals seeking profit without endeavour steer society towards division and injustice. This disease, sometimes manifesting as fraud, unfair transactions, or exploitation of public resources, requires correction through religious systematisation.
Under-measuring, as a sign of injustice, is strongly condemned in the Holy Quran. This concept, which transcends its literal meaning to include any deficiency in fulfilling responsibilities, distances society from goodness and felicity. Religious sciences, by proposing just systems, can remedy this affliction and guide society towards over-measuring and practical justice.
Qistas, introduced in the Holy Quran as the equitable measure and practical logic, is an instrument for evaluating social behaviours. This concept, extending beyond physical scales, refers to order and systematic regulation in all aspects of society. The Quran states:
And establish weight in justice and do not make deficient the balance.
This verse, from Surah Ar-Rahman (55:9), presents Qistas as a pillar upon which a balanced society is founded. Qistas, derived from the root Qist meaning practical justice, signifies a measure and logic that must be observed in every dimension, from education and commerce to governance. A balanced society is one administered by this measure and free from discord and disorder.
Key Point: Qistas, as a criterion for measuring social conduct, guides society towards order and justice. This measure, surpassing mere physical scales, must permeate all aspects of society.
A harmonious society governed by measure and Qistas requires religious systematisation. The Quran states elsewhere:
And the heaven He raised and imposed the balance, that you not transgress within the balance.
These verses, from Surah Ar-Rahman (55:78), emphasise the necessity of just systematisation. A society administered without measure and Qistas falls into religious superficiality and cannot attain goodness and felicity. Religious sciences, firmly rooted in seminaries, must realise this system through the extraction of just laws.
Like a bowl that must be filled with justice, the laws of society should be imbued with equity and fairness. If this bowl is incomplete or empty, society falls prey to injustice. The ancient merchants, who measured milk accurately or gave money fairly, serve as examples of this fairness. This tradition, shining like a precious gem among our ancestors, must be revived so that society attains harmony.
Qistas and balance, as measures of practical justice, constitute the foundations of a harmonious society. These concepts, emphasised in the Holy Quran for order and fairness, require religious systematisation. Religious sciences, by extracting just laws, can lead society from discord to solidarity and goodness.
Observing or violating the measure has profound consequences in this world and the hereafter. The Holy Quran states:
So whoevers scales are heavy [with good deeds], it is they who are the successful. But whoevers scales are light, those are the ones who have lost their souls, [in] Hell abiding eternally.
These verses, from Surah Al-Muminun (23:102103), indicate that adherence to the measure leads to success, whereas its violation results in loss. However, the Quranic emphasis on And the weighing [on] that Day will be the truth (Al-Araf 7:8) signifies that true balance must be observed even in this world. A society that distances itself from measure and justice succumbs to injustice and division.
Key Point: Observance of measure and justice leads to success and goodness not only in the hereafter but also in this world. Violating these principles directs society towards loss and injustice.
The inclination towards earning profit without work or with minimal effort, sometimes observable in current society, is a sign of violating the measure. This tendency, like a toxic wind, blows through society, resulting in inequality and injustice. Conversely, a society committed to observing measure and justice, like a pure spring, brings forth goodness and blessings. Religious sciences, through just systems, can reform this inclination and guide society towards success.
Examples of such injustice in current society include unfair transactions and exploitation of public resources. These behaviours, like thorns embedded in the rose garden of society, necessitate correction via religious systematisation. The ancient merchants, who measured milk accurately, represent justice and fairness that must be revived.
Observance of measure and justice, as the foundations of a harmonious society, leads to success and goodness, whereas violating them results in loss and injustice. Religious sciences, by extracting just systems, can liberate society from these afflictions and guide it towards felicity.
This writing, through reflection on the luminous verses of the Holy Quran, has examined the concepts of the faith community, justice, under-measuring, and the balanced society. The faith community, defined by upholding justice and practical equity, is one where individuals are committed to bearing witness for God and enforcing justice. Under-measuring, as a sign of injustice, is condemned in all aspects of society and leads to loss. Qistas and balance, as criteria of practical justice, form the foundations of a harmonious society requiring religious systematisation. Religious sciences, by extracting just laws, can remove the obstacles to justice and guide society towards goodness and felicity.
These concepts, like light emanating from Divine verses, serve as guidance for establishing a just and benevolent society. The balanced society, governed by measure and justice, is like a fruitful garden bringing forth goodness and blessing. It is hoped that these reflections will pave the way for dynamism and advancement in religious sciences on the path to realising this lofty ideal.
Under the supervision of Sadegh Khademi
