The Greatness of Islamic Justice,2 Ex . Faith & proof: Shuraih Al-Qadi (Islamic judge) he says: The Caliph Omar Ibn Al-Khatab bought a horse from a Bedouin , paid its price and rode off with it. But not far off, the caliph noticed some kind of defect in the horse so he returned to the seller saying: please take it back since it is defective. The man refused telling the caliph that the horse was perfectly healthy when it was sold to him. Omar told the man to choose a judge and the man suggested Shuraih Bin Al-Harith Al-Kindi whom Omar accepted. When the judge listened to the Bedouin’s testimony he turned to Omar asking,”Was the horse normal and healthy when you bought it? Omar replied,”Yes,it was”. Shuraih then said,”Then keep what you bought or return it as you took”. Omar looked at Shuraih in admiration saying,”Thus Justice Should be: statement, distinguishing words and fair justice.. go I give you the position of Chief Justice of Koufa (Iraq)”. This is Islam’s Justice, an ordinary man taking to court the most powerful man on earth, refusing to take back what he had sold minutes before. And this ordinary Bedouin deciding which judge to go to and the caliph accepting the judge’s decision voluntarily. But this leader is not an ordinary man but one the prophet said about,"Islam is victorious by one of two Omars”. Omar did not threaten or use his power and did not tell the Bedouin that he had exceeded his authority and that he will get back at him. No, Omar accepted the judge’s decision with all modesty. Omar admitted that the horse was healthy when he took it and he accepted judgement making the judge an example in Islamic justice. The judge’s fairness made Omar give him one of the most sought positions in Islam as a judge of Koufa. So,Omar rewarded the judge for his justice and fairness and didn’t jail him for ruling against him as some leaders in some so called present democracies. What university did Omar graduate from? Omar a giant in words,deeds,testing the souls of great men who are looking for their nations’ well being. Another example of Shuraih’s Justice: Ali Bin Abi Talib lost a shield that was dear to him and later found it in the hands of a non-Muslim citizen who was selling it in one of Koufa’s markets. When he saw it Ali said: This is my shield that fell off my camel on so and so night at so and so time. The man answered,”No, this is my shield in my hand”. Ali Replied: “No, it is mine since I never sold or gave it to any one”. The man said,”Let a judge decide” to which Ali accepted. They went to Shuraih who asked Ali for his story. Ali said that the shield was his and that he has found it with that man and it fell off his camel and he never sold or gave it to anyone. The judge turned to the other man asking his story. The man said that he didn’t accuse Ali of lying but the shield was his as it was in his hands. Shuraih turned to Ali saying,”I believe you but we need the statement of two witnesses to back your story”. Ali said that there was his aide Qanbar and his son Al-Hassan to which the man replied that a son could not testify for the benefit of his father. Ali said,”O God, a man who is promised paradise can not act as a witness! Haven’t you heard what the Prophet (pbuh) said that Al-Hassan and Al-Hussain were the masters of paradise’s youth? Shuraih said,”Yes I have,but a son can not witness for his father” Then Ali turned to the man and said,”Take the shield, as I have no other witnesses”. The non-Muslim then said,”O Ali. The shield is yours. What a great religion! I can sue Ali and get a judge to pass a decision for my benefit! I declare myself a Muslim. He told the judge, I was following the army and I saw the shield fall down and picked it up. Ali then told him to keep the shield and gave him a horse on top of it. Soon after, the man was seen under Ali’s leadership fighting Al-Kharajites (The dissenters ). Aren’t these two examples sufficient for us to follow those great men?  Yassoor: SUBHAN ALLAH ! INDEED AN AMAZING STORY FOR US TO SEE AS AN EXAMPLE N FOLLOW ALHAMDELILLAH IM A MUSLIM  ALLAH YAHFADHA YA AKHI  SPIRIT-ONE: There is nothing to follow ,they are just exercising 'Righteous Judgement' as all should ,and some courts in America [not many but some] do . Unfortunately they don't all practice such ,Many of the courts in America are 'money making entities' the Criminal Justice System is based on 'THE COLOR OF LAW' [they basically expand upon any law and add to it to suit their needs , which is mainly ,incarcerate as many people as you can ] In my city ,the Fedral Government pays the Criminal Justice Center $1500.00 dollars a day for every prisoner they have locked up . The Sharia laws are Biblical in nature ,'an eye for an eye', a tooth for a tooth ,a life for a life' ,don't lie ,cheat or steal ,and treat others as you would wish to be treated. Where can I access the lawbook for your laws ,it is a hobby of mine [LAWS] plus I help many underdogs navigate the court system here and wish to learn all the laws of the earth [they will be soon changed] May YAH-ALLAH bless your understanding of all things spiritual in nature this day  Rena787: this is how we suppose to be May Allah be blessed with them notice: in the second example the non-muslim is Jew . it's in Ali bin Abi Taleb's biography  saabira: This is true ,the law's of islaam are flawless ,and should be practiced by all justice systems.So the saying in which is said in america ,(peace and justice for all ),would be true,not a lie .  Alina_Alexander: The laws of Islam (Sharia) are not flawless. Islamic Laws is interrupted and applied differently from one country to another. There is even a small tribe in Northern Turkey where the "men" are veiled - which is rather interesting. It would be far too idealistic to place the Sharia into practical application everywhere - idealistic and realistic are two terms which conflict. As you say "truth and justice for all" - I believe that is what you quoted - in the USA, again, an idealistic philosophy which in all true does not come full circle in the USA. Faith & proof: Alina if u read the history u will find that muslims were appling Shariah and everything was just fine and let me ask u : are u blaming Islam because some muslim countries don't apply THe Islamic Shariah ? Alina_Alexander: @Faith & proof You misunderstand what I was saying. Ever since the prophet's death, Islamic Law has gone through many changes and modifications. If you review the history of the development of Islam from the 7th century CE forward, there have been arguments and disagreements pertaining to certain aspect of the Law and how it is interrupted and applied. The word "blame" was not even hinted, you said that. Review the history of how the Sharia transformed through time. Be reminded that I am NOT saying this is a bad thing, merely noting how some countries - even villages - applied Islamic Law in different ways. The basic "foundation" of the law obviously stays the same. Remember, like any other "law", the basics of such law are always subject to interpretation, and how it should be applied. Alina_Alexander: Also, since my work is primarily in the Middle East - in Gaza at the present - I have nothing but the utmost respect for the Islamic people. Most of the world seems to look at the "bad", having never actually experienced and lived the "good" of Islam. I have lived it. I am living it. For the past year I have been living with a Palestinian family while working with a documentary team. I live the life of a Palestinian (so to speak) - I see personally everyday what is going on here. It is a tragedy. In my opinion, Israel is the problem. And I will end my comment on that note. Alina_Alexander: A close friend explained "Justice" this way: There is one word that captures the essence of all Islamic laws and all Islamic teachings; one word that describes the overriding value that permeates all Islamic values. Justice. The Qur'an says: "We sent aforetime our messengers with clear Signs and sent down with them the Book and the Balance, that men may stand forth in Justice." [Al-Hadeed 57:25]. The sole purpose of sending the prophets was to establish Justice in the world and end injustice. Broadly speaking, doing justice means giving everyone his due. But this simple statement camouflages all the complexities of life in their myriad and ever-changing relations; all the temptations; all the apprehensions and concerns; all the conflicts and dilemmas. To guide the people, Allah sent down the prophets with clear signs, the Book, and the Balance. The Book contains the revelations that spell out what's fair and unfair or right and wrong. The Balance refers to our ability to measure and calculate so we can follow the path shown by the Book and explained by the Prophets. Together these sources taught us what are the rights of Allah, of other people, and of our own persons on us and how to balance them. A life lived in obedience to Allah, then, is a continuous balancing act, both individually and collectively. Under normal circumstances many people can be just. But Islam commands its followers to be just even in the face of strong conflicting emotions. In dealing with other human beings, two major impediments to justice are love and hatred. See how the Qur'an teaches us to overcome the first impediment when we are dealing with our closest relatives or even ourselves. "O ye who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest ye swerve, and if ye distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do." [An-Nisa 4:35] Here is the resolution from the Qur'an of the perennial conflict between self-interest and justice. Be just, even if it is against your narrowly defined self-interest or of those very close to you. Ignorant people think they are protecting their self-interest by being unjust to others. Their decision to be just or unjust may be based on a cold calculation of self-interest. But real faith in Allah elevates one beyond that narrow-mindedness. These verses remind us that the real protector of interests of all people is also Allah and He will protect us when we follow His command to be just. The justice demanded by Islam permits no favoritism. The other equally potent impediment is hatred. Here again Qur'an commands: "O ye who believe! Stand out firmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to Piety: and fear Allah. For Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do." [Al-Maidah 5:8] In other words you cannot do injustice even when you are dealing with the enemy. The natural, uneducated, and uncivilized tendency is to treat the enemy as less than a human being; one who has no rights and deserves no justice or fairness. It was as true in the pre-Islamic tribal jahilya (based on ignorance) society as it is today. See how Islam directly curbs it. It is a command to the believers, with a reminder that Allah is watching you, that enmity of others cannot be used as an excuse for committing injustices against them. Justice does require retribution and Islam does call for, "an eye for an eye." But it does not mean an innocent eye for an innocent eye; it means the eye of the perpetrator for the eye of the victim. It is amazing how those who call the latter as barbaric, actually rally for the former when a real crisis develops. Alina_Alexander: Fourteen hundred years ago these commands created a society where rich and poor, friend and foe, Muslim and non-Muslim, the ruler and the ruled, were all treated equally and all of them could count on receiving justice. The qazis (judges) were independent and no one, including the khalifah was above the law. If a dispute arose between the Khalifah and an ordinary person, both had to appear in court and provide their evidence. Islamic history is full of stories of this justice that filled the earth wherever Muslims ruled in their golden era. Even during their period of decline, we find sporadic incidents that are just unparalleled. One example from recent history may suffice here. During the British Rule in India, once a dispute arose between Hindus and Muslims over a piece of land. Hindus claimed it belonged to a temple while Muslims claimed it to be mosque. Emotions were high on both sides and the possibility of a riot was real. The English judge could not find any means of ascertaining the truth. It was one group's words against the other's. Finally the Judge asked both groups if they could trust the testimony of any person. They could. It was a particular Muslim imam (religious leader) who was known for his piety. The person was requested to come to the court as a witness in a very charged atmosphere, with the entire community urging him to help them win the case through his testimony. His testimony was brief. "The Hindus are right," he said. "The Muslim case is baseless." He had not betrayed the community. He had once more affirmed its unflinching commitment to truth and justice above all else. That is the justice the world needs today. "Allah doth command you to render back your Trusts to those to whom they are due; and when ye judge between man and man, that ye judge with justice: verily how excellent is the teaching which He gives you! For Allah is He Who hears and sees all things." [An-Nisa 4:58] Rena787: Alina from ur replies i can understand that the islamic Shariah is perfect ? i certainlly believe that but do u ? by the way i couldn't watch the video it just wont open i think the perblem in the computer  Tink: People migrated to the new world (The West) to practice their religions without persecution. There will never be only "one" religion in the West. There will be no Shariah law in the USA.  emjay32: Well the problem is with that overwhelming majority of "Muslims" like Rena who understand "Islam" as identity/ideology rather than faith, and rant endlessly about Shariah being perfect (needless to say that Shariah does not exist in one form), without ever having read or properly understood the Quran and without knowing the slightest bit of knowledge of Islamic history.  NWDan: So why did the guy need a judge to tell him that? I'm sure it's exactly what the horse selling guy told him when he tried to return it. He should have bought the extended warranty. saabira: The golden age ,yes right and there is to come another golden age in the near future .Where islam would be practiced world wide and we will again see justice and peace .A in the west things are changing islam is entering every home .ISAMIC LAWS,IS THE KEY, Tink: I'm sorry, Islam will never establish a legal system here and will not be-able to change our legal system (In the USA), based on their religious belief system. That would be a violation of the "Separation of Church and State" You can golden age it all you want, it is never going to happen. PRESS RELEASE Press Release from Islamic Organization in Oklahoma written by Not A Liberal, December 03, 2010 Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser, a devout Muslim and the president and founder of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy (AIFD) issued the following statement regarding the passage of Oklahoma's State Question 755. "As Muslims dedicated to modernity, reform and our one law system in the west and in the United States, AIFD applauds the people of Oklahoma for passing State Question 755 and making "the legal precepts of other nations or cultures" off-limits to Oklahoma courts and specifically denying the use of Sharia Law. The issue is simple. As Americans we believe in the Constitution, the Establishment Clause, and our one law system. SQ755 reaffirms the First amendment to the Constitution and prevents the Establishment or empowerment of a foreign legal system like the specific shariah legal systems implemented in many Muslim majority nations and in western shariah courts seen in places like Britain. Talent_M: nothing impossible against Islam spreading whatever it may cost even if you isolated the world with the great wall of China,this is a truth should everyone realise it. SPIRIT-ONE: Our criminal justice system is fashioned after French justice [GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT] ,They lock you up until trial unless you get a bail or bond ,actually ,the American Criminal Justice System is one of the worlds largest 'money making' entities in the free world , we push it on every country we occupy ,we set up Democracy in places like Iraq for instance ,then we set up Police Departments [a snitch on every corner]in places where they never existed ,right now the states here are lining up to lock up illegal aliens ,there are too many in my area [I personally don't care except that some are extended many more benefits than citizens whom are hurting in this country] they want to lock them up and deport them ,the Criminal Justice Corp will be paid $85 a head per day for incarcerating them ,with a max of 375 prisoners [ got to be fair to the other counties and let them get their share] anyhoo ,I could take about our 'fair-n-impartial justice system all day but I've said enough for now . Talent_M: not me say this, read the history and see the present and wait for the future to know exactly what's going on the reality. | Religion Chat Room 31 People Chatting Similar Conversations |