The Purpose of Life and Justice in the Sharī’ah (Ethics 3.1 )

Ethics 3.1 The Purpose of Life and Justice in the Sharī’ah

Abu Khadeejah ʿAbdul-Wāhid

Introduction

This series of articles explores Muslim views on conflict and suffering. It looks at how Muslim attitudes to conflict and peace are influenced by their beliefs. The Islamic teachings about the purpose of life, justice, reconciliation and peace are important. These teachings help us to gain a better understanding of Muslim views on war, conflict and peace.

The Purpose of Life

The purpose of life for mankind as Allah has stated is: “I did not create the Jinn and mankind except that they should worship me alone.” So the purpose of life for a Muslim is “to worship and obey Allah.” To understand this fully, we need to consider Muslim beliefs about the relationship between Allah and human beings.

Meaning of Islam:

الْاسْتِسْلَامُ لِلَّهِ بِالتَّوْحِيدِ وَالْاِنْقِيَادُ لَهُ بِالطَّاعَةِ وَالْخُلُوصُ مِنَ الشِّرْكِ

Islam means to ‘submit to Allāh by worshipping Him alone (tawhīd), to yield to Him with obedience and to disassociate from polytheism (shirk).’[1] Try and memorise this in Arabic.

Allah created the creation for His worship alone, without any associates along with Him. Allah stated in clarification of this mighty foundation:

وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ

“And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” (Adh-Dhāriyāt: 56) Worship of Allah is the establishment of Tawheed (Oneness of Allah), it is Ikhlās (sincere worship of Allah), and it is to devote oneself to Him entirely. That means that we must act upon His commands and keep away from His prohibitions (in arabic: nawāhi).

So, the worship of Allah also means to submit to His commandments. Allah (the Most High) stated:

فَلَا وَرَبِّكَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّىٰ يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَجِدُوا فِي أَنفُسِهِمْ حَرَجًا مِّمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَيُسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا

“But no, by your Lord, they will not [truly] believe until they make you, [O Muhammad], judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves and then find within themselves no discomfort from what you have judged and they submit in [full, willing] submission.” (An-Nisā: 65)

And Allah (the Most High) said:

قُلْ إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ ۖ وَبِذَٰلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَا أَوَّلُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ

“Say, ‘Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds. No partner has He! This I have been commanded, and I am the first [among you] of the Muslims.’” (Al-Anʿām: 162-163)

And He (the Most High) stated:

إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ

اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ

“It is You we worship and You we ask for help. Guide us to the straight path.” (Al-Fātihah: 5-6)

A person will never truly attain the ʿuboodiyyah (which is servitude and worship) of Allah until he devotes himself to Allah entirely, and wholly yields to His commandments. Allah, the Most High, stated:

وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ وَلَا مُؤْمِنَةٍ إِذَا قَضَى اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَمْرًا أَن يَكُونَ لَهُمُ الْخِيَرَةُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِمْ ۗ وَمَن يَعْصِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَالًا مُّبِينًا

“It is not for a believing man or a believing woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter, that they should [after that] have any choice about their affair. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly strayed into clear error.” (Al-Ahzāb: 36)

A Muslim is someone who has submitted himself (or herself) to the Will of Allah, what He (the Most High) loves and is pleased with for His creation. This Will are the commandments and instructions of Allah which have been revealed through the noble Qur’an and the Sunnah of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).

Throughout his/her life, a Muslim should always be conscious of Allah and their responsibility to Him. Having awareness of one’s duty to Allah, fulfilling that duty and having reverential fear [2] of Him (the Most High) is known as Taqwā. It is compared to walking through thorns in a forest and being careful not to tear one’s clothing. As a Muslim lives his life, he should be aware that all they do is for Allah and nothing in creation exists except by His Will—He (the Most High) Willed everything and created everything. Obedience to Allah and avoiding the temptation to sin is essential because Allah knows everything, and one cannot hide from His sight and knowledge. You can and should hide your sins from the people, but remember that Allah is always watching you—so you should live your lives while being aware at all times that Allah watches you—this is known in Islam as Murāqabatullāh (being aware of Allah’s watchfulness over you). This will help you to do good deeds and keep away from sins and disobedience.

The main purpose of life for a Muslim is to worship Allah (called the Tawheed al-ʿIbādah). Every person on earth needs to understand Tawheed and to know what violates it because that is the purpose of their creation, the first obligation upon humanity, it will save them from Allah’s anger and the Fire of Hell, and give them entry into Paradise.

A Muslim is to obey Allah in what He has commanded, and especially the Five Pillars. This life is a test and when it is over, the body will wait in the grave, and feel its reward or punishment until the Day of Judgment.

The Prophet (ﷺ) informed us: “[In the grave] two black and blue angels come to him named Munkar and Nakeer. They are severe and harsh angels who sit the deceased up and shake him.

They ask him: ‘Who is your Lord?’ He will say, ‘My Lord is Allah.’

He will then be asked, ‘What is your religion?’ He will say, ‘My religion is Islām.’

Then they ask, ‘Who was that man who was sent among you?’ He will say, ‘He is the Messenger of Allah.’

There occurs in a narration that they ask him, ‘And how did you come to know that?’ He will answer by saying, ‘I read the Book of Allah and I believed in it and affirmed its truthfulness.’

Then they shake him and ask him again: ‘Who is your Lord? What is your religion? Who is your Prophet?’

This is the last fitnah that will come to him. Allah (the Most High) said regarding the one who is righteous and obedient to Allah:

يُثَبِّتُ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِالْقَوْلِ الثَّابِتِ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ

‘Allah will keep firm those who believe with the word that stands firm in this world (i.e., the worship of Allah alone and no one else), and also in the Hereafter (i.e., during the questioning in the graves).’ (Surah Ibrāheem 14:27)

Then Allah (the Most High) says: ‘Indeed my servant has spoken the truth, so provide him with furnishings from Jannah, clothe him from the garments of Jannah, open for him a door to Jannah.’

So, his grave is expanded for him as far as the eye can see. His deeds then appear before him in the form of a man with a pleasant face, nice garments and a nice smell. He brings him glad tidings for his righteous deeds and his obedience, and then he is shown the Hellfire and is told that that is what Allah saved him from, so he will say, ‘O Allah! Hasten the Day of Judgement so that I may be reunited with my family.’ It is said to him, ‘Be calm and be rested.’”

This is the reality of the grave, and on the other side of this reality are those who are punished, from the transgressors and disbelievers and innovators. The other part of this hadeeth of al-Barā speaks of the severe torment of the disbelievers, the hypocrites and the sinners from amongst the Muslims.

Everyone will be resurrected and Allah will fairly judge each person’s actions and intentions during their life on earth. The permanent afterlife will be spent in either a wonderful Paradise or in eternal suffering in Hell. For Muslims, this life is meaningful and has a purpose because it will determine where they spend the afterlife.

Allah said:

وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىْءٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْخَوْفِ وَٱلْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِ وَٱلْأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ ١٥٥
ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَـٰبَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُوٓا إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيْهِ رَٰجِعُونَ ١٥٦
أُولَـٰٓئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَٰتٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ ۖ وَأُولَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُهْتَدُونَ ١٥٧

“We shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or fruits and crops – but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere – who say, when afflicted with calamity, ‘To Allah we belong, and to Him is our return.’ Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided.” (Al-Baqarah: 155-156)

Justice

Justice is the concept of right and fair actions based on just laws. Where there is justice there can be harmony and peace between people. In Islam justice is a supreme virtue. This means that it is a good moral quality that Muslims must embrace. The Qur’an makes clear that Allah expects people and nations to treat each other with goodness, compassion and justice in all aspects of life. It makes clear that justice is a duty and injustice is against the Legislative Will of Allah [3].

The Prophet (ﷺ) said that Allah said [in a hadith Qudsi]:

يَا عِبَادِي إِنِّي قَدْ حَرَّمْتُ الظُّلْمَ عَلَى نَفْسِي وَجَعَلْتُهُ مُحَرَّمًا بَيْنَكُمْ فَلاَ تَظَالَمُوا‏.‏ يَا عِبَادِي إِنَّكُمُ الَّذِينَ تُخْطِئُونَ بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ وَأَنَا أَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ وَلاَ أُبَالِي فَاسْتَغْفِرُونِي أَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ‏.‏ يَا عِبَادِي كُلُّكُمْ جَائِعٌ إِلاَّ مَنْ أَطْعَمْتُهُ فَاسْتَطْعِمُونِي أُطْعِمْكُمْ‏.‏ يَا عِبَادِي كُلُّكُمْ عَارٍ إِلاَّ مِنْ كَسَوْتُهُ فَاسْتَكْسُونِي أَكْسُكُمْ‏.‏ يَا عِبَادِي لَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَكُمْ وَآخِرَكُمْ وَإِنْسَكُمْ وَجِنَّكُمْ كَانُوا عَلَى أَتْقَى قَلْبِ عَبْدٍ مِنْكُمْ لَمْ يَزِدْ ذَلِكَ فِي مُلْكِي شَيْئًا وَلَوْ كَانُوا عَلَى أَفْجَرِ قَلْبِ رَجُلٍ لَمْ يَنْقُصْ ذَلِكَ مِنْ مُلْكِي شَيْئًا وَلَوِ اجْتَمَعُوا فِي صَعِيدٍ وَاحِدٍ فَسَأَلُونِي فَأَعْطَيْتُ كُلَّ إِنْسَانٍ مِنْهُمْ مَا سَأَلَ لَمْ يَنْقُصْ ذَلِكَ مِنْ مُلْكِي شَيْئًا إِلاَّ كَمَا يَنْقُصُ الْبَحْرُ أَنْ يُغْمَسَ فِيهِ الْخَيْطُ غَمْسَةً وَاحِدَةً‏.‏ يَا عِبَادِي إِنَّمَا هِيَ أَعْمَالُكُمْ أَجْعَلُهَا عَلَيْكُمْ فَمَنْ وَجَدَ خَيْرًا فَلْيَحْمَدِ اللَّهَ وَمَنْ وَجَدَ غَيْرَ ذَلِكَ فَلاَ يَلُومُ إِلاَّ نَفْسَهُ كَانَ أَبُو إِدْرِيسَ إِذَا حَدَّثَ بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ جَثَى عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ‏.‏

“O My servants! I have forbidden injustice for Myself and I have made it forbidden among you, so do not wrong one another.

My slaves! You sin by night and day and I forgive sins and do not care. Ask me for forgiveness and I will forgive you.

My slaves! All of you are hungry unless I feed you, so ask Me to feed you, and I will feed you.

All of you are naked unless I clothe you, so ask Me to clothe you and I shall clothe you.

My slaves! If all of you, the first of you and the last of you, the jinn among you and the men among you, were to be as godfearing as the most godfearing heart of any one of you, that would not add anything to My kingdom.

And if [all of them] they were to be as corrupt as the most corrupt heart of any one of you, that would not decrease anything of My kingdom.

If they were to join together in one place and then ask of Me, and I gave every man among them what he asked for that, that would not reduce My kingdom in the least, except as the sea is decreased if a needle is dipped into it [and whatever water remains on that needle].

My slaves! It is only your actions which I have appointed for you. Whoever finds good should praise Allah. Whoever finds other than that should only blame himself.” (Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, no. 490, graded saheeh by Al-Albāni)

Allah said in the Qur’an:

لَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا رُسُلَنَا بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ وَأَنزَلْنَا مَعَهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْمِيزَانَ لِيَقُومَ النَّاسُ بِالْقِسْطِ ۖ وَأَنزَلْنَا الْحَدِيدَ فِيهِ بَأْسٌ شَدِيدٌ وَمَنَافِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَلِيَعْلَمَ اللَّهُ مَن يَنصُرُهُ وَرُسُلَهُ بِالْغَيْبِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَوِيٌّ عَزِيزٌ – 57:25

“Indeed We have sent Our Messengers with clear proofs, and sent with them the Scripture and the Balance of justice that mankind may keep up justice.

We brought forth iron wherein is mighty power [in matters of war], as well as many benefits for mankind, that Allah may test who it is that will help Him [in His religion], and His Messengers, in the [belief of the] unseen. Verily, Allah is All-Strong, All-Mighty.” (Al-Hadeed: 25)

Achieving justice is not easy. Allah has given human beings the responsibility to bring about justice upon the earth. The Qur’an explains that Allah has sent His Prophets and laws to help people understand how to achieve justice. These revelations give guidance on many aspects of justice. For example, treatment of the poor, widows, criminals and enemies. Muslims are expected to unite against injustice and put things right in accordance to the Qur’an and Sunnah. It is wrong to ignore injustice and the suffering of innocents. In the case of the law, victims have a right to be compensated by the wrongdoer, and the criminal is punished as a purification for his bad deeds and as a deterrent for others.

If societies are to be fair and just, every individual has to contribute according to their ability and role. Muslims believe that they must live their lives correctly. They follow the code of behaviour known as the Sharīʿah – the Path, the Law of Allah. This gives guidelines that help Muslims judge behaviour and conduct. The laws help to determine what is halāl (allowed and permitted) and what is harām (prohibited). Muslims believe that if all people followed the Will of Allah that He legislated (i.e. the Sharīʿah Law) then justice would be achieved for everyone.

Questions:

1. Describe what Muslims believe about the purpose of life.
2. Believing in afterlife scares people into being good. Do you think this fear is healthy?
3. Explain what is meant by the term justice.
4. How are Muslims guided by their faith to bring about justice?
5. Is the achievement of justice possible? Explain.
6. What do you understand by the term Shariʿah?
7. Explain the Legislatve Will of Allah.

Footnotes:

[1]. See Shaykh Muhammad Ibn ʿAbdul-Wahhāb in The Three Fundamental Principles (al-Usūl ath-Thalāthah).

[2] This is the fear of displeasing Allah, the Mighty and Majestic.

[3] This is the Shari’ah Will of Allah: Al-Irādah Ash-Sharʿiyyah – what Allah loves and is pleased with, and has commanded His servants with.

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