Social Reformation From The Perspective Of The Biography Of The Prophet Muhammad Pbuh: Part 2
By
Kaniz Fatma, New Age Islam
23 March
2023
Examining
Areas Of Social Reformation In Light Of Sirat Al-Nabi
Main
Points:
1. Hadith: All
creatures are [like] a family of God
2. Hadith:
Whoever does not show mercy to people, Allah will not show mercy to him.
3. All Muslims
were declared to be brothers of one another and given the mandate to live in
peace and love.
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Due to the
fact that all of Creation has been referred to as the family of Allah Almighty
and that they have been commanded to do justice and good to all humanity, the
Prophet (peace be upon him) expanded the definition of social justice to
include all members of the human race, including children, the elderly, men,
women, Muslims, orphans, slaves, and non-Muslims.
The holy
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, "All creatures are [like] a
family of God: and He loves best those who are kindest to His family. (Narrated
by Anas in Mishkat al-Masabih, 3:1392; from Bukhari.)
Then, based
on this humanity, all Muslims were declared to be brothers of one another and
given the mandate to live in peace and love.
The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) reportedly said:
"Do not be jealous of one another, do not
raise prices by overbidding one another, do not despise one another, do not
turn away from one another, and do not undercut one another in trade. But be O
servants of Allah, as brothers. A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim; he does
not mistreat him, he does not fail him (when needed), he does not tell him
lies, or treat him with contempt. Piety lies here - (he said) three times
pointing to his chest. For a Muslim to despise his Muslim brother is enough evil.
A Muslim's blood, possessions, and honour are all sacred to another
Muslim." (Sahih Muslim)
In this
Hadith, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) gives us
instructions on how to treat fellow Muslims. We should treat one another with
the utmost respect and refinement, abstaining from vices like envy, oppression,
deceit, and other behaviours that could lead to injury or conflict. To inspire
good morals, keep us away from bad morals, eradicate animosity for other
Muslims from our hearts, and prevent us from bad morals, we should love one
another, be friends with one another, and treat one another with kindness.
Another
hadith highlights the values of humanity:
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him) reportedly said: "Whoever does not show mercy to people, Allah
will not show mercy to him," according to Jarr ibn 'Abdullah (may Allah be
pleased with him). (Reliable Hadith reported by Muslim and Bukhari)
Social
justice in modern human society is currently in peril. Poverty and desperation
are pervasive. Unfairness and tyranny are at their maximum point. In order to
practically bring about peace and prosperity for humanity, raise the voice of
justice by eradicating the feeling of deprivation among the public, and inject
social justice throughout human society, a balanced social structure is
desired. Over the years, people from all around the world have presented a
variety of social justice ideals and tactics. Nevertheless, practically
speaking, we do not always uphold the rule of law. Promoting social justice in
practice from all sides is a crucial necessity right now.
Social
Justice
Social
justice is the fair distribution of assets, opportunities, and privileges
within a society. In both Western and Asian civilizations, the concept of social
justice has been extensively employed to describe the process of ensuring that
people fulfil their societal obligations and receive their rightful rewards
from society. In the current campaigns for social justice, removing barriers to
social mobility, creating safety nets, and encouraging economic fairness have
been given priority. Establishing rights and responsibilities within societal
institutions enables everyone to share in the benefits and expenses of
cooperation. The relevant institutions usually include taxation, social
insurance, public health, public education, public services, labour
legislation, and market regulation in order to achieve equitable income
distribution and opportunity.
In many
legal systems around the world today, the concepts of justice and equality are
not only mentioned but also serve as guiding principles. Politico-legal
institutions assert their justice in an effort to gain legitimacy.
Islam is
one of the religions that place a strong emphasis on justice and equity. So
much so that Allah will not pardon anyone who perpetrates evil and injustice,
according to several warnings in the Holy Quran.
“Indeed,
those who disbelieve and commit wrong or injustice – never will Allah forgive
them, nor will He guide them to a path.” (4:168)
Speaking a
word of justice to an unjust ruler is considered the highest kind of jihad in
the eyes of Allah, according to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Narrated
Abu Sa’id al-Khudri: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: The best fighting
(jihad) in the path of Allah is (to speak) a word of justice to an oppressive
ruler. (Sunan Abi Dawud 4344)
There are
numerous facets to justice. The theological meaning of justice is, broadly
speaking, the vertical dimension of justice between people and God, while all
forms of fairness between individuals is social justice. This would cover a
wide range of topics, from macro political and macroeconomic factors to
micro-level interpersonal relationships between relatives, friends, neighbours,
and other people.
The idea
from the Qur'an that best represents social justice is the Arabic term qist
(fairness), which denotes a feeling of equality and justice in distribution as
well as a shared societal purpose to ensure that every member of society
receives their fair share. Political justice, according to mutual consultation,
includes just population management (Qur'an 42:38).
There are
numerous verses from the Prophet (peace be upon him) that extol the virtues of
the just ruler and promise paradise to the just ruler. The Prophet also said
that speaking the truth in front of an oppressive ruler is the most honourable
struggle. The latter idea serves as a strong inspiration for political
activists who advocate for human rights.
How would
God sanctify a nation that does not shield its weak from its strong? The
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said so, after learning about a situation
in which an elderly woman was pushed in Abyssinia. So, a nation's wealth and
well-being are at stake when its citizens fail to protect the vulnerable from
those in positions of control.
Fairness in
the allotment and distribution of resources to all individuals and social
groupings is necessary for social justice. This is why Islam places such a
strong focus on helping the underprivileged. The two primary obligations of
believers, which the Qur'an constantly mentions (e.g., Qur'an 27:3), are a
prayer to God and alms-tax, also known as Zakah, or alms-giving. Zakh is the
Islamic responsibility that every Muslim who has sufficient income must fulfil
by giving 2.5% of their assets to the underprivileged and in need.
The Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon him) gave the people various directives when he first
arrived in Madinah, which included "supporting the weak, assisting the
oppressed, and spreading peace." (Sahih Bukhari 6235)
The
fundamental tenet of Islamic action is to constantly defend the oppressed. The
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) warned, "Beware of the supplication
of the oppressed, for there is no barrier between it and God. If Allah listens
to the oppressed, then so should we. (Jami al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 2014)
(Continued)
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Kaniz
Fatma is a classic Islamic scholar and a regular columnist for New Age Islam.
Part
One: Social Reformation from the Perspective of the Biography
of the Prophet Muhammad Pbuh Part 1
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-personalities/reformation-biography-prophet-muhammad-part-2/d/129378
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