Friday, December 05, 2008

Justice for All?


When I was like 12 13 years, he used to visit us. Shaukat, uncle Shaukat. Lanky stature, weak eye sight, oily hair... He was a family friend but we didn't have such a high opinion of him. Actually not many had. Reason was his fierce temperament, irresponsibility towards his wife and children, and his unquenchable thirst to preach. Mysterious he was. We haven't heard from him in last 4 5 years and I have no idea where is he and how. But I still remember something he told my father way back then. I was just sitting next to him listening. At that time, that statement sound impressive but it’s just now that I can relate to it. Somewhat, I mean.


"Never ask God for justice. Never say 'Oh God! He is doing this wrong to me. Give me justice'. Never say that. Just ask for His mercy. Ask for his Reham. His justice is total and you don't know it might not be in your favor either".

How often in our lives we ask for justice? How many times we say... This matter and that matter should be brought to justice. Equality, impartiality, fairness from our minuscule perspectives. Its just when you look from totality, from a total perspective, you find that the standpoint you took all your life is itself continuously in motion. It’s only then you realize that through your lives, all you bloody asked for was unjustified justice, partial impartiality and unfair fairness.

Seldom have we understood this. And we yearn for justice and equality. We don't realize justice in a total sense can actually work against us. It has that potency. It can actually counter-act and reshape the entire life of the one who seeks it. Sometimes in some confrontations, we want justice to swing in our side. It something like you wear yellow, your enemy wears black and then you ask God to sway justice in favor of whose wearing whiter. You see... no one is.

Justice. Hmmmm.. Thousands of people gathered on the streets of Mumbai holding candles as fragile as their characters asking for peace, end to war and justice. But which justice? If they're talking about the justice in its totality then every day at least 100 people should be killed in metros like Mumbai and Karachi. Isn’t so? Justice should be such that for every blast that happens in FATA or Afghanistan or anywhere, a blast should happen in Mumbai too. What these Mumbaikars want is that they shouldn't be disturbed from watching their 3rd grade movies, eating pani purees and enjoying their so called booming democratic lives while others burn. This is their minuscule way of perceiving justice.

Africa in on a verge of famine. And we ask for justice when someone spills our coffee. 40% people live below dollar a day and we seek justice saying the CJ Chaudhry hasn't got salary for X number of months. Such tiny creatures we are. With such narrow view. And it gets narrower when the spotlight is on us. When we feel the heat. When we lose our religion. That's when it all happens. And happens with everyone. You me, both!

Indeed such insignificant creatures with no influence over the outcomes should never ask for justice. Ask for mercy, kindness, rahem. May be it suits our stature.
Saturday, December 06, 2008
1:38 AM

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Eureka... u've got it!
People are selfish, justice is blind, the world doesn't care until it is burned with the same flame.
Glad someone uses their brain.
X)

Anonymous said...

Eye opening post. Really made me think =)

Anonymous said...

Thank you sir. It really changed my point-of-view from the moment I finished reading it. Couldnt agree more. But you know, ithe spotlight is rarely on the people who deserve it. People just cannot stop moaning about justice. If justice was do done, then why would all this blasts and attacks happen anywhere? Wont they be afraid of the concequences? I dont think anybody can really do justice except Him. And we wont like it if he starts doing it.

Anonymous said...

Man it was very nice...it was very precise n thougnt provoking..Flawless.Fantastic!!!

Anonymous said...

You write really well....

Scheherazade said...

Very nice post. Would you like to add me to your blog roll and vice verse?

Anonymous said...

Food for thoughts and a very realistic perception of events.

Tazeen said...

Good? Nopes, that's too small a word. I don't know what to say... I'm speechless!

P.S.: Speechless in a good sense, okay?

Tazeen said...

Uh huh. Sensational? :D

P.S.: I did find the right word. Marina had it: eye-opening!

Anonymous said...

firstly, the word equality is unequal in itself.

Secondly, did we ask for life, world, parents, laptops, etc.

y to ask for mercy, kindness, rahem from God??? and not justice.

If one is asking then he must ask everything whether mercy or justice, if not then nothing by accepting whatever life is giving.

Madiha said...

you hit the hammer on the nail! one should really know what he's asking for from Him. Allah can only give us the oppurtunity to be given justice to and the oppurtunity to be given mercy and kindness to.
If we looked through the glass, faith is what terrorists need- They need to believe and verify and believe again, they needn't blast up places to 'straighten people'.Think I should resume writing...

uropinion said...

The post says what needs to be said universally but your harsh take on the mumbaikars spoils it all.In such an all encompassing post on 'reham',your personalised anger for the denizens of that one city is harsh and insensitive.

Asma Chang said...

A wonderful piece of work really. Giving or doing justice is beyond human nature since we all tend to become biased for one thing or another. That is why even the greatest kings/rulers of history have some stories of inequality on their part - intentionally or unintentionally. Justice is only in hands of Allah. That is why He has said in Surah Al-Tin: 'Is not God the wisest of judges?' (verse: 95)