Dawah: Justice with the Enemy and Friend

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

Justice with the Enemy and Friend

Shaykh Salman al-`Awdah

Moral Code of the Daa`iya
Translated by Muhammad Buneef (Edited transl.)

Al-'Adl, justice, is a general term that means "situation or position in the middle", or intermediateness. It is a characteristic of the Muslim and a characteristic of Ahl as Sunnah wal- Jamaa'ah in all matters without exception. It is giving each the right that he deserves. The concept of justice and its examples is very vast and is not easy to summarize. The following are some important types:

1. Justice with enemies and friends
2. Justice in evaluating books
3. Justice in judging da`wah groups and their activities
4. Justice in looking at various Jihad and Da`wah efforts
5. Justice in dealing with Shari`ah texts
6. Justice in the general view of Islam
7. Justice with reality
8. Justice in dealing with differences of opinion

1. Justice with the enemy and friend

Quite often, if one's friends are mentioned to him he speaks well of them, even if he knows that they don't deserve such tribute. Whereas when his enemies are mentioned to him, he sharply censures them even when he knows that what he is saying is false. Can the daai'ya point out defects that exist in his associates, those who may follow the same way and methodology as him!? Or even his partner in any particular task?! Can he truthfully show appreciation towards a person whom he disagrees with in some matters? If he can do this, then he has fulfilled justice in this area. But most people show injustice towards their antagonists by rebuking them for what cannot be ascribed to them. On the other hand, they show injustice towards their friends by showing them appreciation that they do not deserve…and even if this appears to be a manifestation of love and appreciation, it is not. For in reality it is degradation and tyranny. Therefore when one shows you appreciation which you don't deserve, he has indeed humiliated you. This is because if people who are expecting this quality from you cannot find it, then they are apt to censure you because you do not have it. Allah ta`ala ordered us to behave justly, even with enemies.

"..And do not let hatred cause you to act unjustly, behave justly, that is nearer to piety." (Surat al-Maida:8)

Unfortunately, even if we admit this lesson in theory, we quickly forget it in practice. We find ourselves neglecting a person, being unconcerned about him, paying no attention to him, and so often looking at his few bad qualities, while at the same time forgetting his many good qualities or vice-versa. No, but the matter is even worse! In fact more often we forget his many good qualities and capitalize on his few bad qualifies. We forget the shari`ah rule, "If the water is two jugs worth, it does not hold impurity!" [From a hadeeth narrated by Ahmad and the compilers of the Sunan, and it was authenticated by al-Tahawi, and Ibn Khuzaima and Ibn Hibaan and al-Dhababi, Nawawi and Ibn Hajr. See Irwa at- Ghaleel]

Source: Islaam.com

The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa'sallam said:

"The Muslim is a unique Ummah among the whole of mankind:
Their Land is ONE, their War is ONE, their Peace is ONE,
Their Honour is ONE and their Trust is ONE."
[Ahmad]