Justice vs. Forgiveness

by: Archer

Choices in life

'And those who, when they are oppressed, help and defend themselves'

'And the retribution for an evil act is an evil one like it, but whoever pardons and makes reconciliation - his reward is [due] from Allah . Indeed, He does not like wrongdoers.'

Ash-Shuraa, 39-40

These both ayat teach us about the two concepts which is the concept of justice and the concept of forgiveness in such a beautiful way ^___^

'And those who, when they are oppressed, help and defend themselves' 

In the first ayat, ALLAH talks about the people when some people rebel against them, they avenged themselves. They don't just take it sitting down. They stand up and seek justice.

'And the retribution for an evil act is an evil one like it...' 

Meaning of this ayat is like if somebody does something bad to you, justice would be something you do back to them in equal amount. ALLAH clearly state that payback of something bad is something bad just like it.

Lets look at this in practical way. Say if somebody harm you, for example, somebody insult you or physically pushes you, you probably said " Justice is I want to do the exact same things to them". But, you know, in human nature, our anger come over, and eventually we're not doing it for the sense of justice anymore but, we're do it out of revenge. Its not really for justice, its more for revenge. When you have revenge in your heart, then what happen?? Do you take equal amount or you'll take a little extra more? You have a good chance to take extra more, right?You said you have the right to do this but because in the back of your intention isn't justice, its revenge, there is a chance, a good chance you going to go overboard.

This is what the scholars warn against. The people who seek justice, very few of them is truly fair but, most of them, when they seek justice, they end up becoming zalim. Some scholars even added more. They said that, if somebody pushes you and you push them back, would you know if your push hurt them the same amount that they hurt you? Maybe, when you push them, it hurts them more and when they pushes you it hurts you less. So justice is extremely difficult. Especially in dunya. The perfect justice is only on the day of judgement. Until then, we only have makeshift justice.

If you seek justice from the person who harm you, what the most you can get? Probably, the most you can get is temporary satisfaction. If they have cause you harm, that harm cannot be taken back. The fact that your feeling was hurts just not going to go away right? Even if you take revenge. That feeling will always be there. That scar had already been made. But, if you forgive, you are at higher level. Not only the scar been erased by ALLAH, but you are been honored by ALLAH. Both are permissible, but one is definitely a higher principle right?

'.... but whoever pardons and makes reconciliation - his reward is [due] from Allah'

 When you forgave, ALLAH said your reward will be on Him. When it comes to seeking revenge, ALLAH quantified how much you can get. Only what was taken from you. But when you forgive, you get so much that ALLAH doesn't even quantified. He said it on Him. Imagined the value of the blessing and favor. He doesn't say Jannah, He doesn't say garden and paradise. Nothing! He said on me.So imagine the comparison between these two. ^__^

'...Indeed, He does not like wrongdoers.'

Why ALLAH said this in the end of the ayat? We have two option in dunya. Whether to seek justice or to forgive. No matter what you choose, do it right.

source: Majesty of Divine Speech, Episode 4:Justice vs. Forgiveness by Nouman Ali Khan 
pic by: http://browse.deviantart.com/?offset=24&order=9&q=choices#/d48jeto