We tackled God’s justice: He rewarded each person according to his deeds and how religions urged people to adhere to justice, especially those in power. One should be fair to all people not only to those he loves, but to those whom he disagrees with too as being fair is an intrinsic rather than extrinsic attribute of him. Do not do injustice to people even if it was unseen or considered legally right.
Today, I would like to write about, what I prefer to call, human justice: to appreciate all people and respect their feelings. As per the previously published poem of Gibran Khalil Gibran, we may see justice as a mere formality, while in fact it is not truly practiced at all.
Had the dead heard of the justice of the living, they would have laughed loudly. The poet gave an example of a person who uses double standards, while the just person remains constant in his judgment. He would not change his judgment according to the financial status of a person, for example, he would not ignore the request of the poor, while hasting to help those in power or high positions. In other words, a justice delayed is justice denied. As per Moses the prophet, who said in the Old Testament “You shall not have in your bag differing weights, a heavy and a light. You shall not have in your house differing measures, a large and a small. You shall have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure, that your days may be lengthened in the land which the Lord your God is giving you. For all who do such things, all who behave unrighteously, are an abomination to the Lord your God.”
God abhors the unjust and he does not accept cheating in daily transactions, thus He would never accept the unjust and those who wrong to their brethrens.
I recall a story that my dear friend and great teacher, Prof. Dr. Hamdi Zaqzouq has told me about the just caliph, Umar Ibn El Khattab. Once upon a time an Egyptian man came to complain the governor of Egypt Amr Ibn al-Aas and his son who attacked him with no reason, even his father put him in prison instead of doing justice to him. The caliph sent a message to the governor to come at once with his son. He ordered the man to hit the governor and his son. However, the man hit his son only. Thus the caliph told him his famous quote, “When did you turn people into slaves, while Allah has created them free ” It is just to physically punish a person according to his deeds; however you can hurt some one’s feelings the same you hurt his body too. Some people destroy others’ feelings by insulting, ignoring or acting insolently with no deterrence. I recall a wise saying, “Be careful, words can kill too”. Life is full of stories of people who become devastated because of some harmful words. Many talents were depressed due to a bitter criticize. The reposed H.H Pope Shenouda III, “Reflect on your words, think of how many times you bitterly criticized a person and you lost a lot. You did not even win his soul for God”. A just person would not be quick in his judgments and never is deceived by the appearances; he is also a good listener. He reflects on the motives and circumstances and has a deep insight into the happenings.
“Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment”
Thus, do not judge or criticize impulsively as per H.H Pope Shenouda III, “A person may criticize matters without prior study of them. When he realizes the realities, he apologizes and says he was not aware of that” to be continued….
General Bishop
Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center
