Social justice and its Prophetic roots

Bilal Cleland

From the earliest times the greatest minds, the most influential prophets and scholars, have re-iterated the basic values which underlie human civilisation. All of course based upon the recognition of the special place of human beings in Creation:

Islam renews the ancient Message of the Prophets regarding the favoured position of human beings.

“We have honoured the children of Adam; provided them with transport on land and sea; given them for sustenance things good and pure; and conferred on them special favours above a greater part of Creation.”

[Quran 17:70]

The rights of the poor, the vulnerable, “the other” in various guises, have long been emphasised. That they should not be oppressed or exploited is repeated time and again.

There seems to be an echo of this from what were most probably earlier prophets in the Egyptian Book of the Dead. Used from about 1700 BCE, at a time when the message had become muddled with polytheism, the moral injunctions stand out.

Many commentators have mentioned the similarity to the Ten Commandments revealed to Moses (a) but the great difference is of course the first two against polytheism and graven images.

The Book of the Dead states:

“Behold, I am come unto thee. ….I have not sinned against anyone. I have not mistreated people. I have not done evil instead of righteousness...

I have not laid violent hands on an orphan. I have not done what the God abominates...

I have not killed; I have not turned anyone over to a killer.

I have not caused anyone’s suffering . . . I have not copulated (illicitly); I have not been unchaste.

I have not increased nor diminished the measure, I have not diminished the palm; I have not encroached upon the fields.

I have not added to the balance weights; I have not tempered with the plumb bob of the balance.

I have not taken milk from a child’s mouth; I have not driven small cattle from their herbage . I have not stopped (the flow of) water in its seasons; I have not built a dam against flowing water.” [5 Nov 2020 leonardolovari. com]

There are similar injunctions about respect and against exploitation in the Ten Commandments. [Exodus 20]

6. Honour your father and your mother

7. You shall not kill

8. You shalt not steal.

9. You shall not bear false witness.

10. You shall not covet your neighbour’s house. You shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour.

These commandments were acknowledged in the Quran.

“Remember when we made a covenant with the children of Israel: You shall not serve any save God, and to be good to parents, and the near kinsman, and to orphans, and the needy, and speak good to all people, and perform the prayer, and pay the alms.” (Quran 2:83–84)

The Hebrew Bible is replete with prophetic statements on social justice.

God “upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry . . . watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow.” [Psalms 146:7-9]

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” [Proverbs 31:8-9]

Wealth and power accumulated through breaking these commandments was always seen as illegitimate. It of its nature involves oppression of the poor and can destroy its possessor. It can lead to the self-serving justification of injustice.

The Quran warns: “Woe to every slanderer backbiter. Who gathers wealth and counts it over. Thinking that his wealth has made him immortal. By no means. He will be thrown into the Crusher.” [Quran 104:1-4]

What may appear so delicious to the accumulator of wealth could be the very opposite.

Bilal Cleland is a keen reader, a prolific writer and a regular columnist of AMUST based in Melbourne.