SOCIAL JUSTICE. (VERSE NO. 135)

      Here a general instruction has been issued on account of social justice - a commandment that all have to observe without any exception. That is, in all our judgements we must have our Lord as a witness besides us. We must seek Allah's consent and pleasures in our judgement, and swerve not even though our decree has to be issued against our own interests or against the interests of our parents and our nearers and dearers. And when we have to be a witness and testify to something, we must be strict, straight, and not drooping. We must be a witness for God, because we act in the presence of the Lord God Who is aware of whatever we do.

      The verse then points at the causes of swerve, that some people may be inclined to favour a rich man of whom they may expect some aid; and a judge may want to favour a poor for being helpless.

      ``Be you witness for Allah, even if it be against yourselves or against your parents or kinsfolk; be he rich or be he poor, Allah is more deserving than them.''

      Be they poor or rich, you have to observe justice and to avoid both extremes, because all of them are under the care and protection of Allah, and God is more deserving to be cared than the others.

      This verse may also show the importance of justice in the sight of God and Islam. Shiites are of opinion that JUSTICE is an attribute of God, and it is one of the tenets and five principles of religion; and that, to stand firm for justice is to be a witness of God, and being godly.