Discovering Islam03 · Divine justice
A just God. ʿAdl
God is perfectly fair. He gives us real choices, holds us responsible for them, and never wrongs anyone, not even by the weight of an atom.
Tasneem Institute · 2 min read
God never wrongs anyone
Justice, called ʿadl, is one of the five roots of belief in the school of the Ahl al-Bayt. It means God puts everything in its proper place and never treats anyone unfairly.
“Your Lord does not wrong anyone” (18:49). When harm comes from injustice, it comes from people, not from God: “We did not wrong them; they wronged themselves” (16:118).
Why injustice is impossible for God
People are unfair for three reasons. None apply to God.
- Not knowing: we sometimes wrong others because we lack the full picture. God knows everything, seen and unseen.
- Needing something: we cheat to gain what we lack. God needs nothing; everything already belongs to Him.
- Weakness: we give in to anger, fear or pressure. God is all-powerful and is never forced to act against what is right.
Between two extremes, a middle path
The middle path
Islam rejects both total compulsion—“Everything I do was forced on me”—and total independence—“God has no part in what I do.” God gives us the power to act; we choose, and we are responsible.
What the Imams taught
Imam Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq (ʿa) summed it up: “There is no compulsion and no total handing-over; rather, it is a matter between the two.” We truly choose, and God remains the source of every ability we use.
An everyday picture
Think of someone given a car, fuel and an open road. The gifts come from the giver, but where they drive is their own decision, and so is the responsibility. “Whoever wills, let them believe” (18:29).
“God bears witness that there is no god but Him, as do the angels and those with knowledge, upholding justice.”
Qur’an 3:18 · meaning in English
Adapted from Discovering Islam by Sayyid Moustafa al-Qazwini.
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