The Equitable, The Impartial, The Just
The One who rectifies and sets matters straight in a fair, impartial and equitable manner.
The One who always acts justly.
The One who delivers absolute justice.
The One whose wisdom of justice is based upon complete knowledge of past, present and future.
From the root 'a-d-l which has the following classical Arabic connotations:
to act justly, fairly
to be equitable, impartial
to adjust properly, to make even
to straighten, to rectify, to establish justice
to balance, counterbalance, to make equal, uniform
to turn one away from something, rightly direct
to make comfortable with what is right.
The term 'Adl is not specifically used as a Beautiful Name in the Qur'ān.
Although a situation may seem unfair to us due to our limited understanding, the Supreme Justice is absolute and unerring in fairness and equality.
And the word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and in justice.
None can alter His words, and He is the Hearing, the Knowing.(Surat Al-‘An`am6:115)
Al-Adl means the one who is very just and fair, who never oppresses, who judges justly and who has justice.
The name al-Adl is one of the names that are regarded as ism al-azam (the greatest name of Allah) by both Hz. Ali and Abu Hanifa.
Allah has justice. He does not wrong or oppress anybody. In fact, oppression is transgressing others' property. All property belongs to Allah. Therefore, it is impossible to think that Allah Almighty oppresses - God forbid. He judges everything justly. There is no of oppression whatsoever in His calculation, estimation, punishment, wrath and activities. He is just in all of His acts and deeds.
Now, let us meditate on the manifestations of the name al-Adl in the realm:
1. All of the heavenly blows on the oppressors are a manifestation of the name al-Adl.
All of the heavenly blows on the oppressors are a manifestation of the name al-Adl. The destruction of the nation of Noah, Ad, Thamud, the Pharaohs, Nimrods and Qarun (Croesus) are due to the manifestation of this name. Wherever there is an oppressor and wherever an oppressor receives a heavenly blow, the manifestation of the name al-Adl is there. Now, let us have a look at the manifestation of this name as the Quran puts it:
“(Remember also) Qarun, Pharaoh, and Haman: there came to them Moses with Clear Signs, but they behaved with insolence on the earth; yet they could not overreach (Us) . Each one of them We seized for his crime: of them, against some We sent a violent tornado (with showers of stones); some were caught by a (mighty) Blast; some We caused the earth to swallow up; and some We drowned (in the waters): it was not Allah Who injured (or oppressed) them: they injured (and oppressed) their own souls. (al-Ankabut 39-40)
All of the wraths mentioned in the verses above were sent down by the manifestation of the name al-Adl and the oppressors were destroyed by the manifestation of that name.
O Lord! We take refuge in You from the manifestation of this name in this sense.
O Lord! We take refuge in Your consent from Your wrath, in Your forgiveness from Your torture, in Your mercy from Your justice. Your forgiveness is your generosity and Your torture is Your justice. Treat us with Your generosity not with Your justice. Ameen!
2. The balance and equilibrium in the universe is a manifestation of the name Al-Adl.
The balance and equilibrium in the universe is a manifestation of the name Al-Adl. Now, let us meditate on this meaning of the name al-Adl in the realm. Every being, from microorganisms to plants and animals, want to invade the world. Their inclination to and desire of invasion is prevented by the barrier of a power and they cannot overstep certain limits.
For instance, an organism has the capacity to have a weight equal to 5000 worlds in 44 hours if it has the favorable conditions. If this microorganism were to proliferate as it wished, it would be able to invade this world on its own. Nevertheless, this microorganism has not been given permission to do this so that the rights of other life forms can be protected. To prevent its invasion, the microorganism has been forced to struggle against various enemies. What prevents this micro-organism from growing is the manifestation of the name al-Adl.
Some restrictions have been introduced for millions of fish that lay eggs in the sea. If a limitation had not been introduced, every species of fish would invade the seas with its own kind and the balance would be destroyed.
For example, in one year, a lobster can lay 7 million eggs. If all of them produced lobsters, the seas would be swarming with them within a few years.
A whiting fish lays 6 million eggs per year. If all whiting fish survived, the seas would be overflowing with whiting fish in less than a year. However, only one dozen of those whiting fish can survive as the rest become bait for other fish.
If fish and other sea creatures could proliferate as they wanted, three out of four seas would be swarming with sea creatures within one year, and it is probably not difficult to forecast that there would be an incursion of seawater on land. However, there is no allowance for this and the seas are maintained at a perfect balance. This balance is a manifestation of the name al-Adl.
It has been determined that a species of mouse has the potential of reaching 400 in numbers in one year and 65,000 within two years. If the reproduction and proliferation of mice were not prevented, the entire earth would be covered by mice of two spans high within two years. That this mouse cannot proliferate as it wishes is also a manifestation of the name al-Adl.
What about the oxygen balance in the atmosphere of the earth? The atmosphere contains 21% oxygen, 77% nitrogen, and 2% other gases. If the proportion of oxygen was a little over 21%, the world could easily burn if you were to light a match to turn on the oven. And if it was less than 21%, we would be breathless as if somebody wrapped a rope around our neck. This balance is also a manifestation of the name al-Adl.
It is possible to increase examples and to write a book about the balance in the universe. Besides, every scientific topic is related to it and every science is a loyal witness to the existence of this balance. All of the balances in this realm are a manifestation of the name al-Adl. That is, if this name removed its manifestation from this realm for a moment, this realm would be in chaos and everything would be intermingled. We praise and thank our Lord endlessly due to the manifestation of this name in this sense.
3. To create everything with precise measurements, to give them faces and to place every organ in the perfect location is a manifestation of the name al-Adl.
To create everything with precise measurements, to give them faces and to place every organ in the perfect location is a manifestation of the name al-Adl. Now, let us meditate on the manifestation of the name al-Adl in this sense in the mirror of man:
There are about sixty elements in our bodies. All of these elements exist in our bodies based on some balance and proportion. Our bodies contain specific amounts of iron, magnesium, chromium, and other such elements. A cause for disease develops when there is too much or too little of these elements in our bodies. For example, copper has a blood-producing characteristic. When there is too little of it, nervous system diseases will occur. Manganese operates the functions of the brain and a lack of it causes” behavior disorders. The duty of cadmium is to regulate blood pressure and to ensure it to operate smoothly; however, too much or too little of it can cause disturbances in blood pressure. The accumulation of elements in any part of the body produces hormonal deficiencies.
Now, let us have a look at the balance in the faces and the placement of organs:
Here is the face of man... So proportionate and balanced… How harmonious are the organs… For instance, if our nose were a bit longer, it would close our mouth. If our eyebrows grew longer, they would close our eyes. What if our teeth or tongue were longer? How would we close our mouth then? Every organ was created in a balanced way and each one is in perfect harmony with other organs…
And now, compare the proportion in the faces of other creatures, and the balance and the harmony among their organs to man…
The creation of the faces in a balanced way, the creation of the organ proportionately and the harmony among the organs are a manifestation of the name al-Adl. In this sense, the name al-Adl becomes manifest in innumerable beings at any moment.
4. To give each being its due based on their ability is the manifestation of the name al-Adl.
To give each being its due based on their ability, that is, to meet all of the needs of its body and to equip it with the organs that are necessary for it to survive in the most suitable way is the manifestation of the name al-Adl. Now, let us meditate on the manifestation of the name al-Adl in the camel in this sense:
A camel’s hump is like a reservoir. For days, the camel can manage with this sustenance, and it can live without water for three weeks.
Its feet are wide and the camel can run in the sand without sinking.
The lashes on its eyes are like a net, and even in the severest conditions, its eyes will not be filled with sand.
The camel’s nose was created in such a way that the camel can still breathe easily even in the most frightening storms.
Its top lip is cleft and it allows the camel to eat thorny desert plants.
Its long neck enables the camel to eat leaves three meters above the ground.
Its knees are covered by calluses having been formed from skin that is as thick and hard as a horn. When the camel lies down, the calluses protect the animal from the ground’s extreme heat and from injury.
Thanks to its thick fur, the camel is able to endure summer temperatures of 50 degrees Celsius and winter colds that are - 50 degrees Celsius. In addition to these characteristics, there are several others.
For instance, if the camel was to have the legs of a horse in addition to all of its present characteristics, it would not be able to travel even one kilometer in the desert.
Then, would any of the camel’s other characteristics have any importance?
Or, if the camel‘s eyes did not have nets, it would not be able to take even a single step in a storm.
And if its lips were not cleft, it would not be able feed.
The creation of the camel like that, that is, endowing it with the most suitable body and organs to maintain its life and to meet its needs, in other words, maintaining its right to live is a manifestation of the name al-Adl.
Now, compare the elephants, fish, birds, insects, plants and other creatures to the camel. Look at the body given to them and the organs endowed to them in order to maintain their right to live and see that their needs are met perfectly; and then prostrate in astonishment upon this manifestation of the name al-Adl!
5. To respond to good deeds with good results and to respond to bad deeds with bad results is a manifestation of the name al-Adl.
To respond to good deeds with good results and to respond to bad deeds with bad results is a manifestation of the name al-Adl. That is, to send the believer to Paradise and send the unbeliever to Hell is a manifestation of the name al-Adl. As a matter of fact, a person cannot deserve Paradise; it is a grace of Allah but to differentiate between believers and unbelievers and to send believers to Paradise and unbelievers to hell is justice and a manifestation of the name al-Adl. This aspect of the name al-Adl will be manifest fully in the hereafter.
What we need to learn from this name is as follows: First of all, we should act honestly and justly in our jobs and become a bright mirror of the name al-Adl. We should never tell lies or deceive people. Then, we should meditate on the meanings of this name mentioned above in the pages of this realm and ascend to the level of marifatullah (knowledge of Allah) by reading the name al-Adl through various aspects.
May Allah Almighty make us real mirrors of His name al-Adl! May He put us among the group of His slaves who attain Him by reading the manifestation of this name in the creatures! Ameen!
Wallahu ta’alaa ‘alem.
And Allah knows Best.
And Allah knows Best.