Respect for principles
of natural justice and rule of law is a basic feature of even mundane legal
systems that administer justice among people. [Inset:
Statue of Lady Justice, by F. W. Pomeroy on top of the Old Bailey Central Criminal Court in London, England- She carries a sword and scales but is not blindfolded].
In all such systems, the
following fundamental principles are central elements:
1) No one shall be a judge in his own cause.
2) No one shall be condemned unheard.
3) To ensure substantive justice, procedural fairness
shall be adhered to.
Now, all of us know that justice is among the foremost Islamic values. And, Ahmadis claim to be the inheritors of the finest Islamic traditions. In any case, they swear by Islamic values of the highest order, including JUSTICE. But, then, the question is this: How do they do when it comes to the Administration of Justice?
What kind of justice does the Administration provide
when they have to deal with issues that arise within the Community? How far
does the system accommodate notions of fairness, transparency, objectivity and
accountability within its power structures so as to ensure justice for its
common members? Do common Ahmadis gain justice when they approach the Khulafa
with the troubles they have with their leaders?
The plain fact is that injustice
breeds and thrives under the Ahmadiyya system today. The system originally built
on the foundations of implicit faith and trust of those who work under it has,
time and again, been abused by vested interests operating under the mask of obedience
to leadership and much injustice is flowing through the contaminated waters of
the present Khilafat system and common Ahmadis are suffering due to the
excesses of the administrators. There is a clearly perceived need to radically
rethink the current premises of administration of justice within the Ahmadiyya
Community in the light of the following Qur’anic verse:
“O David, We have made you a vicegerent on earth; so judge between
men with justice, and follow not vain desire, lest it should lead you astray
from the way of Allah. Surely, those who go astray from the way of Allah, will
have a severe punishment, because they forgot the Day of Reckoning.” (38 : 27)
In an Open Letter written on February 20, 2011 and
addressed to the current head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Mirza Masroor Ahmad Sahib, the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir
Ahmad Azim Sahib of Mauritius
profoundly analyzed this question. The
Messenger of Allah of our times- the Khalifatullah- describes justice as from
the very “blood” of Allah. He points out that Allah detests unfairness among
his creatures-be it in the Heavens or in the Earth. Pointing to the how and why
of the decline in justice-oriented administrative values in the Ahmadiyya
Community today, the Khalifatullah provides a profound explanation for the magnificent
Will of Allah working behind the current Divine Manifestation.
Read from the Extracts of the Letter: