Harvard Law School, one of the most prestigious
institutions of its kind in the world, has recently posted a verse of the Holy Qur’an at
the entrance of its Faculty Library, describing the verse as one of the
greatest expressions of justice in history. Verse 135 of Surah Al Nisa
(The Women) has been posted at a wall facing the faculty’s main entrance,
dedicated to the best phrases articulating justice:
“O you who believe!
Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses
To Allah,
even as against
Yourselves or your parents,
Or your kin, and whether
It be (against) rich
or poor;
For Allah can best protect both".
Established in
1817, Harvard is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United
States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. Among its
alumni is US President Barack Hussein Obama and a host of influential journalists,
writers, media and business leaders and even professional athletes. According
to its official website, The Words of Justice exhibition is a
testimony of the endurance of humanity’s yearning for fairness and dignity
through law. “The words on these walls
affirm the power and irrepressibility of the idea of justice.”
We reproduce below an insightful explanation of this
particular verse provided by the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius
as part of his forthcoming Commentary on
the Holy Qur’an: