One of the human attitudes is the tendency to differentiate and compare one thing with another. The result from such an attitude shapes the perception we give to other people or things and affect the way we deal with them in life and this includes how we treat others. Wealth, power and prestige are common metrics for measuring how successful or influential a person is in a society. Hence, they also become unanimous criteria of how one should be treated (or not treated).
The Prophet was once rebuked by Allah for ignoring Abdullah Ibn Maktum – a blind companion – when the latter approached him asking for some clarification on Islam. The incident happened when the Prophet was meeting with several Quraysh Chieftains with the hope they might embrace Islam. Abdullah ibn Maktum kept repeating his request without knowing that the Prophet was dealing with someone else. The sign of annoyance appeared on the face of the Prophet when he been repeated interrupted and he then turned away from Abdullah Ibn Maktum. Then Allah sent down the verse rebuking the Prophet in Surah Abasa : “He frowned and turned away. Because the blind man came unto him.”[80:1-2]. After the incident, The Prophet used to honour him and whenever he saw Abdullah ibn Maktum, he would say “Welcome to the one about whom Allah has rebuked me!”
Injustice, discrimination, favoritism, partiality and double standard practices have no place in Islamic teaching. In order to ensure fairness prevails in human life, Islam recognizes the concept of al-‘adl (justice) and al-ihsan (benevolence).
In surah al-Nahl, verse 90 Allah s.w.t asserts to the effect: “Surely Allah enjoins the doing of justice and the doing of good (to others) and the giving to the kindred, and He forbids indecency and evil and rebellion; He admonishes you that you may be mindful.”
Al-‘adl or justice according to Islam is to place everything i.e. action or thought where Allah has specified. Hence it should become the fundamental guiding principle of all human activities, and in the context of this article, socio-economic status, ethnicity or physical characteristics shouldn’t be regarded as determinants one should behave towards or deal with someone or something.
In the current context, partiality or double standards can occur in many sectors. Favoritism at the workplace is when a staff is hired or promoted not on the basis of ability or real merit is a morale killer. It can demotivate employees as it can foster a sense of resentment among staff and damage team unity.
Should this happen in a government sector, the public who are the main stakeholder of the service will fall victims to the practice as the prerequisite for quality service delivery i.e. transparency and governance has been compromised in the initial stage. Delay in service delivery or poor quality of service are some of direct effects of an attitude unhealthy as this. What is worse is that it can propagate corrupt practice because bureaucratic red tape could make the public feel frustrated and some of them would grease the wheel by giving bribe to speed up getting approval for their application.
Indeed, when it comes to contract or tender awarding the situation can be rather ugly. Favouritism is a form of robbery on taxpayers’ hard-earned money. The ultimate motivation of a company or firm which wins the contract is not so much on fulfilling the project and achieving its deliverables, but exploiting opportunity for self-interest or rather self-enrichment.
Prejudice and partiality are the root cause of oppression and conflict in society. Eventually they can lead to the downfall of a nation. The Prophet has warned us against the danger of double standard practice through the following hadith:
O people! The nations before you went astray because if a noble person committed theft, they used to leave him, but if a weak person among them committed theft, they used to inflict the legal punishment on him. By Allah, if Fatima, the daughter of Muhammad committed theft, Muhammad will cut off her hand! (Narrated by Al-Bukhari)
In the hadith, the Prophet used the example of the judicial system as it is an institution whose role is to operationalize the concept of al-‘adl or justice in a community or country. However, if such as institution fails to deliver the entrusted amanah (responsibilities) in upholding the principle of justice and incline towards fear and favour of those in power and the elite in the society, people will lose their trust in the judicial organ. As a result, social instability will rise and the nation will slide into anarchy.
Therefore, it is the concept of al-‘adl or justice – rather than favoritisms or partiality – that should become the underlying basis of all activities of humanity. It should prevail in every aspect of our life : be it the comments we make, the judgement we pass, the way we handle our responsibilities and obligations to others and the way we treat others whether they are our family members, strangers, friends or foes.