O Believers, Be Persistently Standing Firm in Justice — Absolute Justice
tadabbur
Level: intermediate
akhlaq
td-168
كُونُواْ قَوَّٰمِينَ بِٱلۡقِسۡطِ شُهَدَآءَ لِلَّهِ وَلَوۡ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِكُمۡ
— النساء 135
Verse: "O you who believe, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for Allah, even if against yourselves, parents, or relatives." (4:135)
"Qawwameen" (persistently standing): Intensive form — not just justice when compelled but making it your permanent deep-rooted quality.
"Even against yourselves": Justice starts with the nearest — bearing just witness against oneself and parents is harder than against a stranger. One who is not just with the nearest is not truly just.
Lesson: The just judge who rules against his own brother and son when wrong is more just than every judge in history.
Source: Ibn Kathir (2/369); Al-Sadi; Al-Qurtubi (5/412)
Question: Why did the verse specify "even against yourselves or parents and relatives"?
Answer: Because desire (hawa) is strongest with relatives — one who is just with strangers but favors relatives is not truly just. Justice starts with the most difficult cases.