Yahya - Justice and Tolerance in the Qur'an (2003)

26
JUSTICE AND TOLERANCE IN THE OUR'AN
He said, "He has wronged you by asking for your ewe
to add to his ewes. Truly many partners are unjust to
one another—except those who believe and do right
actions, and how few they are!"... (Qur'an, 38:24)
This decision of the Prophet Dawud sets a very good
example for believers since he sided with the person who
was in the right, rather than the more powerful one, and
hence acted justly. In the 25th verse of the same Sura, the
moral perfection displayed by the Prophet Dawud is praised,
and he is given the glad tidings of a good homecoming as "he
has nearness to Us and a good Homecoming". In the 26th
verse, God reminds the Prophet Dawud of the importance of
justice:
...We have made you a caliph on the earth, so judge
between people with truth and do not follow your own
desires, letting them misguide you from the Way of
God. Those who are misguided from the Way of God
will receive a harsh punishment because they forgot
the Day of Reckoning.
The people of Shu'aib, who were sent to Madyan, were a
tribe that acted unjustly in commercial life. They
manipulated peoples' assets, devalued their goods and
defrauded them. The Prophet Shu'aib warned his people of
their unjust attitudes and called them to justice. In one verse
God states the following regarding this matter:
And to Madyan We sent their brother Shu'ayb who
said, "My people, worship God! You have no other
deity than Him. A Clear Sign has come to you from
your Lord. Give full measure and full weight. Do not