for mention in passages such as His words:

“Say, ‘My Lord has commanded equity. Direct your faces toward Him at every place of worship, and call upon Him, devoting your religion sincerely to Him,’”

does not preclude its being included in equity, just as mentioning righteous deeds after faith does not preclude their being included in faith. Similar examples occur in His words:

“His angels and His messengers, Gabriel and Michael,”

and:

“from the prophets their covenant, and from you.”

This is on the view that the term “faith” encompasses righteous deeds. This holds whether one maintains that, in such instances, the latter remains included under the first term and is therefore mentioned twice, or that joining it to the first term means that it is not included under it here, although it is included when that term occurs alone. The same has been said concerning the terms “the poor” and “the needy,” and similar expressions whose scope varies depending on whether they occur separately or together.

The point, however, is that every good falls within equity and justice, and every evil falls within injustice. Thus, justice is obligatory in every matter and upon everyone, while injustice is forbidden in every matter and to everyone. It is never permissible to wrong anyone, whether a Muslim, a disbeliever, or even a wrongdoer. Rather, even in responding to wrongdoing, what is permissible or obligatory is to treat the wrongdoer justly. Allah Most High says:

“O you who believe, stand firm for Allah as witnesses in equity, and do not let hatred”

—that is, do not let hatred, meaning hatred of a people—namely the disbelievers—lead you to act unjustly:

“of a people lead you to be unjust. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness.”

Allah Most High also says:

“So whoever attacks you, respond against him in the same measure as his attack against you.”

And Allah Most High says: “And if you punish, then punish with the like of