and wrongdoing and transgression. He admonishes you so that you may take heed.” (Q 16:90)
Allah, then, commands these three matters:
- Justice. It is an obligation, and a person must establish justice with himself, with his family, and with all those over whom Allah has given him responsibility.
Justice toward oneself means not burdening the soul with anything Allah has not required, and even in acts of devotion one should be considerate, neither overtaxing oneself nor imposing more than one can bear. For that reason, when ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “I will fast continuously without breaking my fast and pray throughout the night without sleeping,” the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) summoned him, forbade him from doing so, and said, “Your soul has a right over you, your Lord has a right over you, and your family has a right over you; so give each rightful claimant his due.”
Allah likewise commands justice within one’s household. If a man has two wives, he must treat them equitably, for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Whoever has two wives and inclines toward one of them will come on the Day of Resurrection with one side of his body leaning.”
You must also be just with your children. If you give one of them 1 riyal, give the other the same; if you give the son 2 riyals, then give the daughter 1 riyal; and if you give the son