Understanding Islamic Pillars to Fight for What’s Right
By Tanveer Azmat
Mar/Apr 26
Islam’s foundational principle is tawhid, the belief in one God. Tawhid’s “social dimension” implies that lordship of man over man is not acceptable. All human beings are one family having one set of parents – Adam and Eve. When it comes to peace and justice, according to the Quran, the lordship of man over man is one of the main sources of injustice both theologically and socially (Quran 4:1).
The Story of Moses (‘alayhi as salaam)
Creating peace and justice in society requires speaking truth to unjust powers. In the Quran, the story of Moses (‘alayhi asalaam) and Pharaoh is a well-known example of speaking truth to unjust power. Pharaoh declared himself to be the lord of his people (28:38). The Quran calls Pharaoh’s rebellion ṭaghā (transgression) against God (20:43). To prove to Pharaoh that Moses was a prophet of God, Moses was provided with several miracles. After receiving these miracles, when God asked Moses and his older brother, Haroon (‘alayhi as salaam) to challenge Pharaoh, they pleaded, “Our Lord! We fear that he may be quick to harm us or act tyrannically” (20: 45). God reassured them, “Have no fear! I am with you, hearing and seeing” (20: 46).
Two lessons can be derived from this event. First, to speak truth to power was not easy for a great prophet like Moses despite having miracles to demonstrate his veracity. Second, only the faithful who are sure of God’s protection can stand up to self-styled lords of the people. This does not mean that the non-religious cannot stand up to corrupt powers. They can, and they do. The point is that the faithful have a special duty to accomplish this task.
The Quran identifies another hurdle when it comes to standing for peace and justice: tribal considerations. At times, it involves seeing injustice committed by our own. We have passions and justifications, but these are simply self-deceptions. The Quran points out, “Satan had made pleasing to them [‘Aad and Thamud] their deeds and averted them from the path, and they were endowed with perception [meaning that the people failed to correctly perceive it]” (29:38). So, the Quran advises, “Say, ‘Each works according to his manner, but your Lord is most knowing of who is best guided in way’” (17: 84). This means that we should not boast of our piety to ourselves and others. God is the only one Who knows anyone’s true intentions. Standing up for justice requires that when members of our community acts unjustly, we should be the first to call it out and stand for justice.
Standing for Justice
A potent hindrance in standing firm for justice is when we know our unjust position but our love for our spouses, children, relatives, and friends stop us from doing the right thing. The Quran therefore reminds, “O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for God, even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives. Whether one is rich or poor, God is more worthy of both. So, follow not (personal) inclination, lest you not be just. And if you distort (your testimony) or refuse (to give it), then indeed God is ever, with what you do, Acquainted” (4:135).
When oppression or injustice are committed against a community, the Quran asks, “And what is wrong with you that you fight not in the Cause of God, and for those weak, illtreated, and oppressed among men, women, and children, whose cry is: ‘Our Lord! Rescue us from this town whose people are oppressors; and raise for us from You one who will protect and raise for us from You one who will help’?” (4:75).
An interesting example of remaining just and doing good is an incident in the life of the Prophet (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) in the year 6 AH/632 CE, when he and his companions departed from Madinah to perform Hajj in Mecca. The Arab custom during that period was people going on Hajj and wearing Hajj attire, with marked animals for sacrifice after Hajj before their departure. If they carried no weapons, they were allowed safe passage to perform Hajj. The Prophet and his companions fulfilled all these requirements, but the Meccan polytheists refused them permission to pass, nonetheless. The Meccans were acting unjustly according to the religious rights and norms of the day. The Muslims were hurt and angry. In this situation, God revealed to the Prophet that despite Meccan injustice, Muslims should continue working with the Meccans to do good and forbid evil (29:46).
Justice: A Central Pillar of Islam
If believers stand firm in their belief for justice, their reward is substantial. The Quran states, “Indeed, those who have said, ‘Our Lord is God’ and then remained on a right course – the angels will descend upon them, (saying), ‘Do not fear and do not grieve but receive good tidings of Paradise, which you were promised” (41:30). However, the Quran also reminds, “Do you think that you will enter Paradise while such (trial) has not yet come to you as came to those who passed on before you? They were touched by poverty and hardship and were shaken until (even their) messenger and those who believed with him said, ‘When is the help of God?’ Unquestionably, the help of God is near” (2:214).
Is it humanly possible to achieve what the Quran requires from believers, to always stand up for peace and justice? In our own time, during the New York City mayoral elections, Muslim candidate Zohran Mamdani stood for justice and won. He advocated for Palestinian rights when most of the world remained silent; he talked about economic inequality in his city where the top 1% earn millions on average and the bottom 10% subsist at half of the federal poverty line. He openly declared himself to be a democratic socialist in the world’s most unequal capitalist country. He spoke the truth without compromising his principles.
This should be a reminder, especially to Muslims, that the religion of the five pillars, Islam, exists to strengthen their spirit so that they can always stand firm for peace and justice. In its absence, it is only a building of pillars without a roof for which the pillars are raised. No wonder there is scarcity of justice and peace in the world, as most are only building pillars thinking they have delivered in their religious duties, but without the roof of justice sheltering them all.
*This piece is partially based on the author’s paper presented at the WCMIR annual conference, held on Nov. 9, 2025, in Lombard, Ill., with the theme, “Challenges to Creating a Moral Force.”
Tanveer Azmat, a founding member of The World Council of Muslims for Interfaith Relations (WCMIR), currently serves as its Treasurer.
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