Absolute Justice, Kindness and Kinship — Page 13
— Part I 12 of affectation. It is but a natural flow which she does not generate, but one with which she is carried away. Spontaneity is always central to her expression of love for her dear ones. The above example illustrates fully the spirit of I t a ’i Dhil-Qurb a. To recapitulate, the first part of this verse sets out three stages of human relations. The least demand, yet at the same time the most important one that Allah makes on the believers, is absolute justice. However, they are not expected to stop short at only justice; they are required to move on to the domain of benevolence. They will then not only be just towards mankind, but will also learn the art of returning more than the others’ dues; their generosity will benefit people without obligation. This, in Quranic terminology, is called I h s a n or benevolence. It should be remembered, however, that the term I h s a n is not limited to one subject matter alone as there are several underlying meanings. When this term is used in relation to God and His servants, a change in its application takes place accordingly. I will mention this aspect later at the appropriate juncture. The third term used in this verse is I t a ’ i Dhil- Qurb a , i. e. kindness to one’s kindred. According to this, we are expected to extend our favours to others in such a way that no feeling of pride finds any place in this relationship. Our benevolence is extended in