Absolute Justice, Kindness and Kinship — Page 68
The Animal Kingdom 67 means to achieve them. At the same time, every animal faces perils related to the grand scheme of the 'struggle for existence'. Hence a well-balanced ecosystem is created which runs on the fundamental principles of justice. The second aspect highlighted in this illustration is that justice is fundamental and absolute, and will be given priority over kindness whenever kindness comes into clash with the requirements of justice. Kindness can only be achieved if justice is maintained and not at its cost. Central to this illustration is the question, that when justice seems to clash with benevolence what would be the third option that could resolve this dilemma? The option which the holy man chose was to sacrifice his own flesh to satisfy the simultaneous requirements of justice and benevolence. His conduct can also be called an act of I t a ’i Dhil-Qurb a because such an extreme sacrifice cannot be offered but for one’s kith and kin. This is the real meaning of I t a ’i Dhil-Qurb a in relation to I h s a n and ‘Adl, that emerges from the study of the Holy Quran, and which governs the universe. However, it should be remembered that these three principles did not begin to operate simultaneously from the beginning of creation. In fact, the world of matter (inanimates) seems to be governed entirely by the principle of absolute justice.