Justice, Fairness and the Meekness of God

By Susan Maneck

First presented at the Irfan Colloquia Session #28
London School of Economics: London, England
July 14–16, 2000
(see list of papers from #28)

This presentation would discuss the distinction and confluences of the concepts of fairness and justice as are found in the Bahá'í Writings. While justice is an attribute primarily urged upon rulers, scholars and the learned have been given a particular responsibility to uphold fairness. Finally attention will be given to those instances where as individuals we are called upon to forego our own sense of entitlement, to allow ourselves to become "wronged" in order that the distinctions between truth and falsehood can be more clearly seen. In connection with this I will be examining the Lawh-i-Dhabíh (Gleanings, CXV) from the standpoint of its emphasis upon the "meekness" of God as shown through the suffering willingly endured by the Manifestation. The term meekness is mazlúm which literally means "wronged" or "oppressed." In Arabic oppression is the antonym of justice. This presentation aims to show how it is finally through the willing endurance of oppression that true justice can prevail.

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