Writing in Snow

Midweek Reflections on Justice

‘Idál (Justice), 6 ‘Alá’ (Loftiness) 174 B.E. - Wednesday, March 7, 2018
Sixth Day of Fast

"Justice is not limited, it is a universal quality. Its operation must be carried out in all classes, from the highest to the lowest. Justice must be sacred, and the rights of all the people must be considered. Desire for others only that which you desire for yourselves. Then shall we rejoice in the Sun of Justice, which shines from the Horizon of God."

Abdu’l-Baha12

Justice is something everyone wants and seeks. I wonder how many people realize that in order for individuals to have justice for themselves, they must also help other people achieve it. In The Hidden Word, Baha'u'llah tells us that justice is God's best beloved, and defines it as seeing with the eyes of our own mind rather than just accepting what other people tells us. In order to have justice, we have to search for truth ourselves. We have to use our minds to question our actions and the prejudices we were raised with.

Poem Written on the Fifth Day of Fast

Justice is not blind
it looks at everyone with
an open mind.

Justice is not blind
it looks with a searching eye:
asks the reason why.

Footnotes
1  Paris Talks, pp. 159- 160.
2  Quoted in "Justice, Black Girls’ Hair, and Why I Applaud Lulu Williams" by Maya Mansour http://bahaiteachings.org/justice-black-girls-hair-applaud-lulu-williams.