Before Prabowo, Islamic Scholar Quraish Shihab Lectures on Leadership and Justice

Islamic scholar Professor Muhammad Quraish Shihab reminded the nation that efforts to achieve peace must not sacrifice justice during a sermon at a Nuzulul Quran commemoration event at the State Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday evening, 10 March.

Before President Prabowo Subianto and government officials, Quraish delivered a lecture exploring themes of peace, justice, unity, and leadership.

“Ladies and gentlemen, when we speak of peace, we must remember that whilst we desire peace, we do not wish to sacrifice justice. We want peace, but we must also uphold justice, and when establishing justice, the Quran instructs: Do not let your hatred of a people cause you to act unjustly towards them,” Quraish said during his sermon.

Quraish then explained various definitions of justice, beginning with a general definition, followed by justice according to philosophers, and finally justice as understood by the Prophet Muhammad’s companion Abu Bakar ash-Shiddiq.

“There are many definitions of justice, including placing all things in their rightful place, giving people their rights in the best and quickest manner, and another definition comes from Plato’s discussions with philosophers of his time, where one defined justice as siding with the strong. Plato disagreed, but some Islamic scholars agreed,” Quraish said.

“However, gentlemen and ladies, their agreement was linked to the statement made by Sayyidina Abu Bakar when he was inaugurated as the leader of the Islamic community. His statement, in short, was: I am not the best among you. If I act correctly, support me. If I err, correct me. Then he said: The strong among you are weak in my sight until I restore the rights of others that they have taken. The weak among you are strong in my sight until I return to them the rights that have been taken by those you call strong,” Professor Quraish continued.

Subsequently, Quraish conveyed a message to President Prabowo.

“Mr President, if we apply this, justice and peace will be achieved. Your intention to eradicate corruption can be accomplished justly through the understanding of Sayyidina Abu Bakar,” Quraish Shihab said to President Prabowo.