CSS Islamiat | Delayed Justice Is Injustice
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Introduction
In the heart of every society that aspires to fairness is a promise that justice will be done, and it will be done without delay. However, as courtrooms overflow with unresolved cases and victims wait years for even a hearing, that promise often feels like a myth. The principle that “justice delayed is justice denied” has become a tired refrain in legal circles. But for Muslims, this isn’t merely a modern legal aphorism; it is a deeply Qur’anic and prophetic truth.
Islam’s insistence on justice is absolute. It is one of the divine attributes of Allah Himself, Al-Adl, the Just. Yet justice in Islamic tradition is not only about fairness. It is also about timeliness. Delayed justice becomes a form of zulm, oppression, a sin so grave that Allah has forbidden it for Himself and His creation.
O My servants, I have made oppression unlawful for Myself and for you, so do not oppress one another. (Sahih Muslim)
The importance of timely justice in the Qur’an and Hadith
The importance of timely justice in the Qur’an and Hadith is profound and unequivocal, reflecting Islam’s deep concern for both fairness and immediacy in legal matters. The Qur’an commands, “When you judge between people, judge with justice” (Surah An-Nisa, 4:58). This emphasizing not just accuracy in verdicts but also the promptness with which justice must be delivered. Delayed justice, in Islamic teachings, is not simply an administrative failure; it is a form of zulm (oppression), which Allah has explicitly forbidden: “O My servants, I have made oppression unlawful for Myself and for you, so do not oppress one another” (Sahih Muslim). The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) consistently upheld swift and decisive justice, ensuring that the law was applied fairly and without delay, regardless of a person’s status. His courtroom was often simple and immediate, underlining that justice in Islam is a living, active duty, not a bureaucratic process riddled with delay. Thus, timely justice is not merely an ethical recommendation but a divine command that upholds the dignity, peace, and moral fabric of society.
The significance of timely Justice (ADL) in the era of the Pious Caliphate
The era of the Pious Caliphate offers a timeless blueprint for justice delivered with immediacy, integrity, and moral clarity, attributes sorely missing in many modern judicial systems. Under the leadership of the Rashidun Caliphs, justice was not only a cornerstone of governance but an active, daily commitment to the public good. Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab’s night patrols were not symbolic gestures; they embodied a leadership ethos where delay in justice was seen as a dereliction of divine duty. The Caliphate’s justice system was defined by accessibility, rulers stood as equals before the law, and no procedural complexity shielded the powerful from accountability. In one of the most striking examples of principled governance, Ali ibn Abi Talib (RA), despite being the head of state, lost a court case to a non-Muslim because he lacked material evidence. There were no appeals, no influence, no bureaucratic hurdles, only a deep commitment to the Qur’anic ideal of ‘adl (justice) applied swiftly and without prejudice. That era’s legacy serves as both an inspiration and an indictment of contemporary Muslim societies, where justice, if it arrives at all, often does so long after its purpose has expired.
How Delayed Justice Is Injustice?
The Unseen Cost of Waiting for Justice
First of all, anyone who has ever stood outside a courtroom knows the agony of waiting. Months turn into years. The accused languish in jails without trial. The victims grow old, bitter, or poorer still. Eventually, justice arrives too late, and a judgment is delivered after its relevance has expired.
This is not how justice is meant to work, especially not in a system that claims to be based on Islamic principles. In the Qur’an, the command is clear: “When you judge between people, judge with justice.” (Surah An-Nisa, 4:58)
Notice there is no allowance here for delay. Justice, in Islam, is an action, not a postponed promise. It must be rendered efficiently, regardless of who stands before the court.
However, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) personified this principle. His courtroom was often under a tree, his rulings immediate, and his judgments final. There are numerous instances where he made decisions on the spot, not after procedural delays. One of the most well-known examples involves a woman from a noble tribe who committed theft. When some tried to intercede on her behalf, the Prophet stood firm, “By Allah, if Fatimah the daughter of Muhammad were to steal, I would cut off her hand.”(Sahih al-Bukhari)
Thus, there was no double standard, no procrastination, no bureaucracy. The law applied to all, and it applied now.
Justice Becomes a Political Tool
Unfortunately, history didn’t always hold on to this clarity. Over time, in both Muslim and non-Muslim lands, justice systems became bloated, politicised, and increasingly inaccessible. Judges became puppets of kings. Trials became rituals. In some cases, justice was not only delayed but deliberately denied.
It is telling that Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab, known for his towering sense of justice, would patrol the streets of Madinah at night to see whether any injustice had slipped through the cracks of administration. There is a famous anecdote where a complaint was made against one of his governors. Umar summoned the official immediately, investigated the matter publicly, and, upon confirming the injustice, removed the governor from his post. No files were “under process.” No hearing was postponed.
That immediacy is what made justice credible. Umar understood that justice is not just about content, it’s about timing. It’s not just about fairness in judgment but also fairness in access.
“If a dog dies hungry near the banks of the Euphrates, Umar fears he will be accountable before Allah.”That is the weight of justice in Islam.
The Weight of Delay in Today’s Muslim Societies
Moreover, fast-forward to the 21st century. In many Muslim countries today, courts are overburdened. Judges are either untrained, underpaid, or politically compromised. A simple land dispute can take decades to resolve. Blame is often shifted to the “system,” but no system was divinely preordained to be inefficient. It is human complacency that causes rot.
The victims of delayed justice are not just individuals, they are entire communities. The poor lose land to the powerful. Women wait endlessly for maintenance or custody rulings. Minor children grow into adults before inheritance cases are decided. And when courts fail, people often turn to tribal councils, private militias, or street-level violence to get what they think is justice. The consequence? A breakdown of trust in the very institution that is supposed to uphold the rule of law.
Islamic Justice Was Never Meant to Be Slow
Islamic law is often misrepresented as harsh or unforgiving, yet one of its most humane features is efficiency. Hudud punishments, often cited as severe, were never carried out without swift and thorough investigation. In fact, the bar for evidence was so high that it often served as a deterrent without needing enforcement. But when evidence was clear and procedures followed, justice was immediate.
The Rashidun Caliphs set a precedent not only in fairness but in accessibility. Ali ibn Abi Talib (RA) once stood before a judge against a non-Muslim who had stolen his armour. When asked for proof, Ali had none, so the judge ruled in favour of the non-Muslim. Ali accepted the decision without complaint, respecting the integrity of a system that didn’t privilege him despite his status. That’s not just justice. That’s a level of ethical governance the modern world still struggles to match.
The timeless maxim that “delayed justice is injustice” rings truer today than ever before. Across the Muslim world and beyond, legal systems are burdened by procedural bottlenecks, corruption, and political interference. As a result, millions of people are denied timely redress, leading not only to personal suffering but also to deep erosion of public trust in judicial institutions.
The Crisis of Judicial Delays in the Muslim World
In countries like Pakistan, Egypt, and Nigeria, legal cases can take 5 to 20 years to conclude. According to the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan, over 2 million cases are pending in courts across the country. These include criminal cases where the accused may be held in pre-trial detention for years without a verdict, a clear violation of Islamic justice, which emphasizes swift trial and sentencing: “And establish weight in justice and do not make deficient the balance.” (Qur’an – Surah Ar-Rahman, 55:9)
- Justice, in Islam, is precise and prompt, not indefinite and bureaucratic
When victims of crime or land disputes wait decades for a verdict, the delay becomes more punishing than the crime itself. Take, for instance, the Model Town massacre in Lahore (2014), where 14 people were killed in a police operation. As of 2025, no final ruling has been delivered. The families of the victims are still seeking justice. Can this be called justice at all?
- Political Exploitation of Legal Systems
Another dangerous outcome of delayed justice is the weaponization of the judiciary. In many cases, politicians, religious leaders, or wealthy elites use legal delays to shield themselves from accountability. Trials are postponed endlessly, witnesses intimidated, and verdicts influenced. This undermines the very concept of ‘adl (justice) and leads to selective enforcement of the law, something Islam categorically rejects.
The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, “Nations before you were destroyed because they applied the law to those who were weak and forgave those who were powerful.” (Sahih al-Bukhari)
Unfortunately, in many modern Muslim societies, this exact dynamic exists, justice is swift for the poor and delayed for the powerful. This two-tiered system is not only unjust; it is un-Islamic.
- Social Breakdown and Rise in Vigilantism
When courts fail to deliver timely justice, people take the law into their own hands. Vigilantism, mob justice, and extrajudicial killings are becoming dangerously common in parts of the Muslim world, especially where state institutions are weak. In countries like Afghanistan and tribal areas of Pakistan, Jirgas and informal courts deliver instant rulings, sometimes brutal, but more trusted than formal courts.
While these practices are problematic, they stem from a perception that state justice is too slow or corrupt to be meaningful. Islam does not support mob justice, but it also warns that failure to provide institutional justice opens the door to chaos.
“And do not let hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just—it is nearer to righteousness.”
(Qur’an – Surah Al-Ma’idah, 5:8)
Thus, even in anger, justice must be swift and measured, not arbitrary and mob-driven.
- Psychological Toll and Economic Impact
Delayed justice is not merely a legal issue; it’s a humanitarian crisis. Victims suffer from anxiety, depression, financial ruin, and social stigma while waiting for justice. A woman in a custody battle, a poor farmer in a land dispute, or a falsely accused youth in jail for years, all these are victims of the system. From an Islamic viewpoint, darar (harm) must be avoided as a matter of principle: “There should be neither harming nor reciprocating harm.” (Hadith – Ibn Majah)
Thus, the psychological harm of delayed justice is measurable and immense. Moreover, delayed rulings disrupt markets, contracts, and civil institutions, leading to economic stagnation. Investors and citizens alike lose confidence in the rule of law, undermining national development.
- Failure of the Ummah to Embody Its Own Ideals
Perhaps the most tragic aspect is this: Muslim-majority societies, despite having access to the most complete moral and legal framework in the Qur’an and Sunnah, fail to implement even its basic injunctions. The Rashidun Caliphate, which remains the model of Islamic governance, was marked by speed, accessibility, and integrity in justice.
Ali ibn Abi Talib (RA) once lost a court case to a non-Muslim simply because he could not produce evidence, even though he was the Caliph. That is how transparent and efficient the Islamic judiciary once was. Today, that legacy lies buried under legal red tape and political interference.
Statistical Evidence from Modern Pakistan
- Over 2 Million Cases Pending Across the Country
As of 2024, more than 2.1 million cases were pending in Pakistan’s courts, according to the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan (LJCP). This includes civil, criminal, and constitutional matters at the district, high, and Supreme Court levels.
- District and Sessions Courts alone account for around 1.8 million pending cases.
- The Supreme Court of Pakistan has over 57,000 pending cases, despite being the apex court.
Such a backlog highlights that for a common citizen, the likelihood of getting a verdict within a reasonable time is slim. Many cases are adjourned dozens of times due to technical reasons, lawyer absenteeism, or judicial transfers.
- Civil Cases Take an Average of 10–15 Years to Conclude
According to a report by the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) and Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), civil litigation, particularly property and inheritance disputes, takes 10 to 15 years on average to resolve. In some cases, it stretches over three generations. This long delay not only consumes lives and resources but often makes justice irrelevant by the time it arrives.
- Under-Trial Prisoners Make Up Over 65% of Jail Population
According to the Federal Ombudsman’s report (2023):
- Out of approximately 88,000 prisoners in Pakistan, around 57,000 are under trial.
- This means 65% of inmates are in jail without being convicted of a crime.
Many of these under-trial prisoners spend years behind bars simply because courts are unable to hear their cases promptly. This violates both the constitutional right to a fair trial and Islamic injunctions for swift justice.
- The Model Town Case: A Decade of Injustice
One of the most glaring examples of delayed justice is the Model Town incident in Lahore (June 17, 2014), where police opened fire on members of the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT), killing 14 people and injuring over 90. As of mid-2025, the case remains unresolved, with multiple commissions, counter-cases, and political back-and-forth, but no accountability.
- Not a single conviction has been secured.
- Families of victims are still waiting for justice over a decade later.
Critical Reflection
These statistics highlight a severe gap between Islamic justice ideals and Pakistan’s ground reality. While Islam demands immediacy in legal redress, the Pakistani legal system is failing to deliver even basic access, let alone timely decisions. The result is not just public frustration but also erosion of moral and institutional trust.
As Islamic scholars, reformers, and policymakers call for the application of Shariah or Islamic values, the first and most urgent priority must be judicial reform. Without that, slogans of “Islamic justice” remain hollow.
Unfortunately, Justice is often described as blind. But in Islam, justice is also urgent. It has ears to hear the cries of the oppressed, and feet that move quickly to the courtroom. If justice is blind, it must never be deaf to delay, nor lame in execution.
“Delayed justice is injustice” is not a modern slogan. It is a Qur’anic truth, a prophetic principle, and a lesson written in the footsteps of Umar, Ali, and the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) himself. If we truly wish to revive the spirit of Islam in our institutions, we must begin by restoring justice, not just in name, but in action, and most critically, in time.
Conclusion
The lesson is clear: any society that delays justice eventually breeds resentment, unrest, and rebellion. Islam offers a divine template for justice that is prompt, transparent, and inclusive. To reclaim it, we must go beyond slogans and initiate real reforms, strengthening our courts, modernizing procedures, ensuring merit-based appointments, and above all, reviving the spiritual seriousness with which Islam treats the responsibility of justice.
Until we do, the gap between the ideal of Islamic justice and its modern reality will continue to widen, and with it, the moral credibility of Muslim societies will continue to erode.
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