Relational Justice in Islam: Ethical Responsibility Across Creation

Abstract

The plethora of injustices occurring worldwide within the relational dimension requires immediate attention from all stakeholders. This study aims to identify solutions from the prophetic Sunnah for addressing relational injustice within human relationships, animals, and the environment, in contemporary settings. This qualitative study uses document analysis for data collection, identifying relational injustice problems followed by the recognition of related hadith in various books of hadith compilation. Hadith commentaries and other relevant sources were then consulted to analyse the data. The results demonstrate that relational injustice issues in the contemporary era, such as racism, animal cruelty, and environmental degradation, require solutions from divine guidance, particularly the prophetic approaches, which encompass recognition of the equality of mankind, compassion towards animals, ethics in animal slaughtering, ethics in engaging with nature, and reward for nature’s cultivation, respectively. Therefore, the notion that the Sunnah is irrelevant as a solution in the modern era should be strictly debunked. This study suggests that incorporating prophetic teachings on relational justice may provide practical frameworks for addressing contemporary social and environmental challenges.