Episode 1In us
Reverse ladder. Every human system of justice has error: wrongful convictions overturned on appeal (UK Criminal Cases Review Commission)
But: Error, bias, missing evidence
The 99 Names · Name 29 of 99 · Beyond
الْعَدْلُal-ʿAdl
Justice itself; the Utterly Just
Recited as it sounds in the Qur'an, 16:90.
Heard together with: al-Ḥakam / al-ʿAdl / al-Muqsiṭ
Start with what we know
Then take away everything it needs. What is left is not a bigger version of us. It is the Name.
Episode 1
Episode 2In nature
Animal 'fairness' (capuchins) is about the individual's own share
Episode 3At our best
Conservation laws: energy and charge are conserved in every interaction measured
But: Physics balances quantities, not wrongs
Episode 4The Break
Take away error, bias, partial evidence, the possibility of wrong.
Not a more accurate court, but justice in which wrong is impossible.
From the tradition: Hadith qudsi: 'O My servants, I have forbidden oppression for Myself and have made it forbidden amongst you' (Muslim 2577; API 6572). Deut 32:4 'all of whose ways are just'
On screen
In the novel, a good man loses to an unjust jury. al-ʿAdl never loses a case to injustice, because He has forbidden it for Himself.
Where it shows up
Watch and listen
Films, documentaries and voices that reach towards this Name. Each links out to where you can watch it.
Sources for this page
hadith-api eng-muslim (6572 = Muslim 2577); api.quran.com; sefaria.org Deut 32:4