Why seeking justice before establishing peace is like placing the cart before the horse
In short: For many, peace is impossible without justice. But Indian scholar Wahiduddin Khan argued the opposite. By examining the historical treaty at Hudaybiya, he proposed a radical shift: that peace must be secured as a prerequisite to any meaningful pursuit of justice.
Wahiduddin Khan (1925–2021), an influential Indian Islamic scholar and peace activist, dedicated his life to dismantling the political interpretation of Islam. Having served in the central committee of Jamaat-e-Islami, Khan eventually withdrew from the organization in 1962 due to ideological disagreements. He believed the party's political agenda was impractical for the Muslim minority in India and argued that the true heart of Islam lies in tawhid—the oneness of God—rather than in the pursuit of an Islamic state.
A central pillar of Khan's philosophy was his critique of the 'militant' mindset that demands justice as a precursor to peace. He pointed to the Hudaybiya treaty, a ten-year non-aggression pact involving the Prophet Muhammad, as a model of strategic wisdom. Although the treaty's terms appeared biased and unfair, Khan argued that accepting this uneasy peace was essential for the eventual success of Muhammad's mission. To Khan, attempting to demand justice while active hostilities exist is a fundamental error in logic, much like trying to place a cart before a horse.
Beyond politics, Khan advocated for 'political status quo-ism,' a pragmatic approach that avoids radical revolutions in favor of progress in education, science, and business. He viewed terrorism and suicide bombings not as religious acts, but as 'anti-self activism'—a destruction of one's own potential. Instead, he championed 'tazkiyah,' or the purification of the mind, to help individuals become 'pro-self activists' who align their personal development with a divine plan of peace and spirituality.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Wahiduddin Khan
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