'Adala': The ancient Arabic word for justice is still a guide to modern life

More than a legal principle, it is rooted in balance, fairness and divine duty

The Arabic word for justice is adala. The National

In Arabic thought, adala, meaning justice, is not just a legal concept but a moral and spiritual compass. In Islamic jurisprudence, it forms the backbone of legitimate governance and fair judgment. This week's Arabic word of the week, word stems from the root ain-dal-meem, which conveys balance, fairness and uprightness.

Within fiqh, or Islamic law, adala is the foundation of authority and trust. A judge, or qadhi, must be a person of integrity whose fairness is evident in word and deed. The same condition applies to witnesses, whose testimony is only admissible if they are deemed morally upright. It is not enough for the letter of the law to be observed; the spirit of fairness must guide those who enforce it.

The Quran reinforces this idea. Justice, in the divine sense, is not negotiable or conditional. “O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even against yourselves or your parents or your kin,” reads Surat An-Nisa. In this verse, justice is framed as a divine command that transcends social, tribal and personal loyalties. To be just is not merely to follow rules but to align oneself with divine truth, a truth that safeguards the balance of the universe.

Across centuries, scholars and philosophers expanded on this idea. Thinkers such as Al Farabi and Ibn Rushd (Averroes) viewed adala as the essence of a well-ordered society. For Al Farabi, a just city is one where everyone fulfils their purpose in harmony with others, an echo of the cosmic balance that the word itself implies. Ibn Rushd, inspired by Aristotle, saw justice as a rational virtue achieved when reason governs desire and when both the soul and the state remain in equilibrium.

In the modern Arab world, adala appears in the names of ministries, political movements and legal frameworks: adala ijtimaiyya is social justice, adala qanuniyya is legal justice. In poetry, literature and daily speech, to be adil is to be balanced, fair-minded, consistent, and humane. The opposite of adala is dhulm, which means injustice.

Adala is more than a rule of law; it is a way of life. It demands balance between rights and responsibilities, mercy and accountability, faith and reason.

That moral resonance can be found in Hussain Al Jassmi’s song Al Adala, in which the Emirati singer turns the idea of justice into a heartfelt reflection on faith, integrity and human worth. He sings: “Injustice in this world is the enemy of justice, and goodness always asks evil: What’s wrong with you?”

Al Jassmi also reflects on the uncertainty of life: “This world doesn’t know what lies ahead, and no one knows what it hides,” before affirming divine supremacy: “God created this universe as the greatest proof that the Mighty is God, and none is His equal.”