Social justice from the perspective of maqasid al-sunnah: an analysis of hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari

Abstract

Social justice is a discourse that revolves around human dignity, freedom, equality, distribution of wealth and opportunity, and fair relationships between individuals and society. Social justice should be guided by the principles of the Sunnah, whereby every speech, action, and decision of the Prophet Muhammad must be understood in light of its objectives (maqāṣid). However, the numerous instances of social injustice in contemporary times indicate that society at large has strayed far from the guidance of the Sunnah. Furthermore, errors in the implementation of social justice often arise from a failure to grasp these underlying objectives. Therefore, this study aims to identify the concept of maqāṣid al-sunnah, investigate the concept of social justice from the perspective of maqāṣid al-sunnah, and elucidate the implementation of social justice brought by the Prophet Muhammad from the perspective of maqāṣid al-sunnah, as evidenced by hadith in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhāri. This qualitative study employs document analysis and interviews as data collection methods, utilizing an inductive approach, thematic analysis, and descriptive analysis for data analysis. The findings of the study indicate that the implementation of social justice by the Prophet Muhammad in his Sunnah can be divided into three main components: relational, distributive, and retributive. Examining hadith according to maqāṣid al-sunnah which are the cause and context of the hadith’s revelation, dispositions of the Prophet PBUH, identification of legislative sunnah or non-legislative sunnah, and wisdom and (cillah) behind the hadith, reinforces their applicability in contemporary times and can help prevent errors in the implementation of social justice. In conclusion, the differences between contemporary times and the era of the Prophet Muhammad do not hinder the realisation of social justice in the current era provided that the objectives of the Sunnah are accurately understood. Therefore, this study underscores the importance of utilizing the Sunnah as a guiding light to promote social justice in contemporary society.