Aadil, Adaalah, Fasiq and Fisq

'Aadil is a person who has Adaalah. And Adaalah is a faculty, a potential or a skill that enables a person to submit to the commandments of Allah Ta'ala, to abstain from things that Allah Ta'ala has forbidden and refrained from undignified behaviours and practices.

In short, 'Aadil means Deendaar. Often, a Deendaar is misunderstood and misinterpreted. Nowadays, a Deendaar is someone who has attachment with Deen and the Ulama and who is active in the Islamic activities. At the same time, he may have flaws also such as neglecting Salah, attending all kinds of impermissible ceremonies and practices, not observing the pardah, or observing it but not attaching the necessary importance to it. All these people are called Deendaar in our society when in actual fact, a Deendaar is defined differently. The latter may be called the supporter of Deen and one who sympathizes with the Deendaar. He may have a Deeni Mizaaj (inclination towards Deen) but he may also not be a Deendaar in the real sense of the word.

In parenthesis, it is worth pointing out that the purpose here is not to discredit or denigrate a certain category of the public. It is only to present a mirror thereby allowing everyone to situate himself and adopt the necessary correction.

So 'Aadil is someone who observes the Shariah properly. That is, someone who carries out the commandments and abstains from forbidden and unfeasible things which are against respect and dignity. By the way, it is worthy to note that a true Deendaar does not ever consider himself perfect, nor is he satisfied with the level he is at, thereby preventing him from thinking about improving himself. This is because, there is always room for improvement despite a person having reached a very advanced degree of piety. The moment a person thinks he is perfect, he starts to retrogress and fall back from the level he was at. Worst of all is when he considers himself superior to others. This is because, possessing a superiority complex is the product of a Ruh and a Nafs which are still sick and infected with the virus called pride. This infection is in conflict and in contrast with Taqwa (piety). On the other hand, a Muttaqi or a Deendaar does not have this disease.

On the other hand, the word Fasiq refers to a person who has Fisq. It is the opposite of 'Aadil. If 'Aadil means a person who is serious in Deen, Fasiq is a person who is negligent in practicing Deen or a person who does not take Deen seriously. Out of negligence, he does not do what he should, and he does what he should not. This attitude is called Fisq and the person who possesses this quality is called a Fasiq.

Just as a person is considered negligent in Deen when he neglects a mandatory act, or when he commits a forbidden practice, he is also considered negligent when he persists in and is accustomed to committing minor sins. A sin can be called minor in relation to a major sin but this is something relative. Otherwise, a sin in itself is a very detestable thing. Whoever  commits it, causes himself to be hated. Despite the nature of a sin, Allah Ta'ala out of His Rahmat and Grace, will still tolerate sins which are relatively less serious, so long as they are not striking and flagrant and so long as the person abstains from grave and major sins. Sins are considered major when the person persists in committing them and commits them habitually. This is akin to having a white garment filled with small black spots. Overall, it makes him appear very ugly and disgusting.

So an 'Aadil or an honest person is someone serious in Deen. On the other hand, a Fasiq renders himself unworthy due to the lack of modesty which is indicated by neglecting the obligatory acts, or by committing prohibited practices, or by persisting on minor sins. A person renders himself dignified, honest and honourable by exercising Taqwa or by taking Deen seriously.

[English version of “Aadil, adaalah, faasiq et fisq” - Al Jamiat Vol.8 No.5]