Justice can never be developed while we judge others; the only way is by constantly judging ourselves.
Hazrat Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan
Related Material by Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan
Compiled by Wahiduddin Richard Shelquist – wahiduddin.net
Spiritual progress is the changing of the point of view. There is only one way to recognize this progress, and that is to see the progress in one’s own outlook on life, to ask oneself the question, ‘How do I look at life?’ This, one can do by not judging others, but by being only concerned with one’s own outlook. As long as a person is concerned with the faults of others, as long as one criticizes others, one is not yet ready to make one’s sight clear enough to see if one’s outlook on life is right.
‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added unto you.’ … And where is it to be found? Not in the knowledge of another person. In the knowing of the self. If one goes through their whole life most cleverly judging others, they may go on, but they will find themselves to be more foolish at every step. At the end, they reach the fullness of stupidity. But the one who tries, tests, studies and observes the self, their own attitude in life, their own outlook on life, their thought, speech, and action, who weighs and measures and teaches self self-discipline, it is that person who is able to understand another better. How rarely one sees souls who concern themselves with themselves through life, in order to know! Mostly, every soul seems to be busily occupied with the lives of others. And what do they know in the end? Nothing. If there is a kingdom of God to be found anywhere, it is within oneself.
For those who really learn to be just, their first lesson is what Christ has taught: ‘Judge not, that ye be not judged.’ One may say, ‘If one does not judge, how can one learn justice?’ But it is the one who judges self who can learn justice, not the one who is occupied in judging others. In this life of limitations if we only explore ourselves, we will find within ourselves so many faults and weaknesses, and when dealing with others so much unfairness on our own part, that for the souls who really want to learn justice, their own lives will prove to be a sufficient means with which to practice justice.
Commentary by Murshid S.A.M. (Sufi Ahmed Murad)
Samuel L. Lewis
The reason is this: when one is called upon to be a judge, there should be no weights on either side of a balance. If two persons come to one for judgment, and there is a law book to be consulted, that law book would render judgment. But when one has no such reference or depends upon one’s judgment, there is ordinarily no way to keep clear of prejudices which impede true justice.
By our judging ourselves is meant not so much a struggle against passion and evil, as a struggle from all influences be they good or bad. When one responds readily to the call of God from within, the heart and mind become purified from the denseness of the earth. This purification is the real judging of self, and not considering whether one’s characteristics are good or bad or need to be removed or strengthened. Rather it is the judging of the nufs, the cause of all impurity. Judge that and not quality, and one in time will be able to render justice to oneself and another.