VII. Justice, governance and the administration of justice

God is the supreme King and Judge. General civil governance is necessary for common affairs that are not directly regulated by specific religious commandments. This governance must be just and may not establish rules that contradict God's word.

Those who exercise authority are required to sincerely acknowledge God's kingship and accept His revealed commandments as the highest standard. They serve God's justice, not their own power. Their judgments remain fallible and must be open to examination in light of Scripture.

General rules should, as far as possible, be applicable to every inhabitant. The particular religious laws remain distinct. To enable examination in light of the relevant Scriptures, each religious community must have meaningful representation. This representation must be able to assess whether proposed general rules conflict with the revelation applicable to that community.

The distinctions between the religious communities and their commandments must not only be recognised, but must also remain clear and identifiable in the structure of their shared governance. Cooperation does not abolish the religious commandments or lawful freedoms of the communities concerned. No community may, through a unilateral decision, expand its own freedom at the expense of another's rights. When a general measure affects the religious obligations or existing rights of a community, its consequences must be carefully examined in advance and those concerned must be heard. In the event of a dispute, independent and just review must be available, with protection of the rights of all parties concerned, including those of other faiths and those without religious belief.

There must be a just system of adjudication for general matters and for disputes involving overlapping legal jurisdictions. The Manifesto does not determine every boundary of jurisdiction or procedure in advance. A general civil legal order and its precise form are human means of implementation, not a separately revealed model of government.

The protection of people of other faiths and of non-believers rests upon God's command to act justly, not upon their participation in governance. No community may use its position to wrong another. Matthew 5:43–48 goes further by calling for love even towards enemies; this does not abolish the distinct religious commandments.

Justice without exception

Deuteronomy 1:16–17 forbids partiality in judgment. Qur’an 4:135 commands justice, even when it goes against one's own interests. Qur’an 5:8 forbids allowing hostility towards a people to lead to injustice. Jesus warns in Matthew 23:23 that just judgment, mercy and faithfulness carry greater weight than the meticulous giving of tithes; John 7:24 calls for judgment not according to outward appearance, but with righteous judgment. Together, these passages emphasise justice that is not distorted by status, group interests or hostility. Matthew 23:23 23:23 “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye tithe mint and anise and cummin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law, justice, and mercy, and faith: but these ye ought to have done, and not to have left the other undone.”

A just judgment is not determined by ancestry, wealth, power, sympathy or hostility. It must conform to God's commandment. Even enemies must not be treated unjustly. Jesus also teaches his disciples to love their enemies (Matthew 5:43–48). That commandment is not the same as Qur’an 5:8, but both passages oppose allowing hostility to become the standard by which one acts. John 7:24 7:24 “Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” Qur’an 5:8 5:8 “O ye who believe! Be steadfast witnesses for Allah in equity, and let not hatred of any people seduce you that ye deal not justly. Deal justly, that is nearer to your duty. Observe your duty to Allah. Lo! Allah is Informed of what ye do.” General governance is necessary for matters affecting all inhabitants: protection, shared public services and disputes that cannot be resolved within a single distinct religious legal order. The Scriptures do not provide a complete modern model of governance for this purpose. The Manifesto therefore sets out conditions, not a constitution. The requirement that those who govern sincerely acknowledge God's kingship is presented here as a conclusion concerning governance, drawn from the principle that His word is the highest standard; it is not presented as a direct quotation prescribing a specific arrangement of public office.

This representation is a proposed safeguard for implementation, not a distribution of seats explicitly prescribed by Scripture.

The right of non-believers to protection does not depend on holding a position in governance. It follows from the command to act justly. Not even the majority may turn injustice into law.