قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: سورة إبراهيم 42-43.
God the Al-Mighty says in the Holy book: “And never think that God is unaware of what the unjust do. He only delays them for a Day when the eyes shall stare in horror. 43. When they will come hurrying on in fear, their heads looking up, their eyes unable to look around, and their hearts empty (out of fear)” (Surah 14, verse 42-43).
وعن خُزَيمة بن ثَابِتٍ رضي الله عنه قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «اتَّقُوا دَعْوَةَ المَظْلُومِ، فَإِنَّها تُحْمَلُ عَلَى الغَمَامِ، يَقُولُ اللهُ: وعِزَّتِي وجَلالِي لأَنْصُرَنِّكَ وَلَوْ بَعْدَ حِينٍ». رَوَاهُ الطبراني.
Narrated Khuzeimah Ibn Thabit that the God’s Messenger -prayer and peace be upon him- said: “Beware of the supplication of the oppressed, for it is carried above the clouds, and God says: ‘By My Honor and Majesty, I will grant you victory even if it is after a while.’” Related by Al-Tabarani.
As mentioned in the verse and hadith above, injustice and oppression are never overlooked or ignored by God; their consequences may be delayed or deferred, but divine retribution is promised, and justice will inevitably be served.
What is injustice or oppression?
Injustice or oppression (zulm) linguistically means to exceed the appointed limits. The Creator, God, has appointed certain boundaries (hudood) for everything and commanded us not to cross them. Whoever crosses these boundaries, has committed an injustice, thereby becoming an unjust person and an oppressor (zalim).
The Almighty God has shown us the Right Path and asked us to follow it, and has shown us the Evil Path and asked us to avoid it. God has set rules and regulations regarding everything in our lives. Whoever follows these rules is considered a pious and just person, and whoever disobeys and breaks these rules then he has done an injustice and has become an unjust person.
God -the All-Knowing and All-Wise- has also established rights for every creature that we must observe and respect to maintain peace and security. Whoever observes these rights is considered a just person, and whoever violates these rights has committed an injustice and is considered an unjust person.
عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ رضي الله عنهما عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلّى اللهُ عليهِ وسلَّم قَالَ: «الْمُسْلِمُ مَنْ سَلِمَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ مِنْ لِسَانِهِ وَيَدِهِ، وَالْمُهَاجِرُ مَنْ هَجَرَ مَا نَهَى اللَّهُ عَنْهُ». رواه البخاري ومسلم.
Abdul-Allah Ibn Amr Ibn ‘Aas narrated that Prophet Muhammad -prayer and peace be upon him- said: “The (true) Muslim is that who other Muslims are secure of his tongue and his hand, and the Migrant is that who abandoned what God has forbidden.” Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.
There are three types of injustice or oppression (Zulm):
1) Injustice or Oppression (Zulm) between Man and his Lord:
This includes disbelief or atheism (kufr) and polytheism (shirk or associating partners with God). Both are the greatest forms of injustice. God the Exalted says: “Indeed, associating others with God is a great injustice” (Surah 31, verse 13). God the Al-Mighty is the only true God, and denying Him or associating anyone or anything with Him is the ultimate injustice a person can commit.
Included under this category is: pride. Indeed, God is the Only One Who is perfect and Supreme in every way, so He is the Proud. God is the only One Who deserves to be proud, none other than Him can be proud. Man is not perfect and has shortcomings so he cannot be proud or show pride.
عن الأصمعي، عن أبيه، قال: (مَرَّ الْمُهَلَّبُ بْنُ أَبِي صُفْرَةَ عَلَى مَالِكِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ وَهُوَ يَتَبَخْتَرُ فِي مِشْيَتِهِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ مالك: أَمَا عَلِمْتَ أَنَّ هَذِهِ الْمِشْيَةَ تُكْرَهُ إِلَّا بَيْنَ الصَّفَّيْنِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ المهلب: أَمَا تَعْرِفُنِي؟ فَقَالَ لَهُ: أَعْرِفُكَ أَحْسَنَ الْمَعْرِفَةِ، قَالَ: وَمَا تَعْرِفُ مِنِّي؟ قَالَ: أَمَّا أَوَّلُكَ فَنُطْفَةٌ مَذِرَةٌ، وَأَمَّا آخِرُكَ فَجِيفَةٌ قَذِرَةٌ، وَأَنْتَ بَيْنَهُمَا تَحْمِلُ الْعَذِرَةَ، قَالَ: فَقَالَ المهلب: الْآنَ عَرَفْتَنِي حَقَّ الْمَعْرِفَةِ). رَوَاهُ أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ فِي الْحِلْيَةِ.
Narrated Al-Asma’i, narrated his father said: “Al-Muhallab Ibn Abi Sufrah (Ruler of Khurasan) passed while prancing in his walk by Malik Ibn Deenar. Malik said to him: ‘Do you not know that this walk is despised except in the battlefield?’ Al-Muhallab replied: ‘Do you not know who I am?’ Malik said: ‘Sure, I know you very well.’ He asked: ‘And what do you know about me?’ Malik replied: ‘The beginning of you was smelly semen, the end of you will be a foul corpse, and between the two you carry wastes inside you!’ Al-Muhallab said: ‘You have known me very well, indeed.’ And he abandoned that way of walking.” Related by Abu Na’eem in Al-Hilyah.
So pride is a great injustice, and the first to commit this zulm was Satan who refused to obey when God commanded him and the angels to prostrate to Adam, but Satan refused to do so out of pride while the angels did. So God cursed Satan for his disobedience and banished him from Heaven.
2) Injustice or Oppression (Zulm) between Man and other People:
Islam has set rights for other humans. Islam has protected people’s blood, properties, and honor. Thus, the person is prohibited from harming others in any way, whether it is physical, speech, property or in any other way. Whoever harms others, then has done an injustice and has committed a sin and will be punished for it.
وعن جابر بن عبد الله رضي الله عنهما قال: خَطَبَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي أوسط أيام التشريق خطبة الوداع، ثُمَّ قَالَ: «أَيُّ يَوْمٍ هَذَا؟» قَالُوا: يَوْمٌ حَرَامٌ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: «أَيُّ شَهْرٍ هَذَا؟» قَالُوا: شَهْرٌ حَرَامٌ، قَالَ ثُمَّ قَالَ: «أَيُّ بَلَدٍ هَذَا؟» قَالُوا: بَلَدٌ حَرَامٌ، قَالَ: «فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ حَرَّمَ بَيْنَكُمْ دِمَاءَكُمْ وَأَمْوَالَكُمْ، قَالَ وَلَا أَدْرِي قَالَ أَعْرَاضَكُمْ أَمْ لَا، كَحُرْمَةِ يَوْمِكُمْ هَذَا فِي شَهْرِكُمْ هَذَا فِي بَلَدِكُمْ هَذَا، أَبَلَّغْتُ؟» قَالُوا: بَلَّغَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، قَالَ: «لِيُبَلِّغِ الشَّاهِدُ الغَائِبَ». رواه أحمد والبيهقي بإسناد صحيح.
Narrated Jabir Ibn Abdi-Allah said: “The Messenger of God -prayer and peace be upon him- gave us the Farewell Sermon during the middle days of the month of Dhul-Hijjah. He then asked: ‘Which day is this?’ The companions replied: ‘A sacred day (i.e., Eid Al-Adha or 10th Dhul Hijjah).’ He asked; ‘Which month is this?’ They replied: ‘A sacred month (i.e. the month of Dhul Hijjah).’ He asked: ‘which town is this?’ They replied: ‘A sacred town (i.e., Makkah).’ So he said: ‘Verily God made your blood, your properties, and your honor sacred to one another like the sanctity of this day of yours, in this month of yours, in this town of yours. Did I deliver the message?’ They replied: ‘The Messenger of God -prayer and peace be upon him- has delivered the message.’ So the Prophet -prayer and peace be upon him- said: ‘Let those present pass on my words to those absent.’” Related by Imam Ahmad and Al-Beihaqi with authentic narration.
Included in this category harming others in any form: by tongue (calling others bad names and abusing them, cursing at others, mocking others and making fun of them, lying, backbiting, slander, accusing innocent people, etc.); by hand (hitting or striking others, stealing, injuring others, killing, injustice, etc.); or by heart (hatred, anger, jealousy, mistrust, dishonesty, etc.).
And it is mentioned in another hadeeth that a Muslim man comes with good deeds on the Day of Judgment, but would be found to have called this Muslim bad names, attacked that Muslim, harmed another one, stole from another one, and so forth, so his good deeds would be taken from him and given to them until he would be left with no good deeds, and so he would be thrown in Hell.
Treating people in any bad manner is an injustice (Zulm), be it by tongue (calling bad names, accusing, lying to them, backbiting, etc.), or by hand (harming them, stealing from them, beating them, killing them, etc.), or by heart (hatred, jealousy, contempt, etc.).
3) Injustice or Oppression (Zulm) of Man to Himself:
These include all the sins that man commits. God the Al-Mighty has set certain rules, and whoever disobeys then he is an oppressor or zalim to himself. Indeed, on the Day of Judgment, man will be asked about each sin: why did he disobey God’s rules. Therefore, the true believers have great remorse and regret when they commit a sin. They feel ashamed of having disobeyed the Mighty One, and immediately repent to Him, asking His forgiveness and promising not to do it again.
All sins are injustice or oppression (Zulm), but the major sins are even a greater injustice. Major sins include adultery, drinking wine, magic, missing the five daily prayers, missing fasting Ramadan without excuse, not paying Zakah, not performing Hajj without excuse, etc.
Retribution and Recompense:
Injustice and Oppression are never disregarded by the Almighty; while the consequences may be deferred, eventual retribution is certain, and divine justice will inevitably be served unless one repents and atones for his injustice.
- As for the first type, disbelief or associating others in the worship of God, is never forgiven, unless the person becomes a believer. It is the greatest injustice and so its punishment is the severest.
- As for the second type, Injustice or oppression (zulm) between man and people is NOT forgiven either. Those who commit Injustice to people (zulm) are promised bad consequences both in this world and in the Hereafter. In Qur’an, God, the All-Just, gave us many examples of oppressors (zalimeen) who had a bad ending. They include Pharaoh, who used to kill the believers, and he was punished with nine punishments in this world (flood, locusts, lice, frogs, blood, famine, etc.) and then he was drowned in the sea. Other examples include the people of ‘Aad, Thamood, Qarooon, Abu Jahl, etc.
- As for the third type, Injustice of man to himself by committing sins is forgiven if s/he repents and asks God for forgiveness. And if he doesn’t repent, then it is the decision of God. Major sins are punished by the Fire, while minor sins are forgiven Insha’Allah. Sometimes the believer may do some good deed sincerely by which God forgives him all sins, including the major sins.
It is often observed that oppressors (zalimeen) face troubles, hardships, and failed endeavors throughout their lives. While they may be granted a temporary period of respite to repent and cease their oppression (zulm), failing to do so results in severe punishment in this world, followed by an even more severe torment in the Hereafter (Akhirah)
Furthermore, on the Day of Judgment, the unjust and oppressors will have total darkness, as a manifest of the injustice they committed in the world. On that Day, no injustice would go unnoticed.
عَنْ جَابِرٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «اتَّقُوا الظُّلْمَ فَإِنَّ الظُّلْمَ ظُلُمَاتٌ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَاتَّقُوا الشُّحَّ فَإِنَّ الشُّحَّ أَهْلَكَ مـَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ، حَمَلَهُمْ عَلَى أَنْ سَفَكَوا دِمَاءَهُمْ وَاسْتَحَلُّوا مَحَارِمَهُمْ». رَوَاهُ مُسلم.
Narrated Jabir related that the Messenger of God -prayer and peace be upon him- said: “Beware of injustice or oppression (zulm), for it would be darknesses on the Day of Judgment. And beware of miserliness, for it destroyed those before you, as it incited them to shed blood and make lawful what was forbidden upon them.” Related by Imam Muslim.
Imam Al-Nawawi explained the Prophet’s warning against injustice (oppression) and how it will show as darkness on the Day of Judgment. The term “darknesses” carries three distinct interpretations:
- Literal Darkness: The unjust person will have no light or guidance on the Day of Judgment, wandering lost while believers are guided by their light.
- Severe Hardships: It symbolizes terrifying, inescapable, and agonizing trials and hardships the unjust person will face on that great Day.
- Actual Punishment: The darkness represents direct retribution, torment, and the painful punishment the oppressors will face for their sins.
On the Day of Judgment, all oppressors will be asked about their injustice. Moreover, the people whom they oppressed will ask them why they did that injustice and would demand retribution.
People would then demand good deeds from the oppressor. So the good deed from the zalim is transferred to that whom he wronged, until the oppressor (zalim) is left with no good deeds. And if the oppressor (zalim) doesn’t have enough good deeds, then he would bear their bad deeds until he is thrown in Hell.
However, man is weak and prone to lapses, slips, and sins. As God the Al-Mighty said:
قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: سورة الأحزاب 72.
God the Exalted says: “Truly, We offered the Trust to the heavens, the earth and the mountains, but they declined to bear it and were afraid of it, but man bore it; verily, man was unjust and ignorant” (Surah 33, verse 72).
And if man is inherently weak and prone to sins, then he must be cautious and take active steps to avoid injustice in any form. The human should be especially wary of the first two types of oppression, as they are not forgiven. The person must first believe and then strive to avoid harming others in any way.
When the person commits an injustice, s/he must repent to God and ask His forgiveness first. Then s/he must abandon the injustice and try to rectify his wrongdoing. If it was a misdeed, then he must resolve not to do it again.
But if the injustice involved others, then he must seek their forgiveness but if he could not then he must pray for them and ask God to forgive them.
If the injustice involved the violation of others’ property, it cannot be forgiven until the wrongdoer (zalim) returns those possessions and sincerely asks the victim for forgiveness. Thus, stolen items or money must be fully restored. And when the wrongdoer cannot locate the owner but has repented sincerely in this world, he still needs to return it to his relatives or give the money in charity on the victim’s behalf. If his adversaries still seek retribution on the Day of Judgment, Allah will grant them an alternative reward from Himself, thereby forgiving the oppressor who had genuinely repented. And Allah knows best.
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