بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Table of Contents
Introduction
Some people violate the rights of others who are in a vulnerable position by treating them unfairly: by attacking their faith, their honor, or their bodies; by stealing their property; by neglecting their duty towards them… and so on. And by acting this way, they believe they have a sense of control and a certain power over others, and because of their sadism, they even take pleasure in their misdeeds and the suffering they cause others, when in reality, they are only making their own situation worse:
وَلَا يَحِيقُ الْمَكْرُ السَّيِّئُ إِلَّا بِأَهْلِهِ
but the evil plot does not encompass except its own people.1
إبن الْجَوْزِيِّ الظُّلْمُ يَشْتَمِلُ عَلَى مَعْصِيَتَيْنِ أَخْذِ مَالِ الْغَيْرِ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ وَمُبَارَزَةِ الرَّبِّ بِالْمُخَالَفَةِ وَالْمَعْصِيَةُ فِيهِ أَشَدُّ مِنْ غَيْرِهَا لِأَنَّهُ لَا يَقَعُ غَالِبًا إِلَّا بِالضَّعِيفِ الَّذِي لَا يَقْدِرُ عَلَى الِانْتِصَارِ وَإِنَّمَا يَنْشَأُ الظُّلْمُ عَنْ ظُلْمَةِ الْقَلْبِ لِأَنَّهُ لَوِ اسْتَنَارَ بِنُورِ الْهُدَى لَاعْتَبَرَ فَإِذَا سَعَى الْمُتَّقُونَ بِنُورِهِمُ الَّذِي حَصَلَ لَهُمْ بِسَبَبِ التَّقْوَى اكْتَنَفَتْ ظُلُمَاتُ الظُّلْمِ الظَّالِمَ حَيْثُ لَا يُغني عَنهُ ظلمه شَيْئا
Ibn al-Jawzi رحمه الله said: « Injustice contains two distinct sins:
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taking another’s property without right,
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and openly defying the Lord through disobedience.
The sin of injustice is more severe than others because it is usually directed against the weak, who cannot defend themselves. Indeed, injustice only springs from a darkened heart, for if it were illuminated by the light of guidance, it would have learned its lesson. So on the Day of Judgment, when the pious proceed with the light they earned through their righteousness, the darknesses of injustice will envelop the oppressor, and his wrongdoing will be of no use to him at all. »2
Definition of injustice
Injustice : الظُّلْمُ in arabic, means :
وَضْعُ الشَّيْءِ فِي غَيْرِ مَوْضِعِهِ
« Put something in the wrong place. »
Type of injustice
In the islamic legislation, there can be three types of injustice :
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Injustice towards Allah
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Injustice towards the creation
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Injustice towards oneself
عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الظُّلْمُ ثَلاثَةٌ فَظُلْمٌ لا يَتْرُكُهُ اللَّهُ وَظُلْمٌ يُغْفَرُ وَظُلْمٌ لا يُغْفَرُ فَأَمَّا الظُّلْمُ الَّذِي لا يُغْفَرُ فَالشِّرْكُ لا يَغْفِرُهُ اللَّهُ وَأَمَّا الظُّلْمُ الَّذِي يُغْفَرُ فَظُلْمُ الْعَبْدِ فِيمَا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ رَبِّهِ وَأَمَّا الَّذِي لا يُتْرَكُ فَقَصُّ اللَّهِ بَعْضُهُمْ مِنْ بَعْضٍ
Anas رضي الله عنه reported that the Messenger Allah ﷺ said : « There are three kinds of wrongdoing: wrong that Allah does not ignore, wrong that He forgives, and wrong that He does not forgive. As for wrong which is not forgiven, it is idolatry that Allah does not forgive. As for wrong that is forgiven, it is the wrong of a servant between himself and his Lord. As for that which He does not ignore, it is retaliation against some people on behalf of others. »3
Injustice towards Allah
This involves failing to uphold Allah’s right and neglecting our duty toward Him. For example: associating partners with Allah or attributing to others what belongs solely to Allah alone. For instance, loving something as one loves Allah, swearing by other than Allah, invoking other than Him… etc.
إِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ
Indeed, association [with him] is great injustice.4
Injustice towards the creation
It refers to causing harm to living beings, either by failing to fulfill our duties toward them or by overstepping boundaries and abusing the rights we have over them.
إِنَّمَا السَّبِيلُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ يَظْلِمُونَ النَّاسَ وَيَبْغُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
The cause is only against the ones who wrong the people and tyrannize upon the earth without right. Those will have a painful punishment.5
For example, stealing others’ property, slandering others, unjustly striking someone, torturing any living being… etc., amounts to injustice toward Allah’s creatures.
Injustice towards oneself
Even though the first two categories may fall under this third one, this category can be distinguished by emphasizing any failure regarding acts of worship that are specific to the individual—such as prayer, zakat, fasting, the Hajj, etc.—as well as the rights that our soul and body have over us… etc. Therefore, any sin that defiles our soul and harms our body is an injustice toward oneself.
ثُمَّ أَوْرَثْنَا الْكِتَابَ الَّذِينَ اصْطَفَيْنَا مِنْ عِبَادِنَا ۖ فَمِنْهُمْ ظَالِمٌ لِّنَفْسِهِ وَمِنْهُم مُّقْتَصِدٌ وَمِنْهُمْ سَابِقٌ بِالْخَيْرَاتِ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ الْفَضْلُ الْكَبِيرُ
Then we caused to inherit the Book those We have chosen of Our servants; and among them is he who wrongs himself, and among them is he who is moderate, and among them is he who is foremost in good deeds by permission of Allah. That [inheritance] is what is the great bounty.6
Injustice towards people is a grave and major sin
In a hadith Qudusi, Allah forbids us to be unjust towards people :
يَا عِبَادِي إِنِّي حَرَّمْتُ الظُّلْمَ عَلَى نَفْسِي وَجَعَلْتُهُ بَيْنَكُمْ مُحَرَّمًا فَلاَ تَظَالَمُوا
« O My servants, I have forbidden oppression for Myself and have made it forbidden amongst you, so do not oppress one another. »7
Furthermore, the Prophet ﷺ said:
كُلُّ الْمُسْلِمِ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِ حَرَامٌ دَمُهُ وَمَالُهُ وَعِرْضُهُ
« All things of a Muslim are inviolable for his brother in faith: his blood, his wealth and his honour. »8
For his part, Imam al-Dhahabi رحمه الله classifies injustice as a grave and major sin in his book ‘Al-Kaba’ir’ and explains, regarding injustice toward others:
وَالظُّلمُ عَلَى ثَلَاثَةِ أَقْسَامٍ (أَحَدُهَا) أَكْلُ الْمَالِ بِالْبَاطِلِ (وَثَانِيِهَا) ظُلْمُ الْعِبَادِ بِالْقَتْلِ وَالضَّرْبِ وَالْكَسْرِ وَالْجِرَاحِ (وَثَالِثِهَا) ظُلْمُ الْعِبَادِ بِالشَّتْمِ وَاللَّعْنِ وَالسَّبِّ وَالْقَذْفِ
« Injustice, generally speaking, may be classified into three categories:
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To violently spoil one’s property.
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To act tyrannically by unjustly killing, beating or wounding people.
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To aggressively insult, curse, slander and ill-treat people. »
What is a major sin ?
As Ibn Abbas رضى الله عنهما explains, a major sin is :
الْكَبِيرَةُ كُلُّ ذَنْبٍ خَتَمَهُ اللَّهُ بِالنَّارِ أَوْ غَضَبٍ أَوْ لَعْنَةٍ أَوْ عَذَابٍ
« A major sin refers to any sin for which Allah prescribes Hell, His wrath, His curse, or punishment. »9
Major sins therefore consist of:
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sins that deserve punishment in this world: whether through the legal penalties prescribed in Islamic law or Allah’s punishment in this world,
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sins that incur punishment in the Hereafter, such as punishment in the grave, on the Day of Judgment, or in Hell,
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sins that incur the curse of Allah and His Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
Every major sin requires repentance
Repentance is an obligation
And imam Qurtubi رحمه الله explains :
وَالتَّوْبَةُ فَرْضٌ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِاتِّفَاقِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ لِقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿وَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللهِ جَمِيعاً أَيُّهَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ﴾ [النور: ٣١]
« Repentance is obligatory for the believers according to the consensus of the Muslims, because Allah, may He be exalted, says :
وَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed. »10
Condition of repentance
Unlike minor sins, in order for Allah to forgive us for a major sin, we must repent. And repentance for wrongdoing committed against others is subject to certain conditions, which Shaykh Uthaymeen رحمه الله, explains in detail:
الشَّرْطُ الأوَّلُ: الإِخْلاَصُ لِلَّهِ. الشَّرْطُ الثَّانِي: أَنْ يَنْدَمَ عَلَى مَا فَعَلَ مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ. الشَّرْطُ الثَّالِثُ: الإِقْلاَعُ عَنْ الذَّنْبِ فِي الْحَالِ. الشَّرْطُ الرَّابِعُ: أَنْ يُعَزِمَ عَلَى أَلَّا يَعُودَ. الشَّرْطُ الْخَامِسُ وَهُوَ أَشَدُّهَا: أَنْ تَكُونَ التَّوْبَةُ فِي الْوَقْتِ الَّذِي تُقْبَلُ فِيهِ التَّوْبَةُ.
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Be sincere toward Allah
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Repent for the sin committed
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Immediately stop committing the sin
Here, if the sin involves the rights of others, one must restore those rights. For example, if one has stolen from someone, one must return what was stolen…etc.
Imam Qurtubi رحمه الله adds:
فَإِنْ كَانَ الذَّنْبُ مِنْ مَظَالِمِ الْعِبَادِ فَلَا تَصِحُّ التَّوْبَةُ مِنْهُ إِلَّا بِرَدِّهِ إِلَى صَاحِبِهِ وَالْخُرُوجِ عَنْهُ– عَيْنًا كَانَ أَوْ غَيْرَهُ– إِنْ كَانَ قَادِرًا عَلَيْهِ، فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ قَادِرًا فَالْعَزْمُ أَنْ يُؤَدِّيَهُ إِذَا قَدَرَ فِي أَعْجَلِ وَقْتٍ وَأَسْرَعِهِ
« If the sin involves wronging other people, then repentance from it cannot be valid unless he also restores their rights and settle the matter, whether it has to do with tangible property or an intangible matter, if he is able to do that. If he is not able to do that, then he should resolve to restore his rights if he becomes able to do so, at the earliest possible time. »11
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Be determined not to sin again
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Repent during the time of acceptance
That is, before death overtakes us or the sun rises from the west.
The catastrophic consequences of injustice committed against people
In this world
كُلُّ ذُنُوبٍ يُؤَخِّرُ اللَّهُ مِنْهَا مَا شَاءَ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ، إِلاَّ الْبَغْيَ، وَعُقُوقَ الْوَالِدَيْنِ، أَوْ قَطِيعَةَ الرَّحِمِ، يُعَجِّلُ لِصَاحِبِهَا فِي الدُّنْيَا قَبْلَ الْمَوْتِ
« Every consequence of sin is delayed by Allah until the Day of Resurrection, as He wills, except for
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injustice,
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disrespect to parents,
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or severing family ties.
He will hasten the punishment of one who commits them in this world before he dies.»12
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Unjust insults come back to haunt the person who uttered them
إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا لَعَنَ شَيْئًا صَعِدَتِ اللَّعْنَةُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَتُغْلَقُ أَبْوَابُ السَّمَاءِ دُونَهَا ثُمَّ تَهِبْطُ إِلَى الأَرْضِ فَتُغْلَقُ أَبْوَابُهَا دُونَهَا ثُمَّ تَأْخُذُ يَمِينًا وَشِمَالاً فَإِذَا لَمْ تَجِدْ مَسَاغًا رَجَعَتْ إِلَى الَّذِي لُعِنَ فَإِنْ كَانَ لِذَلِكَ أَهْلاً وَإِلاَّ رَجَعَتْ إِلَى قَائِلِهَا
« Verily, when a servant curses something, the curse rises to the heaven and the gates of heaven close upon it. It turns right and left, and if it does not find a place to go, it will return to that which was cursed, only if it deserved to be cursed. Otherwise, the curse will return upon the one who made it. »13
إِذَا قَالَ رَجُلٌ لِأَخِيهِ: يَا كَافِرُ، فَقَدْ بَاءَ بِهَا أَحَدُهُمَا، فَإِن كَانَ كَمَا قَالَ وَإِلَّا رَجَعَتْ عَلَيْهِ
« When a person calls his brother (in Islam) a disbeliever, one of them will certainly deserve the title. If the addressee is so as he has asserted, the disbelief of the man is confirmed, but if it is untrue, then it will revert to him. »14
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Dua of the oppressed
عَنْ خُزَيْمَةَ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: “اتَّقُوا دَعْوَةَ الْمَظْلُومِ فَإِنَّهَا تَحْمِلُ عَلَى الْغَمَامِ، يَقُولُ اللَّهُ وَعِزَّتِي وَجَلاَلِي لأَنْصُرَنَّكَ وَلَوْ بَعْدَ حِينٍ“
Khuzeima Ibn Thabit رضي الله عنه, said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said : « Fear the supplication of the oppressed, for it is indeed carried above the clouds, and Allah says: ‘By My Power and My Majesty, I will surely come to your aid shortly.’ ».15
وَاتَّقِ دَعْوَةَ الْمَظْلُومِ فَإِنَّهُ لَيْسَ بَيْنَهَا وَبَيْنَ اللَّهِ حِجَابٌ
« Beware of the supplication of the oppressed for there is no barrier between him and Allah. »16
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Brings the curse of Allah and His Prophetﷺ
مَلْعُونٌ مَنْ أَتَى امْرَأَتَهُ فِي دُبُرِهَا
« He who has intercourse with his wife through her anus is accursed. »17
In the grave
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Punishment of the liar
In a lengthy hadith, the Prophet ﷺ describes a dream he had. And the dreams of prophets are revelations :
فَإِذَا رَجُلٌ جَالِسٌ، وَرَجُلٌ قَائِمٌ بِيَدِهِ كَلُّوبٌ مِنْ حَدِيدٍ ـ قَالَ بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ مُوسَى إِنَّهُ ـ يُدْخِلُ ذَلِكَ الْكَلُّوبَ فِي شِدْقِهِ، حَتَّى يَبْلُغَ قَفَاهُ، ثُمَّ يَفْعَلُ بِشِدْقِهِ الآخَرِ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ، وَيَلْتَئِمُ شِدْقُهُ هَذَا، فَيَعُودُ فَيَصْنَعُ مِثْلَهُ.
[…]
أَمَّا الَّذِي رَأَيْتَهُ يُشَقُّ شِدْقُهُ فَكَذَّابٌ يُحَدِّثُ بِالْكَذْبَةِ، فَتُحْمَلُ عَنْهُ حَتَّى تَبْلُغَ الآفَاقَ، فَيُصْنَعُ بِهِ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ
« There, I saw a person sitting and another standing with an iron hook in his hand pushing it inside the mouth of the former till it reached the jawbone, and then tore off one side of his cheek, and then did the same with the other side; in the meantime the first side of his cheek became normal again and then he repeated the same operation again. […] As for the one whose cheek you saw being torn away, he was a liar and he used to tell lies, and the people would report those lies on his authority till they spread all over the world. So, he will be punished like that till the Day of Resurrection. »18
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Punishment of the peddler
عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهُ مَرَّ بِقَبْرَيْنِ يُعَذَّبَانِ فَقَالَ “ إِنَّهُمَا لَيُعَذَّبَانِ وَمَا يُعَذَّبَانِ فِي كَبِيرٍ أَمَّا أَحَدُهُمَا فَكَانَ لاَ يَسْتَتِرُ مِنَ الْبَوْلِ، وَأَمَّا الآخَرُ فَكَانَ يَمْشِي بِالنَّمِيمَةِ “
Ibn Abbas رضى الله عنهما narrated that the Prophet ﷺ once passed by two graves, and those two persons (in the graves) were being tortured. He said, “They are being tortured not for a great thing (to avoid). One of them never saved himself from being soiled with his urine, while the other went about committing slander (to make enmity between friends).19
On the Day of Judgement
الظُّلْمَ ظُلُمَاتٌ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ
« Oppression will be a darkness on the Day of Resurrection. »20
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A severe punishment awaits the oppressor
إِنَّ أَشَدَّ النَّاسِ عَذَابًا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَشَدُّ النَّاسِ عَذَابًا لِلنَّاسِ فِي الدُّنْيَا
« Verily, the people most severely punished on the Day of Resurrection are those who most severely tortured people in the world. »21
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُعَذِّبُ الَّذِينَ يُعَذِّبُونَ النَّاسَ فِي الدُّنْيَا
« Verily, Allah will torture those who tortured people in this world. »22
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The nullification of good deeds
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ “ أَتَدْرُونَ مَا الْمُفْلِسُ “ . قَالُوا الْمُفْلِسُ فِينَا مَنْ لاَ دِرْهَمَ لَهُ وَلاَ مَتَاعَ . فَقَالَ “ إِنَّ الْمُفْلِسَ مِنْ أُمَّتِي يَأْتِي يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ بِصَلاَةٍ وَصِيَامٍ وَزَكَاةٍ وَيَأْتِي قَدْ شَتَمَ هَذَا وَقَذَفَ هَذَا وَأَكَلَ مَالَ هَذَا وَسَفَكَ دَمَ هَذَا وَضَرَبَ هَذَا فَيُعْطَى هَذَا مِنْ حَسَنَاتِهِ وَهَذَا مِنْ حَسَنَاتِهِ فَإِنْ فَنِيَتْ حَسَنَاتُهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُقْضَى مَا عَلَيْهِ أُخِذَ مِنْ خَطَايَاهُمْ فَطُرِحَتْ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ طُرِحَ فِي النَّارِ “ .
Abu Huraira رضى الله عنه reported Allah’s Messenger ﷺ as saying: « Do you know who is poor? They said: A poor man amongst us is one who has neither dirham with him nor wealth. He said: The poor of my Umma would be he who would come on the Day of Resurrection with prayers and fasts and Zakat but (he would find himself bankrupt on that day as he would have exhausted his funds of virtues) since he hurled abuses upon others, brought calumny against others and unlawfully consumed the wealth of others and shed the blood of others and beat others, and his virtues would be credited to the account of one (who suffered at his hand). And if his good deeds fall short to clear the account, then his sins would be entered in (his account) and he would be thrown in the Hell-Fire. »23
عَنْ ثَوْبَانَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ أَنَّهُ قَالَ : ” لأَعْلَمَنَّ أَقْوَامًا مِنْ أُمَّتِي يَأْتُونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ بِحَسَنَاتٍ أَمْثَالِ جِبَالِ تِهَامَةَ بِيضًا فَيَجْعَلُهَا اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ هَبَاءً مَنْثُورًا “ . قَالَ ثَوْبَانُ : يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صِفْهُمْ لَنَا جَلِّهِمْ لَنَا أَنْ لاَ نَكُونَ مِنْهُمْ وَنَحْنُ لاَ نَعْلَمُ . قَالَ : ” أَمَا إِنَّهُمْ إِخْوَانُكُمْ وَمِنْ جِلْدَتِكُمْ وَيَأْخُذُونَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ كَمَا تَأْخُذُونَ وَلَكِنَّهُمْ أَقْوَامٌ إِذَا خَلَوْا بِمَحَارِمِ اللَّهِ انْتَهَكُوهَا “ .
Thawban رضى الله عنه narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: “I certainly know people of my nation who will come on the Day of Resurrection with good deeds like the mountains of Tihamah, but Allah will make them like scattered dust.” Thawban رضى الله عنه said: “O Messenger of Allah, describe them to us and tell us more, so that we will not become of them unknowingly.” He said: “They are your brothers and from your race, worshipping at night as you do, but they will be people who, when they are alone, transgress the sacred limits of Allah.”24
Conclusion
And if, despite everything, the unjust refuse stop their wrongdoings, to repent, to reform, and to restore the rights they have violated and trampled upon to those they have oppressed, and persist in their oppression and injustice and remain obstinate, let them prepare themselves for a severe and painful punishment from Allah:
أَفَأَمِنُوا مَكْرَ اللَّهِ ۚ فَلَا يَأْمَنُ مَكْرَ اللَّهِ إِلَّا الْقَوْمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ
Then did they feel secure from the plan of Allah? But no one feels secure from the plan of Allah except the losing people.25
وَمَكَرُوا مَكْرًا وَمَكَرْنَا مَكْرًا وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ
And they planned a plan, and We planned a plan, while they perceived not.26
إِنَّ بَطْشَ رَبِّكَ لَشَدِيدٌ
Indeed, the vengeance of your Lord is severe.27
وَسَيَعْلَمُ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا أَيَّ مُنقَلَبٍ يَنقَلِبُونَ
And those who have wronged are going to know to what [kind of] return they will be returned.28
عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يُمْلِي لِلظَّالِمِ فَإِذَا أَخَذَهُ لَمْ يُفْلِتْهُ “ . ثُمَّ قَرَأَ { وَكَذَلِكَ أَخْذُ رَبِّكَ إِذَا أَخَذَ الْقُرَى وَهِيَ ظَالِمَةٌ إِنَّ أَخْذَهُ أَلِيمٌ شَدِيدٌ}
Abu Musa رضى الله عنه, reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said : « Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, grants respite to the oppessor. But when He lays Hand upon him, He does not then let him off. He then recited this verse:” Such is the chastisement of thy Lord when He chastises the towns (inhabited by) wrongdoing persons. Surely, His punishment is painful, severe”29
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والله تعالى أعلم
Sources : IslamQA.info, IslamWeb.net, Alukah.net, Shaykh Joe Bradford, Abu Amina Elias, Hadeethenc.com, Sunnah.com, Hadithdujour.com, Quran.ksu.edu.sa, Shamela.ws
