Allah does not like wrongdoers (2)

The third type is: Oppressing others as well as oneself. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "The recompense for an evil is an evil like thereof; but whoever forgives and makes reconciliation, his reward is with Allâh. Verily, He likes not the Zâlimûn (oppressors, polytheists, and wrong-doers)." [Surat Ash-Shura: 40].

Allah (Glory be to Him) revealed a tolerant Shari`ah that gives every individual his due rights, details his duties, and gives him his rights without oppressing anyone. When a person slanders another, he shall be punished by the same crime otherwise he shall be oppressor and Allah will not love him. When a person takes more than his right, he oppresses others and when he takes less than his due rights, he wrongs himself. It was mentioned in Tafsir Al Baghawy: Allah mentioned just retaliation when he said: "The recompense for an evil is an evil like thereof." [Surat Ash-Shura: 40]. Allah called retaliation an evil even if it is not an evil but it looks like it in image. Muqatil said: It means retaliation in injuries and blood. Mujahid and As-Suddy said: It is the response of evil When someone says: May Allah disgrace you. You respond: May Allah disgrace you. When someone insults you, you should insult him back without adding to it more insult. Sufyan ibn `Uyaynah said: I said to Sufyan Ath-Thawry: What is the meaning of Allah's Saying: "The recompense for an evil is an evil like thereof." He said: The meaning is to insult a man as he insulted you or he does something with you and you do it with him. I did not find anything with him, so I asked Hisham ibn Hujayrah about this Ayah, and he said: When someone injures another, he must be injured; and the meaning is not to insult you.[1]

Of the samples of oppressing others:

A- Eating up peoples' money. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "O you who believe! Eat not up your property among yourselves unjustly except it be a trade amongst you, by mutual consent. And do not kill yourselves (nor kill one another). Surely, Allâh is Most Merciful to you. * And whoever commits that through aggression and injustice, We shall cast him into the Fire, and that is easy for Allâh." [Surat An-Nisa': 29 - 30].

B- Appropriating the property of the orphan Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "Verily, those who unjustly eat up the property of orphans, they eat up only fire into their bellies, and they will be burnt in the blazing Fire!" [Surat An-Nisa': 10].

C- Concealing testimony: Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "Say, "Do you know better or does Allâh (know better ... that they all were Muslims)? And who is more unjust than he who conceals the testimony [i.e. to believe in Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him when he comes, as is written in their Books] he has from Allâh? And Allâh is not unaware of what you do."" [Surat Al Baqarah: 140].

The word testimony here means both judicial testimony and scientific testimony as happened with the Jews when they knew about the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him); both are included in concealing testimony which is one of the severest type of oppression.

D- Oppressing oneself. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "And when you have divorced women and they are about to fulfill the term of their prescribed period, either take them back on reasonable basis or set them free on reasonable basis. But do not take them back to hurt them, and to treat them unjustly and whoever does that, then he has wronged himself. And treat not the Verses (Laws) of Allâh as a jest." [Surat Al Baqarah: 231].

Consequences of oppression circulation in the Muslim nation:

Negative results due from oppression are great and its bad consequences are bad, for retribution depends on the kind of deed which are of two types:

First, worldly punishments, of which are:

A- Prohibiting some lawful and permissible matters whehter by a divine command or by universal causes. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "For the wrong-doing of the Jews, We made unlawful for them certain good foods which had been lawful for them - and for their hindering many from Allâh's Way." [Surat An-Nisa': 160].

B- Destroying them by sinking, effacement, burning, drowning, or by a loud cry. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "And indeed, We destroyed generations before you, when they did wrong while their Messengers came to them with clear proofs, but they were not such as to believe! Thus do We requite the people who are Mujrimun (disbelievers, polytheists, sinners, criminals, etc.)." [Surat Yunus: 13].

Allah (Exalted be He) says: "And these towns (population, 'Ad, Thamud, etc.) We destroyed when they did wrong. And We appointed a fixed time for their destruction." [Surat Al Kahf: 59].

Allah (Exalted be He) says: "And As-Saihah (torment ? awful cry) overtook the wrong-doers, so they lay (dead), prostrate in their homes." [Surat Hud: 67].

C- Removing Allah's Pledge by giving leadership to this nation and ruling the earth, for only pious believers deserve Allah's Pledge, whereas an oppressor does not deserve it. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "And (remember) when the Lord of Ibrâhîm (Abraham) (i.e., Allâh) tried him with (certain) Commands, which he fulfilled. He (Allâh) said (to him), "Verily, I am going to make you an Imâm (a leader) for mankind (to follow you)." [Ibrâhîm (Abraham)] said, "And of my offspring (to make leaders)." (Allâh) said, "My Covenant (Prophethood) includes not Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers)."" [Surat Al Baqarah: 124].

D- Bad consequences shall not touch wrongdoers only but will include also all people who live with them. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "And fear the Fitnah (affliction and trial) which affects not in particular (only) those of you who do wrong (but it may afflict all the good and the bad people), and know that Allâh is Severe in punishment." [Surat Al Anfal: 25].

When affliction comes down in a nation, it does not differentiate between the good and the bad because it will include all people. Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) came to her frightened saying: "There is no deity but Allah Woe unto the Arabs from a danger that has come near. An opening has been made in the wall of Gog and Magog like this, making a circle with his thumb and index finger. Zaynab bint Jahsh said: O Messenger of Allah, Shall we be destroyed even though there are pious persons among us? He said: Yes, when the evil persons will increase."[2]

It was reported in Al Istidhkar book of Ibn `Abdul-Bar: The meaning of evil according to the people of knowledge: Bastards, even though the word may include that meaning or others. [3]

E- By preventing oppressors of guidance as if their hearts were sealed, leaving no entry for guidance. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "Verily, those who disbelieve and did wrong [by concealing the truth about Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his message of true Islâmic Monotheism written in the Taurât (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel) with them]; Allâh will not forgive them, nor will He guide them to any way." [Surat An-Nisa': 168].

The second is: Hereafter punishments. As for the punishments of wrong-doers in the Hereafter, they were mentioned in the Glorious Qur'an as follows:

A- Admitting them to Hell-Fire without intercession. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "So, today (i.e. the Day of Resurrection), none of you can profit or harm one another. And We shall say to those who did wrong [i.e. worshipped others (like angels, jinns, prophets, saints, righteous persons, etc.) along with Allah]: Taste the torment of the Fire which you used to belie." [Surat Saba': 42].

B- Eternal residence in Hell-Fire. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "Then it will be said to them who wronged themselves: Taste you the everlasting torment! Are you recompensed (aught) save what you used to earn?" [Surat Yunus: 52].

This oppression which entails eternal residence in Hell-Fire is polytheism and apostasy not the oppression of committing sins because a believer does not stay eternally in Hell-Fire; And Allah knows best!

C- They shall recieve a termendous and severe torment. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "And those who did wrong (the polytheists and disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah), if they had all that is in earth and therewith as much again, they verily, would offer it to ransom themselves therewith on the Day of Resurrection from the evil torment, and there will become apparent to them from Allah, what they had not been reckoning." [Surat Az-Zumar: 47].

Generally, oppression by all its types is ugly and bad, therefore Allah forbade it even for Himself. It was reported in the Divine Hadith on the authority of Abu Dhar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) narrated from his Lord (Blessed and Exalted be He) Who said: "O My slaves, I have prohibited Myself injustice; and made it forbidden to you, so do not oppress one another."[4]

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[1] Ma`alim At-Tanzil Al Baghawy (7 / 198).

[2] Sahih Al Bukhari the book of Prophet's Hadiths (3 / 1221), Hadith No. (3168).

[3] Al Istidhkar, `Abdullah ibn `Abdul-Bar An-Nimary (9 / 509).

[4] Sahih Muslim, chapter on the prohibition of injustice (4 / 1994), Hadith No. (2577).