175.

١٧٥. عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللّٰهِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ:

«لَتُؤَدُّنَّ الْحُقُوقَ إِلَى أَهْلِهَا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ حَتَّى يُقَادَ لِلشَّاةِ الْجَلْحَاءِ مِنَ الشَّاةِ الْقَرْنَاءِ».

175. It is narrated from Abu Huraira (r.a.) that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:

“The claimants would get their claims on the Day of Resurrection so much so that the hornless sheep would get its (eye-to-eye kind of) claim from the horned sheep.” (Muslim, Birr, 60. Also see Tirmidhi, Qiyamah, 2/2420; Ahmad, II, 235, 302, 372, 411)

Explanations:

Oppression is the opposite of justice and it means not doing something as it is supposed to be done and not paying its right due. Oppression also refers to acting unjustly, or disposing of others’ rights unjustly and exceeding one’s boundaries.

In many of the noble verses of the Qur’an, Almighty Allah called those who do not believe in Him, who do not acknowledge His messengers, who do not abide by the Qur’an and do not obey its commands and commit sins oppressors. (See Al-Baqarah; 2:229, 254; Al-Maidah; 5:45; Al-Furqan; 25:8)

Every unjust conduct is a kind of oppression. Seizing others’ wealth or attacking their honor and chastity are also oppression. Getting the rights of others by false oaths or with any other method that is forbidden is also oppression. Committing sins or hostility is oppression. Disputing in order to make oneself look right and others wrong or trying to belittle others are oppression. Blocking the streets by sitting or placing objects and making it difficult for others to pass is definitely oppression. “It is oppression for the rich to postpone paying off their debt.”^[1]  Not taking lessons from experiences is also a kind of oppression. Causing or facilitating oppression is also oppression.

In our first hadith, we are told that oppression is prohibited (haram) by Almighty Allah.

Allah the Exalted informs us that He is exempt and away from oppression. As a matter of fact, He is Just and “al-Adl” (The just one) is one of His divine attribues. (Tirmidhi, Daawat, 82/3507)

In other words, He is the source of justice and all of His works are based on full justice.

Since Almighty Lord does not like and approve oppression, He informed us that He will never be unjust or oppress His subjects. It is said in the Nobel Qur’an:

“Say: “Short is the enjoyment of this world: the Hereafter is the best for those who do right: Never will you be dealt with unjustly in the very least!” (An-Nisa; 4:77)

“But how (will they fare) when we gather them together against a day about which there is no doubt, and each soul will be paid out just what it has earned, without (favor or) injustice?” (Al-i Imran; 3:25)

“This is because of the (unrighteous deeds) which your hands sent on before you: For Allah never harms those who serve Him.” (Al-i Imran; 3:182) (Al-Hajj; 22:10) (Al-Anfal; 8:51)

“If any do deeds of righteousness, – be they male or female – and have faith, they will enter Heaven, and not the least injustice will be done to them.” (Al-Nisa; 4:124)

Since Almighty Allah is the Lord of all the universes and there is no other Creator than Him, oppression is not even a matter of discussion for Allah. In other words, Almighty Allah is free from all kinds of oppression and injustice at all times.

Almighty Allah does not want His subjects to be cruel to each other. As a matter of fact, He informs us in the Noble Qur’an that He does not like oppressors and will not direct them to the right path. (Al-i Imran; 3:86, 140)

Thus, a Muslim should be just when he is judging, measuring, or testifying, be the other party is his relative or a stranger, his friend or an enemy, a wealthy person or a poor one, no matter if he is angry or relaxed, in other words, at all times and under all circumstances, a Muslim shouldn’t make concessions about justice by being overpowered by his feelings. (An-Nisa; 4:135; Al-Maidah; 5:8; Haythami, I, 90)

If a Muslim becomes just and acts justly in everything, he gains the love of Almighty Allah. (Al-Hujurat; 49:9)

On the other hand, one must not be deceived by seeing the oppressors in comfort in this world for a short period of time. As a matter of fact, Allah gives them some time to repent, to ask for forgiveness, and to quit being cruel. As expressed in our second hadith, Allah will severely seize them at the end of this period if they do not start behaving wiser. Then, it is not possible for them to run away. That is because the seizure of our Almighty Lord is very painful and severe.

Almighty Allah does not hurry in implementing the punishments of His subjects due to His mercy towards them. He gives them time to ask for forgiveness for their oppression and wrong deeds. He even leaves most of their punishments to the Hereafter. Oppressors should never be deceived by this. They should not think that they will get away with what they have done and they should come to their senses as soon as possible. They should know that “Allah delays but He never neglects”. In other words, He gives them some extra time but implements the punishment that should be done when the time comes. Then, oppressors should know that they have no rights to raise an objection or make excuses.

This is expressed in several noble verses as:

“And to how many populations did I give respite, which was given to wrong-doing? In the end I punished them. To me is the destination (of all).” (Al-Hajj; 22:48)

“Think not that Allah does not heed the deeds of those who do wrong! He but gives them respite against a Day when the eyes will fixedly stare in horror.” (Ibrahim; 14:42)

Oppression cannot go forever; it ends with misery. No matter who does the oppression, he will receive its punishment. While it is not even a matter of discussion about prophets to be oppressors, even they would have received their punishments if they had oppressed. The following incident, which expresses this fact and shows how the Prophet used to avoid oppression, is so exemplary:

Suhail b. Amr was the speaker of the people of Quraish. In a time period when literature was at its peak and when people would start or end wars depending on speeches of their speakers, Suhail spoke out against Islam in every chance he got and provoked people. This person was taken as a prisoner in the Battle of Badr.

 Umar (r.a.) said:

“O Messenger of Allah! Let me pull Suhail’s front teeth off so that his tongue will roll out! Thus he will not be able to speak against you and Islam anytime and anywhere from now on!”

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:

“O Umar! Leave him alone. I cannot cause this kind of harm to his body parts. If I did, even if I am a Prophet, Allah would punish me with the same thing. Don’t hasten for there would come a time when he would give a speech in a place where you would admire him and be happy.” (Ibn Hisham, II, 293)^[2]

Let’s say, even if a prophet would receive a punishment for oppression, it is impossible to understand in what people trust when they are found in oppression! As a matter of fact, our Almighty Lord clearly says:

“Certain it is that the wrong-doers will not prosper.” (Qasas; 28:37)

The end of cruel people is misery. History is like a graveyard of people and societies who were ruined due to their oppressions. As a matter of fact, most of such people’s sad end is told in the Noble Qur’an for us to take a lesson.

Almighty Allah says:

“…will any be destroyed except those who do wrong?” (Al-An‘am; 6:47)

The Prophet informs us that oppression will definitely be punished by saying:

“There is no sin more fitted to have punishment meted out by Allah to its perpetrator in advance in this world along with what He stores up for him in the next world than oppression and severing ties of relationship.” (Abu Dawud, Adab, 43/4902; Tirmidhi, Qiyamah, 57; Ibn Majah, Zuhd, 23)

The real sad ends of the oppressors will be in the afterlife. The noble verse informs us that oppressors will be left in Hell:

“But We shall save those who guarded against evil, and We shall leave the wrong-doers therein, (humbled) to their knees.” (Maryam; 19:72)

Thus, one must immediately quit being an oppressor and ask for forgiveness from the oppressed ones. There is no other way for salvation. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) warns his followers before the Day of Judgment when justice will be complete and says:

“Whoever has oppressed another person concerning his reputation or chastity or wealth, he should beg him to forgive him before the Day of Resurrection when there will be no money (to compensate for wrong deeds), but if he has good deeds, those good deeds will be taken from him according to his oppression which he has done, and if he has no good deeds, the sins of the oppressed person will be loaded on him.” (Bukhari, Mazalim, 10; Riqaq, 48)

Indeed, this is a real failure. It means that the eternal darkness has begun for those in this situation. As a matter of fact, in our third hadith, we are told that oppression will be darkness upon darkness on the oppressor in the Day of Judgment. That is because oppressors had darkened the lives of those that they oppressed and made their lives miserable. The oppressors did not know that they were darkening their own lives by acting in such a way!  They are indeed in such a wrong way!

As a matter of fact, Almighty Allah has warned them in this world but they didn’t get the advice. While the following verses of the Qur’an were being recited, they did not want to listen:

“…it is not Allah that hath wronged them, but they wrong themselves.” (Al-i Imran; 3:117)

“… but the Transgressors are in manifest error.” (Luqman; 31:11)

On the Day of Judgment, it will be too late for anything and there won’t be anything to hold on to. That day:

“No intimate friend nor intercessor will the wrong-doers have, who could be listened to.” (Al-Mu’min; 40:18)

That day;

“…but the wrong-doers have no helpers.” (Al-Baqarah; 2:270, Al-Hajj; 22:71)

In the second part of our hadith, stinginess is also prohibited. That is because being stingy and miserly is among the causes of oppression. Oppression and being stingy are among the primary causes of major sins such as killing someone, regarding the things that Allah forbids as permissible, and deviation from the religion.

Our forth hadith tells us the afterlife punishment for an oppression related to a land issue. Just like in the case of other kinds of oppressions, the punishment of getting someone’s land by force is also severe and harsh.

The size of the land seized by force is not important. Even if it is as small as a hand span, it is enough to regard that person as an oppressor and cause him to get severe punishment. Even if it seems like the size of a hand span, there are seven layers under that land. Our hadith draws the best example to express what oppression is. A negligible oppression in the eyes of an oppressor could actually be very important and may cause a deep harm. As oppression causes people to be in deep sorrow in this world and drags them to utter darkness in the hereafter.

Being unjust about the land issues is a common type of oppression. Many lives are taken and families are shattered because of a small piece of land. For this reason the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) drew our attention to this fact and stated that its punishment will be severe.

In our fifth hadith, we are told that none of the acts of oppression will be unreciprocated no matter how small they are, and all the rights will be returned to their rightful owners. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) gave an example for us to understand this fact well by saying that even the hornless sheep would get its claim from the horned sheep which hit it.

Even the animals that are not liable from their actions would pay for their unjust acts, one should think about how just and fair the treatment of humans who are liable for all of their acts will be.

These noble sayings of the Prophet (pbuh) which warn the oppressors also provide consolation for the oppressed. While being patient in despair in this world, they seek refuge in Allah and wait for the day that scales of justice will be set. The following event is a good example of this:

Jafar al-Tayyar (r.a.) was one of the earliest Muslims. He immigrated to Ethiopia with his wife running away from the oppression of the idolaters in Mecca. He lived there for years. However, he returned to Medina in the 7^th year of Hijra. One day, when the Messenger of Allah asked him to narrate some of the attention grabbing moments that he had witnessed in Ethiopia, he told the following memory:

“One day we were sitting when an old nun passed by. There was a big water jug on her head. A young man pushed this poor woman from her back. The woman fell on her knees and the water jug got broken. The nun stood up and said looking at the young man:

“O poor oppressor!  You will see how this matter between us will be taken care of when Allah sets forth the Throne, when everyone ever lived gathers, when hands and feet start to confess everything they did, and when the claim of the oppressed gets taken away from the oppressor!”

When the Prophet heard this, he smiled meaningfully and said:

“The woman had told the truth. Yes, she had told the truth. How could Allah purify a society where the claims of the weak are not taken from the oppressors?” (Ibn Majah, Fitan, 20; Abu Ya’la, Musnad, IV, 7-8; Ibn Hibban, XI, 443-444)

Our ancestors pointed probably out this fact when they said “If the oppressor has his oppression, the oppressed has his Allah.”

In short, the oppressor is actually in a pitiful situation as opposed to how he may seem in this world. It is due to human dignity to help them. The best way to help them is to stop their oppression.

One day, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:

“Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or he is an oppressed one!”

Someone asked:

“O Messenger of Allah! It is all right to help him if he is the oppressed, but how should we help him if he is the oppressor?”

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:

“By preventing him from oppressing others. For sure this is being helpful to him.” (Bukhari, Mazalim, 4; Iqrah, 6. Also see Tirmidhi, Fitan, 68)