Injustice, Oppression

الظُّلْمُ‌ ثَلَاثَةٌ ظُلْمٌ يَغْفِرُهُ اللَّهُ وَ ظُلْمٌ لَا يَغْفِرُهُ اللَّهُ وَ ظُلْمٌ لَا يَدَعُهُ اللَّهُ فَأَمَّا الظُّلْمُ الَّذِي لَا يَغْفِرُهُ فَالشِّرْكُ وَ أَمَّا الظُّلْمُ الَّذِي يَغْفِرُهُ- فَظُلْمُ الرَّجُلِ نَفْسَهُ فِيمَا بَيْنَهُ وَ بَيْنَ اللَّهِ وَ أَمَّا الظُّلْمُ الَّذِي لَا يَدَعُهُ فَالْمُدَايَنَةُ بَيْنَ الْعِبَادِ[1].

“There are three kinds of injustice: the injustice that Allah forgives, the injustice He does not forgive and the injustices that He does not leave without His judgment. The injustice that He does not forgive is to consider things to be His partners. The one that He forgives is the injustice of people against their own

قَنْطَرَةٌ عَلَى الصِّرَاطِ لَا يَجُوزُهَا عَبْدٌ بِمَظْلِمَةٍ.

“About the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, ‘. . . your Lord keeps an eye on ( al-Mirsad) (all evil-doing people),’ (89:14) the Imam said, ‘ Al-Mirsad in this verse refers to a bridge on the way (to paradise) that is not passable for a servant who has committed injustice to others.’”

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع إِنِّي لَمْ أَزَلْ وَالِياً مُنْذُ زَمَنِ الْحَجَّاجِ إِلَى يَوْمِي هَذَا فَهَلْ لِي مِنْ تَوْبَةٍ قَالَ فَسَكَتَ ثُمَّ أَعَدْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ لَا حَتَّى تُؤَدِّيَ إِلَى كُلِّ ذِي حَقٍّ حَقَّهُ.

‘I have been working as a governor from the time of al-Hajjaj to this time, can my repentance be accepted?’ The Imam remained quiet. I repeated my question and then he said, ‘No, until you pay back everything that you owe to the people.’”

مَا مِنْ مَظْلِمَةٍ أَشَدَّ مِنْ مَظْلِمَةٍ لَا يَجِدُ صَاحِبُهَا عَلَيْهَا عَوْناً إِلَّا اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ.

“No injustice is more severe than the one against which the oppressed cannot find any support except Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy.”

لَمَّا حَضَرَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ الْحُسَيْنِ ع الْوَفَاةُ ضَمَّنِي إِلَى صَدْرِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا بُنَيَّ أُوصِيكَ بِمَا أَوْصَانِي بِهِ أَبِي ع حِينَ حَضَرَتْهُ الْوَفَاةُ وَ بِمَا ذَكَرَ أَنَّ أَبَاهُ أَوْصَاهُ بِهِ قَالَ يَا بُنَيَّ إِيَّاكَ وَ ظُلْمَ مَنْ لَا يَجِدُ عَلَيْكَ نَاصِراً إِلَّا اللَّهَ.

“When Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) was about to pass away he held me to his chest and then said, ‘My son, I make my will to you as my father did to me when he was about to pass away and that which his father willed to him. ’ He said, ‘My son, beware of the kind of injustice against which the oppressed cannot find any suppo

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ص‌ مَنْ خَافَ الْقِصَاصَ كَفَّ عَنْ ظُلْمِ النَّاسِ.

“Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) has said, ‘Whoever is afraid of retaliation should stay away from doing injustice to people.’”

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ مَنْ أَصْبَحَ لَا يَنْوِي ظُلْمَ أَحَدٍ غَفَرَ اللَّهُ لَهُ مَا أَذْنَبَ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ مَا لَمْ يَسْفِكْ دَماً أَوْ يَأْكُلْ مَالَ يَتِيمٍ حَرَاماً.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Whoever rises in the morning without any intention of doing injustice to anyone, Allah forgives his sins that day unless it is a murder or consuming the property of the orphans unjustly.’”

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ مَنْ أَصْبَحَ لَا يَهُمُّ بِظُلْمِ أَحَدٍ غَفَرَ اللَّهُ مَا اجْتَرَمَ.

“The messenger of Allah has said, ‘Whoever rises in the morning without any intention of doing injustice to anyone, Allah forgives his sins.”

مَنْ ظَلَمَ مَظْلِمَةً أُخِذَ بِهَا فِي نَفْسِهِ أَوْ فِي مَالِهِ أَوْ فِي وُلْدِهِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Whoever does injustice (financially), it (recompense) is taken from his life, property or his children.”

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ اتَّقُوا الظُّلْمَ فَإِنَّهُ ظُلُمَاتُ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ.

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Beware of doing injustice; on the Day of Judgment there will be much darkness.’”

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ اتَّقُوا الظُّلْمَ فَإِنَّهُ ظُلُمَاتُ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ.

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Be afraid of doing injustice; on the Day of Judgment there will be much darkness.’”

مَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ يَظْلِمُ بِمَظْلِمَةٍ إِلَّا أَخَذَهُ اللَّهُ بِهَا فِي نَفْسِهِ وَ مَالِهِ وَ أَمَّا الظُّلْمُ الَّذِي بَيْنَهُ وَ بَيْنَ اللَّهِ فَإِذَا تَابَ غَفَرَ اللَّهُ لَهُ.

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.) has said, ‘Whoever does injustice (financially) Allah takes it (recompense) from his life or property. However, the injustice that is between him and Allah, Allah forgives it if he repents.’”

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ مُبْتَدِئاً مَنْ ظَلَمَ سَلَّطَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ مَنْ يَظْلِمُهُ [أَوْ عَلَى عَقِبِهِ‌] أَوْ عَلَى عَقِبِ عَقِبِهِ قُلْتُ هُوَ يَظْلِمُ فَيُسَلِّطُ اللَّهُ عَلَى عَقِبِهِ أَوْ عَلَى عَقِبِ عَقِبِهِ فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ- وَ لْيَخْشَ الَّذِينَ لَوْ تَرَكُوا مِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّةً ضِعافاً خافُوا عَلَيْهِمْ فَلْيَتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَ لْيَقُولُوا قَوْلًا سَدِيداً[1].

“Once Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) on his own initiation said, ‘Whoever does injustice, Allah makes someone to dominate him or his descendents of first or second generations.’ I then asked, ‘It is he who has done injustice, how will Allah make his descendents suffer?’ The Imam said, ‘Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, sa

إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَوْحَى إِلَى نَبِيٍّ مِنْ أَنْبِيَائِهِ فِي مَمْلَكَةِ جَبَّارٍ مِنَ الْجَبَّارِينَ أَنِ ائْتِ هَذَا الْجَبَّارَ فَقُلْ لَهُ إِنَّنِي لَمْ أَسْتَعْمِلْكَ عَلَى سَفْكِ الدِّمَاءِ وَ اتِّخَاذِ الْأَمْوَالِ وَ إِنَّمَا اسْتَعْمَلْتُكَ لِتَكُفَّ عَنِّي أَصْوَاتَ الْمَظْلُومِينَ فَإِنِّي لَمْ أَدَعْ ظُلَامَتَهُمْ وَ إِنْ كَانُوا كُفَّاراً[1].

14. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from ibn Mahbub from Ishaq ibn ‘Ammar from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, sent revelations to one of His prophets who lived in the time of an oppressive and tyranical ruler. It said, ‘Tell this tyrant,

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ مَنْ أَكَلَ مَالَ أَخِيهِ ظُلْماً وَ لَمْ يَرُدَّهُ إِلَيْهِ أَكَلَ جَذْوَةً مِنَ النَّارِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ[2].

“I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘Whoever consumes the property of his brother (in belief) unjustly and does not return it to him, he will have to eat a chunk of fire on the Day of Judgment.’”

الْعَامِلُ بِالظُّلْمِ وَ الْمُعِينُ لَهُ وَ الرَّاضِي بِهِ شُرَكَاءُ ثَلَاثَتُهُمْ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘One acting unjustly, his supporter, and one who agrees with such act are three partners.’”

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ لَيَكُونُ مَظْلُوماً فَمَا يَزَالُ يَدْعُو- حَتَّى يَكُونَ ظَالِماً[1].

“I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘A servant (of Allah) may become oppressed and continues praying against the oppressor until he himself becomes an oppressor (for excessive praying against him).”’

قَالَ: مَنْ عَذَرَ ظَالِماً بِظُلْمِهِ سَلَّطَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ مَنْ يَظْلِمُهُ‌[3] فَإِنْ دَعَا لَمْ يَسْتَجِبْ لَهُ وَ لَمْ يَأْجُرْهُ اللَّهُ عَلَى ظُلَامَتِهِ.

“Whoever finds excuses for an unjust person Allah gives power to another person who will oppress him. If he prays, his prayers will not be heard and Allah will not give him any reward for his suffering injustice.”

قَالَ: مَا انْتَصَرَ اللَّهُ مِنْ ظَالِمٍ إِلَّا بِظَالِمٍ وَ ذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- وَ كَذلِكَ نُوَلِّي‌ بَعْضَ الظَّالِمِينَ بَعْضاً[4].

“Allah retaliates an oppressor through another oppressor only. It is in the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, ‘Thus do We make the unjust friends of one another because of their evil deeds.’” (6:129)

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ مَنْ ظَلَمَ أَحَداً فَفَاتَهُ فَلْيَسْتَغْفِرِ اللَّهَ لَهُ فَإِنَّهُ كَفَّارَةٌ لَهُ.

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘If one does injustice to a person and he passes away, he (the doer of injustice) must ask forgiveness from Allah for him (oppressed) and it will be the expiation for his injustice.’”

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ مَنْ أَصْبَحَ وَ هُوَ لَا يَهُمُّ بِظُلْمِ أَحَدٍ غَفَرَ اللَّهُ لَهُ مَا اجْتَرَمَ.

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Whoever rises in the morning and has no intention to do injustice to anyone Allah forgives his sins.”

دَخَلَ رَجُلَانِ عَلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فِي مُدَارَاةٍ بَيْنَهُمَا وَ مُعَامَلَةٍ فَلَمَّا أَنْ سَمِعَ كَلَامَهُمَا قَالَ أَمَا إِنَّهُ مَا ظَفِرَ أَحَدٌ بِخَيْرٍ مِنْ ظَفَرٍ بِالظُّلْمِ أَمَا إِنَّ الْمَظْلُومَ يَأْخُذُ مِنْ دِينِ الظَّالِمِ أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا يَأْخُذُ الظَّالِمُ مِنْ مَالِ الْمَظْلُومِ ثُمَّ قَالَ مَنْ يَفْعَلِ الشَّرَّ بِالنَّاسِ فَلَا يُنْكِرِ الشَّرَّ إِذَا فُعِلَ بِهِ أَمَا إِنَّهُ إِنَّمَا

“Once two people came to see Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) about the differences that they had over a deal between them and when the Imam heard their case, he said, ‘To achieve victory through injustice is not victory in anything good. What the oppressed takes away from the religion of the oppressor is much more than what the o

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ مَنْ خَافَ الْقِصَاصَ كَفَّ عَنْ ظُلْمِ النَّاسِ.

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘One who is afraid of retaliation does not do injustice to people.’”