Oppression and The Oppressors

OPPRESSION
AND THE OPPRESSORS
MOHAMED MOUTWALLI SHAARAOUI
Translated by:
Chafik Abdelghani
Al-Firdous Ltd., London
i
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All rights reserved 2006. No part of this book may be

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2006 : First Edition
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ISBN 1 874263 04 3
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2
Table of Contents
Introduction 4
The most beloved creatures to Allah 6
Allah’s 3g honour to mankind 10
Allah’s 3g blessing upon mankind 14
A Muslim person would not wrong another
nor let anyone harm him 17
Relieving a Muslim in discomfort 20
Injustice is darkness 24
The most serious form of injustice 35
INJUSTICE AND THE UNJUST 39
Injustice 40
Allah S will not wrong as little as the
weight of an atom 45
The Prophet was beyond committing
an act Injustice 48
Injustice to the self 51
Leaning on the wrongdoer is forbidden 58
Wrongdoing is the cause of ruin 60
How does Allah 3g take revenge from the wrongdoer 62
The state of the disbeliever and wrongdoer on the
Day of Judgment 65
The punishment of the wrongdoer in this life
before the next life 70
Be Just.. .even with the disbelievers and wrongdoers 74
The punishment for excess of Injustice 76
Extravagance may squander the components of life 80
Extravagance is a bad choice 82
Extravagance is man’s injustice against his self 85
Interpretation of the tradition 88
3
THE PUBLISHER’S INTRODUCTION
In the Name ofAllah, Most Compassionate,

Most Merciful
All praise is due to Allah, we praise Him, seek His

Support, Guidance and Forgiveness. We seek refuge
in Allah W from the evils of our selves and from our
misdeeds. He whom Allah W guides will never be
misguided by anyone and he whom Allah fg
misguides will never be guided by anyone. I testify
that there is no God but Allah Alone, having no
partner, and I testify that Muhammad is His
Servant and Messenger.
(O believers, fear Allah as He should be feared, and

see you do not die, save as Muslims.^ (Al-Imran\
104)
(Mankind, fear your Lord, who created you of a

single soul, and from it created its mate, and from
the pair of them scattered abroad many men and
women; and fear Allah by whom you demand one
another, and the wombs; surely Allah ever watches
over you J (An-Nisa 1)
4
(O believers, fear Allah, and speak words hitting
the mark, and He will set right your deeds for you
and will forgive your sins. Whosoever obeys Allah
and His Messenger has won a mighty triumph J (Al-
Ahzab: 70-71)
The truest discourse is the Qur’an, the most noble of

traditions is the Prophet Muhammad’s S, the most
evil of things is their novelties, every novelty is a
bid’a, qnqxj bid’a is a dhalala (act of misguidance)
and every dhalala is in Fire.
5
-1-
THE MOST BELOVED CREATURES

TO ALLAH
Ibn Mas’ud quoted the prophet as saying: “All

creatures are Allah’s dependents, and therefore;
the most beloved amongst them to Allah is he
who treats His (Allah’s) dependents nicely.”
According to Al-Ajlouni (Kashf Al-Khafa’ [1220]):

“This tradition was reported by At-Tabarani in Al-
Kabir wa Al-Awsat, by Abu Nu’aym in Al-Hilya,
and by Al-Bayhaqi in Ash-Shu ’ab, on the authority
of Ibn Mas’ud <$>, as Hadith Marfu
The above tradition was also reported by Abu

Nu’aym, Abu Ya’la, At-Tabarani, Al-Bazzar, Ibn
Abi Ad-Dunya, and other scholars on the authority
Anas as Hadith Marfu
At-Tabarani reported the tradition on the authority

of Ibn Mas’ud in different wording: “...the most
beloved amongst them to Allah H are those who are
beneficial to His dependents.”
6
Ad-Daylami also quoted the tradition from Anas
in different wording: “All creatures are Allah’s
dependents and under His Protection. Therefore,
the most beloved amongst the creatures to Allah
are those who treat His dependents nicely.”
Al-Askari reported: “Ibn ‘Umar said, “The

prophet was asked about the most beloved people
to Allah and he replied, “The most beneficial
people to people.”
At-Tabarani reported: “Zayd Ibn Khalid said in a

Hadith Marfa’, “The best deed is that which is
beneficial, the best guidance is that which is
followed, and the best amongst people are those
who are beneficial to people.” This tradition was
supported by Al-Bayhaqi in Ad-Durar (Ash-Shu ’ab)
and Abu Ya’la on the authority of Anas through a
weak chain of transmission.
Ibn Uday quoted Ibn Mas’ud as saying in a

different wording: “All creatures are Allah’s
dependents, and the most beloved amongst them to
Him is the most beneficial to His dependents.”
According to An-Nawawi, this tradition is weak,

because the chain of transmitters included Youssef
7
Ibn Atiyya who was, according to scholars,
unreliable (Al-Fatawd).
Al-Hafidh Abdulazim Al-Mundiri quoted Anas

as saying (Hadith Marfu ’): “All creatures are
Allah’s 3g dependents, and the most beloved
amongst them to Him is the most beneficial to His
dependents.”
According to Abdullah Mohamed As-Sullami,

Allah’s dependents are: “Allah’s poor servants, for
all creatures are in need of Allah 3g, and it is Him 5g
who sustains them.”
According to Al-Askari, the above tradition

contains a metaphor. This is to say that whilst Allah
3g is the provision Provider for His Servants and
their sustainer, His servants are like His
Dependents.” A similar meaning is expressed by
the following tradition: “There are certain people
who are special to Allah 3g; the people of the
Qur’an.”1
According to Ibn Hajar Al-Makki, the tradition:

“All creatures are Allah’s W dependents, and the
most beloved amongst them to Him is the most
beneficial to His dependents ”, was reported through
1 Reported by Ibn Majja and classed by Al-Albani as authentic.
8
some chain of transmission which are all weak, and
the wording of some is, “All creatures are Allah’s
dependents and under His Protection. Therefore,
the most beloved amongst the creatures to Allah
are those who treat His dependents nicely, and the
most despicable creatures to Allah it are those who
mistreat His dependents.”
9
-2-
ALLAH’S fl HONOUR TO MANKIND
Allah is says: {We have honoured the Children of

Adam and carried them on land and sea, and
provided them with good things, and preferred them
greatly over many of those We created.} (Al
ls ra ’:70)
According to Al-Qurtubi, {honoured} in this

context refers to nobility and preference. This is the
honour of creating them in the best form rather than
the hounour of providing them with wealth. In
other words, this honour includes man’s creation in
such a form; that is to say, height, good looks, and
the ability to be transported on land and sea. These
blessings are only specific to mankind, whom Allah
fl created with certain features enabling him to eat,
drink and wear. Unlike other beings, mankind is
capable of earning a living, wear clothes and eat
cooked food. Animals, on the other hand, may eat
rotten meat and uncooked food.
According to At-Tabari, {We have honoured the

Children of Adam} means “We have invested
mankind with power over other creatures and made
the rest of creatures available to them.” {And
10
carried them on land and sea} means “We carried
them on the beasts’ back and on the boats which We
have made for them.” {And provided them with
good things} refers to the lawful food and drink.
(And preferred them greatly over many of those We
created} Preference in this context refers to Allah’s
W creation of man with the ability to use his hands
for eating and drinking. Other creatures do not
possess such ability.
According to Ibn Kathir’s interpretation in the

summarised version by As-Sabuni: In the above
verse, Allah Si informs the reader of His Honouring
the Children of Adam by creating them in the best
and perfect picture. A similar meaning is also
expressed in: (Verily, We have created mankind in
the best picture} (At-Tin’A). This means that man
can walk on his feet, and eat with his hands.
Whereas, other creatures walk on four limbs and eat
directly with their mouths. Allah also provided
man with hearing, sight and heart which enable him
to distinguish between the things which bring the
good and things which bring the bad to his religious
and worldly matters.
(And carried them on land and sea} Reference here

is made to the horses, mules, ships and boats which
11
Allah created as a means of transportation for
mankind, both on land and sea.
(And provided them with good things} This part of
the verse refers to the fruits, meat and milk, the
variety of delicious and colourful food, beautiful
landscapes, clothing of high quality and of different
colour and fabric which mankind make for
themselves and which they import from other
countries.
(And preferred them greatly over many of those We

created.} This verse means that Allah fg has
preferred the children of Adam over animals and
other creatures. This verse also implies the
preference of man’s race over the angels’. Abdullah
Ibn Amru quoted the prophet as saying: “The
angels said to Allah W, “O our Lord! You have
given the children of Adam the worldly life; they
eat, drink and dress therein, while we proclaim Your
Praise, but we do not eat, drink nor enjoy ourselves.
Therefore, just as You have the worldly life
available to them, make the Hereafter available to
us.” Allah replied, “I will not treat the pious off
spring of what I have created with My Hands as that
to which I said, be, and it was.”1 This tradition was
^l-Haythami said in Majma’ Az-Zawa’id [265]: “Tradition reported by

At-Tabarani in Al-Kabir and Al-Awsat. The chain of transmitters
12
reported by At-Tabarani, transmitted by
Abdurazzak, on the authority of Zayd Ibn Muslim
as a suspended tradition (Hadith Mawquf), and Ibn
Asakir on the authority of Anas Ibn Malik as
Hadith Marfu
included Abdullah Ibn Khalid Al-Mahisi, who was a liar. Also the chain
of transmitters in Al-Awsat, included Talha Ibn Zayd, also a liar.”
13
-3-
ALLAH’S BLESSING UPON

MANKIND
The believer would -through the Qur’an- recognise,

the effects of Allah’s W Mercy and Blessing on
everything around him. There is, to begin with,
Allah’s fg Blessing upon man as a person, which is
the most magnificent and numerous:
• The Blessing of Creation: Had it not been

for Allah’s Will and Bounty, man would have
never existed and would have never been
remembered. Allah fg says: (Has there come on
man a while of time when he was a thing
unremembered? We created man of a sperm-drop, a
mingling, trying him; and We made him hearing,
seeing.) {Al-InsanA-2)
• The Blessing of Humankind: Allah fg

created man in a complete form, appointed him as
viceroy on earth, preferred him over most of His
Creations: (We have honoured the Children of
Adam and carried them on land and sea, and
provided them with good things, and preferred them
greatly over many of those We created.) (Al-
14
Isra’:70), and shaped him in the best picture:
(Verily, We have created mankind in the best
picture} (At-TinA), (And He shaped you, and
shaped well.} (At-TaghabunA)
- The Blessing of Perception and Knowledge:

Allah fg says: (Recite: And your Lord is the Most
Generous, who taught by the Pen, taught Man, that
which he knew not.} (Al-Alaq'. 3-5), (And it is
Allah who brought you forth, knowing nothing,
from your mothers’ wombs, and He appointed for
you hearing and sight, and hearts, that haply so you
will be thankful.} The ears, eyes and heart are the
instruments for the acquisition of knowledge.
- The Blessing of Eloquence and Calligraphy:

Allah ig says: (The All-Merciful has taught the
Qur’an. He created man and He has taught Him the
eloquence.} (Ar-RahmanA-A)^ (...Who taught by
the Pen...} and (Nun. By the Pen, and what they
inscribe.} (Al-QalamA)
- The Blessing of Provision: Allah says: (O

men, remember Allah’s blessing upon you; is there
any creator, apart from Allah, who provides for you
out of heaven and earth?} (Fatir:3), (Say! Who
provides for you out of heaven and earth? Say!
Allah.} (Saba ’:24)
15
- The Blessing of Faith and Guidance to the
Right Path: This blessing is for the believer only.
Allah says: {And know that the Messenger of
Allah is among you. If he obeyed you in much of
the affair, you would suffer; but Allah has endeared
to you belief, decking it fair in your hearts, and He
has made detestable to you unbelief and ungodliness
and disobedience. Those, they are the right-minded,
by Allah’s favour and blessing; Allah is All
Knowing, All-Wise.) (Al-Hujurat\7-8), {They count
it as a favour to you that they have surrendered!
Say: ‘Do not count your surrendering as a favour to
me; nay, but rather Allah confers upon you, in that
He has guided you to belief, if it be that you are
truthful.) (Al-Hujurat:\l)
- The Blessing of Brotherhood and Love:

{Remember Allah’s Blessing upon you when you
were enemies, and He brought your hearts together,
so that by His Blessing you became brothers.) (Al-
ImranAQ3), {And brought their hearts together.
Had you expended all that is in the earth, you would
not have been able to bring their hearts together; but
Allah brought their hearts together; surely He is All-
Mighty, All-Wise.) (Al-Anfal\ 63)
16
-4-
A MUSLIM PERSON WOULD NOT

WRONG
ANOTHER NOR LET ANYONE HARM
HIM
Abdullah Ibn Umar quoted the prophet as

saying: “A Muslim person is the brother of another
Muslim, so he should not wrong him, nor should he
let anyone do so. Whoever fulfilled the needs of his
brother, Allah W will fulfill his needs; whoever
brought his (Muslim) brother out of a discomfort,
Allah will bring him out of the discomforts of the
Day of Resurrection, and whoever does not expose
a Muslim, Allah will not expose him on the Day
of Resurrection.”1
Al-Hafidh said in Al-Fath\ “In this tradition,
reference is made to the brotherhood of Islam. Any
concord between two things is given the label of
brotherhood. This concord includes the free, the
servant, the mature and immature person. He
should not wrong him nor should he let anyone do
1 Muslim: 58/2580
17
so means that it is unlawful that a Muslim person
wrongs another, or should let anyone harm him.
Rather, he should support and defend him, and this
support may either be compulsory or optional,
according to circumstances.”
On the authority of Salim, At-Tabarani added: “A
Muslim person should not desert his Muslim brother
in adversity.”
Whoever does not expose a Muslim means that a
Muslim should not expose his Muslim brother’s
faults to people. However, he should condemn his
faults and expose him if he advises him, but he does
not abstain from whatever disobedient act he is
committing.
Allah will not expose him on the Day of
Resurrection'. According to At-Tirmidhi, as
narrated by Abu Hurayra, “Allah W will not expose
him both this life and the hereafter.”
Generally, the tradition urges support and good

companionship, and indicates that the components
of the reward in the Hereafter will be similar to
those of any good act in this life; and whoever takes
an oath that a person is his brother and intends the
Muslim brotherhood, should not break his oath.
18
Al-Mubarkafuri said in Tuhfat Al~Ahudi\ “In the
tradition narrated by Ibn Umar, Whoever does not
expose a Muslim refers to a physical defect or
wrongdoings. He should not expose them to people
behind his back. This concerns a person who is
known to be uncorrupt. However, in case he is
corrupt, he should condemn his wrongdoing, if he
can, but if he cannot, then he should report him to
the ruler.
19
-5-
RELIEVING A MUSLIM IN
DISCOMFORT
Abu Hurayra < quoted the prophet as saying:

“He who relieves a brother from one of the
discomforts of this life, Allah will relieve him
from one of the discomforts of the Day of
Judgment. He who covers up the wrong doing of a
Muslim, Allah Sg will cover up his wrongdoings in
this life and in the Hereafter. He who eases up a
hardship, Allah W will ease up his hardship in this
life and the Hereafter. Allah Is will support a
servant so long as the servant supports his brother.
He who treads a path in search of knowledge, Allah
will make that path easy, leading him to the path
of Paradise. Not a group of people gather in one of
the houses of Allah (mosques), recite the Book of
Allah and learn and teach the Qur'an (among
themselves), but that tranquility will descend upon
them, mercy will cover them, the angels will
surround them and Allah Sg will mention them in
the presence of those near Him. He who is slow
paced in doing good deeds, his long pedigree does
not make him go ahead.”1
1 Muslim: 38/2699 and At-Tirmidi [2945],
20
Al-Mubarkafuri said in Tuhfat Al-Ahudv. “(man
naffasa= relieves) is derived from at-tanfis (relief)
meaning to ease up his discomfort.”
At-Tayyibi said: “Easing up a discomfort is similar

to unblocking someone’s airways. It is derived
from the expression, 'anta ft nafasin\ meaning ‘you
are at ease.’ It is as if the discomfort has blocked
the airways. Therefore, if a Muslim relieves his
brother of a discomfort, the airways are opened.’
Brother in this context refers to the brotherhood of
faith”
Given that all creatures are Allah’s Si dependents

and that relieving a discomfort is a good act, then
Allah’s Si recompense will conform to such an act,
as the verse suggests: {Shall the recompense of
goodness be other than goodness?} (Ar-Rahmdn-.
63)
“He who conceals the wrongdoings of a Muslim.”
This means that if one does not expose a Muslim’s
misdeeds, and provides clothing for him to cover his
forbidden parts, Allah W will conceal his faults and
privacy.”
21
According to An-Nawawi, the type of concealment
referred to in the above tradition concerns those
who are known to be uncorrupt. However, if one is
notorious for disobedience of Allah fg, then he
should be reported to the ruler if there are grounds
to believe that his report would not have any
negative outcome. This is because covering up for
the misdeeds he commits might incite him to persist
in committing them. Further, if one sees a Muslim
in the act of committing a wrong, he should
immediately prevent him from committing it if he is
able to do so, without delay. However, if he is
unable to do so, then he should report it to the ruler
if he thinks that his move would not have any
negative outcome.
‘He who eases up a hardship.’ If a poor person,

whether a believer or non-believer, owes you
money, you should give him sufficient time to pay it
back or waive some, or all of it. Allah’s W
recompense for such act will be as equal.
‘Allah Sg will support a servant so long as the

servant supports his brother.’ As long as a servant
fulfills the needs of his brother, Allah fg will fulfill
his needs.
22
Al-Manawi said in Faydh Al-Qadir fi Sharh Al-
Jami ’ As-Saghir. “If one covers up the faults of his
Muslim brother, by not exposing what would affect
his religion, dignity, wealth and family; Allah
will not expose his sins and defects before people
on the Day of judgment, and will ease up his trial
and discard his punishment. This is because Allah
is the All-Modest and All-Generous; and not
exposing someone else’s privacy is part of modesty
and generosity.
One day Othman Ibn Affan was called up to deal

with a people accused of wrongdoing, but he missed
them. As a result, he freed a slave in gratitude to
Allah W, lest he should have been responsible for a
Muslim’s degradation.
23
-6-
INJUSTICE IS DARKNESS
Abdullah Ibn Umar quoted the prophet as

saying: “Injustice will be a darkness on the Day of
Judgment.”1
Jabir Ibn Abdullah 4© quoted the prophet as

saying: “Ward off injustice, for injustice will be a
darkness on the Day of judgment, and ward off
avarice, for avarice destroyed nations before you. It
goaded them into killing each other and into making
lawful what was unlawful for them.”
Abu Dharr reported: “The prophet quoted

Allah fg (through Gabriel O) as saying: “My
servants, I have made injustice unlawful for Me and
unlawful for you, so do not commit injustice against
one another. My servants, all of you are liable to err
except one whom I guide on the right path, so seek
right guidance from Me so that I may direct you to*
'Al-Bukhari [2315]
"Muslim [56/2578]
24
the right path. O My servants, all of you are hungry
(need food) except the one whom I feed, so beg
food from Me, so that I may give it to you. O My
servants, all of you are naked (need clothes) except
the one whom I provide with garments, so beg
clothes from Me, so that I may clothe you. O My
servants, you commit a wrong night and day and I
am there to pardon your sins, so beg pardon from
Me so that I may grant you pardon. O My servants,
even if the first amongst you, the last amongst you,
even if the whole of the human race, and that of the
Jinns, become (equally) God-conscious like the
heart of a single person amongst you, nothing will
add to My Power. O My servants, even if the first
amongst you, the last amongst you, the whole
human race, and that of the Jinns too become in
unison the most wicked (all beating) like the heart
of a single person, it will cause no loss of My
Power. O My servants, even if the first amongst
you, the last amongst you, the whole human race,
and that of Jinns also, all stand in one place and you
ask Me and I confer upon every person what he asks
for, it will not in any way cause any loss to Me
(even less) than that which is caused to the ocean by
dipping a needle in it. My servants, these deeds of
yours, which I am recording for you, I shall reward
you for them. So he who finds good should praise
Allah and he who does not find it should not blame
25
anyone but himself.”1 Sa'id said that whenever Abu
Idris Al-Khawlani narrated this tradition, he would
kneel down.
In another narration, the tradition says: “I have

made injustice unlawful for Me and for My
Servants, therefore; do not treat each other
unjustly.”
Anas 4s> quoted the prophet S as saying: “Support

your brother (in Islam) whether as a wrongdoer or
as a wronged.” The companions told the prophet
“Fine, we understand how to support him if he has
been wronged. But, how are we to support him as
an unjust person?” The prophet B replied, “By not
letting him commit injustice. Hence, that is your
support to him.”
Qays reported, “After praising Allah W, Abu Bakr

said, “O people! You recite the following verse
and you do not put it into its context, (O believers,
look after your own souls. He who is astray cannot
hurt you, if you are rightly guided J (Al-Ma’idcr.
105) We heard the prophet say: “When people
'Muslim [55/2577]
2At-Tirmidi [2255]; tradition classed by Al-Albani as authentic.
26
see an unjust person and do not prevent him from
doing so, Allah W will soon punish them all,” and
“If acts of disobedience are done among any people,
and they do not change them, though they are able
to do so, Allah will soon punish them all.”3
Abdullah Ibn Amru reported: “I heard the

prophet say, “If you see my people afraid to tell a
wrongdoer, ‘You are a wrongdoer, then they would
be neglected and left to commit sins.’”4
Al-Bara’ Ibn Azib & reported: “A countryman

asked the prophet “O Allah’s Messenger! Teach
me a deed which will take me to Paradise? Save a
slave and free a slave.” “Are not they the same
thing?” The prophet replied, “No. Saving a slave
is when you do it individually, and freeing a slave is
when you contribute to it. Then, donate some land
to others to be used for growing crops, a sheep to be
'Abu Dawud [4338]; tradition classed by Al-Albani as authentic.

2Ahmad [2/163]. According to Al-Ama’ut, the chain of transmission of
this tradition is weak and its narrators fulfilled the requirement for
reporting authentic traditions. However, Abu Az-Zubayr who was
Mohamed Ibn Muslim did not hear from Abdullah Ibn Amru what Abu
Hatim stated in Al-Marasil [p: 154].
27
milked, and al-fay ’1 to a wrongdoer kinsman; but if
you cannot do that, then provide food for the hungry
and water for the thirsty, enjoin the good and
prevent people from committing sins. But if you
cannot do that, then watch your language, except
from what appears to be good.”
Abu Thabit reported: “A man entered Masjid

Dimashq and said, “O Allah, break my loneliness,
have mercy for my estrangement and provide me
with a pious companion.” When Abu Ad-Darda’
heard him, he approached him and said, “If you are
truthful, then I am happier than you with what you
have said. I heard the prophet say, “{But of them
some wrong themselves.} (Fatir.yi), meaning, ‘a
person is considered a wrongdoer for the state he is
in; that is, grief and sorrow’, {Some of them are
lukewarm}; those will be {called to account with an
easy reckoning} (Al-Inshiqaq'.S) and {some are
outstrippers in good works by the Leave of Allah},
meaning, ‘they will be admitted into Paradise
without reckoning.’”1 23
1 What is obtained from the enemies after laying down arms (without
fighting).
2Ahmad [4/299]. According to Al-Ama’ut, the chain of transmission of
this tradition is authentic and its transmitters fulfilled the requirements
set up for transmitting authentic traditions.
3 Ahmad [5/194]. According to Al-Ama’ut, the chain of transmission of
this tradition is weak.
28
Al-Bara’ reported: “The prophet commanded
us to do seven deeds and ward off seven deeds. “He
commanded us to accompany a funeral procession,
visit the sick, respond to an invitation, support a
Muslim who has been wronged, honour an oath,
greet back, and bless a sneezer (by saying to him:
arhamakallah). And he forbade us to use silver
utensils and dishes, wear golden rings, silk
garments, brocade (pure silk cloth), and qissi and
istabraq (two kinds of silk cloths).”4
Ibn Abbas reported: “When the prophet sent

Mu’ad Ibn Jabal to Yemen, he told him, “When you
reach Yemen, you will find a people of Scripture
there. Invite them to testify that there is no god but
Allah Alone and that Muhammad is His Messenger.
If they obey, then inform them that Allah has
prescribed five prayers a day. If they obey, then
inform then that Allah W prescribed a compulsory
donation (Zakat), to be taken from the rich among
them and be donated to the poor among them. If
they obey, then be cautious not to take of their best
property (as Zakat), and fear the curse of a person
'Al-Bukhari [1182],
29
who has been wronged, for there is no screen
between his curse and Allah W.”1
Zayd Ibn Aslam quoted his father as saying:

“Umar Ibn Al-Khattab appointed a freed slave of
his, called Hunay, manager of the Hima (i.e. a
pasture devoted for grazing the animals of reserved
for Zakat or other specified animals). He said to
him, “O Hunay! Do not wrong Muslims and ward
off their curse (invocations against you) for the
invocation of the one who has been wronged is
fulfilled (by Allah); and allow the shepherd having a
few camels and those having a few sheep (to graze
their animals), and take care not to allow the
livestock of Abdur-Rahman Ibn Awf and the
livestock of Othman Ibn Affan, for if their livestock
should perish, then they have their farms and
gardens, while those who own a few camels and
those who own a few sheep, if their livestock should
perish, would bring their dependents to me and
appeal for help saying, ‘O chief of the believers! O
chief of the believers!’ Would I then neglect them?
(No, of course). So, I find it easier to let them have
water and grass rather than to give them gold and
silver (from the Muslims’ treasury). By Allah, these
people think that I have been unjust to them. This is
'Al-Bukhari [1425]
30
their land, and during the pre-Islamic period, they
fought for it and they embraced Islam (willingly)
while it was in their possession. By Him in Whose
Hand my life is! Were it not for the animals (in my
custody) which I give to be ridden for striving in
Allah's cause, I would not have turned even a span
of their land into a Hima.”1
Abdullah Ibn Sarjis reported: “Whenever the

prophet wanted to set out for a journey, he would
seek refuge in Allah from the hardship of
traveling, from a distressing scene upon returning
home, from the change of affairs from good to bad,
from the invocation of a wronged person, and from
finding the family and property in an unpleasant
state.”*2
Abu Hurayra quoted the prophet as saying:

“Three invocations are undoubtedly granted; the
invocation of the father, traveller and oppressed.”3
'Al-Bukhari [2894]
2A1-Bukhari [1343]
3Abu Daud [1536], Tradition was classed by Al-Albani as authentic.
31
“Three types of people whose invocations are not
rejected; the just leader, fasting person, and a
wronged person. Allah would raise the latter’s
invocation over the clouds, where the gates of
heavens are opened for it, and say, “By My Honour,
I shall support you, though after a while.”1
Al-Bara’ reported: “The prophet S passed by a

group of Al-Ansar sitting at the side of the road, and
said, “If you have to (sitting at the side of the road),
then return a greeting, support a wronged person,
and direct people to the right way.”12
Abdullah Ibn Sarjis reported: “Whenever the

prophet H set out on a journey, he would say, “O
Allah, You are the Companion in this journey and
the representative in the family. O Allah, I seek
refuge in You from the hardship of traveling, from a
distressing scene upon returning home. O Allah,
accompany us in our journey and represent us in the
family, and I seek refuge in You from the change of
1 At-Tirmidi [2526]. Tradition classed by Al-Albani as authentic.

2At-Tirmidi [2726]. The chain of transmission of this tradition was
classed by Al-Albani as authentic.
32
affairs from good to bad, from the invocation of a
wronged person, and from finding the family and
property in an unpleasant state.”1
Abu Hurayra quoted the prophet S as saying: “O

children of Adam, do your deeds as if you were
seen and count yourselves among the dead, and
beware the invocation of a wronged person.”2

“The invocation of a wronged person will be
granted, even if he were immoral; as for his
immorality, it will be held against him and he will
be judged for it.”*
6
Anas Ibn Malik quoted the prophet as saying:

“Fear the invocation of a wronged person, even if he
1 At-Tirmidi [3439]. Tradition classed by Al-Albani as authentic.

Reported by Imam Ahmad in Al-Musnad [2/343]
6 Reported by Imam Ahmad in Al-Musnad [2/367]
33
were a disbeliever; for there is no screen between it
and Allah St”1
Abu Ash-Shammakh Al-Azadi quoted one of his

cousins who was one of the companions of the
prophet as saying: “I went to Mu’awiyya and
said to him, “I heard the prophet say, “Whoever
has been appointed to rule over people, and shuts
his door in the face of the request of the needy and a
wronged person, Allah S will shut his door of
mercy in his face in time of his need poverty.”
Al-Bara’ reported: “The prophet passed by a

group of people sitting at the side of the road, and
said, “If you have to (sitting at the side of the road),
then direct people to the right way, return a
greeting, and save a wronged person. Affan said,
‘Support’.”123

34
-7-
THE MOST SERIOUS FORM OF

INJUSTICE
Abdullah Ibn Ma’ud reported: “When the verse

(Those who believe and do not clock their faith in
wrongdoing} (Al-An ’am:82), the companions of the
prophet wondered, “Who amongst us has not
committed a wrong?” Then, the verse (Ascribing a
partner to Allah is such a serious wrong.}
(Luqman'.lS)”}
In another wording: “When the verse (Those who

believe and do not clock their faith in wrongdoing}
(Al-An’am:82), the companions asked the prophet
“O Allah’s Messenger! Who amongst us has not
committed a wrong?” The prophet said, “It is not
what you think. The wrong in this context refers to
ascribing a partner to Allah Have not you heard
the piece of advice Luqman gave to his son (O my
dear son, do not ascribe partner to Allah, for
ascribing a partner to Allah is such a serious
wrong.} (LuqmanA3y*2
'Al-Bukhari [32] and Muslim [124/197]

2A1-Bukhari [3181]
35
In another wording: “When the verse (Those who
believe and do not clock their faith in wrongdoing}
(Al-An’anr.Sl), it was hard for them and wondered,
“Who amongst us has not committed a wrong?”
The prophet said, “It is not what you think. It is
what Luqman told his son (O my dear son, do not
ascribe partner to Allah, for ascribing a partner to
Allah is such a serious wrong.} (LuqmanA3)
Al-Hafidh said in Al-Fath: “Each of the above

narrations clarifies the other, meaning that when it
was hard for the companions to bear the
requirements of the verse, Allah revealed
(Ascribing a partner to Allah is such a serious
wrong.}.
According to An-Nawawi, “The prophet knew

that the wrong referred to in the verse is associating
a partner with Allah in worship, and, therefore;
informed the companions that it was not what they
thought. Rather, the wrong intended in the verse is
what Luqman advised his son to avert. The
companions understood the word wrong in the
general sense; that is to say, what immediately came
to their minds when they heard the word, meanings
such as, not putting things in the right order, and
thus, contradicting the Islamic Law; and that were
hard for them. Consequently, the prophet
36
clarified for them the meaning intended in the
verse.”
According to Al-Khattabi, “It was hard for them

because, they understood the word wrong in terms
of its surface meaning which is, usurping people’s
rights and committing wrong. In other words, they
believed that wrong referred this surface meaning
only. However, wrong refers to the act of not
putting things in their right order, and whoever
worships other than Allah W, is the most wronged.
Further, this tradition also suggests that disobedient
or wrongful acts are not indicative of disbelief, and
Allah fg knows best.
In his interpretation of the tradition quoted from the

prophet by Abdullah Ibn Umar (Injustice will
be a darkness on the Day of Judgment), Al-Jawzi
said, “wrongdoing consists of two disobedient acts:
taking someone’s wealth wrongfully and disobeying
Allah fg in challenging way; with each being more
serious than the other; and a wrong is often inflicted
on the weak who cannot win. In fact, a wrong
originates in the darkness of heart, for if it were
enlightened with the light of guidance, it will not do
wrong. And while the fearful strive with the light
resulting from the fear of Allah the wrongdoer or
37
unjust is engulfed in the darkness of injustice, which
will not avail him of anything.”
The present work by Imam Muhammad

Mutwali Ash-Sha’rawi explores some of the issues
of injustice and the unjust; which I commented upon
and traced the transmitters of different traditions. I
also added relevant literature by other scholars who
explored the same issue and quoted any relevant
tradition. May Allah make this attempt beneficial to
the reader, its author and publisher.
Abdellah Hajjaj
August 2001
38
INJUSTICE AND THE
UNJUST
SHEIKH IMAM
MUHAMMAD MUTWALLI
SHA’RAWI
39
INJUSTICE
Allah fg says: (We destroyed the generations before

you when they did evil, and their Messengers came
to them with the clear signs, but they would not
believe; so We recompense the people of the
sinners.)
Beware any move in which you intend to do wrong

to Muhammad H, for you will not get anything from
him, and Allah S will make His Light prevail.
Therefore, your actions are not novel compared to
those of the peoples before you.
(Generations) may either refer to people whose

lifetime is included within a period of one hundred
years, or to a group of people who share something
in common, no matter how long it takes.
The verse also raises the following question: Would

these generations have believed if they had been
given more chance? The answer is ‘No.’ Allah W
has an eternal knowledge of what happened and will
happen, and knows the state in which affairs take
place, whether in an obligatory or optional manner.
Take this example from real life. If a person wishes

to build a house, his building will vary according to
40
his financial ability. A poor person, for instance,
would want to build a two bed-roomed house and
would, accordingly, have a plan for two rooms. The
average person would go to an architect for a plan
according to his ability. A rich person would call
the architect for a plan for the type of house he
wishes to build. In turn, the architect would draw a
design sample for the building which gives details
of what the house would look like, even the colour
of windows, doors and rooms.
By the same token, before creating the universe,

Allah W had a design for it. Hence, this is Allah’s
Ability, and the creation of the universe took place
according to what Allah || had first designed.
Therefore, even if the disbeliever creature had the
freedom of choice, Allah fg would know it. Allah
knows the workings of obligatory duties and
what He W prescribed for His creations; that is to
say, issues in which they have no choice. As
regards the optional issues, Allah fg has given His
creations the freedom of choice, and knowing in
advance what they would do, He W prescribed the
issue according to what He knew.
However do not think that by so doing, Allah fg

wanted to oblige you. On the contrary, Allah fg
knew that you would have the choice, and therefore,
41
knew in advance who would wrong himself. As an
example of this pre-knowledge, bygone generations
which He destroyed did not believe.
Wrongdoing in the above verse means: transferring

somebody’s right to another person. The rights
granted by Allah it to mankind may be wronged.
However, the highest degree of wrongdoing is
polytheism (ascribing partners to Allah it in
worship), as the verse (Luqman:13) indicates; and
when one wrongs himself, he ascribes a partner to
Allah it. Hence, this is absolute wrongdoing. In
this respect, Allah it says, (Ascribing partners to
Allah is a serious wrong J
People have already wronged themselves with

respect to the issue of Aqida or to their own rights,
as Allah Si says: (But people wronged their selves J
(Yunus’AA)
One may be both a wrongdoer and wronged at the
same time. This is to say that man has several
muses, among which there are the muses of innate
faith and temporal self-interest. If the muse of
temporal self-interest triumphs, the reproachful soul
intervenes to redress the balance. However, if the
soul were devilish, it demands the fulfillment of
pleasure, because it is a soul that incites man to do
evil. But, if it complies with Allah’s it Law and
42
does what Allah commands, then it is a peaceful
soul. The person who wrongs himself is the one
who pursues the desires of his soul, giving it a
temporal enjoyment, and therefore, expects a
deferred misery. Therefore, by doing so, he has
wronged himself.
Allah is the All-Knower, Who knows the affairs

according to what they are, rather than according to
what He obliges His creation to. Therefore, if
His Knowledge were according to what He W
obliges His creation to, then there will be no
freedom of choice. For example, if you want to go
out with your wife, and your children are very
young, then you would lock them in after telling
them: Your meal is in the fridge: meat, fish, cheese
and olives. After going out, you would tell your
wife, ‘Our children would only eat cheese and
olives because, they would find it an easy meal, and
if there was only cheese in the fridge, I would not
have listed the different foods in the fridge; and
cheese would then be obligatory because they
would have no choice.’ Your judgment is based on
your children’s past behaviour, and their choice
emanated from what they have been used to,
although they have the freedom of choice. And
when you come back, you would find out that your
children would act exactly as you have prophesied,
43
despite the fact that you have given them the
freedom of choice.
A similar example is expressed in the

Qur’an:(Perish the hands of Abu Lahab, and perish
he! His wealth avails him not, neither what he has
earned; he shall roast at a flaming fire.} (Al-
MasadA-3} This verse suggests Allah’s
judgment that Abu Lahab will die as a believer, just
like any other believers, though many a disbeliever
have embraced Islam. Did not Umar, Ikrima Ibn
Abu Jahl, Amru Ibn Al-Aas, Khalid Ibn Al-Walid
become Muslims? So what prevented Abu Lahab
from embracing Islam, too? No! He did not, and
the prophet knew from his Lord W that he would
not embrace Islam, nor was it possible for him to
declare his Islam, and thus, refuting the statement of
the Qur’an. This is because Allah knew in
advance Abu Lahab’s character.
(So We recompense the people of the sinners.} In

this part of the verse, (So} implies that the
recompense for a wrong will be similar to that of
peoples before you. This is because the issues in
the universe are one, and the issue of faith has
existed since the time Messengers started to come,
and will continue until the end of this life.
44
ALLAH B WILL NOT WRONG AS
LITTLE AS
THE WEIGHT OF AN ATOM
{That, for what your hands have forwarded, and for

that Allah is never Zallam (unjust) unto His
servants.} (Al-Imran:182)
Grammatically, Zallam is derived from the

grammatical root construction fa 'aal, used in Arabic
discourse in general and the Qur’an in particular for
emphasis. Note that there is a difference in meaning
between the two constructions Zallam and Zalim.
For instance, when you say that a person is not
Zallam, it is the character of emphatical Zulm that is
nullified, but such a person may still be Zalim. This
is to say that a person may only be Zalim without
being Zallam. Therefore, that a person is not
Zallam only nullifies the character of emphatical
Zulm, but does not invalidate the character of Zulm
(injustice), in general, for a person may still be
Zalim.
Surprisingly, some Orientalists claimed that some of

the verses of the Qur’an contradict each other. For
instance, in the verse {...and for that Allah is never
Zallam (unjust)}, Allah W eliminates the character
45
of emphatical Zulm, but this does not necessarily
mean an elimination of Zulm. In the following
verse, (Allah will not wrong as little as the weight
of an atom) (An-Nisa ’:40), Allah eliminates both
the characters of emphasis and Zulm, in general; and
this according to some Orientalists is a
contradiction. In response, we ask the following
question: Does eliminating the character of
emphatical injustice necessarily mean that the
character of injustice still exist? The answer is ‘no.’
Eliminating the character of emphatical injustice
does not nullify the character of Zulm in general, but
not necessarily. With the foregoing, the verse
(Allah will not wrong as little as the weight of an
atom) (An-Nisa ’:40) nullifies the principle of
injustice, and (...and for that Allah is never Zallam
(unjust) unto His servants.) (Al-ImranAZT) nullifies
the principle of emphasis; and the verses of the
Qur’an clarify one another.
If it is said, for example, that Allah it nullifies the

principle of emphasis and this affirms the existence
of hat the character of Zulm, we respond in the
following manner: Nullifying the character of
emphasis does not necessarily affirm the existence
of the character of Zulm, nor prevents it from
existing. And if another verse were to nullify the
46
character of Zulm, then Allah is is neither Zallam
nor Zalim.
47
THE PROPHET WAS BEYOND
COMMITTING AN ACT INJUSTICE
Azu-Zubayr Ibn Al-Awwam one of the ten

companions who were promised Paradise, and also
the prophet’s cousin, was in dispute with one of
Al-Ansar (Supporters), over the irrigation of a land
they had in Al-Harra (a place near Al-Madina).
They took their dispute for settlement to the prophet
who said to Az-Zubayr, “Water your land, then
let the water flow to your neighbour (i.e. to the land
of the man from Al-Ansar)”1
It appears that the prophet’s judgment was in

favour of his cousin, but it was a fair judgment,
because Az-Zubayr’s land was at the top, the man’s
at the bottom; and it would be wrong to judge in
favour of the man, because people would think that
the prophet was unfair to his relative to please
others. On the contrary, the prophet W was beyond
passing an unfair judgment against his cousin to
earn the fame of justice among people, as some
people would do. For example, if one is called to
resolve a dispute between his son and a stranger, he
would automatically judge in favour of the stranger,
’Al-Bukhari in Fath Al-Bari, 2359, Muslim [129/2357], Abu Dawud

[336], At-Tirmidi [1363], on the authority of Abdullah Ibn Az-Zubayr.
48
even though the latter is in the wrong. Our message
to this type of people is: “Do not be unjust in certain
situations to earn the fame of justice among people.
There is a courage which you should possess; that
of being just in resolving disputes and passing
judgments. This courage requires that you judge
with truth, even though in favour of yourself.
The man from Al-Ansar was not satisfied with the

prophet’s judgment which was in favour of his
cousin. He said to the prophet S, “Because he is
your cousin.” The prophet’s face was red with
anger, and he said to Az-Zubayr, “Water your land,
then withhold the water until it fills the land up to
the walls.” Many people who look for defects in
Islam would think from this incident that the
prophet judged in favour of his cousin first to
have his land watered, then modified the judgment
so that the man from Al-Ansar would, too, have his
land watered. Those people do not understand that
Az-Zubayr’s land was at the top and the man’s was
at the bottom, and usually, at a stream the fertile
land is at the bottom of the stream rather than at its
top. Furthermore, although the water accumulates
at the top, it flows down to the lower land, and it
would be unfair to the higher land to water the
lower land first. Therefore, the first judgment was
based on ease and bounty on the part of Az-Zubayr,
49
and the second (after the man was not satisfied) was
based on justice.
50
INJUSTICE TO THE SELF
One is unjust to his self by harbouring a temporal

pleasure for it, and thus; causing it a permanent
misery. As a result, man finds himself in a strange
situation, because he has embroiled his self in an
eternal misery through an ephemeral pleasure.
Injustice to the self is one of the most distressing
forms of injustice, and is there any person with a
sound mind who disobeys Allah by not executing
His commands and by committing the forbidden?
A person with a sound mind would not do that,

because he knows that, apparently, there is a
fulfillment of a desire, but, deeply, there is an
involvement of the self in misery. For example,
sleeping without observing prayers means an
apparent fulfillment of a sleeping desire for his self,
but means an isolation of the self from Allah
Similarly, if one drinks alcohol, he would think that
he has fulfilled a desire for his self; whereas, in
reality, he has wronged his self by involving it in an
enormous misery. When one wrongs his self, he
does feel secure towards it.
Injustice entails the involvement of two parties: the

unjust and one to whom injustice has been done.
But in the case of being unjust to the self, who is the
51
unjust? And who is the party to which injustice has
been done?
The self refers to the presence of soul in matter, and

it is this union which gives the soul the character of
peacefulness, the character of evildoing, or the
character of reproach. The convergence of soul and
matter produces the human soul. Prior to this
convergence, the soul would, by nature, be good,
and the substance is subdued according to the will
of its subduer. I am saying this so that nobody
would argue that there is a materialistic life and a
spiritual life, and that the materialistic life is evil
and the spiritual life is good. Arguably, the matter
is, generally, good, obedient, subjugated,
worshipping and glorifying; and so is the soul.
Corruption arises when the soul meets with the
matter. At this interaction, there comes the
principle of choice. A mature person (legally
responsible for his actions) would be told: “Are you
satisfied with Allah’s Law? Or are you going to
vacillate between the reproachful soul and
satisfaction? Or are you going to indulge in
disobedience of Allah O and have an evil soul?”
This variation comes at the convergence of soul and
matter.
52
Which does wrong when the soul and matter meet?
It is desire which wrongs the soul in an act of
disobedience. This is to say that the wrongdoer
fulfils a desire for his soul by committing a sin, but,
in reality, he burdens his soul. In this respect, Allah
says: {If, when they wronged themselves...}
(An-Nisa’:64). There is a difference between
committing a wrong in order to fulfill a desire for
one’s self committing a wrong in order to fulfill a
desire for someone else’s self. In this context, Allah
fg says: {Who, when they commit an indecency or
wrong themselves, remember Allah, and pray
forgiveness for their sins - and who shall forgive
sins but Allah?} (Al-Imran:135).
It appears from this verse that committing an act of

indecency is something, and wronging the self is a
different matter. Committing an act of indecency
may be a momentary enjoyment for the soul.
However, one who has wronged his self for the sake
of fulfilling someone else’s desire, cannot be said to
have brought enjoyment to his self; he has wronged
it. He has not given his self the short-lived desire in
this life nor protected it from the torment of the
Hereafter. Perjury (shahadat Az-Zur), for example,
is case in point. A perjurer (witnessing in favour or
against someone) would earn nothing, save
wronging his self. Observe how the following
53
tradition condemns such act: “The worst amongst
you is he who sells his religion in return for the
enjoyment of worldly life, and worst still is he who
sells his religion for the sake of someone else’s
worldly life.” Hence, this is the worst form of
wronging the self, and those who do it are those
whose striving goes astray in the present life, while
they think that they are working good deeds.1
'Allah S says: {Say: “Shall We tell you who will be the greatest losers in
their works? Those whose striving goes astray in the present life, while
they think that they are working good deeds.} (Al-KahfA03) Mus’ab
reported: “I asked Sa’d Ibn Abu Waqas whether the greatest losers
referred in the above verse are Al-Hururiyya.” He said, no. They are the
Jews and Christians. As for the Jews they did not believe Muhammad
the Christians did not believe in Paradise, saying, ‘There is no food
nor drink therein. Al-Hururiyya are those who break the Covenant of
Allah after its solemn binding.” Sa’d used to label them Al-Fasiqun.
According to Ali Ad-Dahhak and others, the above verse includes Al-
Hururiyya, as well as the Jews , Christians and other sects. It does not
specifically concerns one group or the other. Rather, it is general.
Furthermore, the verse is Makkan and was revealed before the address
directed to the Jews and Christians and before the emergence of Al-
Kharijites. It is a general verse that concerns every servant of Allah S
who acts wrongfully and thinks that he works good deeds, whilst his
deeds are rejected, as Allah S8 says: (Faces on that day humbled,
labouring, toilwom, roasting at a scorching fire.} (Al-Ghashiyya\2-A\
(We shall advance upon what work they have done, and make it a
scattered dust.} (Al-Furqan:23), and (And as for the unbelievers, their
works are as a mirage in a spacious plain which the man athirst supposes
to be water, till, when he comes to it, he finds it is nothing.} (An-Nur:39).
As for the above verse: (Al-KahfA04), it means that the greatest losers
are those who perform deeds illegally and believe that their deeds are
appropriate and that they are acceptable and beloved.
54
Generally, Zulm is like Al-Jawr (oppression): a form
of aggression, coercion, subjugation or devaluation
of importance. The antonym of Zulm is Al-Insaf
(justice), just as the antonym of Al-Jawr
(oppression) is Al-‘Adl (justice). Az-Zulm is,
therefore, injustice, and when one does injustice to
his self, he would, then, be wronged by his self and
unjust towards it. Wronging one’s self is the worst
forms of injustice. The soul which Allah W
honoured and created deserves to be guarded by
man, who should achieve what Allah W wants from
it, and prevent any relentless desire which incurs
Allah’s W wrath, from reaching it. Allah 1g says
concerning wronging the self: {Who, when they
commit an indecency or wrong themselves,
remember Allah, and pray forgiveness for their sins
- and who shall forgive sins but Allah? And do not
preserve in the things they did and that wittingly.
Those, their recompense is forgiveness from their
Lord, and gardens beneath which rivers flow,
therein dwelling forever; and how excellent is the
wage of those who labour J (Al-hnrarr. 135-6).
This verse outlines the difference between an act of

indecency and doing injustice to the self. The
former consists of a wrongdoing through which the
doer fulfils a desire, an interest or causes harm to
the society. The latter is another form of evil deeds.
55
Wronging the self means selling one’s religion for
the sake of someone else’s enjoyment of worldly
life. He who does so does not fulfill any interest for
his self, whether distant or immediate. Examples of
the former are referred to in the following tradition:
“The worst of people are those who sell his religion
in return for the enjoyment of worldly life.” Those
are the people who commit acts of indecency.
Examples of the latter are referred to in the second
part of the same tradition: “Worst still are those who
have sold their religion for the sake of someone
else’s enjoyment of worldly life.” For both
categories, Allah W provided the means of rescue:
remembering Allah asking Him for forgiveness,
and abstinence from reverting to committing acts of
indecency or wronging the self, until He it forgives
them and admit them into Paradise. This is because
Allah ig does not wrong anyone, (But people wrong
their selves.} (Yunus'AA). But, why? This is
because they wrong their selves in what remains
useful and fall hostages of what is temporal.
In this context, man may be both a wrongdoer and

wronged at the same time. This is because people
wrong their selves, and the human soul possesses
the muses of immediate or temporal interest and
muses of desires and fantasies; which compete with
one another. If you have done wrong and
56
reproached your self and performed a good deed,
then you are a person with a reproachful soul. If
your soul is used to doing evil and indulging in
desires, then you are a person with an evil soul. If
your soul succumbs to Allah fg, then you are a
person with a peaceful soul.
It is the evil soul which has violated people’s rights

and wronged them, and it, at the same time,
wronged itself by giving it a temporal enjoyment
and goading it into a permanent wretchedness.
57
LEANING ON THE WRONGDOER IS
FORBIDDEN
Allah !g says: (Do not lean on the wrongdoers.}

(Hud: 113) In this verse, leaning on means
inclination, comfort, friendliness and mercy. Allah
W forbids such an act, because if you incline
towards the wrongdoer and believed in him, he
would involve you with him. But if you keep away
from him and do not lean on him, he would feel that
you lean on a strong base. Therefore, do not lean on
him until he understands that you have confidence
in Allah ig and His Ability to take on the
wrongdoer. At that time, he would feel weakened.
One of the evils of the present life is leaning on the
wrongdoers and helping them in their wrongdoing.
He who does so does not notice that Allah W is
capable to cause the collapse of the wrongdoer and
of all his tyranny and power.
Why does Allah fg warn us not to lean on the

wrongdoer? This is because we did not confront
him. Rather, we have assisted him in his
wrongdoing, and if he had been challenged in the
first time he has committed an act of injustice, he
would have desisted from his wrongdoing. What
encouraged him was people’s assistance to him, out
of fear, and he did not find anyone who can
58
challenge him. One of the highest degrees of
supporting the wrongdoer is finding someone who
beautifies his wrongdoing to people. Such
beautification helps to propagate injustice. Leaning
on the wrongdoer has several forms, and any
prevalent injustice in the world today was due to
people’s assistance to the wrongdoer and
beautification of his deeds; and had they challenged
him from the very beginning, his injustice would
not have prevailed.
Allah proceeds to say: {You have no protectors

apart from Allah J {Hud'. 113), meaning that there is
no one who can protect you, except Allah W.
Therefore, do not lean on those who do wrong nor
seek their assistance. For Allah W is your only
helper and supporter, therefore, obey him and do not
go beyond Him W in search for another protector.
59
WRONDOING IS THE CAUSE OF RUIN
Allah fg says: (How many towns We have wiped

out? Our might has come upon them at dead of
night or while they were napping J
(Al-A ’raf'A). This verse poses one question: Does
Allah destroy towns or does He destroy its
inhabitants? Sometimes Allah W destroys towns by
overturning them as He W did to the people of Nuh
O and Lut O; and sometimes He W destroys the
inhabitants of towns, as He did to the people of
Saleh when the deadly uproar was sounded.
In this verse, nevertheless, reference is made to the

inhabitants of towns. Towns which usually consist
of buildings, wells and springs are subjugated to the
obedience of Allah and His Praising, and are unable
to commit sins. But, it is people of the towns who
are able to commit sins.
Rhetorically, the word town (Qarya) is used in the
Qur’an to refer to people in town: (And ask the
town in which we were.)* (Yusuf.82). One would
not usually ask the buildings or land of the town,
but rather, its inhabitants.
The verse also poses the following question: Which

comes first, the destruction or the might? It is the
might which comes first, then people would be
60
destroyed. Therefore, according to our limited
knowledge, we may wonder why ‘might’ does not
precede ‘destruction (wiping out)’ in the above
verse. The answer is that Allah ft wants us to
understand the incidents in the universe as they
occur, and according to what is in Allah’s
Knowledge ft. The wiping out of a town does not
take place gradually. Rather, it takes place
according to an eternal judgment of Allah ft on
those who did evil acts in the land. Allah 9% passed
the judgment of destruction on the town, first, then
comes the might to execute the sentence. Therefore,
Allah’s ft sentence; that is, the destruction of town
precedes in Allah’s ft Knowledge His might.
61
HOW DOES ALLAH W TAKE
REVENGE
FROM THE WRONGDOER
History shows us how Allah fg takes revenge from

the wrongdoer. Malik Ibn Dinar was quoted as
saying: “I read a Hadith Qudsi in which Allah
says, “I am the King of kings; the hearts of kings are
in My Hand.”1
A monarch, ruler or tyrant is warned not to think
that he has obtained the position of ruler through his
intelligence or power. On the contrary, it was
bestowed upon him so that he would repress the
wrongdoers. This is evidenced by the fact that if
Allah ig wants to end his rule, He would take
away his reverence from the hearts of his protectors,
and instead of defending him with a riffle, He
would point it out towards him.
Be warned not to think that a king acquires kingship

by power rather than by Allah’s Leave. When
people do wrong and transgress, Allah W would
send someone to wrong them. It is said that the
'Mentioned by Al-Hafidh Al-Haythami in Majma ’ Az-Zawa ’id, No.9272,

on the authority of Abu Ad-Darda’, saying that the tradition was narrated
by At-Tabarani in Al-Awsat. The chain of transmitters contain Wahb
Ibn Rashid. The tradition is Matruk.
62
wrongdoer is Allah’s W sword on earth, used as a
weapon to avenge the wrongdoers and be avenged.
In this context, Allah says: {Thus We let some
wrongdoers manage others because of what they
had been earning.} (Al-An ’am: 129)
It is as if the evil which grips people were the result
of their misdeeds. A pious person used to say: “I
know my standing in terms of good or bad deeds
through the behaviour of my beast. If it disobeys
me, I would say, ‘What have I done so that it
disobeys me?’” It is as if things are measured. The
example given above illustrates good people’s self-
criticism, that when they commit a wrong, they
would immediately criticize and question
themselves by asking forgiveness or doing good, so
that their records of bad deeds would be clean and
blank all the time.
The prophet said, “There is not any disaster

which visits a Muslim person, but that Allah uses
it as an expiation for his sins; even as minor as
being prickled.”2 If a good person does some
wrongs, Allah W would punish him by inflicting
him with an illness or causing the loss of his wealth.
The same for a person who commits misdeeds,
2A1-Bukhari [5317], Muslim [49/2572] on the authority of Aisha.
63
whom Allah does not want to punish in the
Hereafter. In this context, the prophet said:
“There is not a Muslim person who falls ill or is
inflicted with a harm, but that Allah equally
wipes out his sins, just as the tree drops its leaves.”1
1 Al-Bukhari [5647, Fath Al-Bari\ and Muslim [45/2571] on the

authority of Ibn Mas’ud.
64
THE STATE OF THE DISBELIEVER
AND WRONGDOER ON THE DAY OF
JUDGMENT
The disbelievers might think that they would

ransom themselves from the torment on the Day of
Judgment with anything. Allah W says: (Even
though each person who has done something wrong
had everything on earth, he would still try to ransom
himself with itj (Yunus:54) This means that when
the disbelievers see the torment, they would wish
that if they have everything on earth, with its
treasures, they would ransom themselves with them
to escape the torment they see. But that would be
impossible. On that Day, neither repentance nor
ransom would be accepted from them.
If Zulm (injustice) means usurping somebody’s

right; that is, what he/she has earned legally, then
Az-Zalim (the wrongdoer) wrongfully and with
hostility takes what the other has sweated for. This
stops the activity of life, because given that I work
and other takes my fruits unlawfully is the result of
work, then I am not going to work. Moreover,
when the wrongdoer does wrong, he not only takes
unlawfully the right of the other, but mislead other
powerful people like him to usurp the rights of the
weak and wrong them. As a result, injustice
65
prevails, and if it prevails in a society, then it would
give rise to unemployment and paralyses the flow of
the entire life.
Therefore, the wrongdoer takes more than his right,

lies to others, wrong and usurp their rights.
However, even if he were to take all that is in the
present life, and would like on the Day of Judgment
ransom himself with it against the torment of that
Day, it would not be accepted from him. But why?
This is because he has transgressed the limits,
wronged and lied to people. In this context, Allah
W says: {Anyone who invent things will be
disappointed.} (Ta-Ha:6\) This is a prevalent
phenomenon in the present life before the Hereafter.
Take for example someone who takes bribery,
commits embezzlement and theft, then gets caught.
He would say to the law, take all that I have and let
me go. Similarly, someone who wants to smuggle
enormous sums of money abroad and gets caught,
he would say, ‘Take these moneys and leave me
alone.’
Therefore, at the time of danger, man would commit

these wrongs and sins and would get caught, and he
would ransom himself all that he has, but this
ransom would not be accepted him on the Day of
Judgment. However, it is worth considering the two
66
following verses: (Heed a day when no soul will
make amends in any way for any other soul and no
compensation will be accepted from it nor any
intercession benefits it J (Al-BaqaraA23) and
(Heed a day when no soul will compensate for any
other soul in any way. Intercession will not be
accepted from him, nor will any compensation be
taken from it, nor will they be supported.} (Al-
BaqaraAS). The Qur’an skeptics use these verses
as a gateway for casting doubts on the Qur’an,
claiming that it is the same style and the same
meaning, but there is a change in the order of words.
According to them, sometimes (compensation}
precedes (intercession} and vice-versa, sometimes
the verse says (no compensation will be accepted
from it} and sometimes (nor will any compensation
be taken from it}, sometimes the verse says
(Intercession will not be accepted} and sometimes
(...nor any intercession benefits it}. We say to
those skeptics that if they knew the eloquence of the
Arabs, they would appreciate that the first verse is
eloquent and the second is just as eloquent.
Consider the verse: (Heed a day when no soul will

make amends in any way for any other soul.} How
many souls do we have? We have two souls; the
first soul is the intercessor, and the second is the one
for which intercession is done. In the first verse,
67
(no compensation will be accepted from it| refers to
the intercessor soul, which says, ‘take this and
leave.’ If it is not accepted from him, he would
look for an intercessor, in which case intercession
would be refused. Hence, Allah says: (...no
compensation will be accepted from it nor any
intercession benefits it J
As regards the verse: (Intercession will not be

accepted from him, nor will any compensation be
taken from it, nor will they be supported X it starts
with ‘intercession’. There will be someone who
would intercede for the wrongdoer in the Hereafter,
but his intercession would not be accepted, in which
case, he would offer a compensation to save his
friend, but that, too would not be accepted from
him. He would be told, ‘No compensation will be
taken from you. In summary, in the first verse we
have, ‘neither compensation will be accepted from
him, nor intercession will benefit it’, and in the
second verse, ‘Neither intercession will be accepted
nor compensation will be taken.’ Therefore, Allah
fg says: (Even though each person who has done
something wrong had everything on earth, he would
still try to ransom himself with itj (Yunus:54),
meaning that a person would attempt to give all that
he has on earth as ransom, in the belief that he
owns, but it the ransom will not be accepted, and if
68
anyone should try to intercede for the wrongdoer,
his intercession would not be accepted.
Allah fg proceeds to say in the same verse: {They

will conceal regret once they see the torment. X
meaning that regret will not show on them, but their
hearts will be tom apart. This is because if the
torment is enormous, then blood gets clotted in the
veins of the tormented, and he will not, as a result,
be able to scream. The horrifying scene will dumb
his tongue. He would be asked to speak, and he will
not be able to. Screaming is a form of physical
breathing; and the inability to scream is an
intensification of torment.
69
THE PUNISHMENT OF THE
WRONGDOER
IN THIS LIFE BEFORE THE NEXT
LIFE
If the all punishment had been postponed for the

Hereafter, then injustice would have prevailed
among people and across the entire universe. A
person who does not believe in the Hereafter, would
lark about as he pleases. For this reason, it was
necessary to set up a punishment for his actions in
this life, which would draw people’s attention to
Allah’s ft control over His Universe. The
punishment of the wrongdoer would also set a
lesson for others. Yet, the serious punishment still
awaits him in the Hereafter. Allah ft says: (The
ones who act unjustly will have torment beyond
that.} (At-Tur.47), meaning that they will have a
torment before the greatest torment. When Allah ft
intends the torment of the present life, he says: (We
shall gradually bring those who reject Our signs
from a place they do not recognize.} (Al-A ’raf. 182),
meaning, Allah ft will lead them on into a trap, just
like when the investigator leads the suspect by
trapping him with questions, looking for any
contradictions in his answers.
70
(Gradually^ in this context refers to the stages
leading to the punishment in the present life. Then,
the punishment will be lifted up, and they will
continue doing wrong, and another punishment will
be set for them, and so on and so forth until they
reach the torment of Hellfire in the Hereafter. In
this respect, Allah says: (So once they forgot
what they had been reminded of...X referring to
their persistence in disbelief and disobedience, (We
opened up the doors to everything for themX
referring to health, wealth, children and all the
blessings of this life in general, then (until just
when they were happiest with what they had been
given, We caught them suddenly, and there they
were confounded J {Al-An’amAT).
But why such rise and fall? This is because when
Allah H wants to punish a wrongdoer, he would
punish him lightly so that he may wake up. But if
he persists in his wrongdoing, Allah W would
bestow so many blessing upon him until he is highly
elevated, then would bring him down from the
sublime to the ridiculous. It is like when two are
fighting, and would grab the other and raise him so
high, then ground him. Why does one raise the
other so high? He would raise him so high so that
the fall would be so painful, for if he grounds him at
the ground level, the fall would be minor. When
one wishes to gradually lead another to fall in a pit,
71
the other might, with his intelligence, know the pit
he has been gradually led to; but if it is Allah W
Who is doing the act, no one has intelligence before
Allah Hence, Allah fg says: {We shall gradually
draw them from a place they do not recognize.} (Al-
QalamAS). This is to say that man cannot find out
about Allah’s W gradual scheme and, therefore,
impair it, for the simple reason that Allah knows
and man does not know.
Allah fg says: (I shall even put up with them for a

while; for My plan is strong.} (Al-QalamAA) In
this verse, put up implies delaying the punishment;
meaning, that Allah ig does not inflict His
punishment on the wrongdoer all at once; but He W
would rather do it gradually, until people feel the
wrongdoer’s evils, and know when Allah W, the
epitome of good, faith and people’s way of life,
takes him on. This is because, if every wrongdoer is
punished at the moment he has committed a wrong,
people would not feel his evils, nor appreciate
Allah’s ig protection to them against this
wrongdoer.
Therefore, gradual punishment is truly present in the

inner selves of the believers by force of faith; and
the more evil prevails in a society, the more good
permeates their selves and the more they resort to
72
Allah’s W Way for rescue from the hardship they
are in. In the above verse, there is a delay in
punishment, but not a negligence. For, the
punishment follows immediately: (For My plan is
strong.} Plan in this context refers to a secret
strategy prepared against the wrongdoer so that he
would not get prepared to defend himself against
any evil. A secret strategy between one person and
another may or may not be exposed. However, no
one can expose or avert Allah’s Sg strategy. Hence,
Allah fg says, (My plan is strong.}
73
BE JUST ... EVEN WITH THE
DISBELIEVERS
AND WRONGDOERS
Allah ft says: (Judgment will be passed on them in

all fairness, and they will not be wronged.!
(Yunus-.54) Reference in this verse is made to the
disbelievers and wrongdoers, and one might wonder
why are they treated with fairness, and judgment
should be passed concerning the believers and
disbelievers, as the entire dispute is between them;
and whereas it is all about those who deserve
punishment, then how does Allah it pass His
judgment? Here, you should note Allah’s it
Justice; and do not think that the disbeliever in
Allah ft would not be punished if he wrongs his
fellow disbeliever.
For example, if a disbeliever wrongs another

disbeliever, would Allah it discard the issue
without punishing the wrongdoer? The answer is
‘No’, because Allah it created all of us, and one of
the prerequisites of Rububiyya (Lordship) is the
punishment of every wrongdoer and taking revenge
for every wronged person, even though the wronged
were a disbeliever in Him It. (Judgment will be
passed } means that there is a case which requires a
74
judgment; and a judgment means impartiality and
settlement of a dispute between two parties. Given
a judgment results in a decision, and given Allah
is the Lord of all creations and the Creator of All
creations, then all creations are equal vis-a-vis what
the Lordship offers. For example, the sun rises on
both the disbeliever and believer, water descends on
both the disbeliever and believer, and the air is
breathed by both the disbeliever and believer.
These are the offers of Rububiyya in which all
mankind are equal. Therefore, if a person wrongs
another, whether the wrongdoer and wronged are
believers or disbelievers, then Allah would
resolve the dispute with fairness, and Allah W does
not wrong anyone, and it is He W Who has
commanded us to follow His Example in morals,
which include justice: ^And do not any ill-will
toward any folk incriminate you so that you swerve
from dealing justly J1 (Al-Ma’ida:8)
*Do not let prejudice (hatred of s people) interfere with your judgment,
and cause you to judge matters unjustly. Whoever has a right, should get
it, and when justice involves an adversary (disbeliever), it is a reprimand
to him, because he has denied Faith. Surely, the adversary would say to
himself, “This Muslim’s fairness did not prevent him from telling the
truth, and his creed makes of him a strong person and that his religion
which commands him to act in fairness, how good such religion is.”
75
THE PUNISHMENT FOR EXCESS OF
INJUSTICE
Allah fg says: (Thus We reward anyone who

overdoes things and does not believe in his Lord’s
Signs. Torment in the Hereafter will be even more
severe and everlasting.} (Ta-Ha:127) (Thus}
means that those who overdo things will be
rewarded in this way. Overdoing things in this
context means straying a certain reasonable border.
For example, one eats a certain amount of food to
remain alive, and if he eats much then he is said to
have overdone it. Similarly, if one spends all his
income without saving anything, his life will never
improve. For example, he will not be able to buy a
car one day, or build a house for his family, because
he spends all his income without saving any money.
Islam, nevertheless, taught us how to be moderate in

expenditure and how to spend a portion of our
income and save another. Allah wants two things
from man’s management of money: expenditure and
thrift. If one does not spend, then the interests of
life would come to a standstill: factories would stop
their production, employees would stop going to
work and the causes of earning of living would stop.
However, if every man spends money in order to
buy his needs, then the wheel of life would keep on
76
turning. However, one should not spend all the
money he has, but save some in time of need so that
he would be able to improve his standards of living
and provide a comfortable life for him and his
family.
Allah W says: (Who when they spend, give neither

too lavishly nor yet hold back, and keep to a happy
medium.! (Al-Furqarr.67) If one does not spend, he
will hinder the flow of life, and if he spends
extravagantly, then he will live in hardship and debt,
and will never better his situation. Hence, Allah fg
says: (Do not be tight-fisted nor extravagant, lest
you sit back blameworthy, destitute.! (Al-Isra’:29)
When Allah W created man, He fg also created the

ingredients for his livelihood such as food, drink
and air, and determined the lawful food which he
should eat and the unlawful food he must not eat.
Therefore, the most serious form of extravagance is
to introduce what Allah fg has made as unlawful
into what He W has made lawful. Whoever does so,
is said to have strayed the border. Therefore,
extravagance is going over the limit, and you should
not make it difficult for your self by depriving it of
what Allah has made lawful, nor be extravagant
toward it by straying the limit and allowing it (the
self) what Allah fg has made unlawful. This is all
77
for the sake of leading a good life and preparing for
the Next.
Just as Allah is has made the ingredients of

livelihood available for man, He has also ensured
that his human race be perpetuated until the Day of
Judgment. For this reason, Allah ig created
marriage for enjoyment and safeguarding the
propagation of race, and set up rules therefor. So,
do not act extravagantly in this respect nor indulge
in what Allah made unlawful. A person is said to
have acted extravagantly if he transfers something
from what is unlawful into something that is lawful
or if he transfers something from what is lawful into
something that is unlawful.
Part of Allah’s W Mercy upon His servants is His

advice to man not to despair if he has acted
extravagantly against the self, pursued his desires
and what Allah has forbidden, but which the
Satan has beautified for him and made it look
permissible. Hence, He says: (Say: “My servants
who have acted extravagantly against themselves
still do not despair of Allah’s Mercy. Allah forgives
all offences.} (Az-Zumar:53)
In this verse, Allah endears repentance to them,
for He will accept it from them so long as they
are believers in Him and His Messenger and so
78
long as their disobedient acts are far from
polytheism. So, any extravagant person against his
self, any transgressor of Allah’s M Limits, any
usurper of Allah’s rights or other people’s rights,
should take this opportunity and redress the balance,
by reverting to Allah fg so that He may accept their
repentance and wipe out his past sins.
Reverting to the above verse: (Thus We reward

anyone who overdoes things and does not believe in
his Lord’s Signs. Torment in the Hereafter will be
even more severe and everlasting.^, overdoing
things or extravagance is second to the status of
non-Faith, because extravagance causes you to
transfer the unlawful into the lawful and the lawful
into the unlawful and; thus, cripple the application
of the verses of lawfulness, unlawfulness, so on and
so forth.
79
EXTRAVAGANCE MAY SQUANDER
THE COMPONENTS OF LIFE
Allah W says: (Our Lord, pardon us our offences

and our excesses in our affairs.} (Al-Imrarr. 147)
What is excess in affairs? Any disobedient act man
commits is an addition to the components of his life.
Allah created marriage so that we may build a
family, propagate the race and get our sexual
satisfaction in accordance with specified laws.
However, when, for example, one has girl friends or
mistresses, or makes it difficult for those who desire
to marry, then that would be called excess in affairs.
Allah W has given us wealth proportionally, but if

act greedily and take the other’s wealth unlawfully,
then that would cause hostility and hatred between
people, severance of kinship ties, and this is a
transgression of the limits and excess in affairs.
Allah W has also set up for us laws regulating our
management of wealth. Therefore, whoever
transgresses the limits by, for example, dealing in
usury, then such an act would be the most serious
transgression. In other words, excess in affairs is
taking something which does not constitutes one of
your rights, and that which is not part of your rights
and is not given to you by Allah W, then it is not
80
part of your life’s necessities, and you can live
without it.
81
EXTRAVAGANCE IS A BAD CHOICE
Those who act extravagantly against their selves do

not take into account the reward for such an act.
This is the reason why all offences take place at the
time of the offender’s unawareness of the reward.
The offender commits an offence with the
confidence that he will get away with it. For
example, a thief goes to steal in the knowledge that
he will not be caught, and if he were to think that he
will be caught if he steals, he would never steal.
Allah’s message is: He who wants to digress
from the system of choice I have set up for you,
beware doing so without taking into account the
reward for such a digression. Take it seriously and
ask yourself: What is the offence going to benefit
me? How much misery is it going to give me? Put
both questions in the balance and you will know
that Allah will give you the endless good; and
know that (Allah there is no god but Him shall
gather you on the Day of Judgment.} (An-Nisa’:87)
The Day of Judgment is the Day about which Allah

■a® says: (The Day when mankind will stand before
the Lord of the Universe.} (Al-Mutafifin:6) Why
the Day of Judgment? Because, it is the Day on
which Allah rewards he who has done good and
punish he who has done bad in the present life.
82
Take this example from real life. A man gave his
son one pound and told him: “Buy whatever you
like, and note that if you buy something interesting,
I will reward you for it, but if you buy something
bad like game cards or something similar, then I
will punish you.” By doing so, the father has given
his son the buying authority, expressed in ‘buy
whatever you like.’ The question is: Was the
child’s act of buying game cards against his father’s
will? No, because it was the father who gave him
the choice of buying, but the child acted in a way
that did not please his father.
Similarly, what about the servant who digresses

from following the path of guidance which Allah W
has commanded? When the When the servant
follows the path of guidance, then he does what is
desirable to Allah W, but when he commits an
offence, he does what is undesirable to Allah fg. If
Allah wanted guidance for all mankind, then He
fg would have made them angels, and no servant
would ever disobey Him.
When an offender commits an offence, he does so

because Allah W has created the freedom of choice
for him. When one says, any act is from Allah ig,
this is true, but if you asked: “Why do we get
punished?” Then, the answer should be: It is
83
because man does not steer the instrument of choice
towards what is beneficial for him, but rather
towards disobedience of Allah The knife, for
example, is an instrument for cutting. If it was used
for slaughtering a chicken, then there is nothing in
the act which deserves punishment, but if it was
used for slaughtering a person, then the act will be
treated as unlawful. Do we say to someone who
brings the knife home, you have brought a weapon
for crime? No. He/she has brought the knife to be
used beneficially, but it could still be used as a
weapon, and that is where the element of choice
comes.
Therefore, that any act comes from Allah is true,

because even the person who is given the freedom
of choice acts only because Allah W has created him
with the freedom of choice. But, does Allah
oblige him to commit an offence? No, Allah fg has
laid down a system in order to guide every man to
the right path, and if one chooses something
contrary to the system, then that is his choice and he
will be held accountable for it.
84
EXTRAVAGANCE IS MAN’S
INJUSTICE AGAINST HIS SELF
For a man who acts extravagantly against his self by

taking what is unlawful such as drinking alcohol,
for example, there will come a time, when he will
deprive himself of some things that are lawful.
Drinking alcohol will cause him to fall ill and
consult a doctor, who would advise him to follow a
strict diet by not eating several types of food and
drink, because he suffers from cirrhosis. Such
extravagance is man’s injustice against his self,
resulting in depriving his self of certain things
which are in reality lawful for him, not to mention
the punishment of the Hereafter. A person such as
this one has fallen into what Allah has prohibited,
and, as a result, Allah W has punished him by
depriving him of what has been prescribed lawful
for him.
Take another the example of a person who has

overeaten a certain type of food such as sugar,
which is a blessing from Allah W, and fallen ill, as a
result. The doctor would tell him: “You have gone
over the limits of eating sugar and you have, as a
result, disabled your body’s ability to use sugar
properly, and fallen ill. Now, do not eat any sugary
food.” The patient would love to eat sugary food,
85
and is capable of acquiring it, but it is prohibited for
him. It is as if Allah fg tells him: By wronging your
self, you have deprived it of what I have made
lawful for you.
With the foregoing in mind, prohibition may either

be legally, when the penalty comes from Allah
or inherently, when there is an extravagance on the
part of the self. We should always read, {Because
of wrongdoing on the part of those who are Jews,
We have forbidden them certain wholesome things
which had been permitted them; and because they
blocked of so many people from Allah’s way.) (An-
Nisa ’:160)
Similarly, a person who obtains money through

usury, does so in order to increase his wealth. We
may ask him, “Why do you need money for? Do
you need it for the sake of having money or for
another purpose?” It is true, money is a form of
provision, but it is an indirect provision, because it
buys things which people will benefit from, and
that is called direct provision. Take for instance, a
man with an enormous amount of gold in the desert,
but with no food. Such a large amount of gold
would not benefit him in such a situation, but a
piece of bread and water in such a situation would
be more expensive than gold. Therefore, money is a
86
form of provision, but it is an indirect provision.
Whoever increases his money by means of usury,
should know that Allah H will wipe money earned
in such a way and dissipate it through infliction of
adversities. Hence, Allah ig says: {Allah wipes out
usury and nourishes acts of charity.) (Al-Baqara:
276)
Generally an manages himself, and if he wishes to

keep on enjoying the lawful things Allah ig has
granted him and blessings, then he must not permit
his self any thing unlawful, because, Allah W never
removes a blessing from his servant without any
reason: (And you Lord does not wrong the
servants.) (Fusilat'AG). Therefore, it is man who
wrongs himself, according to the verse: (Allah
never wrongs people in anything, but people
wronged their selves.) (YunusAA)
87
INTERPRETATION OF THE
TRADITION:
“My servants, I have made injustice unlawful for

Me and unlawful for you, so do not commit
injustice against one another.”
BY:
IBN TAYMIYYA AND IMAM IBN RAJAB
Prepared and edited by:

Islamic Heritage Centre
for Al-Kitab and Sunna
88
Abu Dharr reported: “The prophet quoted
Allah fg (through Gabriel O) as saying: “My
servants, I have made injustice unlawful for Me and
unlawful for you, so do not commit injustice against
one another. My servants, all of you are liable to err
except one whom I guide on the right path, so seek
right guidance from Me so that I may direct you to
the right path. O My servants, all of you are hungry
servants, all of you are naked (need clothes) except
the one whom I provide with garments, so beg
clothes from Me, so that I may clothe you. O My
servants, you commit a wrong night and day and I
am there to pardon your sins, so beg pardon from
Me so that I may grant you pardon.
O My servants, you will not reach My Harm so that
you may harm, nor reach My Benefit so that you
may benefit Me. O My servants, even if the first
amongst you, the last amongst you, even if the
whole of the human race, and that of the Jinns,
become (equally) God-conscious like the heart of a
single person amongst you, nothing will add to My
and that of the Jinns too become in unison the most
wicked (all beating) like the heart of a single person,
it will cause no loss of My Power. O My servants,
89
even if the first amongst you, the last amongst you,
the whole human race, and that of Jinns also, all
stand in one place and you ask Me and I confer
upon every person what he asks for, it will not in
any way cause any loss to Me (even less) than that
which is caused to the ocean by dipping a needle in
it. My servants, these deeds of yours, which I am
recording for you, I shall reward you for them. So
he who finds good should praise Allah W and he
who does not find it should not blame anyone but
himself.”1
Ibn Taymiyya’s Interpretation
There are two issues as to the opening statement of

the tradition (My servants, I have made injustice
unlawful for Me), each having sub-issues, among
which are.
As regards the injustice which Allah W has made
unlawful for Himself and against anybody, it is
expressed in more than one verse: (And We did not
wrong them) (An-Nahk 118), (And your Lord does
not wrong anybody.) (Al-KahfA9), (And you Lord
does not wrong the servants.) (Fusilat:46), and
(Allah does not harm anything so much as an
'Muslim 55/2577
90
atom’s weight: if a fine deed exists, he multiplies
it J (An-Nisa ’:40). It is not either His Intention fg to
wrong anybody: (And Allah does not want to
wrong the servants.} (Al-Imran:108) and (And
Allah does not want to wrong the servants.}
(GhafirAO), nor have his servants fear injustice
from him against them: (While anyone who has
performed honourable deeds and is a believer will
need fear no injustice nor any curtailment (of his
reward).} (Ta-Hcr. 112)
Scholars argued so much about the meaning of Zulm

(injustice) that they formed two different poles, with
a pole in-between -the best of things are those
which stand in the middle- which appears to be the
most correct. This is because this moderate pole
studied (Al-Qadar) the divine preordainment in
terms of its unison with the Islamic Law.
Therefore, arguing without sufficient knowledge
will result in the misguidance of the entire nation;
and that is why the prophet warned his
companions not to argue over the issue of Zulm.
In the tradition of distress, the prophet gg said: “No

distressed or miserable servant says the following
invocation, but that Allah relieves his distress and
misery, and supersedes them with joy and
happiness: O Allah, I am your servant, the son of
91
your servant, the son of your she-servant, my brain
(thought process part) is in Your Hand, Your Law is
binding on me, Your Judgment is just towards me. I
am invoking You, with every Name that is Yours,
which You have given Yourself, mentioned in Your
Book (Qur’an), taught it to some of Your creatures,
or withheld in the unknown, to make the Qur’an the
spring of my heart, the light of my breast, and the
dispersal of my grief and distress. Upon hearing
this invocation, the companions of the prophet
wondered, “O Allah’s Messenger! Shall we learn
these words?” The prophet S replied, “Of course,
for whoever has heard them.”1 The tradition
indicates, as far as justice is concerned, that every
judgment Allah W passes on his servant is fair. It is
said that every blessing from Allah W is a bounty
and every curse from him is an act of justice.
There is also another tradition which goes: “I have

obeyed you by Your Grace and grace is Yours, and
I have disobeyed You by Your Knowledge -or
justice- and evidence is in Your Possession.
Therefore, I am invoking You to forgive me,
knowing that Your Evidence is the most valid
’imam Ahmad [1/391-452] on the authority of Ibn Mas’ud. The chain of

transmission of this tradition is authentic (Ahmad Shakir)
92
against me, and that I have no evidence to justify
myself.”
Reverting to the opening statement of the tradition,

it appears that it contains several laws, sciences,
fundamental and secondary issues. In fact, it
contains all the issues related to the tributes of Allah
W and Al-Qadar (divine preordainment).
The statement which follows, (and unlawful for

you, so do not commit injustice against one another)
constitutes the entire religion (i.e. Islam), in the
sense that all that Allah IB forbids in the tradition is
injustice and all that He commands therein is
justice. Observe the following verse: (We have sent
Our Messengers with explanations, and sent the
Book and the Balance down along with them, so
that mankind may conduct themselves with all
fairness. We have sent Iron down laden with grim
violence as well as (other) benefits for mankind, so
that Allah may know who supports Him and His
Messengers even though [He is] unseen J (Al-
Hadid:25)
In this verse, Allah W informs the reader that He has

sent Messengers, the Book and Balance so that
people may do justice, and iron so that the Truth is
supported. In other words, the Book guides and the
93
sword supports, and that is why forcing people to
compliance was achieved by the people of the
Qur’an (guidance) and people of the iron (force).
Some scholars from As-Salaf used to say, “There
are two categories of people who, if they act
honourably, people would, too, act honourably:
leaders and scholars.”1
Since knowledge precedes justice, then he who has

no knowledge does not know what justice is, and
mankind is unjust and ignorant, save the one whom
Allah has forgiven and, therefore, caused him to
become learned and just; and people have become
judges. Other categories are three: the just scholar,
the ignorant and the unjust. The last two categories
are among the people of Hellfire, as the prophet S
said. In fact, man is awarded according to his
efforts. The prophet said in this context: “If a
ruler issues a personal judgment (Ijtihad) on a
matter and his judgment is right then he will receive
two rewards. But if he issues a personal judgment
'Reported as Hadith Marfu ’ on the authority of the prophet Tradition

transmitted by Abu Nu’aym in Al-Hilya [4/96] and Ibn Abdelbarr in
Jami’ Al-Bayan [1/184]. According to Al-Albani, this tradition is
fabricated (Silisilat Al-Ahadith Adh-Dha ’ifa wa Al-Mawdhu ’a, No. 16.)
94
which proves wrong, then he will receive one
reward.”1
As for the part which goes, (O My servants, all of

you are hungry (need food) except the one whom I
feed, so beg food from Me, so that I may give it to
you. O My servants, all of you are naked (need
clothes) except the one whom I provide with
garments, so beg clothes from Me, so that I may
clothe you), there are two important issues:
First: The necessity to rely on Allah for provision

such as food for the acquisition of benefit and guard
against harm such as clothing. Only Allah has
the absolute ability to provide food and clothing. It
is worth noting in this respect that the ability of
providing food or clothing which man may have
depend on certain ways and means which he
follows. Hence, Allah 5c says: {The family head
must support women and clothe them properly.)
(Al-Baqara:233), (Do not give the feebleminded
your property which Allah has granted you for
[their] support; provide for them out of it, and clothe
them and address them decently.) (An-Nisa ’:5).
'Al-Bukhari {Fath Al-Bari:7352] and Muslim [15/1716], on the authority

of Amru Ibn Al-‘As
95
What one is commanded to spend, provide or grant
in this context is the portion he has been allocated
from Allah (When they are told: “Spend
something Allah has provided you with,” the ones
who disbelieve tell those who believe: “Should we
feed someone whom Allah feed if He so wishes?}
(YasinAT). In this verse, Allah is reprimands
whoever neglects to donate from what he has been
allocated, basing his act on the fact that it is Allah
W Who provides for His creations. From this
standpoint, it appears that even if one has the ability
to provide -by means of following the ways and
means- there still be the necessity of relying on
Allah for such an ability. In fact, the need and
the feeling of poverty toward Allah W coexists with
the ways and means. For, there is no creation which
alone has the complete ways and means to acquire
what it needs. So, events take place with the ways
and means, but only with the Will of Allah W;
whatever He wishes takes place and whatever He
does not wish does not take place. Whoever thinks
that the ways and means are sufficient without
Allah’s Reliance, has neglected the element of
reliance on Allah W which He commands him and;
thus, violated the obligation of Tawhid
(monotheism). People who do so are let down if
they rely solely on the ways and means. Whoever
wants support and provision without the
96
intervention of Allah ‘M, Allah W will let him down.
Ali said in this respect. servant requests no
one, but his Lord (Allah and fears nothing, but
his sin.”
Allah fg says: {Say, “Have you ever seen what you
appeal to instead of Allah? If Allah wanted [to
cause] me any trouble, would such females ever
remove His trouble? Or if He wants some mercy
for me, will such females hold back His mercy.”
Say, “Allah is [the Means] by which I reckon; on
Him do the reliant rely.”) (Az-Zummar:38)
Furthermore, whoever solely adopts Allah’s

Reliance without the ways and means, is ignorant,
wrongdoer and disobedient to Allah S, as he has
neglected what Allah fg commands. Obeying what
Allah W commands is a form of worshipping Allah
W. Observe the following verse: {So, worship Him
and rely on Him.) (Hud:123) Performing a deed
which one has been commanded to do relying solely
on the ways and means (i.e. without relying on
Allah is just as serious a sin as relying on Allah
W solely, without relying on the ways and means.
Both categories have failed to comply with some of
what they have been commanded to do. And
despite their common sin, one may be more
blameworthy than the other, given that reliance on
Allah W is in reality part of the ways and means.
97
Abu Dawud reported in the Sunan that the prophet
sB settled a dispute between two men, and the one
against whom the decision was, turned away,
saying, “Hasbiyya-llahu wani’mal-wakil (For me
Allah suffices and how good His Reliance H is).”
The prophet said to him, “Allah ig blames for
losing hearty, but apply intelligence, and if you are
defeated, say: “Hasbiyya-llahu wani ’mal-wakil (For
me Allah ®g suffices and how good His Reliance fg
is).”1
Abu Hurayra quoted the prophet as saying: “A

strong believer is better and more loveable to Allah
$g than a weak Muslim, and there is good in
everyone. Cherish that which gives you benefit and
seek help from Allah and do not lose heart. If
anything (in the form of a trouble) comes to you, do
not say, ‘If I had done so and so, I would have ...’,
but say, ‘Allah !g did what He had ordained,’ for
your regretful ‘ifs’ open the door to the intervention
of the Satan.’”2
'Abu Dawud [3627] on the authority of ‘Awf Ibn Malik. Classed by Al-
Albani as a weak tradition.
"Muslim [34/2664]
98
Interpretation: The part ‘Cherish that which gives
you benefit and seek help from Allah W and do not
lose heart’ refers to the reliance on the ways and
means which Allah W commands; which is,
cherishing what is beneficial. Then, comes the
reliance on Allah which is expressed in the
phrase ‘seek help from Allah 3g’. Therefore,
whoever relies solely on of them, has disobeyed the
other. Further, the tradition also forbids the loss of
heart, which is the antonym of intelligence, as the
preceding tradition expresses: “Allah W blames for
losing heart, but apply intelligence.”
Another relevant tradition says: “The intelligent is

the one who blames his soul and prepares for what
comes after death, but the heart-loser is the one who
lets his soul follow its desires and wishes from
Allah 3g.”1
In this tradition the heart-loser is the opposite of

intelligent, and whoever says, “a heart-loser is the
opposite of pious,” has altered and misinterpreted
the tradition. Another relevant tradition goes:
1 Ibn Majja [4260] on the authority of Shaddad Ibn Aws Tradition

classed by Al-Albani as weak.
99
“Everything was created in measure, even heart-loss
and intelligence.”2
There is also the tradition which Al-Bukhari

reported on the authority of Ibn Abbas “During
the pilgrimage season, the Yemenis would head for
Makka without provision, and would say, “We are
the reliant on Allah H,” and upon reaching Makka,
they would start asking people for provision.”3
Consequently, Allah W revealed: {Make provision;

yet the best provision is doing your duty.) (Al-
Baqra:197). The verse indicates that whoever
performs a deed which aims to make provision, as
commanded by Allah fg, and uses it as a source of
help in the obedience of Allah W, and gives of it to
the need, is said to be obedient to Allah as far as
these two issues (making provision and donating).
However, he who neglects this duty (making
provision) and seeks reliance on the pilgrims’
provisions, even though his attention were not
directed to a specific pilgrim, he is said to direct his
attention to the whole. But, if the one with the
provision neglects the principle of reliance on Allah
2Part of a tradition reported by Muslim [18/2655] on the authority of

Abdullah Ibn ‘Amru
3A1-Bukhari [1451]
100
|g which Allah fg commands him, and
sympathizing with the pilgrims, his neglectfulness
of what he has been commanded to do is similar to
the one who neglects the principle of making
provision which he has been commanded to do.
Add to these categories, another category of people

who make reliance and invocation exclusively
reserved for a specific type of people in the belief
that this specific type of people are the exception in
the divine ordainment. But Allah fg says in the
tradition: “all of you are hungry (need food) except
the one whom I feed, so beg food from Me, so that I
may give it to you. O My servants, all of you are
naked (need clothes) except the one whom I provide
with garments, so beg clothes from Me, so that I
may clothe you.”
At-Tabarani and other scholars reported the

tradition in which the prophet said, “Each of you
should ask his Lord Si for all his needs, even the
lace of his sandals, for if it is severed and Allah
does not facilitate its repair, it will not be repaired.”1
’Reported by Ibn Hibban in his Sahih [866] on the authority of Anas &
and Abu Ya’la in his Musnad [3403]. Sheikh Hussein Asad said: “The
chain of transmission of this tradition is authentic and fulfils the
requirements set up by Muslim for the transmission of authentic
traditions.
101
Abu Khuzama quoted his father as saying: “I
asked the prophet “O Allah’s Messenger, does
the medicine we do, the ruqya (recitation of Qur’an
and invocation of Allah W for treatment purposes)
we recite, and the prevention we observe, avert in
any way Allah’s 3g divine preordainment?” The
prophet replied, “These are part of Allah’s divine
preordainment.”2
As regards the part “O My servants, you commit a

wrong night and day and I am there to pardon
your sins, so beg pardon from Me so that I may
grant you pardon,” reference here is made to the
forgiveness of sins in general, which may be two
types: Forgiveness for the repentant and forgiveness
which refers to a lessening of punishment.
As for the former, Allah 3g says: (Say: “My

servants who have acted extravagantly against
themselves still do not despair of Allah’s Mercy.
Allah forgives all offences; He is the Forgiving, the
Merciful. Turn in repentance towards your Lord
and commit your selves peacefully to Him before
torment comes to you; then you will not be
supported.} (Az-Zummar:53-54). This context
2At-Tirmidi [2148] and Ibn Majjah [3437], Tradition classed by Al-

Albani as weak.
102
conforms to the reason of the revelation of the verse
which indicates that no offender should despair of
Allah’s forgiveness, no matter how intense his
sins become, because such increase in sins does not
pose a challenge for Allah W to pardon his repentant
servant. This verse is general and includes
polytheism and other sins, as Allah fg pardons
whoever repents.
As for the latter, reference is made to an alleviation

of torment or its postponement to a specific time.
This is absolute and general, and this is the reason
why the prophet interceded for Abu Talib, who
was, as a result of the intercession, transferred from
the severest scorching fire into a lesser degree of
fire: He was made to walk with sandals of fire, from
which his head boils. The prophet S said, “Had it
not been for me, he would have ended up in the
lowest rank in Hellfire.”1 The meaning of this
tradition is reflected in the verse which says: (If
Allah should take men to task for what they have
earned, He would not leave upon the face of the
earth one creature that crawls.) (FatirA5), (An-
Nahl:61) and (Whatever affliction may visit you is
for what your own hands have earned; and He
pardons much.) (Ash-Shura:35).
'Muslim [213/364] on the authority of An-Nu’man Ibn Bashir
103
As for “O My servants, you will not reach My
Harm so that you may harm, nor reach My
Benefit so that you may benefit Me,” it means that
Allah’s kindness towards His servants, when He W,
for instance, grants their requests and forgives their
wrongs, does not mean for the sake of acquiring a
benefit or averting a harm. Allah W in this tradition
tells us that it is not like when a creature does a
favour for another and expects to be equally
awarded or prevents a harm against him and expects
the other to prevent any harm against him.
Qatada said: “Allah H does no command the

servants to do as He commands for the sake of His
needs, nor does He fg forbid them out of misery on
His Part. On the contrary, He commands them to
do what He W commands them to do for the sake of
their interest, and forbids them to do what is
detrimental to them.”
- O My servants, even if the first amongst you,

the last amongst you, even if the whole of the
human race, and that of the Jinns, become
(equally) God-conscious like the heart of a single
person amongst you, nothing will add to My
104
and that of the Jinns too become in unison the
most wicked (all beating) like the heart of a
single person, it will cause no loss of My Power.
Power in this context may either refer to the ability

to deal with things and management, or the soul of
the ability to deal with things and management. It
may also refer to ownership, which is the source of
dealing and management, or to all. In any case,
neither the piety of the pious nor the indecency of
the indecent will add to or reduce from His Power.
On the contrary, it is His Will and Ability to create
whatever He W wills. If He wants to prevent the
indecency of an indecent person, nothing will stand
on His way, as the wrongful kings in the present life
do to their ruled who oppose their commands. Had
Allah tW willed, He would not have created anything
in the piety of the pious which He has created,
which means that there will be nothing worthy of
need or help, as the kings in the present life are in
need of many of their subservient ruled.
- O My servants, even if the first amongst you,

the last amongst you, the whole human race, and
that of Jinns also, all stand in one place and you
ask Me and I confer upon every person what he
asks for, it will not in any way cause any loss to
105
Me (even less) than that which is caused to the
ocean by dipping a needle in it.
There are two wordings in the above tradition. One

reads ‘Loss to me’ and the other ‘Loss to My
power’. The former indicates that Allah W
possesses things from which He gives to His
servants whatever they ask Him of it. This
means that Toss’ is relevant in this context because,
giving something, no matter how small, from
something large would still cause a certain loss.
The latter also refers to all that Allah’s
possession, but the former is more specific than the
latter.
- My servants, these deeds of yours, which I am

recording for you, I shall reward you for them.
So he who finds good should praise Allah and he
who does not find it should not blame anyone but
himself.
Allah closes His Words with His kindness

towards His servants with respect to reward for their
good deeds, a kindness which is worthy of praise.
This is because Allah is the One who
commanded such good deeds, guided towards them,
supported the servants in performing them, recorded
them and will; therefore, reward for them. All that
106
is part of His bounty and kindness, for every
blessing from Him is a bounty and every curse is an
act of justice. Furthermore, the mercy which He
ascribes to Himself to be merciful towards the
servants and the support of the believers He has
promised are not like people’s obligations towards
each other, which (the latter) may be acts of justice
rather than bounty. Allah W is the Kind, by
kindness, by achieving and ascribing it to Himself.
In other words, by ascribing mercy to Himself and
achieving the support of His believers, He W does
kindness over kindness. And while Allah fg
explains that He is kind in treating the good deeds,
and He W completes His kindness by recording
them and rewarding for them, He fg also explains
that He is Just in rewarding for the bad deeds,
and said: “...he who does not find it should not
blame anyone but himself,” as expressed in
another wording in the verse: {And We did not
wrong them, but their selves they wronged.}
(HudAOl) It is on this basis that the Islamic Law
has been established, in compliance with the innate
disposition (Al-Fitra) on which Allah W created
people.1
'ibn Taymiyya (Majmu ’ Al-Fatawa: 18/136-209)
107
Ibn Rajab’s Interpretation
Imam Ahmad said: This tradition is the most

honourable for the people of Sham (Syrians)
As regards the injustice which Allah has made

unlawful for Himself and against anybody, it is
expressed in more than one verse: (And Allah does
not want to wrong Jinn and mankind.} (Al-
Imran:108), (And Allah does not want to wrong the
servants.} (Ghafir:31), i And Allah does not wrong
people anything.}, (And you Lord does not wrong
the servants.} (Fusilat'A6), (Allah does not harm
anything so much as an atom’s weight: if a fine
deed exists, he multiplies it.} (An-Nisa ’:40), and
(While anyone who has performed honourable
deeds and is a believer will need fear no injustice
nor any curtailment.} (Ta-HaAAlj. In the latter
verse, curtailment refers to rewards, which means
that Allah fg will not cut down from the rewards of
good deeds. Injustice refers to the punishment of
other’s sins.
Examples such as these are profuse in the Qur’an,

and they imply that Allah is capable of injustice,
but He Sg does not do it, because of His Bounty,
Generosity and Kindness towards His servants.
Several scholars interpreted Zulm as: Not putting
108
things in their right order, and interpreted it as the
freedom to interfere in someone else’s property
without his permission, they say that Zulm.
- “And unlawful for you, so do not commit

injustice against one another.” It is unlawful for
any servant to commit injustice against another; not
only that but, injustice is unlawful in general. There
are two types of injustice: Injustice against the self,
of which the most serious form is polytheism and
Injustice against another person.
As for the former, Allah fg says: (Ascribing a
partner to Allah is such a serious wrong.)
(Luqman: 13). In this context, the person who
ascribes a partner to Allah Si has the created the
status of the creator, and thus, worships him.
Hence, this corresponds to the interpretation of
Zulm which says: not putting things in their right
order. Several verses in the Qur’an which mention
the threat to the wrongdoers imply the polytheists.
Observe the following verse: (And the disbelievers
are the wrongdoers.) {Al-Baqara\'15^). This type
also includes the various acts of obedience, which
include serious and minor sins.
As for the latter, to which the above tradition refers,

the prophet said in his last sermon of the Farewell
Pilgrimage: “Your blood, your wealth, honour are
109
as sacred and inviolable as this day of yours, in this
month of yours, in this town of yours.” It was
reported that this sermon was given on the Day of
Slaughter (Yawm An~Nahr\\Vh Dhul-Hijja). In
another narration, the prophet was reported to
have said, “Listen to me and you will live on, do not
commit injustice against one another, for the wealth
of another Muslim is unlawful to take unless he
agrees to it willingly.”
It is also reported in Sahih Al-Bukhari and Sahih

Muslim on the authority of Ibn Umar that the
prophet said, “Injustice will be darkness on the
Day of Judgment.”
Abu Musa quoted the prophet it as saying:

“Allah H will gradually lead the wrongdoer on so
that when He fg seizes him, He would not let him
off.” Then, the prophet recited, {Even so will
your Lord seize things when He takes over any
towns while they are doing wrong; His seizing will
be painful, severe J (Hud\ 102)1

“Whoever has wronged his brother, should ask for
his pardon (before his death), as (in the Hereafter),
there will be neither a dinar nor a dirham. (He
’Al-Bukhari and Muslim
110
should secure pardon in this life) before some of his
good deeds are taken as compensation and given to
his brother, or if he has done no good deeds, some
of his brother’s bad deeds are taken from him and
added on to his bad deeds.”
- “My servants, all of you are liable to err except

one whom I guide on the right path, so seek right
guidance from Me so that I may direct you to the
right path. O My servants, all of you are hungry
servants, all of you are naked (need clothes)
except the one whom I provide with garments, so
beg clothes from Me, so that I may clothe you. O
My servants, you commit a wrong night and day
and I am there to pardon your sins, so beg
pardon from Me so that I may grant you
pardon.” This part implies that all creations are in
need of Allah IB in obtaining interest and averting
harm in their worldly and religious affairs, and that
they do not possess anything of all these for
themselves. Whomever Allah does not bestow
His guidance and provision upon, will be deprived
of them in the present life, and whomever Allah IB
2A1-Bukhari
111
does not grant pardon of his sins, will be deprived
of them in the Hereafter.
There are several relevant examples in the Qur’an,

among which are:
- {Whomever Allah guides, will be guided, and
whomever Allah misguides, will never find any
patron to set him straight.) (Al-Kahf’A'l)
- (There is no withholding any mercy that Allah

may open up for mankind; while neither is there any
[means of] sending anything later on once He has
withheld it. He is the Powerful, the Wise.) (Fatir.2)
- (There is not any creature on earth but that Allah

provides for it.) (Hud.G)
- Allah fg says in the story of Adam and Eve who

said: (They said, ‘Our Lord, we wronged ourselves,
and if you do not pardon us and be merciful towards
us, we will surely be of the losers.) (Al-A ’raf.23)
- In the story of Nuh 8s®, Allah fg says: (And if you

do not forgive me and be merciful towards me, I
shall surely be of the losers.) (HudAT)
- Ibrahim’s 8s® invocations of Allah fg affirm that

Allah’s fl exclusive possession of such capabilities
112
justify that there is no god, but Allah W Alone, and
any ascription of a partner to Him is false: {Have
you ever seen what you have been worshipping, you
and your fathers, the oldtimers? They are enemies
of mine, except for the Lord of the Universe Who
created me. He guides me and is the One Who
feeds me and gives me something to drink.
Whenever I fall ill, He heals me; [He is] the One
Who will cause me to die, then bring me back to life
[again]; the One Who I expect will forgive me my
mistakes on the Day for Repayment. My Lord,
bestow discretion on me and acquaint me with
honourable men.} (Ash-Shu’ra’:7 5-33) This verse
indicates that Whoever Alone created and guided
the servant, and is capable of causing him to die and
bringing him to life, and pardoning his sins in the
Hereafter, is the One Worthy of the exclusivity of
creation, worship, request, submission and refuge.
Allah W says in this context: {Allah is the One Who
has created you, then provided for you; next He will
cause you to die, then revive you. Are there any of
your associates who can perform anything like that?
Glory be to Him; Exalted is He over anything they
may associate [with Him].} (Ar-Rum:4Q)
Generally, there is evidence in the tradition that

Allah W loves to be asked by the servants in all their
religious and worldly interests such as food, drink
113
and dress; just as He W loves to be asked guidance
and forgiveness. Some predecessors would even
ask Allah f® during his prayer salt for his dough and
feed for his sheep.
Some interpreters of the tradition believe that the

part “all of you are liable to err except one whom
I guide on the right path” contradicts the tradition
quoted by Ayyadh Ibn Himar from the prophet
which says: “Allah W says, ‘I created My servants
hunafa’ (pure Faith) (in another wording), as
Muslims, and Satans misguided them.” This is not
true because, Allah fg created the Children of Adam
O with a disposition to accept and incline towards
Islam only as a religion, and to prepare strongly for
it. However, a servant must learn Islam effectively,
because before knowing Islam, one is in a state of
ignorance. Allah fg says in this context: (And
Allah drives you out of the wombs of your mothers
and you do not know anything.} (An-Nahl'.78), and
to His Messenger, (Did He not find you erring, and
guides you.} (Adh-Dhuha\T) The verse implies that
Allah W found His Messenger ignorant of the Book
and Wisdom which He taught him. Hence, Allah W
says in another verse: (Thus We have revealed a
spirit from Our bidding for you. You did not know
what either the Book or Faith were, but We have set
114
it up as a Light by means of which We guide any of
Our servants whom We wish J (Ash-Shura:52)
Man was bom with a disposition of accepting the

truth . If Allah is should guide him, He would
cause someone to teach him guidance, and he
would, as a result, be guided in reality, after he had
been guided by the force of Allah fg. However, if
Allah should misguides him, He fg would cause
someone for the task of misguidance and alteration
of the in-bom disposition. The prophet said:
“Every newborn is bom on al-Fitra (Islam), and it is
his/her parents who Judaise, Christianize, and turn
him/her into a Magus.”
As for the part “O My servants, you commit a

wrong night and day and I am there to pardon
your sins,” there are two types of guidance: general
and particular. The general guidance refers to Islam
and Faith, and this is ongoing. The particular
guidance refers to the knowledge of the details of
Faith and Islam, and Allah’s W support in such a
knowledge. Every believer needs this type of
guidance night and day. Hence, Allah commands
His servants to recite Al-Fatiha the opening Chapter
of the Qur’an, because it contains the part, (.. .guide
us to the Right Path)* (Al-Fatihcr.6). Further, the
prophet S used to say the following invocation at
115
night: “Guide me to the truth which has been
disputed over with Your Permission, for You guide
whomever You will to the Right Path.” Another
example of this guidance is the expression ‘Allah
will guide you’ which a sneezer says when he is told
‘Bless you,’ as laid down by the Sunna.
Relevantly, the prophet S ordered Ali 4® to ask
Allah W guidance, and taught Al-Hasan to say
the following during Al-Qunut invocation at Al-Witr
prayers: “Allahumma hdinifiman hadayta (O Allah,
guide me to that which you have guided to).”
As regards the part “So beg pardon from Me so

that I may grant you pardon,” reference is made
to the seeking of forgiveness from Allah The
servant badly needs forgiveness, as he often errs
night and day. The Qur’an repeatedly refers to the
issue of repentance and forgiveness, and commands
them. In this context, the prophet S said:
• -“Every person errs, and the best of those who
err are the repentant.”
• “By Allah tS, I seek Allah’s forgiveness and
repentance one hundred times a day.”
In another wording:
• “O people, seek forgiveness from your Lord, for
I seek His forgiveness and repentance one
hundred times a day.”
116
“O people, seek forgiveness and repentance from
your Lord, for I seek His forgiveness and
repentance one hundred times a day.”
Imam Ahmad reported: “Hudayfa said, “I used to

have a sharp tongue and would use bad language
with my family, and found myself unable to extract
myself from such a bad habit. When I mentioned it
to the prophet he said, “Why do not you seek
Allah’s forgiveness, Hudayfa. For, I seek His
forgiveness and repentance one hundred times a
day.”
Abu Bakr <= quoted the prophet as saying: “I seek

Allah’s fg forgiveness and repentance one hundred
times a day.”
An-Nisa’I reported on the authority of Abu Musa

“We were sitting when the prophet came and
said, “There is not a morning that goes by, but that I
seek Allah’s W forgiveness one hundred times a
day.”
Ibn Umar reported: “We used to count the

prophet’s saying “O Lord, forgive me and accept
my repentance, for You are the All-Forgiving, All-
Merciful” one hundred times at one sitting.1
'imam Ahmad, Abu Daud, At-Tirmidi, An-Nasa’I and Ibn Majjah.
117
An-Nasa’I reported: “Abu Hurayra said, “I cannot
say I have said “I seek Allah’s W forgiveness and
repentance” more than the prophet
Imam Ahmad reported on the authority of ‘Aisha:

“The prophet S used to say, ‘O Allah count me
among those who, when they perform an
honourable deed, rejoice thereat, and when they do
a bad deed, ask for forgiveness.”
• “O My servants, you will not reach My Harm

so that you may harm, nor reach My Benefit
so that you may benefit Me.” This part implies
that the servants are incapable of extending any
benefit to Allah for He is not in need of His
servants’ obedient acts, and it is they rather than
him who will benefit from any good acts.
Similarly, it is they, rather than Allah W, who
will be harmed by their sins. Allah W says in
this context: (Let not those who hasten on to
disbelief sadden you; they will never injure
Allah in any way.} (Al-‘Imran'A76), (Any one
who turns on his heels will never injure Allah in
anyway.} (Al-Imran:]A4)
During his sermons, the prophet S used to say:

“Whoever disobeys Allah W and His Messenger
118
will be misguided, will injure but himself, and will
not injure Allah W in any way.”
Further relevant verses are: (if you should

disbelieve, Allah owns whatever is in Heaven and
whatever is on Earth. Allah is Transcendent,
Praiseworthy J (An-Nisa’:l31), (And Mosses said,
“If you and all the people on earth disbelieve, Allah
is Transcendent, Praiseworthy.) (Ibrahim’.S), (And
whoever disbelieves, Allah is Transcendent over the
Universe J (Al-'ImrairST) and (Neither their meat
nor their blood ever reaches Allah, but heedfulness
on your part does reach Him.) (Al-Hajj\3T). This
means that Allah fg loves His servants to fear and
obey Him, just as He hates their disobedience to
Him. Allah fg gets happier when He receives a
person’s repentance, than someone who has lost his
riding camel nearby, with his food and drink in it,
and kept on asking Allah W to return it to him until
he despaired and gave up, and was so sleepy that he
fell asleep and when he woke up, he found his
riding camel in front of him; and this is one of the
happiest moment any creature would imagine.
Despite all that any benefit ensued from the

servants’ actions would go to them, and this is part
of Allah’s W perfection in His generosity and
kindness towards His servants, His love to benefit
119
them and prevent harm from reaching them. In
return, Allah loves His servants to know, love,
fear, obey and approach Him W. He also likes them
to know that it is only One capable of forgiving
their sins, as the following tradition indicates:
“Whoever amongst you knows that I am capable of
forgiveness and asks Me for it, I will certainly
forgive his sins.”
The prophet was quoted as saying: “If a servant

sins and says, ‘O Lord, I have sinned, forgive me,’
Allah fg will say, ‘My servant knew that he has a
Lord Who forgives, so I have forgiven My
servant.’”1
Ali reported: “The prophet mounted his camel

and said Al-Hamdu Lillah (Praise to Allah) and Al-
Lahu Akbar (Allah is Great) three times, then said,
“Glory be to You. I have wronged my self, so
forgive, for there is no one who forgives sins but
You.” The prophet then smiled and said, ‘Your
Lord is amazed at His servant when he says,
‘Forgive my sins,’ knowing that there is no one who
can forgive sins but Me.’”
'Al-Bukhari
2Imam Ahmad, and At-Tirmidi who classed it as authentic.
120
The prophet said: “By Allah, Allah 4g is more
merciful towards His servants than a mother
towards her baby.”3
One day, one of Dhu-Nun’s companions was

wandering and saying: Ah! Where is my heart?
Who has found my heart? One day, as he was
walking down a street, he found a child crying. The
child was beaten up by his mother, who drove him
out of the house and locked him out. He started
turning right and left, not knowing where to go. He
stood at the door and started crying and saying: O
my mother, who will open the door for me if you
shut it on my face, and who comes near me if you
are angry with me? The mother showed mercy
towards her son, then peered through the keyhole of
the door and saw her son with tears in his eyes, and
dust all over him. So, she opened the door, put him
on her lap and started kissing him, saying: O my
dearest, it was you who drove me to treat you like
that, and it was you who incurred such treatment on
himself. Had you obeyed me, you would not have
suffered any harm from me. The boy started
shouting: I have found my heart, I have found my
heart.
3A1-Bukhari
121
Remember Allah’s ft verse which says: (Who,
when they commit an indecency or wrong
themselves, remember Allah, and pray forgiveness
for their sins - and who shall forgive sins but
Allah?} (Al-Imran:135). Here reference is made to
sinners who have nobody to resort to and depend on
for the forgiveness of their sins, but Allah ft.
Another relevant verse is: (As for the three who
were left behind, until the earth seemed too cramped
for them, spacious though it is, and even their souls
seemed to strangle them and they thought there
would be no refuge from Allah except through
Himself; then He relented towards them so they
might repent. Allah is Ever-Turning, Merciful.}
(At-Tawba:l].8), in which Allah ft organized their
repentance according to their belief that there is no
escape from Allah ft, but to Him. For example, if a
servant fears another, he would run from him and
seek someone else’s protection. However, if one
fears Allah ft, he would have no protector but Allah
ft. So, the fearful runs from Allah fg to Allah ft.
Hence, the prophet used to say the following
invocations: “There is no escape nor rescue from
You, except to You,” and “I seek refuge in Your
Satisfaction with me from Your Curse on me, in
Your Pardon, from Your Punishment, and in You
from You.”
122
Al-Fudhayl Ibn Ayyadh said: “There is not a day
on which the night falls and darkness spreads, but
that Allah S® says: Who is more generous than Me,
while the creations are disobedient to Me and I am
watching them. I care for them in their beds as if
they have not disobeyed Me, I take charge of their
protection as if they have not sinned with respect to
what is between them and Me. I am graceful
towards the sinner and wrongdoer? Has anyone
invoked Me and I did not grant his request? Has
anyone asked me anything and I did not give it to
him? Has any one come to My door and turned him
down? I am the Grace and grace comes from Me. I
am the Generous and generosity comes from Me.
Part of My generosity is My forgiveness of the
disobedient, and part of My generosity, I give the
servant what he asks me for and what he does not
ask me for. Part of My generosity, I give the
repentant as if he did not disobey Me. To whom
will creatures escape, but to Him? To whose door
will sinners escape, but to His?”1
- “O My servants, even if the first amongst you,

1 Transmitted by Abu Nu’aym
123
single person, it will cause no loss of My Power.”
Allah’s Power will neither increase through the
creatures’ obedience to Him, even if they were all
pious and their hearts like the heart of a single
person; nor decrease through the sins of the
disobedient, even if the Jinns and mankind were all
disobedient and their hearts like the heart of the
most insolent amongst them. Allah fg is the
Transcendent in His self over all, and He has the
absolute perfection in His Self, Attributes and
Actions. His is a perfect Power, flawless from
whichever aspect.
The prophet’s statement: “And evil cannot be

attributed to You,” implies that pure evil whose
non-existence is better than its existence cannot be
found in Allah’s W Power. Allah W created His
creations in accordance with His wisdom and
justice. He W specifically bestowed grace on some
people and discarded others in justice, because of
the wisdom Allah fg sees in doing so. However,
this view is arguable and contradicts part of the
above tradition that “even if the first amongst you,
124
single person, it will cause no loss of My Power,”
which means that His Power is perfect from
whichever aspect, and neither does it increase or
perfect with obedience, nor does it diminish or be
affected by anything.
This tradition also indicates that the source of piety

and insolence is the heart. This is to say that if the
heart is pious, then the rest of the organs would
follow suit, but if the heart is insolent, then the rest
of the organs would follow suit; as the prophet
once said, “Piety is in here,” pointing at his breast.”
- “O My servants, even if the first amongst you,

the last amongst you, the whole human race, and
that of Jinns also, all stand in one place and you
ask Me and I confer upon every person what he
asks for, it will not in any way cause any loss to
Me (even less) than that which is caused to the
ocean by dipping a needle in it.” This part refers
to Allah’s i complete capability and power, and
125
also to His never-ending treasures, which will never
be drained even though the first amongst you, the
last amongst you, the whole human race, and that of
Jinns also, all stand in one place and ask Him for
whatever they want. The tradition also urges
mankind to ask Allah fg for their needs.

“When one of you invokes Allah W, he should not
say, ‘O Allah, forgive me if you wish,’ but should
do it with determination and desire to be forgiven,
for nothing transcends Allah fg.”
Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri said: “When you invoke
Allah fg, ask for something big, for what Allah 5c
has does not end, and do it with determination, for
Allah fg will not dislike it.”
It is reported in some Israelites that Allah fg says:

“Is Other than Me wished for to intervene in
adversities, whilst adversities are in My hand and I
am the Living, the Eternal? Is other them Me
wished for and his door knocked on, whilst I have
the keys of treasures and My Door is open for
whomever asks Me? Has anyone come to Me in a
crisis and I let him down? Has anyone taken refuge
in Me from a tyrant and I let him down? Has
anyone knocked on My door and I did not open it
for him? I am the highest degree of hopes, so how
126
will hopes cease to exist without Me? Am I
avaricious so that My servant would feel avaricious
towards Me? Are not the present life, the Hereafter,
generosity, grace all mine? So, what prevents the
hopers from expecting me to fulfill their hopes? If I
gather the inhabitants of Heavens and Earth and
give each one of them what they want, My donation
will not end what I have, and fulfill everyone’s
wish, such fulfillment will not reduce what equals
an atom from My power. After all, how will a
power over which I am the Guardian decrease?
How bad it is for those who despair of My mercy,
and how bad it is for those who disobey Me and
violated the things which I made unlawful!
As for the part “it will not in any way cause any
loss to Me (even less) than that which is caused to
the ocean by dipping a needle in it,” it implies that
what Allah W has does not end at all. This is
explicitly expressed in the following verse: (What
you have goes, and what Allah has remains J (An-
Nahl:96). Metaphorically, when a needle is dipped
in the ocean and taken out, it will not reduce
anything from it. Similarly, if a bird drinks of the
ocean’s water, it will not decrease the amount of its
water. In this context, Al-Khader O gave a similar
example to Mosses O (see Al-KahfAW) with
respect to their knowledge compared to that of
127
Allah S in a metaphorical way; that the ocean is till
being replenished with the waters of the earth, and
no matter how much is taken from it, it will not
reduce anything from it, for it is being replenished
with more than what was taken from it. Similarly,
the food in Paradise does not decrease: (And plenty
of fruit, which neither rationed nor forbidden J (Al-
Waqi’a:32)
It is also said in this context that “Every time a fruit

is taken, another replaces it.” This is evidenced by
the prophet’s statement in the sermon given on
the day of the eclipse of the sun: “And I was shown
Paradise and wanted to have a bunch (of grapes)
from it. Had I taken it and given it to you to eat,
you would have eaten from it as long as this life
lasts.”11
The same tradition is reported by Imam Ahmad on

the authority of Jabir A, but in another wording:
“Had I brought it for you, every one in the Heavens
and Earth would have eaten of it, and still would not
reduce its amount.” Similarly, the fowl meat which
the inhabitants of Paradise eat is being replenished*
nAl-Bukhari and Muslim, on the authority of Ibn Abbas
128
as if it were fresh all the time, and still nothing will
be reduced from it.
There is another tradition which was quoted from

the prophet H in different chains of narrations which
contain some weakness, as reported by Ka’b and
also by Abu Umama Al-Bahili who said: Also the
drink; it will be drunk until it finishes then would
come back to its place.”
Some deceased pious people appeared in a vision to
others, long after their death and said, “I have not
eaten anything since I left you, except some fowl
meat. Do not you know that the food of Paradise
does not end.”
The following tradition reported by At-Tirmidi and

Ibn Majjah also explains the reason why what Allah
W has does not grow less: “ I am Generous and
Glorious, doing what I wish. My Giving is speech
and My Punishment is speech. My command to a
thing when I ant it is just to say to it ‘Be’ and it
comes into being.” This command is explicitly
expressed in the following verse: {His command if
He wants something is just to say to it ‘Be’ and it
is.) (Yasin:82) and {Our Command to something if
We want it is just to say to it ‘Be’ and it is.) (An-
NahlAQ)
129
“Allah’s W treasures are speech, so if Allah
wants something, He will just say to it ‘Be’ and it
is.”
Therefore, since that anything of donation or
punishment which He wants is just a matter of
words, then how His power will decrease? The
same applies to His creations. Observe the
following verse: (Jesus’ case with Allah was the
same as Adam’s: He created him from dust; then
told him: “Be!” and he was J (Al-Imran:59)
It is reported in some Israelites that Allah W said to

Mosses O': “O Mosses,
do not fear anyone but Me, as long as I have Power,

and My Power is eternal. O Mosses, do not care
about My Provision as long as it plenty and will
never finish. O Mosses, do not have anybody as a
companion, but Me as long as you have found Me
as a companion, whenever you ask Me, you will
find Me. O Mosses, do not feel safe from My, as
long as you have not yet crossed the Way to
Paradise.”
- “My servants, these deeds of yours, which I am

recording for you, I shall reward you for them.”
130
This means that Allah fg records the deeds of His
servants and rewards them accordingly, as the
following verses suggest: (And whoever has done
an atom’s weight of good will see it; while whoever
has done an atom’s weight of evil will see it J (Az-
Zalzala\l-'&), (They will find whatever they have
done presented there, even though your Lord will
not harm anyone.} (Al-KahfA9), (Some day when
every person will find whatever good he has done is
presented [as evidence] as well as whatever bad he
has done, he would like a long stretch [to lie]
between them and himself.} (Al-Imran:30) and
(Some day when Allah will resurrect them all and
inform them of anything they have done. Allah has
calculated it while they have forgotten it.} (Al-
Mujadala'.G)
It appears that “I shall reward you for them,” may

either imply that reward will take place on the Day
of Judgment, as the following verse: (You will
merely be repaid your earnings on the Day of
Judgment.} (^/-Zwraw.185); or both in the present
life and the Hereafter, on the basis of the verse
which says: (Anyone who commits evil will be
rewarded accordingly.} (An-Nisa’A23} The
prophet was quoted as interpreting it in the
following way: The believers will be rewarded for
their evil deeds in the present life, and their good
131
deeds will be stored for them in the Hereafter and be
rewarded accordingly. As for the disbelievers, they
will be rewarded for their good deeds in the present
life, while their evil deeds are stored in the
Hereafter, and they will be punished for them there.
Evil deeds are rewarded accordingly without any
addition, save if Allah W grants his pardon; while a
good deed is rewarded with ten equal deeds, which
double to seven hundred, to more amounts which
only Allah knows. Allah fg says in this context:
(Surely the patient will be paid their wages without
any reckoning.} (Az-Zumar:lQi)
• So he who finds good should praise Allah and

he who does not find it should not blame anyone but
himself.”
Ali said: “A servant should not hope for anyone,

but his Lord and should not fear anything, but his
sin.”
If Allah fg wants success and guidance for a

servant, then He W will support and guide him to
His obedience, and that as a gesture of grace and
mercy on His part. But if He wants to let him down,
He W will let his soul be his resort and separate
between them; thus, causing the Satan to seduce
him because he neglected Allah’s ig remembrance
132
and followed his desires. That is part of Allah’s
justice, and the evidence which will be available
will be that of Allah fg against the servant, from the
Book and the dispatch of Messengers. Therefore,
mankind will have no evidence to expound his case
before Allah Sg, since Messengers have come and
conveyed the Message Allah |g had intended.
• “So he who finds good should praise Allah
and he who does not find it should not blame
anyone but himself.” If this closing statement
means that the find takes place in the present life,
then whoever finds it is commanded to praise Allah
W for what he has found of the good deeds for
which he has received a prompt reward. Hence,
Allah says: {We shall let anyone who acts
honourably, whether it is a man or a woman,
provided he is a believer, live a happy life and
reward them with their earnings for the finest deeds
they have been doingj (An-Nahl’.9T). A servant is
also commanded to blame his self for whichever sin
it has committed and for which he has been
promptly punished: (Still We shall let them taste
worldly torment rather than supreme torment, so
they may yet turn back J (As-Sajda:2\). When a
believer is visited by a trial in the present life, he
turns back and blames his self for it, and is forced
by such a trial to return to Allah for repentance and
forgiveness.
133
The prophet was quoted as saying: “When an
illness visits a believer, and Allah heals him, then
that is an expiation for his past sins and a warning
for what remains of his lifetime. But when an
illness visits a hypocrite and is healed, then that will
represent nothing for him; just like a camel which
has been tied up, then released by its keepers,
unaware of why it has been tied up and why it has
been released.”1
Salman Al-Farisi said: “The Muslim is tried, and

his trial will expiate his past sins and caution him of
what remains; and the disbeliever is also tried, but
his trial does not mean anything for him; just like a
camel, whether released or tied up, it will not know
for what reason.”
However, if the closing statement implies that those
who will find the good in the Hereafter should
praise Allah W for what they have found, and that
whoever finds other than that should blame but
himself, on a Day when blame will be of no avail;
then the wording is related to the command and its
meaning is related to the information on what is or
will happen; as the prophet said in the following
1 Sunan Abu Daud.
134
tradition: “Whoever deliberately invents a lie
against me, then he should expect his abode to be in
Hellfire.” Hence, Allah W informs us about the
inhabitants of Paradise and their praising Allah it
for what He has bestowed upon them of his bounty
in the following verses: {We will strip away any
rancour [that lingers] in their breasts. Rivers will
flow underneath them and they will say: “Praise be
to Allah who led us to this! We would never have
been guided if Allah had not led us on.} (Al-
A ’rafA3), (They will say: “Praise be to Allah Who
has held True to His promise for us and let us
inherit the earth! We shall settle down anywhere
we wish to in the Garden.”} (Az-Zumar:74) and
(They will say: “Praise to Allah Who has lifted
sadness from us! Our Lord is Forgiving,
Appreciative, the One Who has settled us in the
Everlasting Home because of His bounty. No toil
will ever touch us there nor will any weariness
affect us in it.} (Fatir:34-35).
Allah also informs us in the following verses

about the inhabitants of Hellfire who severely
castigate themselves: (Satan will say, once the
matter has been settled: “Allah has given you a true
promise, while I have both promised you and then
broken my word with you. I have no authority over
135
you except that I appealed to you, and you
responded to me. Do not blame me but blame
yourselves!) (Ibrahim:22), {The ones who
disbelieve will be addressed [as follows]: “Allah’s
disgust will be even greater than your own disgust is
towards one another when you are called upon to
believe and [still] disbelieve.) (Ghafir. 10)
Some pious predecessors used to strive in
performing good deeds lest they should reproach the
self for not doing so once deeds cease to exist (i.e.
after death). Abu Hurayra 4® quoted the prophet S
as saying: “There is not a person who dies, but that
he regrets. If he has been good, he would wish he
could have done better, and if he were bad, he
would worry he has not been blamed.”1
Masruq was told to cut down his efforts in seeking
good deeds and he said: “By Allah fg, if someone
comes and informs me that Allah W will not punish
me, I will strive in worshipping Him.” He was
asked, “How?” He replied, “Until my soul forgives
me that if I am made to enter the Hellfire, I will not
blame it. Do not you know the verse which says:
(No. I will not swear by the reproachful soul.)
Upon reaching the Hellfire, people would start
blaming their souls, and a barrier would be
established between them and what they desire.
1 At-Tirmidi, (Hadith Marfu’)
136
Their hopes would be cut off, and they would be
denied mercy, and every one would start blaming
his soul.”
Amer Ibn Abd Qays used to say: “By Allah, I strive
and strive. If I am saved then it is by the Mercy of
Allah W. Otherwise, I will blame but my soul.”
Ziyyad Ibn Ayyash used to say to Ibn Al-Munkadir
and Safwane Ibn Salim: “Be serious and cautious!
If matters turn up as we have expected, then that is
good, otherwise do not blame but your souls.”
Mutraf Ibn Abdullah also used to say: “Be diligent
in harbouring good deeds. If things turn up as we
have expected of Allah’s mercy and pardon, then
we will have rewards, but if things turn up gloomy,
as we fear of and are cautious about, then we would
say: {Our Lord, Take us out! We will act
honourably, so differently from the way we have
been acting.} (Fatir:37).1
1 Ibn Rajab, Jami ’ Al- ‘Ulum wal-Hikam [p:350], Dar Al-Jil, Beirut.
137

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OPPRESSION

AND THE OPPRESSORS

MOHAMED MOUTWALLI SHAARAOUI

Al-Firdous Ltd., London

All rights reserved 2006. No part of this book may be

2006 : First Edition

Typeset by Abu Musa

Cover design by Halil Ozturk

Published and Distributed by :

Printed in England by De-Luxe Printers Ltd.

In the Name ofAllah, Most Compassionate,

All praise is due to Allah, we praise Him, seek His

(O believers, fear Allah as He should be feared, and

(Mankind, fear your Lord, who created you of a

The truest discourse is the Qur’an, the most noble of

THE MOST BELOVED CREATURES

Ibn Mas’ud quoted the prophet as saying: “All

According to Al-Ajlouni (Kashf Al-Khafa’ [1220]):

The above tradition was also reported by Abu

At-Tabarani reported the tradition on the authority

Al-Askari reported: “Ibn ‘Umar said, “The

At-Tabarani reported: “Zayd Ibn Khalid said in a

Ibn Uday quoted Ibn Mas’ud as saying in a

According to An-Nawawi, this tradition is weak,

Al-Hafidh Abdulazim Al-Mundiri quoted Anas

According to Abdullah Mohamed As-Sullami,

According to Al-Askari, the above tradition

According to Ibn Hajar Al-Makki, the tradition:

ALLAH’S fl HONOUR TO MANKIND

Allah is says: {We have honoured the Children of

According to Al-Qurtubi, {honoured} in this

According to At-Tabari, {We have honoured the

According to Ibn Kathir’s interpretation in the

(And carried them on land and sea} Reference here

(And preferred them greatly over many of those We

^l-Haythami said in Majma’ Az-Zawa’id [265]: “Tradition reported by

ALLAH’S BLESSING UPON

The believer would -through the Qur’an- recognise,

• The Blessing of Creation: Had it not been

• The Blessing of Humankind: Allah fg

- The Blessing of Perception and Knowledge:

- The Blessing of Eloquence and Calligraphy:

- The Blessing of Provision: Allah says: (O

- The Blessing of Brotherhood and Love:

A MUSLIM PERSON WOULD NOT

Abdullah Ibn Umar quoted the prophet as

Generally, the tradition urges support and good

Abu Hurayra < quoted the prophet as saying:

1 Muslim: 38/2699 and At-Tirmidi [2945],

At-Tayyibi said: “Easing up a discomfort is similar

Given that all creatures are Allah’s Si dependents

‘He who eases up a hardship.’ If a poor person,

‘Allah Sg will support a servant so long as the

One day Othman Ibn Affan was called up to deal

Abdullah Ibn Umar quoted the prophet as

Jabir Ibn Abdullah 4© quoted the prophet as

Abu Dharr reported: “The prophet quoted

In another narration, the tradition says: “I have

Anas 4s> quoted the prophet S as saying: “Support