Types of Oppression

By Sheykh: Abdul Aziz Aal Al-Sheykh

First Khutbah

O People, Fear Allaah The Almighty as He should be feared.

O Servants of Allaah The Almighty, it was narrated that the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, said: "Beware of oppression for oppression will be a darkness on the Day of Resurrection." [Reported by Al-Bukhaari]

My Fellow Muslims, oppression is a bad conduct and evil act. Oppression has many bad ends in this life and the life to come. It is the cause of losing blessings, shortening lifespan and the occurrence of punishment and afflictions. Moreover, in the Hereafter it will have darkness, one above another. So, Muslim individual should fear his Lord and adopt justice in all of his conditions. With Justice, the earth and the heavens were established. Oppression will be a darkness on the Day of Resurrection. Allaah The Almighty prohibited oppression in His Noble Quran and so did His Messenger in his honorable Sunnah.

Oppression in the Noble Quran and Sunnah is of three types:

The greatest and most serious type of oppression that entails the severest punishment and torture is to associate others with Allaah The Almighty in worship. Actually, it is the greatest, most serious and evilest type of oppression. That is because oppression is to do unjust act. Then, what oppression is greater than the oppression of the one who associates others with Allaah The Almighty in worship and attaches his heart with others than Allaah The Almighty, loving, fearing and seeking help from them! What oppression is greater than the one who dedicates worship to the one who possess not for himself any harm or benefit and possess not power to cause death or life or resurrection! Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): { Do they attribute as partners to Allaah those who created nothing but they themselves are created? No help can they give them, nor can they help themselves.} [Quran 7: 191-192]

What oppression is greater than the one who invokes besides Allaah The Almighty those who will not respond to him until the Day of Resurrection, who invokes those who do not hear his invocations and if they heard, they would not respond to him! Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {Those whom they (Al-Mushrikun) invoke besides Allaah have not created anything, but are themselves created. (They are) dead, lifeless, and they know not when they will be raised up.} [Quran 16: 20-21]

What oppression is greater than the one who attaches his heart to other than Allaah The Almighty, circumambulates the graves of the dead, makes sacrifices for them, calls upon them and seeks their help in difficulties and claims that they bring benefit and cause harm and that they bring him near to Allaah The Almighty! Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And (remember) when Luqman said to his son when he was advising him: "O my son! Join not in worship others with Allaah. Verily! Joining others in worship with Allaah is a great Zulm (wrong) indeed.} [Quran 31: 13]

He The Almighty also Says (what means): {It is those who believe (in the Oneness of Allaah and worship none but Him Alone) and confuse not their belief with Zulm (wrong i.e. by worshipping others besides Allaah), for them (only) there is security and they are the guided.} [Quran 6: 82]

My Fellow Muslims, the one who associates others with Allaah The Almighty in worship is really an oppressor. That is because he did oppression that Allaah The Almighty does not forgive. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {Verily, whosoever sets up partners in worship with Allaah, then Allaah has forbidden Paradise for him, and the Fire will be his abode. And for the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong¬doers) there are no helpers.} [Quran 5: 72] 

Amongst the forms of oppression is to invent lies against Allaah The Almighty such as the one who claims that he receives inspiration while Allaah The Almighty has sealed Prophethood by the death of our Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessing be upon him. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And who can be more unjust than he who invents a lie against Allaah, or says: "I have received inspiration," whereas he is not inspired in anything; and who says, "I will reveal the like of what Allaah has revealed."} [Quran 6: 93]

My Fellow Muslims, justice entails that we should love our Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessing be upon him, and act upon his Sunnah, support, back, call and encourage acting upon it. It is unjust to ignore his Sunnah and not acting upon it. It is really a form of oppression and aggression. It was narrated that he, peace and blessing be upon him, told about some people who would say: ‘The Book of Allaah is (sufficient) between us and you. Whatever it states is permissible we will take as permissible, and whatever it states is forbidden, we will take as forbidden.’ He, peace and blessing be upon him, said:  “I have been given the Quran and something like it along with it.”

My Fellow Muslims, amongst the forms of oppression is when people deal unjustly with one another. Allaah The Almighty has pointed out in His Noble Quran different forms of oppression that people practice against each others. Amongst such forms is the oppression that Allaah The Almighty has explained in His Book regarding woman when her husband deals with her unjustly, beats, humiliates her so that she may free herself from him and pay back what he paid for her as Mahr (i.e. Bridal dowry), even if she did not do anything wrong, but Allaah The Almighty did not make love among them. Thus , he seeks to cause harm to and slander her and fabricating charges against her and inventing bad things about her and her family. So, they pay for him what he paid of Mahr to protect themselves from the evil of his tongue. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And it is not lawful for you (men) to take back (from your wives) any of your Mahr (bridal money given by the husband to his wife at the time of marriage) which you have given them, except when both parties fear that they would be unable to keep the limits ordained by Allaah (e.g. to deal with each other on a fair basis). Then if you fear that they would not be able to keep the limits ordained by Allaah, then there is no sin on either of them if she gives back (the Mahr or a part of it) for her Al-Khul' (divorce). These are the limits ordained by Allaah, so do not transgress them. And whoever transgresses the limits ordained by Allaah, then such are the Zalimun (wrong-doers, etc.).} [Quran 2: 229]

When man causes harm to woman to get rid of him without any wrong action from her nor falling short in fulfilling his rights; rather, she fulfills all of her obligations well. However and because he is not bashful enough and his faith is weak, such man causes harm to her and fabricates charges against her to get the Mahr back. 

Amongst the types of oppressions is the Riba (i.e. interest and usury)-based transactions. Allaah The Almighty has pointed out that it is a form of oppression. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {But if you repent, you shall have your capital sums. Deal not unjustly (by asking more than your capital sums), and you shall not be dealt with unjustly (by receiving less than your capital sums).} [Quran 2: 279], meaning that everyone should take his due money only for Riba is a form of oppression and aggression and a form of consuming the wealth of people unjustly.

Amongst the forms of oppression is what Allaah The Almighty has pointed out in His Noble Book that the wealth of the orphans is a trust under the protection of the guardian and that if he deals unjustly regarding it will be oppressor. Therefore, Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {"And come not near to the orphan's property, except to improve it, until he (or she) attains the age of full strength.} [Quran 6: 152]

Allaah The Almighty has explained that consuming their wealth unjustly is a form of oppression Saying (what means): {Verily, those who unjustly eat up the property of orphans, they eat up only a fire into their bellies, and they will be burnt in the blazing Fire!} [Quran 4: 10]

Allaah The Almighty has warned Muslim individual against committing suicide and that killing oneself is a form of oppression. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And do not kill yourselves (nor kill one another). Surely, Allaah is Most Merciful to you. And whoever commits that through aggression and injustice, We shall cast him into the Fire, and that is easy for Allaah.} [Quran 4: 29-30]

Allaah The Almighty has told that stealing the money of Muslims and taking them unjustly is a form of oppression. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means) after mentioning the punishment of the thief: {But whosoever repents after his crime and does righteous good deeds (by obeying Allaah), then verily, Allaah will pardon him (accept his repentance). Verily, Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.} [Quran 5: 39]

He The Exalted also told that when the rich delays paying the obligatory right upon him is a form of oppression practiced against the owner of the money. That is because giving rights for  their owners kindly is something obligatory. Delaying the payment of the price of the sold item, loan or the like is a form of oppression against the owner for it is obligatory for you to give him his right in its due time. It was narrated that the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, said: "For a rich man to delay payment is wrongdoing and his honor and punishment become permissible."  

Amongst the forms of oppression is to prefer some children to some others unjustly and unfairly. When our Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, was sought to witness over such differentiation, he, peace and blessing be upon him, said: "Fear Allaah and treat your children fairly."

He, peace and blessing be upon him, also said: "Do not ask me to bear witness to falsehood. ‘Ask someone else to bear witness to this." The Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, deemed it a form of injustice, oppression, and refused to bear witness to it because of that.

Amongst the other forms of oppression is leaning towards one wife over the others for this goes against observing justice with them. Observing justice and fairness with one's wives is something obligatory according to the Islamic religion. Preferring one of them to the others in some of the apparent matters is prohibited according to Islam. It was narrated that the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, said: "Whoever has two wives and leans towards (i.e. favours) one of them (over the other), will come on the Day of Resurrection with half of his body leaning." Thus, preferring a wife to the other wives is a form of practicing oppression against the wives who are not preferred and a form of aggression that has no right basis.

Amongst the other forms of oppression is that spouses oppress one another in any of the forms of oppression that is because Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And they (women) have rights (over their husbands as regards living expenses, etc.) similar (to those of their husbands) over them (as regards obedience and respect, etc.) to what is reasonable.} [Quran 2: 228] So, if the wife does not give her husband his rights, then she is oppressing him. Also, if the husband does not give his wife her rights, then he is oppressing her.

Amongst the other forms of oppression is to oppress workers and not give them their wages in their due times and delaying paying them. In this regard, it was narrated that the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, said: “Give the worker his wages before his sweat dries.” Thus, their rights are something obligatory to be paid in their due times. It is prohibited for one to delay and postpone paying them, oppressing and exploiting them unjustly. Have not you read the story of three persons who entered a cave in a mountain in order to spend the night. A big rock rolled over and blocked the mouth of the cave. They began to invoke Allaah by giving reference to their good deeds (so that Allaah may relieve them from their difficulty). Whenever one of them invokes Allaah The Almighty with that, He The Exalted makes for them an opening until the last one of them said: “O Allaah! Once I employed workers, and I paid them, except one who left without taking his due share, so I invested it and from it great wealth developed. After some time that man came and demanded his money. I said to him: Go to those camels, cows and the shepherd and take them for they are all for you. He asked me not to mock him. I told him that I was not mocking him, so he took it all and left nothing behind. O Allaah! If You regard that I did it sincerely for Your sake, then please remove the rock. So, the rock was removed completely from the mouth of the cave, and they came out walking”.

Again, the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, said: "Oppression will be a darkness on the Day of Resurrection." So, every Muslim individual should fear his Lord and not oppress the servants of Allaah The Almighty.

Amongst the other forms of oppression is to oppress people regarding their blood, wealth and honors. Shedding blood without a right cause is one of the major sins. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell to abide therein, and the Wrath and the Curse of Allaah are upon him, and a great punishment is prepared for him.} [Quran 4: 93]

It was also narrated that the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, said: "Whoever killed a person having a treaty with the Muslims, shall not smell the smell of Paradise."

Amongst the forms of oppression is to oppress people regarding their wealth through corruption or taking a part from it unjustly. It was narrated that the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, said: "Whoever takes a piece of the land of others unjustly, he will sink down the seven earths on the Day of Resurrection." 

My Fellow Muslims, amongst the other forms of oppression is to deal with people unjustly regarding their honors through backbiting them, walking around spreading malicious gossip among people, slandering, mocking, disdaining and trying to fabricate charges against them while they are completely innocent. All of such things are included in the forms of oppression. It was narrated that the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, said: "Your blood and your wealth and your honour are sacred to you."

Muslim individual should fear his Lord and adhere firmly to justice in all matters. In Al-Qudsi Hadeeth, Allaah The Almighty Says:

"O My slaves, I have forbidden Zulm to Myself and I have made it Haraam (i.e. prohibited) among you, so do not wrong one another", meaning that no one should oppress the other and no one should attack the other; rather, everyone should respect the other highly.

Such religion of Allaah The Almighty establishes justice and fights oppression. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {Indeed We have sent Our Messengers with clear proofs, and revealed with them the Scripture and the Balance (justice) that mankind may keep up justice.} [Quran 57: 25]

O Allaah, bless us with the Noble Quran, benefit us with its signs and wise remembrance. I say these words of mine and I ask Allaah The Almighty to forgive me, you and all Muslims from all sins. Seek His forgiveness and turn to Him with repentance for He The Exalted is All-Forgiving and All-Merciful. 

Second Khutbah

Praise be to Allaah, much good and blessed praise, as our Lord loves and is pleased with. I bear witness that there is no god except Allaah alone, with no partner or associate, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. Peace and blessings be upon him, upon all his Family and Companions and grant an abundance of peace on them until the Day of Resurrection.

To proceed:

O People, Fear Allaah The Almighty as He should be feared.

O Servants of Allaah, My fellow Muslims, whoever deals and mixes with people never be free from some forms of oppressions. Accordingly, Muslim individual should clear and purify himself from any form of oppression in his lifetime in general. One should do that in this life before oppressed people consume his good deeds and he bears their bad ones in the Hereafter. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {Consider not that Allaah is unaware of that which the Zalimun (polytheists, wrong-doers, etc.) do, but He gives them respite up to a Day when the eyes will stare in horror.} [Quran 14: 42]

My Fellow Muslim, if you have oppressed anyone, they you should hasten to purify yourself from it. It was narrated that the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, said: “Whoever has wronged his brother with regard to a debt, his wealth or his honor, let him ask him for forgiveness before the time when there will be neither dinar nor dirham, and if he has any good deeds (hasanaat) it will be taken from him (in proportion to the wrong he did), and if he does not have any good deeds, some of the other person's evil deeds (Sayi’aat) will be taken and thrown onto him, then he will be thrown into the Fire."  

It was also narrated that once the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, asked his companions, may Allaah be pleased with them, saying: “Do you know who the bankrupt one is?” They said, “Among us, the one who is bankrupt is the one who has no money or goods.” He, peace and blessing be upon him, said: “The one who is bankrupt among my Ummah (i.e. Islamic nation) is the one who will come on the Day of Resurrection with good deeds like the mountains, but he will come having beaten this one, insulted that one, oppressed this one, consumed the wealth of this one, so this one will be given some of his good deeds, and that one will be given some of his good deeds and if his good deeds run out before all the scores are settled, then some of their bad deeds will be taken and thrown onto him, then he will be thrown into the Fire."

My Fellow Muslims, Allaah The Almighty will never neglect the rights of the people for they are based on setting things straight with them (i.e. It is not waived just because one repents, rather rights must be restored to people or the person must ask them to let him off). Free yourself from the responsibility of the scores of the people. Free yourself from the wealth of the orphan in this worldly life if you are a guardian. Free yourself from the trusts of others. If you have taken grains of endowment or bequests, then give people their rights. Beware of oppressing people. If you are a guardian on some heirs, then give everyone his due. Beware of delaying payment, using denial, and deception. In this life you may succeed in deceiving people; however, be sure that you will stand before the One Who  knows that which deceives the eyes and what the breasts conceal. No matter you will try to conceal that, Allaah The Almighty surely know what you are doing and if you denied that, He The Exlated will make your limbs speak and bear witness to what they used to earn. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {This Day, We shall seal up their mouths, and their hands will speak to Us, and their legs will bear witness to what they used to earn. (It is said that one's left thigh will be the first to bear the witness). [Tafseer At-Tabari, Vol. 22, Page 24]} [Quran 36: 65]

They will say to their limbs (as Allaah The Almighty says (what means) on their behalf): {"Why do you testify against us?" They will say: "Allaah has caused us to speak, as He causes all things to speak, and He created you the first time, and to Him you are made to return."} [Quran 41: 21]

Free yourself from the responsibility of the scores of the people. Any money you have earned illegally, then hasten to free yourself from it. Restore rights to their people. Free yourself from the responsibility of the scores of the people as long as you are able to do that in this worldly life before death overcomes you, see the angels of Allaah The Almighty, see the Angel of Death. You will hope that you could live for just an hour to restore rights for its people, return things to their rightful owners; however, this will avail you nothing.

My Fellow Muslims, You are the one who will be held for account, the one who will be punished, and the one who will be tortured. People may forget the wrong actions that you did against people but Allaah The Almighty has kept account of such evil actions. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {Allaah has kept account of it, while they have forgotten it.} [Quran 58: 6] Beware of delaying and postponing payment, using tricks and deception, deceiving yourself that you are clever and skillful in deceiving people and is able to consume the wealth of the people unjustly. Free yourself from such evil things. You will not be saved except if you free yourself from such scores in the worldly life before standing before Allaah The Almighty on the Day of Resurrection. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {This Day shall every person be recompensed for what he earned. No injustice (shall be done to anybody). Truly, Allaah is Swift in reckoning.} [Quran 40: 17] 

I ask Allaah to help us to adhere to the truth, clear us all from the responsibility of the scores of people, provide us with proper insight regarding our matters, and help us to free ourselves from all sins as long as we live in this life for He The Exalted is able to do all things.

My Fellow Muslims, the wisest and most intelligent among men is the one who frees himself from the responsibility of the scores that need to be settled, does not let his heirs live with and consume the wealth of oppression. They even may supplicate Allaah The Almighty against him if someone disputes with them, saying: 'May Allaah destroy the one who caused to us such problems and caused between us and people enmity.' My fellow Muslim, free and clear yourself from such scores, prepare yourself properly for the account in this worldly life. That is because whoever loves and seeks goodness will be successful, and whoever is keen on oppression and aggression, he may be prevented from success, may Allaah protect us from that, and thus he will meet Allaah The Almighty while bearing the responsibility of the scores of the people. May Allaah guard us from all evils. 

You should know may Allaah show mercy to you that the best speech is the Book of Allaah and the best of guidance is the guidance of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessing be upon him, and the most evil of things are those which are newly-invented and every innovation is misguidance. Adhere firmly to the Jamaa‘ah (main body) of the Muslims for the hand of Allaah is with Jamaa‘ah, and that whoever deviates from that will be in Hell.

Send peace and blessings upon the Messenger and slave of Allaah; Muhammad. May Allaah show mercy to you.   

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