Don't Oppress - Shaykh Mustafa Abu Rayyan

Opening — Praising Allah and Sending Salutations

Alhamdulillah, we praise Him, we ask His help and we ask His forgiveness. And we seek refuge in Allah from the evil of our souls and from the evil of our deeds. Whomsoever Allah guides, no one is misguided, and whomsoever He misguides, no one is guided.

And I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, alone, with no partner. And I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger, and the purest of His creation and His companion. Allah has sent him to all people as a bearer of glad tidings and a warner.

And he conveyed the message, and fulfilled the trust, and advised the ummah, and removed the darkness. And He left us on the white carpet — its night is like its day. Nothing escapes it except destruction. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family and his companions, and whoever is guided by his guidance, and holds fast to his Sunnah, and calls to his call until the Day of Judgment.

O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared. And you will not die except as Muslims.

O you people, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul, and created from it its wife, and spread among them many men and women. And fear Allah, whom you ask about, and the wombs. Verily, Allah is ever watching over you.

O you who have believed, fear Allah, and speak a firm word. He will correct your deeds, and forgive you your sins. And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has won a great triumph.

The Laws of Allah — A Mercy and a Protection

My beloved brothers and sisters, I start by praising Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, for indeed Allah is worthy of our constant gratitude and praise. And I send blessings and salutations upon our beloved Messenger Muhammad salallahu alayhi wa sallam.

My brothers and sisters, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, when He created us for the noble purpose of worshipping Him alone, Allah set limits for us — guidelines and rules. And these guidelines and rules and limits that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has set for us, this is so that we can live a life that has meaning, a life whereby everyone prospers.

The laws that are in the Qur'an and the Sunnah — the commandments and the prohibitions, the do's and don'ts — are for our benefit. Because if the laws of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala were to be removed, the laws of the jungle would replace them.

We know this because Ja'far ibn Abi Talib, when he was explaining to al-Najashi why they followed Muhammad salallahu alayhi wa sallam and loved him so much, why they were following al-Islam, he said that they were a people that did not know the rights of others. They did not know the rights of Allah. They were oppressing each other.

The strong would devour the weak — until Allah sent them a messenger who taught them what Tawheed is, what true justice is, and what the rights of others are. This is Islam.

Dhulm — The Concept of Oppression in the Qur'an

My brothers and sisters, among the greatest things you will find in the Qur'an that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala constantly warns us about is oppressing one another — committing injustice, dhulm. And if you read the Qur'an, you will find Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala speaking about dhulm and oppression in different ways. Sometimes Allah is telling us what dhulm is, or what the greatest dhulm is. Sometimes Allah is telling us the consequences of the dhalimeen — where they end up, the beauty of adl and justice, how Allah is the most just, how we should be just to each other, to our children, to our parents, to our enemies even. This is a religion of justice and truth.

And the word of your Lord has been completed — صِدْقًا truthful فِي الأَخْبَار — truthful in its statements. Everything you will find in the Qur'an and Sunnah is true. It is a certainty. وَعَدْلًا فِي الأَحْكَام — and it is just with regards to its rules, its laws, its commandments. You have to be a just person, إخواني وأخواتي في الله.

So the scholars, when they speak about the concept of dhulm and oppression, the first thing they mention is that you will find in the Qur'an Allah always saying:

These are the limits set by Allah. So do not exceed them. Do not overstep them. And whoever oversteps these limits has surely oppressed himself, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says.

So there are certain limits that you cannot go over. Everything should be conducted a certain way. And if you don't, you fall into dhulm. When the scholars of the Arabic language explain the term dhulm, they say it is:

It is to place something where it doesn't belong. Or to exceed the limit and overstep.

The Three Types of Dhulm

1. Dhulm with Regards to the Creator — Shirk

How do we overstep with regards to our Creator? Committing shirk is the greatest injustice. And this is the first dhulm that is mentioned in the Qur'an. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says:

Those who have iman — belief, faith — and do not mix their faith with dhulm, injustice. So you have to have faith and that faith cannot be mixed with injustice, dhulm. If you do those two things — have faith and have no oppression or injustice in your iman — أُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمُ الْأَمْنُ وَهُم مُّهْتَدُونَ — these people will find security and they will be guided, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala said.

Now the sahaba were very worried when they heard this ayah because they said, who among us doesn't commit some form of injustice? So does that mean none of us will be guided and none of us will find security? Then the Prophet ﷺ told them, have you not heard Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala say:

Indeed, shirk is the greatest form of injustice. So here, when Allah mentions dhulm and injustice, it means shirk. Those who have faith and with their belief there is no shirk involved — they will be guided and they will have security. Guided in this world to the truth, to the straight path. Guided in the next world to Jannah. Safeguarded in this world from falling off the straight path. Safeguarded in the next world from Hellfire. This is what you get when you don't commit injustice with regards to your faith and your belief.

Placing everything where it belongs. Your worship belongs to Allah alone. Don't give it to anyone else. If you do, you have committed an injustice. You haven't understood the limits set by Allah. Only worship Allah Almighty.

2. Dhulm li Nafs — Injustice Against Yourself

Is that the only injustice and the only dhulm the Qur'an speaks about? No. The first one was the greatest dhulm, which is shirk. And then you have dhulm li nafs — committing injustice against yourself. Now some will think: how is that possible? I always have my self-interest. Why would I oppress myself or commit injustice against myself? Well, Allah says in the Qur'an:

And among them is one that commits injustice against him or herself. And how is this, my brothers and sisters? It is through sinning. When you sin, you are only harming yourself. When you don't pray, you are only harming yourself. All of the sins that we do — we are harming ourselves. Who else are you harming when you commit sin? It's yourself. Allah has our best interest. He is the most merciful. He is telling us: don't oppress yourself with sin. And if you do, repent to Allah.

Interestingly enough, the scholars say this type of oppression, this type of injustice, this type of dhulm, is actually the lightest one. Because you are disobeying Allah, but Allah is the most merciful. He told you: if you disobey me, come back to me, ask me for forgiveness and I will forgive you. He told us that His name is Al-Ghaffar — the one that forgives all sins. Al-Tawwab — the one that often accepts our repentance. So when you sin, you are committing an injustice against yourself, but Allah Almighty will forgive you, as long as you sincerely ask Allah to forgive you. Allahu Akbar.

3. Dhulm Against Others — The Most Dangerous

But then you have another form of injustice, إخوان في الله. And that is the one that you commit against others. This one is very dangerous. And Allah does not leave this one alone. When you commit injustice against others — remember, we are meant to follow the laws of Allah that are meant to protect us. I have no right to commit injustice and oppress my fellow man, my fellow brother, my fellow human being.

Even the animals have rights. Didn't Allah punish a woman for oppressing a cat — not feeding it and not letting it go to fend for itself? You cannot commit injustice and expect to walk away from it, for Allah is the most just.

So, إخواني وأخواتي في الله, it is very important that you understand and be afraid of taking away the rights of others. Our religion is a religion of rights, responsibilities, and obligations. You can't just take from someone else. You can't harm someone else — whether that is verbally or by taking their rights away.

If you are an employer, your employees have a right upon you to give them their wages — as the Prophet ﷺ said:

(Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 2443)

Give your employee — the one working for you — his wages before his sweat dries. Because that is what he earned; it is his right set by Allah Almighty.

Your parents have a right over you — don't oppress them. Allah mentions them right after He mentions His own right, جلَّ جلاله. Your fellow man has rights over you — don't oppress them.

Why do you think riba is haram? Because it is an economic injustice. Why do you think stealing is haram? Allah doesn't want us to transgress against each other. And it is in our nature, إخواني في الله, it is in our nature to want what we don't have, to go and exceed the limits. Why do you think Allah set these limits for us? They're here to protect us. They're here to remind us. Allah set limits because if those limits are not there, surely all of us will be going against each other. You see how the world is right now. This is the beauty of the Qur'an.

Injustice Within the Family

Among the ways we oppress one another, إخواني في الله, is the way we deal with our families. Husbands oppressing their wives, or vice versa. Even our own children, whom we say we love, are not safe from injustice. The Prophet ﷺ commanded us to be just between our children. Don't give one something and not the other — it is haram for you to do that. Your wife has rights over you given by Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, and if you don't give her her rights and you commit injustice against her, you'll be answering to Allah. Your husband has rights over you — if you don't deliver that, you'll be answering to Allah.

إخواني في الله, our deen is a deen of rights and obligations — limits set by Allah.

Now, among the ways injustice is committed against children nowadays — they are not given a proper Islamic educational upbringing. Parents are too busy thinking about finances, not giving them their haq in tarbiyah. The homes are sometimes on fire — arguments and fights that negatively affect the children. And subhanAllah, sometimes homes don't last. Divorce can happen. Even then, when the children are most in need of their parents, there are certain injustices that happen. You will find mothers not allowing their children to see their father — just because that relationship didn't go the way they wanted. No matter what happened, you cannot deprive your children of the rights of their parents.

Why do you think zina is haram, إخواني في الله? Zina is haram because it is of course a social ill — something heinous that Allah spoke about in the Qur'an. But the scholars also mention that children born out of wedlock don't have a stable home to grow in. They have a right to have a home, to know their father. It's their right. Don't deprive them of that before they are even born. Don't commit zina. A child walking around not knowing their father — this is not how Allah wanted things to be according to the shari'ah.

So if that's the case, we have a responsibility. And I'm talking to the people that were married and perhaps were divorced and are sharing custody of their children with their ex — fear Allah. Your problems shouldn't result in your children being deprived of their parents. Now of course, there are sometimes other circumstances involved. But be aware. Be mindful.

The Fate of the Oppressors

Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala tells us in the Qur'an about the conversation between the people of Jannah and the people of Hellfire. And Hellfire will be filled with the zalimeen — the oppressors. Whether they were rulers oppressing their subjects, or people in power oppressing those they had authority over, or employers oppressing their employees, or someone oppressing their family members — wives and husbands — or whatever the case may be. And those who committed the greatest injustice, which is of course shirk and kufr — وَالْكَافِرُونَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ.

Allah tells us about their conversation. The people of Jannah — the people of justice, the people that didn't exceed the limits — will say to them: we have found what Allah has promised us of an eternal bliss in Jannah.

Did you find what Allah promised you? Those of you that were committing dhulm, oppression, and injustice in all of its forms — did you find what Allah promised you? Which is what? الظُّلْمُ ظُلُمَاتٌ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ — injustice is darkness upon darkness on the Day of Judgment. And it will lead to Hellfire — may Allah protect us from it.

They will say: did you find what Allah has promised you?

From their pits in Hellfire, they will say: yes, we did. And then a caller among them will declare — the curse of Allah is upon those who commit injustice. I ask Allah to protect us from that. I ask Allah to make us of those who uphold justice in all areas of life.

Second Part of the Khutbah

My brothers and sisters, our religion is a religion that we must follow, we must appreciate, we must act upon — and if we do so, then we will stay within the limits that were set by Allah Almighty. Staying within the limits set by Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala means: that which Allah has prohibited, don't do. That which Allah has commanded, do so to the best of your ability. Fear Allah wherever you are. And you will have shortcomings — if you do, ask Allah to forgive you. Ask Allah to forgive your sins.

My brothers and sisters, ask Allah to forgive all of our sins, and seek the forgiveness of those you have wronged — for you must do so. Seek the forgiveness of those you have wronged, for Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala's forgiveness is connected to theirs. This is very important to remember, especially those people that you have gossiped about, spread rumors about, stolen from, or harmed. Ask them to forgive you, make du'a for them, and try your best to be among those who are the people of justice — not those who oppress.

Ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to forgive all of our sins, and make us of the righteous.