CONSEQUENCES OF OPPRESSION (AZ-ZULM) BY IMAM YAHYA GARBA AL-YOLAWI

Imam Yahya Garba Al-Yolawi

264  KHUTBAH AT AREA 10 JUMA'AH MASJID ABUJA, BY YAHYA GARBA AL-YOLAWI, ON 20 J/THANI  1441AH / 14TH /02/ 2020

TOPIC: CONSEQUENCES OF OPPRESSION (AZ-ZULM) 

All praises and thanks are due to Allah, the Lord of all that exists. Peace and blessings of Allah be upon Prophet Muhammad (SAW), His family, His companions and those who follow his guidance until the Day of accountability.
Respected brothers and sisters in Islam, today's sermon will discuss the topic: Consequences of (zulm) injustice and oppression in islam.
 The term (zulm) oppression or injustice in Islam simply means taking away other peoples' life; money, rights, ownership or property, without right; to kill, take, beat, abuse, or mistreat them; and to take advantage of the weak against his will. Injustice zulm can also be seen as using power, authority in a cruel or unjust manner upon those are under your custody.

One of the greatest sins, which Allah forbade His Servants and fixed a certain punishment for them in this world and in the Hereafter, is (az-Zulm) oppression and injustice. It can take a form of transgressing the limits on oneself; transgressing the boundaries of others; or claiming that which does not belong to you; or denying others their rights unlawfully. Imam Muslim reported in his Sahih from the Hadith of Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Beware of injustice, for oppression will be darkness on the Day of Resurrection."  In another hadith of qudsi He said: "O My Servants, I have prohibited (zulm) injustice and oppression for Myself and have made oppression unlawful for you, so do not oppress one another. (muslim).
Some verses and ahadith on evil consequences of oppression include:

1. Oppression leads to the highest bankruptcy [poverty] in the day of Qiyamah:
Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported: "The Messenger of Allah, [SAW] said: "Do you know who is the bankrupt one?" The people said: 'The bankrupt among us is the one who has neither money nor property.' He said: "The real bankrupt one of my nation would be he who would come on the Day of Resurrection having (performed) prayers, (observed) fasting and (spent in) charity. (However, he will find himself bankrupt on that Day due to depleting these good deeds) because he despised others, uttered slanderous terms against others, unlawfully devoured the wealth of others, shed the blood of others, and beat others. Therefore, his good deeds would be credited to the account of those (who suffered at his hand). If his good deeds are exhausted, their sins (i.e., those he oppressed) will be entered in his account and he will be thrown into the (Hell) Fire." [Muslim

2. Allah [SWT] is fully aware of the wrongdoers and He will punish them for them for their evil deeds.. And He says "and never think that Allah is unaware of what the wrongdoers do. He only delays them for a day when eyes will stare [in horror]. Racing ahead, their heads raised up, their glance does not come back to them, and their hearts are void. And [oO Muhammad], warn the people of a day when the punishment will come to them and those who did wrong will say, "our Lord, delay us for a short term; we will answer your call and follow the messengers." [but it will be said]," had you not sworn, before, that for you there would be no cessation? And you lived among the dwellings of those who wronged themselves, and it had become clear to you how we dealt with them. And we presented for you [ many] examples." Q:14:42-45

3.  Allah [SWT] grants the prayer of the oppressed against the oppressor:
Mu`aaz bn Jabal may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Messenger of Allah [SAW] said: "Beware of the supplication of the oppressed, for there is no barrier between it and Allah." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]. In another narration, the Prophet [SAW] said: "There are three persons whose supplications are never rejected: The just leader, the fasting person when he breaks his fast, and the oppressed when he supplicates and whose supplication is raised above the clouds and the gates of heaven are opened for it, and (to whom) Allah will say: 'By My Glory! I shall assist you, even if it is after a while.'" [At-Tirmithi]

4. How to relate with the transgressor and the transgressed:
Anas, may Allaah be pleased with him, reported: "The Messenger of Allah  may the peace and blessings of Allah be on him said: 'Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or is oppressed.' A man asked: 'O Messenger of Allah! I (know how to) help him when he is oppressed, but how can I help him when he is an oppressor?' He [SAW] said: 'You can restrain him from committing oppression. That will be your help to him.'" [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

5. A woman was admitted in to hell fire for oppressing a cat: The Prophet (SAW) said there was once a woman who oppressed a cat, and because of that, she was made to enter hell-fire. on the contrary, there was a prostitute who was very thirsty. She saw a well and descended in order to fetch herself some water. On her way up, she noticed a thirsty dog. So she took her shoe and filled it up with water to give to the dog, so as not to oppress it. Because of her kindness, Allah granted her Paradise.

Types of oppression
Oppression is divided into three types:
The first type is oppressing oneself by disbelief, polytheism, and hypocrisy. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "It is those who believe (in the Oneness of Allâh and worship none but Him Alone) and mixed not their belief with Zulm (wrong i.e. by worshipping others besides Allâh), for them (only) there is security and they are the guided." [Surat Al An`am: 82].
The doer of this type of oppression is not forgiven if he dies as such, but he is cursed and expelled from the mercy of Allah as mentioned in the Qur'an and on the tongue of His Messenger (peace be upon him); Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "No doubt! the curse of Allâh is on the Zâlimûn (polytheists, wrong-doers, oppressors)." [Surat Hud: 18].
The second type is: Injustice between a servant and the people which has many forms: causing harm to the people, taking away their lives or part of it; climbing people's shoulder; diverting people's money falsely and aggressively. Such as devouring the orphan's or public property or not giving the labors their wages, decreasing them, stealing, cheating, or dealing with usury, etc. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "And eat up not one another's property unjustly (in any illegal way e.g. stealing, robbing, deceiving, etc.)." [Surat Al Baqarah: 188].
Al Bukhari and Muslim reported from the Hadith of Abu Musa Al Ash`ary who narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Allah gives respite to the oppressor, but when He takes him over, He never releases him." Then he recited: "Such is the Seizure of your Lord when He seizes the (population of) the towns while they are doing wrong. Verily, His Seizure is painful, (and) severe."" [Surat Hud: 102]. 
It was reported from Abu Bakrah that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "There is no wrong action which Allah (SWT) is swifter to punish in this world in addition to the punishment which He has stored up for the wrongdoer in the Next World than injustice and cutting off ties of kinship." Imam Ahmad
Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) said: "People did not disagree that the consequence of oppression is bad, whereas the consequence of justice is good. It was reported that Allah provides victory for the just country even if it is a disbeliever and does not provide victory for the unjust country even if it is a Muslim."
The third type is oppressing oneself by committing sins and faults. Allah (SWT) says: "Then We gave the Book (the Qur'ân) as inheritance to such of Our slaves whom We chose (the followers of Muhammad peace be upon him). Then of them are some who wrong their ownselves, and of them are some who follow a middle course, and of them are some who are, by Allâh's Leave, foremost in good deeds. That (inheritance of the Qur'ân) - that is indeed the great grace." [Surat Fatir: 32].
Allah (SWT) said about his Prophet Moses (AS)
"He said: "My Lord! Verily, I have wronged myself, so forgive me." Then He forgave him. Verily, He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful." [Surat Al Qasas: 16].
This type of oppression which contains sins and faults that did not reach the stage of polytheism will make its doer under the will of Allah, He may either punish him or forgive and cover him.

Al Bukhari and Muslim reported from the Hadith of Ibn `Umar that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Allah will bring a believer near Him and shelter him with His Screen and ask him: Did you commit such-and-such sins? Did you commit such-and-such sins? He will say: Yes, my Lord. Allah will keep on asking him till he will confess all his sins and will think that he is ruined. Allah will say: I did screen your sins in the world and I forgive them for you today. Then, he will be given the book of his good deeds in his right hand. As for the infidels and hypocrites, (their evil acts will be exposed publicly) and the witnesses will say:"These are the ones who lied against their Lord! Surely, the curse of Allâh is on theZâlimûn (polytheists, wrong-doers, oppressors)." [Surat Hud: 18]. 

 FACTORS LIABLE FOR OPPRESSION (ZULM)
1. Devil: O mankind, eat from whatever is on earth [that is] lawful and good and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy. He only orders you to evil and immorality and to say about Allah what you do not know.
2. Selfish interest: ( So follow not [personal] inclination, lest you not be just. And if you distort [your testimony] or refuse [to give it], then indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted.
3. Devilish mind: (Indeed, the soul is a persistent enjoiner of evil, except those upon which my Lord has mercy. Indeed, my Lord is Forgiving and Merciful)Q12:53.

WAYOUT FROM DEVILSH MIND OF OPPRESSION
1. Remembrance of Death: Every soul will taste death, and you will only be given your [full] compensation on the Day of Resurrection. So he who is drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has attained [his desire]. And what is the life of this world except the enjoyment of delusion.Q3.185
2. Power of Allah is over and above your power: (And never think that Allah is unaware of what the wrongdoers do. He only delays them for a Day when eyes will stare [in horror]. Racing ahead, their heads raised up, their glance does not come back to them, and their hearts are void) Q14:42-43.
3. Constant Azkar and istigfar: And those who, when they commit an immorality or wrong themselves [by transgression], remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins - and who can forgive sins except Allah ? - and [who] do not persist in what they have done while they know) Q3.135
4. Angels are taking the record of your actions:  (And indeed, [appointed] over you are keepers, Noble and recording; They know whatever you do)Q82:10-13 and
5. Records of your actions are well kept. (And the record [of deeds] will be placed [open], and you will see the criminals fearful of that within it, and they will say, "Oh, woe to us! What is this book that leaves nothing small or great except that it has enumerated it?" And they will find what they did present [before them]. And your Lord does injustice to no one) Q18:49
Brothers and sisters in Islam, It is obligatory on a believer to free himself from the rights of others [whatsoever] before the Day of Recompense where there is no Naira nor US dollar or pounds sterling, but there are only good deeds and bad deeds. It was reported from Abu Hurairah [RA] that the Prophet [SAW] said: "Whoever has oppressed another person concerning his reputation or anything else, he should beg him to forgive him. Before the Day of Resurrection when there will be no money (to compensate for wrong deeds), but if he has good deeds, those good deeds will be taken from him according to his oppression which he has done, and if he has no good deeds; the sins of the oppressed person will be loaded on him."  Imam Bukhari
NB
At this juncture, I will like to draw the attention of the entire Muslim ummah to be peace ambassadors and brothers keepers by assisting each other against their collective enemies and oppressors wherever they are. Let us try to be vigilant everywhere we are (must especially in the Northeast), do not cause harm to any one, and do not allow yourself to be used to oppress others. May Allah SWT forgive him and protect us all. Ameen.
We ask Allah the most high, forgive those lost there lives in Auno Close to Maiduguri last weekend, may HE  continue to guide and protect us, protect our leaders, our security personals and the entire Muslims of this country.  Ameen

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