In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Abu Musa, may Allah be pleased with him, said, Allah’s Messenger, please and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:

Verily, Allah will give respite to the oppressor until when He seizes him and he cannot escape. Then he recited the verse:

وَكَذَٲلِكَ أَخۡذُ رَبِّكَ إِذَآ أَخَذَ ٱلۡقُرَىٰ وَهِىَ ظَـٰلِمَةٌ‌ۚ إِنَّ أَخۡذَهُ ۥۤ أَلِيمٌ۬ شَدِيدٌ

Such is the Seizure of your Lord when He seizes the (population of) towns while they are doing wrong. Verily, His Seizure is painful, and severe]. [Hud. 102]

Al-Allamah Zaid Bin Hadi Al-Mad’khali, may Allah have mercy upon him, commented:

There is a warning against oppression in this lofty hadith- oppression against oneself through different levels and types of sins. The one whom Allah has given wealth, good health, safety and stability while he persists upon sin, this is Allah’s plan in stages against this sinner because he deserves it.

 وَلَا يَظۡلِمُ رَبُّكَ أَحَدً۬ا

And your Lord treats no one with injustice.

[Al-Kahf. 49]

There’s a warning – in this hadith – against oppressing others, because the one who oppresses others is called a Dhalim and the one who oppresses himself through sins is (also) called a Dhalim. The one who oppresses himself and the one who oppresses others are (exposed) to great danger in this life, in the grave and in the afterlife. If Allah gives him respite and does not hasten punishment against him, then indeed Allah reserves for him the punishment he deserves due to the statement of Allah:

وَكَذَٲلِكَ أَخۡذُ رَبِّكَ إِذَآ أَخَذَ ٱلۡقُرَىٰ وَهِىَ ظَـٰلِمَةٌ‌ۚ إِنَّ أَخۡذَهُ ۥۤ أَلِيمٌ۬ شَدِيدٌ

Such is the Seizure of your Lord when He seizes the (population of) towns while they are doing wrong. Verily, His Seizure is painful, and severe.

This is how the hadith is in agreement with the noble verse– that if Allah gives respite to an oppressor, it is not that Allah has neglected his affair; and if Allah delays punishment against him in the worldly life, then indeed Allah multiplies it for him in the hereafter, so that he is recompensed based on what he did and the evil deeds he committed. Allah is a possessor of (perfect) Wisdom, because He recompenses a doer based on his deed- good recompense for good deeds and evil recompense for evil deeds. [1]

Tawus al-Yamani, may Allah have mercy upon him, entered the presence of Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik, addressing him with a grave warning:

“Beware of the Day of the Call”. Hisham, said: “What is the Day of the Call?” Tawus replied, the statement of Allah:

فَأَذَّنَ مُؤَذِّنٌ بَيْنَهُمْ أَنْ لَعْنةُ اللَّهِ عَلَى الظَّالِمِينَ

And a caller will call out among them, ‘The curse of Allah is upon the wrongdoers” [Al-A’raf: 44]

At this, Hisham collapsed due to shock! Tawus then said: “This is the humiliation of mere description; how will it be when faced with reality?” [2]

Mubarak Abu Hamad, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: I heard Sufyan Al-Thawri, may Allah have mercy upon him, saying to Ali ibn Al-Hasan Al-Sulami, may Allah have mercy upon him:

“My brother, do not harbour any feeling of covetousness towards the people of vain desires due to their indulgences, nor the blessings they enjoy; for ahead of them lies a day when feet will slip, bodies will tremble, skin complexions will change, standing will be prolonged, reckoning will intensify, and hearts will flutter until they reach the throats. Oh, what regret they will feel for the pleasures they pursued! And beware of oppression, an ally to the oppressor, accompanying him, sharing a meal with him, smiling in his face, or receiving anything from him; for you would then be his supporter, and support is partnership. Do not oppose the people of piety, nor befriend the sinful, nor associate with the disobedient, and steer clear of all that is forbidden, and be wary of those who engage in it”. [3]

Sa’id ibn Abd al-Aziz, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

“Whoever does good should expect a reward, and whoever does wrong should not be surprised by the consequences. Whoever seeks honour through unjust means will receive humiliation in truth, and whoever accumulates wealth through oppression will be left in poverty without injustice”. [4]

Muawiya ibn Abee Sufyan, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, said:

“I feel ashamed of oppressing someone who has no supporter against me except Allah.” [5]

Umar ibn Abdul Aziz, may Allah have mercy upon him, once wrote to some of his governors:

“If your power over the people tempts you to oppress them, remember the might of Allah over you, the fleeting nature of what you bring to them, and the permanence of what they bring to you”. [6]

[1] at-Taliqat Al-Malihah Alaa Silsilah Al-Ahadith As-Sahihah. 1/100

[2] Az-Zawājir ʿan Iqtirāf al-Kabāʾir 2/124

[3] Ḥilyat al-Awliyāʾ 7/24

[4] Siyar Aʿlām al-Nubalāʾ 8/36

[5] al-ʿIqd al-Farīd 1/30

[6] Siyar Aʿlām al-Nubalāʾ 5/131