What does Islam say about oppression and wronging others?

The short answer

Oppression (zulm) is forbidden absolutely: Allah says He has forbidden it for Himself and made it forbidden among people. The Prophet ﷺ said it will be darkness on the Day of Resurrection, that the prayer of the oppressed has no barrier before Allah, and that wronged people will take the good deeds of those who wronged them.

Explanation

In a hadith qudsi, Allah says: "O My servants, I have forbidden oppression for Myself and have made it forbidden amongst you, so do not oppress one another" 1. The Prophet ﷺ warned that "Oppression will be a darkness on the Day of Resurrection" 2.

The oppressed have a direct line to Allah. "Be afraid, from the curse of the oppressed as there is no screen between his invocation and Allah" 3. If you have been wronged, your dua is heard.

Rights must be settled. The Prophet ﷺ asked who the truly bankrupt person is. It is someone who arrives on the Day of Resurrection with prayer, fasting and zakat, but who insulted, slandered, took the wealth of, or harmed others. His good deeds are handed to those he wronged, and if they run out, their sins are placed on him 4. Even taking a single span of someone's land unjustly will be encircled around one's neck "down the seven earths" 5. Worship does not cancel what we owe people.

Delay is not neglect. "Never think that Allah is unaware of what the wrongdoers do. He only delays them for a Day when eyes will stare [in horror]" 6.

Everyone has a role in stopping it. "Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or he is an oppressed one." When asked how to help an oppressor, the Prophet ﷺ said, "By preventing him from oppressing others" 7.

If you have wronged someone, return their right or ask their forgiveness now, "before the Day of Resurrection when there will be no money" to settle it with 8.

The evidence

  1. 1
    Hadith Sahih Muslim 2577
    Sahih Muslim

    Allah has forbidden oppression for Himself and made it forbidden among His servants.

    Abu Dharr reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying that Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, said:"O My servants, I have forbidden oppression for Myself and have made it forbidden amongst you, so do not oppress one another. O My servants, all of you are astray except for those I have guided, so seek guidance of Me and I shall guide you, O My servants, all of you are hungry except for those I have fed, so seek food of Me and I shall feed you. O My servants, all of you are naked except for those I have clothed, so seek clothing of Me and I shall clothe you. O My servants, you sin by night and by day, and I forgive all sins, so seek forgiveness of Me and I shall forgive you. O My servants, you will not attain harming Me so as to harm Me, and will not attain benefitting Me so as to benefit Me. O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to be as pious as the most pious heart of any one man of you, that would not increase My dominion in anything. O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to be as wicked as the most wicked heart of any one man of you, that would not decrease My dominion in anything. O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to rise up in one place and make a request of Me, and were I to give everyone what he requested, that would not decrease what I have, any more that a needle decreases the sea if put into it. O My servants, it is but your deeds that I record for you and then recompense you for. So let him who finds good, praise Allah, and let him who finds other than that blame no one but himself." Sa'id said that when Abu Idris Khaulini narrated this hadith he knelt upon his knees

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ بَهْرَامَ الدَّارِمِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا مَرْوَانُ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ الدِّمَشْقِيَّ - حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ، عَنْ رَبِيعَةَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ، عَنْ أَبِي إِدْرِيسَ الْخَوْلاَنِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِيمَا رَوَى عَنِ اللَّهِ، تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى أَنَّهُ قَالَ ‏ "‏ يَا عِبَادِي إِنِّي حَرَّمْتُ الظُّلْمَ عَلَى نَفْسِي وَجَعَلْتُهُ بَيْنَكُمْ مُحَرَّمًا فَلاَ تَظَالَمُوا يَا عِبَادِي كُلُّكُمْ ضَالٌّ إِلاَّ مَنْ هَدَيْتُهُ فَاسْتَهْدُونِي أَهْدِكُمْ يَا عِبَادِي كُلُّكُمْ جَائِعٌ إِلاَّ مَنْ أَطْعَمْتُهُ فَاسْتَطْعِمُونِي أُطْعِمْكُمْ يَا عِبَادِي كُلُّكُمْ عَارٍ إِلاَّ مَنْ كَسَوْتُهُ فَاسْتَكْسُونِي أَكْسُكُمْ يَا عِبَادِي إِنَّكُمْ تُخْطِئُونَ بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ وَأَنَا أَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا فَاسْتَغْفِرُونِي أَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ يَا عِبَادِي إِنَّكُمْ لَنْ تَبْلُغُوا ضَرِّي فَتَضُرُّونِي وَلَنْ تَبْلُغُوا نَفْعِي فَتَنْفَعُونِي يَا عِبَادِي لَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَكُمْ وَآخِرَكُمْ وَإِنْسَكُمْ وَجِنَّكُمْ كَانُوا عَلَى أَتْقَى قَلْبِ رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ مِنْكُمْ مَا زَادَ ذَلِكَ فِي مُلْكِي شَيْئًا يَا عِبَادِي لَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَكُمْ وَآخِرَكُمْ وَإِنْسَكُمْ وَجِنَّكُمْ كَانُوا عَلَى أَفْجَرِ قَلْبِ رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ مَا نَقَصَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ مُلْكِي شَيْئًا يَا عِبَادِي لَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَكُمْ وَآخِرَكُمْ وَإِنْسَكُمْ وَجِنَّكُمْ قَامُوا فِي صَعِيدٍ وَاحِدٍ فَسَأَلُونِي فَأَعْطَيْتُ كُلَّ إِنْسَانٍ مَسْأَلَتَهُ مَا نَقَصَ ذَلِكَ مِمَّا عِنْدِي إِلاَّ كَمَا يَنْقُصُ الْمِخْيَطُ إِذَا أُدْخِلَ الْبَحْرَ يَا عِبَادِي إِنَّمَا هِيَ أَعْمَالُكُمْ أُحْصِيهَا لَكُمْ ثُمَّ أُوَفِّيكُمْ إِيَّاهَا فَمَنْ وَجَدَ خَيْرًا فَلْيَحْمَدِ اللَّهَ وَمَنْ وَجَدَ غَيْرَ ذَلِكَ فَلاَ يَلُومَنَّ إِلاَّ نَفْسَهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ سَعِيدٌ كَانَ أَبُو إِدْرِيسَ الْخَوْلاَنِيُّ إِذَا حَدَّثَ بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ جَثَا عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ ‏.‏

  2. 2
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 2447
    Sahih Bukhari

    Oppression will be darkness on the Day of Resurrection.

    Narrated Ibn `Umar:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Oppression will be a darkness on the Day of Resurrection

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ يُونُسَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ الْمَاجِشُونُ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ دِينَارٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ الظُّلْمُ ظُلُمَاتٌ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ‏"‏‏.‏

  3. 3
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 2448
    Sahih Bukhari

    Fear the curse of the oppressed; there is no screen between it and Allah.

    Narrated Ibn `Abbas:The Prophet (ﷺ) sent Mu`adh to Yemen and said, "Be afraid, from the curse of the oppressed as there is no screen between his invocation and Allah

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ مُوسَى، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، حَدَّثَنَا زَكَرِيَّاءُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ الْمَكِّيُّ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ صَيْفِيٍّ، عَنْ أَبِي مَعْبَدٍ، مَوْلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَعَثَ مُعَاذًا إِلَى الْيَمَنِ، فَقَالَ ‏ "‏ اتَّقِ دَعْوَةَ الْمَظْلُومِ، فَإِنَّهَا لَيْسَ بَيْنَهَا وَبَيْنَ اللَّهِ حِجَابٌ ‏"‏‏.‏

  4. 4
    Hadith Sahih Muslim 2581
    Sahih Muslim

    The bankrupt person's good deeds are given to those he wronged, then their sins are put on him.

    Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:Do you know who is poor? They (the Companions of the Holy Prophet) said: A poor man amongst us is one who has neither dirham with him nor wealth. He (the Holy Prophet) said: The poor of my Umma would be he who would come on the Day of Resurrection with prayers and fasts and Zakat but (he would find himself bankrupt on that day as he would have exhausted his funds of virtues) since he hurled abuses upon others, brought calumny against others and unlawfully consumed the wealth of others and shed the blood of others and beat others, and his virtues would be credited to the account of one (who suffered at his hand). And if his good deeds fall short to clear the account, then his sins would be entered in (his account) and he would be thrown in the Hell-Fire

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، وَعَلِيُّ بْنُ حُجْرٍ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ جَعْفَرٍ - عَنِ الْعَلاَءِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏"‏ أَتَدْرُونَ مَا الْمُفْلِسُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالُوا الْمُفْلِسُ فِينَا مَنْ لاَ دِرْهَمَ لَهُ وَلاَ مَتَاعَ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ إِنَّ الْمُفْلِسَ مِنْ أُمَّتِي يَأْتِي يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ بِصَلاَةٍ وَصِيَامٍ وَزَكَاةٍ وَيَأْتِي قَدْ شَتَمَ هَذَا وَقَذَفَ هَذَا وَأَكَلَ مَالَ هَذَا وَسَفَكَ دَمَ هَذَا وَضَرَبَ هَذَا فَيُعْطَى هَذَا مِنْ حَسَنَاتِهِ وَهَذَا مِنْ حَسَنَاتِهِ فَإِنْ فَنِيَتْ حَسَنَاتُهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُقْضَى مَا عَلَيْهِ أُخِذَ مِنْ خَطَايَاهُمْ فَطُرِحَتْ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ طُرِحَ فِي النَّارِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

  5. 5
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 2453
    Sahih Bukhari

    Whoever usurps a span of land will have it encircled around his neck down seven earths.

    Narrated Abu Salama:That there was a dispute between him and some people (about a piece of land). When he told `Aisha about it, she said, "O Abu Salama! Avoid taking the land unjustly, for the Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'Whoever usurps even one span of the land of somebody, his neck will be encircled with it down the seven earths

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مَعْمَرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَارِثِ، حَدَّثَنَا حُسَيْنٌ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، أَنَّ أَبَا سَلَمَةَ، حَدَّثَهُ أَنَّهُ، كَانَتْ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ أُنَاسٍ خُصُومَةٌ، فَذَكَرَ لِعَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ فَقَالَتْ يَا أَبَا سَلَمَةَ اجْتَنِبِ الأَرْضَ، فَإِنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ مَنْ ظَلَمَ قِيدَ شِبْرٍ مِنَ الأَرْضِ طُوِّقَهُ مِنْ سَبْعِ أَرَضِينَ ‏"‏‏.‏

  6. 6
    Quran Ibrahim · 14:42

    Allah is not unaware of the wrongdoers; He delays them for a Day of terror.

    وَلَا تَحۡسَبَنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَٰفِلًا عَمَّا يَعۡمَلُ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَۚ إِنَّمَا يُؤَخِّرُهُمۡ لِيَوۡمࣲ تَشۡخَصُ فِيهِ ٱلۡأَبۡصَٰرُ ۝٤٢

    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]

  7. 7
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 2444
    Sahih Bukhari

    Help an oppressor by preventing him from oppressing.

    Narrated Anas:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or he is an oppressed one. People asked, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! It is all right to help him if he is oppressed, but how should we help him if he is an oppressor?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "By preventing him from oppressing others

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا مُعْتَمِرٌ، عَنْ حُمَيْدٍ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ انْصُرْ أَخَاكَ ظَالِمًا أَوْ مَظْلُومًا ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ هَذَا نَنْصُرُهُ مَظْلُومًا، فَكَيْفَ نَنْصُرُهُ ظَالِمًا قَالَ ‏"‏ تَأْخُذُ فَوْقَ يَدَيْهِ ‏"‏‏.‏

  8. 8
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 2449
    Sahih Bukhari

    Whoever wronged someone should seek his forgiveness before the Day when there will be no money to compensate.

    Narrated Abu Huraira:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) 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

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا آدَمُ بْنُ أَبِي إِيَاسٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي ذِئْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدٌ الْمَقْبُرِيُّ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ مَنْ كَانَتْ لَهُ مَظْلَمَةٌ لأَحَدٍ مِنْ عِرْضِهِ أَوْ شَىْءٍ فَلْيَتَحَلَّلْهُ مِنْهُ الْيَوْمَ، قَبْلَ أَنْ لاَ يَكُونَ دِينَارٌ وَلاَ دِرْهَمٌ، إِنْ كَانَ لَهُ عَمَلٌ صَالِحٌ أُخِذَ مِنْهُ بِقَدْرِ مَظْلَمَتِهِ، وَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ لَهُ حَسَنَاتٌ أُخِذَ مِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ صَاحِبِهِ فَحُمِلَ عَلَيْهِ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ أَبِي أُوَيْسٍ إِنَّمَا سُمِّيَ الْمَقْبُرِيَّ لأَنَّهُ كَانَ نَزَلَ نَاحِيَةَ الْمَقَابِرِ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَسَعِيدٌ الْمَقْبُرِيُّ هُوَ مَوْلَى بَنِي لَيْثٍ، وَهُوَ سَعِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ، وَاسْمُ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ كَيْسَانُ‏.‏

This answer was compiled with the help of AI, using only the verified texts shown here. Every reference links to its source. If you find a mistake, please report it. Updated 2026-09-24

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