Imaam Ibn Hajar Al-‘Asqalaani – rahimahullaah – said:
It is reported from Jabir radiyallaahu anhu- who said – The Messenger of Allah -salallaahu alayhi wasallam said:
“Beware of oppression, verily oppression will turn into excessive darkness on the Day of qiyamah(Resurrection) and beware of niggardliness, verily, niggardliness destroyed those people before you.”
Transmitted and recorded by Imaam Muslim in his “Sahih”#2578.
COMMENTARY
The hadith shows the importance of the following:
♦ It illustrates the seriousness and prohibition against oppressing oneself and others. In a hadith qudsi, Allah says, “Oh my servants, I prohibited oppression on myself, therefore don’t commit oppression.
” Allah does not oppress but he is just in his judgment.
For this reason, he choose to start with himself to show his servants the gravity of the matter.
♦ It shows that one should beware of niggardliness”. Niggardliness is taking that which does not belong to oneself. This refers to material or any physical objects. This act leads to the destruction of the nations before us. The Prophet (salallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) is advising us to learn a lesson so that we will not be destroyed as the nations before us. Allah has promised not to annihilate this ummah as whole, but rather a part of them if they transgress the limit of Allah, will surely be destroyed.
♦ It indicates that oppression is a form of darkness on the day of resurrection. The reason for this is when one oppresses another; he turns the life of another person into darkness. As a way of retribution of his bad deeds, on the Day of Judgment, Allah will darken the life of the oppressor for what he has committed.
Allaahu A’alam!
Baarakallaahu feekum!
