بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

In that which follows is an advice from the jewels of Shaikh-ul-Islam ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله تعالى in placing at ease and rest the mind of the one oppressed or harmed by others, taken from Jaami’ul Masaa’il.

“The servant of Allah testifies to his own sins, and that Allah has allowed them [those who oppressed him/her] to overcome him and oppress him due to his own sinning, just as Allah stated in Surah as-Shoora:30, “And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons much”. So if the servant realises that all of that which has afflicted him from evil and disliked affairs is due to his own sinning, he will then [consequently] preoccupy his time with seeking forgiveness and repentance from the sins by way of which the oppressors overcame him – instead of using his time to blame, dispraise and criticise the ones who oppressed him.

And if you see an individual criticising the people due to them having harmed him, and not returning and examining himself with blameworthiness [i.e. his sins] and seeking forgiveness, then be informed that his calamity is a true calamity in reality. If, however, he repents [from his own sinning] and seeks forgiveness and accepts it is due to his own sins what has occurred to him, then the situation becomes a blessing for him. ‘Ali ibn abi Talib رضي الله عنه stated, “No calamity befalls except by way of sin, and no calamity is removed except by way of repentance”.

Thereafter, the servant recognises the great reward Allah promised for the one who pardons and is patient, as Allah stated in Surah as-Shoora:40, “The recompense for an evil is an evil like thereof, but whoever forgives and makes reconciliation, his reward is due from Allah. Verily, He likes not the Zalimun (oppressors, polytheists, and wrong-doers, etc.)”.

And the people are of 3 categories in reclaiming rights of oppression, 1- an oppressor [himself] by taking back greater than his due right, or 2- an individual who takes back in justice equal to his due right, or 3- an individual who pardons, overlooks and leaves his due right. All three are mentioned in the ayat, the beginning referring to those who take back equally, the middle for those who pardon, and then the end for those who oppress in over-taking rights back. And so if the servant realises the reward [for the one who pardons] is no longer applicable if he takes revenge, it [should] become easier to understand the virtue of overlooking and demonstrating patience”.

[Part 2 to follow insha’Allah]