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Wrongdoing/Injustice

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Wrongdoing/Injustice

الظلم

In Islamic tradition, *dhulm* (الظلم) refers to wrongdoing or injustice, a profound concept encompassing any act of transgression. It can manifest in various forms: as injustice towards oneself, by neglecting one's spiritual well-being or engaging in sin; as injustice towards others, through oppression, exploitation, or violating their rights; or as the ultimate injustice towards Allah, by associating partners with Him (*shirk*) or disobeying His commands. The Quran repeatedly warns against *dhulm*, emphasizing its severe consequences. Believers are promised [security and guidance] when their faith is not mixed with injustice. Prophets, like Yusuf, exemplify this by seeking [refuge in Allah from being unjust] in their dealings. Significantly, the Quran clarifies that [Allah does not wrong His servants, but they wrong themselves] through their choices and actions. Avoiding *dhulm* is paramount, urging believers not to [obey the order of transgressors who cause corruption] but instead to uphold justice as a core tenet of their faith and a path to spiritual purity and success.

Quran 13 verses

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَظَلَمُوا۟ لَمْ يَكُنِ ٱللَّهُ لِيَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ وَلَا لِيَهْدِيَهُمْ طَرِيقًا

Innal lazeenakafaroo wa zalamoo lam yakkunillaahu liyaghfira lahum wa laa liyahdiyahum tareeqaa

Indeed, those who disbelieve and commit wrong [or injustice] - never will Allah forgive them, nor will He guide them to a path.

جو لوگ کافر ہوئے اور ظلم کرتے رہے خدا ان کو بخشنے والا نہیں اور نہ انہیں رستہ ہی دکھائے گا

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Then comes verse رُّ‌سُلًا مُّبَشِّرِ‌ينَ وَمُنذِرِ‌ينَ (-- Messengers giving good tidings and warning...) which succinctly tells that Almighty Allah consistently sent messengers to convey good tidings to all believers and to warn all disbelievers so that there remains no room for the excuse that th...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: Surely those who disbelieve in God and who have done wrong to the Prophet by concealing his descriptions it is not for God to forgive them neither to guide them to any path whatever
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): إِنَّآ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ (Verily, We have inspired you...) emphasized the Prophet's prophethood and refuted the idolators and People of the Scripture who denied him. Allah said, لَّـكِنِ اللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ إِلَيْكَ (But Allah bears witness to that which He has sent down unto you,) mea...

ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُوٓا۟ إِيمَٰنَهُم بِظُلْمٍ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ لَهُمُ ٱلْأَمْنُ وَهُم مُّهْتَدُونَ

Allazeena aamanoo wa lam yalbisooo eemaanahum bizulmin ulaaa'ika lahumul amnu wa hum muhtadoon

They who believe and do not mix their belief with injustice - those will have security, and they are [rightly] guided.

جو لوگ ایمان لائے اور اپنے ایمان کو (شرک کے) ظلم سے مخلوط نہیں کیا ان کے امن (اور جمعیت خاطر) ہے اور وہی ہدایت پانے والے ہیں

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Commentary Mentioned in the previous verses was the debate Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) had held with his father, 'Azar, and with his entire Nimrudic people. There, after having conclusively refuted their worship of idols and stars, he had addressed his people by telling them in effect: You threat...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: Those who believe and have not confounded mixed their belief with evildoing that is idolatry — explained as such by a hadīth in the two Sahīhs of Bukhārī and Muslim — theirs is security from chastisement; and they are rightly guided.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): أَتُحَاجُّونِّى فِى اللَّهِ وَقَدْ هَدَانِى (Do you dispute with me about Allah while He has guided me). The Ayah means, do you argue with me about Allah, other than Whom there is no god worthy of worship, while He has guided me to the Truth and made me aware of it Therefore, how can I ever consider...

وَمَا ظَلَمْنَٰهُمْ وَلَٰكِن ظَلَمُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ فَمَآ أَغْنَتْ عَنْهُمْ ءَالِهَتُهُمُ ٱلَّتِى يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مِن شَىْءٍ لَّمَّا جَآءَ أَمْرُ رَبِّكَ وَمَا زَادُوهُمْ غَيْرَ تَتْبِيبٍ

Wa maa zalamnaahum wa laakin zalamooo anfusahum famaaa aghnat 'anhum aalihatuhumul latee yad'oona min doonil laahi min shai'il lammaa jaaa'a amru Rabbika wa maa zaadoohum ghaira tatbeeb

And We did not wrong them, but they wronged themselves. And they were not availed at all by their gods which they invoked other than Allah when there came the command of your Lord. And they did not increase them in other than ruin.

اور ہم نے ان لوگوں پر ظلم نہیں کیا بلکہ انہوں نے خود اپنے اُوپر ظلم کیا۔ غرض جب تمہارے پروردگار کا حکم آپہنچا تو جن معبودوں کو وہ خدا کے سوا پکارا کرتے تھے وہ ان کے کچھ بھی کام نہ آئے۔ اور تباہ کرنے کے سوا ان کے حق میں اور کچھ نہ کرسکے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: After having given this good counsel to them, he warned them of the punishment of Allah Ta` ala. He said: وَيَا قَوْمِ لَا يَجْرِ‌مَنَّكُمْ شِقَاقِي أَن يُصِيبَكُم مِّثْلُ مَا أَصَابَ قَوْمَ نُوحٍ أَوْ قَوْمَ هُودٍ أَوْ قَوْمَ صَالِحٍ ۚ وَمَا قَوْمُ لُوطٍ مِّنكُم بِبَعِيدٍ And 0 my people, let not y...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And We did not wrong them destroying them for not having committed any sins but they wronged themselves through idolatry. Their gods did not avail defend them in any way min shay’in min is extra those gods upon whom they called whom they worshipped besides God that is other than Him when the command...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The Lesson taken from the Destroyed Towns When Allah mentioned the story of the Prophets and what happened with them and their nations -- how He destroyed the disbelievers and saved the believers -- He goes on to say, ذَلِكَ مِنْ أَنْبَآءِ الْقُرَى (That is some of the news of the (population of ) t...

قَالَ مَعَاذَ ٱللَّهِ أَن نَّأْخُذَ إِلَّا مَن وَجَدْنَا مَتَٰعَنَا عِندَهُۥٓ إِنَّآ إِذًا لَّظَٰلِمُونَ

Qaala ma'aazal laahi an naakhuza illaa manw wajadnaa mataa'anaa 'indahoo innaaa izal lazaalimoon

He said, "[I seek] the refuge of Allah [to prevent] that we take except him with whom we found our possession. Indeed, we would then be unjust."

(یوسف نے) کہا کہ خدا پناہ میں رکھے کہ جس شخص کے پاس ہم نے اپنی چیز پائی ہے اس کے سوا کسی اور کو پکڑ لیں ایسا کریں تو ہم (بڑے) بےانصاف ہیں

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: The response of Sayyidna Yusuf (علیہ السلام) appears in verse 79 قَالَ مَعَاذَ اللَّـهِ أَن نَّأْخُذَ إِلَّا مَن وَجَدْنَا مَتَاعَنَا عِندَهُ إِنَّا إِذًا لَّظَالِمُونَ that is, he gave his reply to their request according to the regulations followed in his country by telling them that they were not...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: He said ‘God forbid ma‘ādha’Llāhi lit. ‘refuge is with God’ is in the accusative because it is a verbal noun the verb having been omitted and placed in a genitive annexation with its direct object in other words understand it as na‘ūdhu bi’Llāhi ‘we seek refuge with God’ that we should take anyone s...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Yusuf's Brothers offer taking One of Them instead of Binyamin as a Slave, Yusuf rejects the Offer When it was decided that Benyamin was to be taken and kept with Yusuf according to the law they adhered by, Yusuf's brothers started requesting clemency and raising compassion in his heart for them, قَا...

هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ قَوْمُنَا ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مِن دُونِهِۦٓ ءَالِهَةً لَّوْلَا يَأْتُونَ عَلَيْهِم بِسُلْطَٰنٍۭ بَيِّنٍ فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ ٱفْتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبًا

Haaa'ulaaa'i qawmunat takhazoo min dooniheee aalihatal law laa yaatoona 'alaihim bisultaanim baiyin; faman azlamu mimmaniftaraa 'alal laahi kazibaa

These, our people, have taken besides Him deities. Why do they not bring for [worship of] them a clear authority? And who is more unjust than one who invents about Allah a lie?"

ان ہماری قوم کے لوگوں نے اس کے سوا اور معبود بنا رکھے ہیں۔ بھلا یہ ان (کے خدا ہونے) پر کوئی کھلی دلیل کیوں نہیں لاتے۔ تو اس سے زیادہ کون ظالم ہے جو خدا پر جھوٹ افتراء کرے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: The first sentence of verse 14: وَرَ‌بَطْنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ (And We made their hearts firm) refers to the event described by Ibn Kathir a little earlier. This tells us that Allah made the hearts of these people firm when the king who was cruel and worshipped idols summoned them in his court and ...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: These hā’ūlā’ is the subject of the sentence our people qawmunā is an explicative supplement to the subject have taken gods besides Him. Why if what they claim is true do they not bring some clear warrant some manifest argument regarding them? regarding worship of these idols. And who does greater w...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Their Belief in Allah and their Retreat from their People From here Allah begins to explain the story in detail. He states that they were boys or young men, and that they were more accepting of the truth and more guided than the elders who had become stubbornly set in their ways and clung to the rel...

وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ إِنْ هَٰذَآ إِلَّآ إِفْكٌ ٱفْتَرَىٰهُ وَأَعَانَهُۥ عَلَيْهِ قَوْمٌ ءَاخَرُونَ فَقَدْ جَآءُو ظُلْمًا وَزُورًا

Wa qaalal lazeena kafarooo in haazaaa illaaa ifkunif taraahu wa a'aanahoo 'alaihi qawmun aakharoona faqad jaaa'oo zulmanw wa zooraa

And those who disbelieve say, "This [Qur'an] is not except a falsehood he invented, and another people assisted him in it." But they have committed an injustice and a lie.

اور کافر کہتے ہیں کہ یہ (قرآن) من گھڑت باتیں ہی جو اس (مدعی رسالت) نے بنالی ہیں۔ اور لوگوں نے اس میں اس کی مدد کی ہے۔ یہ لوگ (ایسا کہنے سے) ظلم اور جھوٹ پر (اُتر) آئے ہیں

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Special Wisdom in every creation فَقَدَّرَ‌هُ تَقْدِيرً‌ا (And designed it in a perfect measure - 25:2): Here تَقْدِير‌ (designing in a perfect measure) is mentioned after تخلِیق (Creation). تخلِیق means to create something from nothing that is to bring in something without any pre-existing substanc...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And those who disbelieve say ‘This Qur’ān is nothing but a calumny a lie that he Muhammad (s) has invented and other folk have helped him with it’ who according to the disbelievers were from among the People of the Scripture. God exalted be He says Verily thus they have committed wrong and spoken fa...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): What the Disbelievers said about the Qur'an Allah tells us about the foolishness of the disbelievers' ignorant minds, when they said about the Qur'an: إِنْ هَـذَا إِلاَّ إِفْكٌ (This is nothing but a lie), meaning an untruth. افْتَرَاهُ (that he has invented,) meaning the Prophet . وَأَعَانَهُ عَلَي...

فَقَدْ كَذَّبُوكُم بِمَا تَقُولُونَ فَمَا تَسْتَطِيعُونَ صَرْفًا وَلَا نَصْرًا وَمَن يَظْلِم مِّنكُمْ نُذِقْهُ عَذَابًا كَبِيرًا

Faqad kazzabookum bimaa taqooloona famaa tastatee'oona sarfanw wa laa nasraa; wa mai yazlim minkum nuziqhu 'azaaban kabeeraa

So they will deny you, [disbelievers], in what you say, and you cannot avert [punishment] or [find] help. And whoever commits injustice among you - We will make him taste a great punishment.

تو (کافرو) انہوں نے تو تم کو تمہاری بات میں جھٹلا دیا۔ پس (اب) تم (عذاب کو) نہ پھیر سکتے ہو۔ نہ (کسی سے) مدد لے سکتے ہو۔ اور جو شخص تم میں سے ظلم کرے گا ہم اس کو بڑے عذاب کا مزا چکھائیں گے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: The Second Objection was that if the Holy Prophet ﷺ was a prophet, he should not have been eating and drinking like common people; instead he should have been free from eating and drinking like angels. And if this was not so, he should have at least enough wealth and gardens to take care of his day ...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: Thus they will deny you that is the ones who were worshipped denied those who worshipped them in what you allege namely that they are gods and they will neither be able to read yastatī‘ūna or second person plural tastatī‘ūna in other words neither they nor you will be able to circumvent ward off the...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The gods of the Idolators will disown Them on the Day of Resurrection Allah tells us about what will happen on the Day of Resurrection, when those whom the idolators used to worship instead of Allah, angels and others, will rebuke them. Allah says: وَيَوْمَ يَحْشُرُهُمْ وَمَا يَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ا...

وَلَا تُطِيعُوٓا۟ أَمْرَ ٱلْمُسْرِفِينَ

Wa laa tutee'ooo amral musrifeen

And do not obey the order of the transgressors,

اور حد سے تجاوز کرنے والوں کی بات نہ مانو

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Commentary وَتَنْحِتُونَ مِنَ الْجِبَالِ بُيُوتًا فَارِ‌هِينَ ﴿149﴾And you hew out houses from the hills with pride. [ 149] According to Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ ، the word فَارِ‌هِينَ (Farihin) means arrogant and conceited people. But Abu Salih and Imam Raghib have taken this word to mean experts. Th...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: and do not obey the command of the prodigal
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): A Reminder to Them of their Circumstances and the Blessings They enjoyed Salih preached to them, warning them that the punishment of Allah could overtake them and reminding them of the blessings that Allah had bestowed upon them, by giving them ample provision and making them safe from all kinds of ...

ٱلَّذِينَ يُفْسِدُونَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَا يُصْلِحُونَ

Allazeena yufsidoona fil ardi wa laa yuslihoon

Who cause corruption in the land and do not amend."

جو ملک میں فساد کرتے ہیں اور اصلاح نہیں کرتے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Commentary وَتَنْحِتُونَ مِنَ الْجِبَالِ بُيُوتًا فَارِ‌هِينَ ﴿149﴾And you hew out houses from the hills with pride. [ 149] According to Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ ، the word فَارِ‌هِينَ (Farihin) means arrogant and conceited people. But Abu Salih and Imam Raghib have taken this word to mean experts. Th...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: who cause corruption in the earth through acts of disobedience and act righteously’ by being obedient to God.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): A Reminder to Them of their Circumstances and the Blessings They enjoyed Salih preached to them, warning them that the punishment of Allah could overtake them and reminding them of the blessings that Allah had bestowed upon them, by giving them ample provision and making them safe from all kinds of ...

بَلِ ٱتَّبَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوٓا۟ أَهْوَآءَهُم بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ فَمَن يَهْدِى مَنْ أَضَلَّ ٱللَّهُ وَمَا لَهُم مِّن نَّٰصِرِينَ

Balit taba'al lazeena zalamooo ahwaaa'ahum bighairi 'ilmin famai yahdee man adallal laahu wa maa lahum min naasireen

But those who wrong follow their [own] desires without knowledge. Then who can guide one whom Allah has sent astray? And for them there are no helpers.

مگر جو ظالم ہیں بےسمجھے اپنی خواہشوں کے پیچھے چلتے ہیں تو جس کو خدا گمراہ کرے اُسے کون ہدایت دے سکتا ہے؟ اور ان کا کوئی مددگار نہیں

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: لَهُ الْمَثَلُ الْأَعْلَىٰ (For Him is the highest attribute - 30:27) The word مَثَل mathal is used for any such thing which has resemblance and similarity with something else, but its being exactly like that is not necessary. Therefore, the Qur'an has used the word 'mathal' for Allah Ta’ ala at sev...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: Nay but those who do evil through idolatry follow their own desires without any knowledge. So who will guide he whom God has led astray? that is to say he will have none to guide him. And they have no helpers no protectors against God’s chastisement.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): A Parable of Tawhid This is the parable Allah makes of the idolators, those who worship others besides Him and attribute partners to Him, while at the same time admitting that these so-called partners -- idols and false gods -- are enslaved to and belong to Him. In their Talbiyah (during Hajj and `U...

وَمَا ظَلَمْنَٰهُمْ وَلَٰكِن كَانُوا۟ هُمُ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ

Wa maa zalamnaahum wa laakin kaanoo humuz zaalimeen

And We did not wrong them, but it was they who were the wrongdoers.

اور ہم نے ان پر ظلم نہیں کیا۔ بلکہ وہی (اپنے آپ پر) ظلم کرتے تھے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Commentary The only real friendship is that which is in the sake of Allah الْأَخِلَّاءُ يَوْمَئِذٍ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ إِلَّا الْمُتَّقِينَ (Friends, on that day, will become enemies to one another, except the God-fearing 43:67). This verse tells us plainly that the friendly relations in whi...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And We never wronged them but they themselves were the wrongdoers.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The Punishment of the Doomed The description of the state of the blessed is followed by a description of the state of the doomed. إِنَّ الْمُجْرِمِينَ فِى عَذَابِ جَهَنَّمَ خَـلِدُونَ لاَ يُفَتَّرُ عَنْهُمْ (Verily, the criminals will be in the torment of Hell to abide therein forever. It will not b...

إِنَّمَا يَنْهَىٰكُمُ ٱللَّهُ عَنِ ٱلَّذِينَ قَٰتَلُوكُمْ فِى ٱلدِّينِ وَأَخْرَجُوكُم مِّن دِيَٰرِكُمْ وَظَٰهَرُوا۟ عَلَىٰٓ إِخْرَاجِكُمْ أَن تَوَلَّوْهُمْ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُمْ فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ

Innamaa yanhaakumul laahu 'anil lazeena qaatalookum fid deeni wa akhrajookum min diyaarikum wa zaaharoo 'alaa ikhraajikum an tawallawhum; wa many yatawallahum faulaaa'ika humuz zaalimoon

Allah only forbids you from those who fight you because of religion and expel you from your homes and aid in your expulsion - [forbids] that you make allies of them. And whoever makes allies of them, then it is those who are the wrongdoers.

خدا ان ہی لوگوں کے ساتھ تم کو دوستی کرنے سے منع کرتا ہے جنہوں نے تم سے دین کے بارے میں لڑائی کی اور تم کو تمہارے گھروں سے نکالا اور تمہارے نکالنے میں اوروں کی مدد کی۔ تو جو لوگ ایسوں سے دوستی کریں گے وہی ظالم ہیں

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: إِنَّمَا يَنْهَاكُمُ اللَّـهُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ قَاتَلُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَأَخْرَ‌جُوكُم مِّن دِيَارِ‌كُمْ وَظَاهَرُ‌وا عَلَىٰ إِخْرَ‌اجِكُمْ أَن تَوَلَّوْهُمْ (Allah forbids you only from having friendship with those who fought you on account of faith, and expelled you from your homes, and helped (ot...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: God only forbids you in regard to those who waged war against you on account of religion and expelled you from your homes and supported others in your expulsion that you should make friends with them an tawallawhum is an inclusive substitution for alladhīna ‘those who’. And whoever makes friends wit...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Perhaps Allah will make a Friendship between You and Those, whom You hold as Enemies Allah said to His faithful servants, after ordering them to be enemies with the disbelievers, عَسَى اللَّهُ أَن يَجْعَلَ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَ الَّذِينَ عَادَيْتُم مِّنْهُم مَّوَدَّةً (Perhaps Allah will make friendsh...

وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ ٱفْتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلْكَذِبَ وَهُوَ يُدْعَىٰٓ إِلَى ٱلْإِسْلَٰمِ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ

Wa man azlamu mimma nif taraa 'alal laahil kaziba wa huwa yad'aaa ilal Islaam; wallaahu laa yahdil qawmaz zaalimeen

And who is more unjust than one who invents about Allah untruth while he is being invited to Islam. And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.

اور اس سے ظالم کون کہ بلایا تو جائے اسلام کی طرف اور وہ خدا پر جھوٹ بہتان باندھے۔ اور خدا ظالم لوگوں کو ہدایت نہیں دیا کرتا

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: إِنَّ اللَّـهَ يُحِبُّ الَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِهِ صَفًّا كَأَنَّهُم بُنْيَانٌ مَّرْ‌صُوصٌ (Surely Allah loves those who fight in His way in firm rows, as if they were a solid edifice...61:4) The main subject of this Surah for which it was revealed is to mention the dearest action in the si...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And who does — that is to say none does — greater wrong than he who invents lies against God by ascribing a partner and a child to Him and describing His signs as being sorcery when he is actually being summoned to submission to God? And God does not guide the wrongdoing folk the disbelieving folk.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The Most Unjust among all People Allah said, وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَى عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ وَهُوَ يُدْعَى إِلَى الإِسْلاَمِ (And who does more wrong than the one who invents a lie against Allah, while he is being invited to Islam) meaning, none is more unjust than he who lies about Allah ...

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