In the Qur'an, the term "aggression" is mentioned 67 times within a strict context of condemnation and prohibition. This word is closely related to "injustice" in both frequency and meaning, as it is associated with sin, hatred, and oppression, as seen in the verse: "And whoever does that in aggression and injustice – then We will drive him into a Fire. And that, for Allah, is [always] easy" (An-Nisa: 30). These Qur'anic meanings are clearly reflected in the horrific massacres continuously committed by the Israeli occupation forces against the Palestinian people in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, particularly the innocent and unarmed civilians.
These horrendous acts of aggression, inflicted upon the besieged people of Gaza before the eyes of the world, continue under the political cover and ongoing support from the United States and its Western allies. While Washington is supposed to be a mediator in easing the conflict, exchanging prisoners, and bringing humanitarian aid to Gaza, it continues its military and financial support of the Israeli occupation with massive arms deals worth more than $20 billion. These policies exacerbate the Palestinian people's tragedy, prolong their suffering, and threaten their legitimate right to a dignified life on their historic land.
The Concept of Injustice
In Islam, injustice is the opposite of justice and fairness; it is an act of aggression against others with or without reason. Therefore, injustice is a deplorable attribute that every conscious soul rejects (Al-Hirama, 2007).
Islam’s Stance on the Oppressors
There are few attributes that Allah condemns as repeatedly in the Qur'an, promising severe punishments to those who embody them, as much as He condemns injustice, aggression, and the usurpation of rights.
Injustice receives significant attention in the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him), which is why the elimination of injustice is a cornerstone of proper religious education. It represents the morals of the prophets, which the Prophet (peace be upon him) was sent to perfect, as he said: "I have only been sent to perfect noble character" (Al-Hirama, 2007: 28). Imam Ash-Shafi'i said: "Wretched is the provision for the Hereafter that is gained by aggression against others" (Siyar A'lam an-Nubala, Shams ad-Din adh-Dhahabi, Vol. 10/ p. 32). The scholar Ibn Khaldun dedicated a section in his famous Muqaddimah entitled "Injustice heralds the ruin of civilization."
Injustice comes in many forms, varying in harm and punishment. Among them is injustice toward Allah, injustice toward other human beings, animals, nature, and even oneself. Injustice may be physical, such as killing, or financial, such as theft, usurpation, fraud, usury, exploitation, extravagance, stinginess, price manipulation, depriving people of their rights, deceit, fraud, and shortchanging, as in the verse: "Woe to those who give less [than due], who, when they take a measure from people, take in full, but if they give by measure or by weight to them, they cause loss" (Al-Mutaffifin: 1-3). Injustice can also be moral, such as backbiting, gossip, insult, lying, and, at its worst, slander against Allah, hypocrisy, mockery, envy, terrorism, intimidation, tyranny, cursing, leading others astray, violating honor, and betrayal.
The Impact of Injustice on Creation
One of the harsh consequences of injustice is the wars it causes, as well as collective and individual feuds, and aggression in its various material and moral forms. This results in bloodshed, the violation of honor, coercion of souls, the seizure of wealth, and the usurpation of land and dignity. At the very least, it provokes the wrath of Allah and the anger of the righteous consciences among people. Allah says: "And we did not transgress. Indeed, we would then be of the wrongdoers." (Al-Ma'idah: 107).
The worst consequence of injustice on the human soul is the loss of security and the feeling of fear and anxiety, which lead to frustration, diminished hope, humiliation, and exclusion. This results in a lack of material and moral support and stifles creativity, which requires psychological stability and complete security from all forms of fear. Therefore, Allah bestowed safety upon the Quraysh as one of the most essential human needs, saying: "So let them worship the Lord of this House, Who has fed them, [saving them] from hunger and made them safe from fear." (Quraysh: 3-4) (Al-Hirama, 2007: 36).
It becomes clear from reading certain Qur'anic verses that the danger of injustice is not limited to the oppressed but is even more severe for the oppressors. It leads them to Hell as though it were created exclusively for them, given the extent and danger of their injustice. Allah says: "They will have from Hell a bed and over them coverings [of fire]. And thus do We recompense the wrongdoers." (Al-A'raf: 41).
Aggression is considered injustice whether it be against a Muslim or a non-Muslim. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) praised the Hilf al-Fudul (Alliance of Virtue) that was established in the pre-Islamic period because it called for the defense of every oppressed person. The members of this alliance pledged that they would not find any oppressed person in Makkah, whether from its inhabitants or from those who entered it, without supporting them and standing against their oppressor until their grievance was redressed. The Quraysh named this pact the Alliance of Virtue, and the Prophet (peace be upon him), who witnessed it, said: "I witnessed in the house of 'Abdullah a pact that I would not exchange for red camels, and if I were called to it in Islam, I would respond" (Sirat Ibn Hisham: 1/ 73).
Allah's Ongoing Law of Destroying and Replacing the Oppressors
Allah has established fixed laws concerning the oppressors, their followers, and those who assist them. The Qur'anic verses affirm one of Allah's universal laws that do not favor anyone: the law of the downfall of nations through corruption, tyranny, aggression, disobedience, and arrogance. As Allah says: "And when We intend to destroy a city, We command its affluent but they defiantly disobey therein; so the word comes into effect upon it, and We destroy it with [complete] destruction." (Al-Isra: 16). This means that Allah commands them with the legal order to perform righteous deeds and avoid sins, but they disobey, bringing about the causes of their downfall and destruction.
Nations and civilizations perish if injustice spreads and prevails without any resistance or effort to reform, establish justice, and enjoin good and forbid evil. Allah says: "And those cities - We destroyed them when they wronged, and We made for their destruction an appointed time." (Al-Kahf: 59).
Since Allah's law of destroying the oppressors and replacing them does not favor anyone, it also applied to the Children of Israel after Allah had granted them victory over Goliath and his army. He had given them authority in the land of Palestine and its surroundings. However, when the Jews deviated from the teachings of their prophets, they were removed from their position of leadership over humanity. This is detailed clearly in Surah Al-Isra (Al-Mubarakpuri, 1996, p. 120).
Allah's law in human society is that He does not destroy a people without replacing them with others to populate the earth and succeed them in authority. Allah says: "If you turn away, He will replace you with another people; then they will not be the likes of you." (Muhammad: 38). This ensures that the world remains based on sound beliefs, principles, and values suitable for survival (Hishur, 1997: 73).
The Savage Aggression on Gaza and Western Injustice in Supporting "Israel"
Western civilization, particularly in the U.S. and Europe, has been significantly influenced by Zionist agencies specializing in intellectual matters and religious propaganda. These agencies have distorted many historical truths, such as the concepts of "The Promised Land" and "Solomon's Temple," and, with the support of some Western governments, they have infiltrated and distorted the Western ethical and legal system. These ideas have contributed to the moral downfall of many Western leaders, causing them to fall into arrogance and injustice, despite the humanitarian and civilizational values their societies long championed.
The bitter truth is that great powers such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and some Western nations, which were founded by migrants fleeing oppression and persecution, have now assumed the roles of the tyrants who oppressed and wronged them. This forebodes dire consequences and Allah's punishment, which will soon come upon those forces that have supported injustice. Allah says: "Have they not traveled through the land and observed how was the end of those before them? They were greater than them in power and left more lasting impressions on the land, but Allah seized them for their sins. And they had not from Allah any protector." (Ghafir: 21).
In Conclusion, without a doubt, the oppressors will face the same fate as those before them, and Allah’s laws of their downfall will apply to them just as they applied to past nations. The accumulated injustices committed by the Zionist entity, supported by Western countries, particularly the United States, indicate the approaching end of Western materialistic civilization, which is astray in its beliefs and corrupt in its morals. The collapse of this civilization and the nations that adhere to its banner is near, as Allah has promised the oppressed and warned the arrogant oppressors. His unchanging and repeated law among His creation throughout human history is reflected in the verse: "And they swore by Allah their strongest oaths that if a warner came to them, they would be more guided than any one of the [previous] nations. But when a warner came to them, it did not increase them except in aversion, [due to] arrogance in the land and plotting of evil; but the evil plot does not encompass except its own people. Then do they await except the way of the former peoples? But you will never find in the way of Allah any change, and you will never find in the way of Allah any alteration." (Fatir: 42-43).
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(1) Open Letter to the American Leadership and Its Allies Regarding the Genocide in Gaza and Palestine, Dr. Ali Muhammad Al-Sallabi, Official Website, October 2023.
(2) The Prophetic Biography by Ibn Hisham.
(3) Al-Mubarakfuri, Safi-ur-Rahman, (1996), Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum (The Sealed Nectar), 1st Edition, Al-Risalah Publishing House – Lebanon.
(4) Al-Hirama, Abdulhamid Abdullah, (2007), Islam w sira’ alAdalah w alDholm (Islam and the Struggle Between Justice and Injustice).
(5) Hishur, Muhammad, (1997), Sunan alQuran Fi qyam alHadara w Sqootuha (The Laws of the Qur'an in the Rise and Fall of Civilizations), Dar Al-Wafaa Publishing, 1st Edition.
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