CRUELTY

 The Arabic word “zulum” -cruelty - has the meaning of being dark and the absence of light.

 As a concept “zulum” is darkness, not to give the rights, injustice, pressure, violence, cheating others, cruelty and torture.
In the Noble Quran as the word “zulum” is used in the sense of darkness, pressure and injustice done against people it is also used in the meaning of infidelity, attributing partners to Allah, rebellion and immorality.

 " Those who reject Our Signs are deaf and dumb in the midst of darkness profound: whom Allah willeth He leaveth to wander whom He willeth He placeth on the way that is straight.” (1)

 The Noble Quran frequently insists on that Allah The Most High does never do injustice against his born servants and will never do such a thing, never shows inequity against them. The punishments that people suffer in this world, troubles, difficulties and disorder are because of their own deeds.

 In the other world, the outcome that will be seen after the Judgment, the punishment one will face, again something that people deserved themselves the return of their own deeds in the world. Allah The Most High doesn’t treat cruelly to anyone but some people treat cruelly to themselves. (2)

 Because Allah The Most High is the absolute “Nur”-Light- the revelations and the Books sent to people by Him are also “light”. The religion that is put forward by divine inspiration is nothing but “light”. Because this religion illuminates the way of the people, shows that how they should live, how to arrange rights properly and informs about how to prevent injustice and oppression.

 The religions invented by people are all darkness -zulmet-. Who invented these religions and obey to false religions always acts in a confused manner and can not correct their wrong way because they are in darkness continuously.

 “Allah is the Protector of those who have faith: from the depths of darkness He will lead them forth into light. Of those who reject faith the patrons are the Evil Ones: from light they will lead them forth into the depths of darkness. They will be companions of the fire to dwell therein (for ever).” (3)
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(1) Chapter En’am, 6/39.
(2) Chapter Bakara, 2/57.
(3) Chapter Bakara, 2/257.

 “Zulüm” is to choose such a dark way, manner of living, understanding. Giving the Right of being God which belongs to Allah to others. Not to give the rights to their owners and doing injustice to them. Going astray and choosing excessiveness by confirming carnal mind. “Zulum”-cruelty- also is to make pressure on people becoming impertinent with the wealth and power one possesses, to attack others’ freedom and rights.

 The Types Of “Zulum”

 When we consider the concept of “zulüm” we see that there are three kinds of it:

 1. “Zulüm” of man against Allah:

 This is to attribute partners to Allah The Most High and not to have faith in Him. In many verses of the Noble Quran “zulum” is mentioned an aspect of the infidels. In many places the Noble Quran defines disbelievers and polytheists as cruel.

 "It is those who believe and confuse not their beliefs with wrong that are (truly) in security for they are on (right) guidance." (1)

 The attitude of the ones who claim deity by denying Allah Almighty is also “zulum”. Because by this way they excess the Right of Allah, being the Unique God. The typical example of this is the deeds of Pharaoh. (2)

 Similar to other communities who didn’t listen to their Prophets, also in this case “zulum”-oppression is the other name for infidelity and polytheism. The fault of the deniers is defined as “zulm” and they are named as “zalim”-cruel one. The thing they do is a call to darkness. On the one hand they prefer the blind alleys that are defined as “ zulmet” in the Noble Quran, on the other they give the Right of Being Lord and God to some beings other than Allah The Most High.

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(1) Chapter En’am, 6/82.
(2) Chapter A’raf, 7/103.

2. The Cruelty -zulum-among people

 The injustice, attacks and crimes that people do to others, to the society they live in, to the environment and to other livings.
A person who encounters with oppression is named as “mazlum” -wronged person.

 In a sense this is a break of human and public rights. Whether it is committed by a person or a group or by political authorities all are assumed as oppression. All dictators, all despotic and oppressive systems choose the way of cruelty and take the rights of people from their hands. These established orders of oppression do not give the basic and natural rights of people and treat them with cruelty and pressure.

 Both about his own character and about the relations with society one should never abandon to observe justice and rights. An employer is expected to treat his employees with justice and should do his payment on the time and properly. Also a worker should use the tools and machines in the working place properly and do his job on time. The relationship between state and society also would be like that. Governments should observe the religious, social, political, cultural rights of people and avoid injustice. The principle of social justice is expected to be applied in all sections of society. If those things are not realized this means there is oppression.

 Another example of cruelty is the oppression done by imperialist states just for the sake of their benefits, in the countries of Muslim people. For instance the imperialist states, who try to occupy some countries for their desire of oil, kill the innocent people, who level the historical and cultural remains with bombs commit the worst of the oppression. Deeds of all dictators lived in history and of today, who kill and left disabled the children, women and old people with chemical weapons are “zulum”-cruelty. They all will account for these oppressions before Allah.

 Whereas in the ages in which Islam was completely applied nobody including infidels were faced with oppression. The justice of Hadrat Omar-May Allah be well pleased him-was on everybody’s tongue. In the time of Ottoman Empire throughout its territories, non-Muslim minorities followed their faith peacefully. Despite the existence of different religious communities and beliefs, the Ottoman society was a society of peace and trust. But today in some countries even in their own country, Muslims women can not enjoy their right of education and can’t work in public sector because of their scarf. Doubtlessly this is an oppression.-zulm-

 Islam brought a basic principle:

 “Then woe to those who write the Book with their own hands and then say: "This is from Allah" to traffic with it for a miserable price! Woe to them for what their hands do write and for the gain they make thereby. (1)

 Islam informs us that we will be neither a cruel who does oppression nor a wronged one who consents to cruelty. Only this verse is enough to show that from which source the human rights are originated. No other declaration of human rights that is equal to the principles stated by this Verse and by the Last Sermon of Our Prophet-peace be upon him- is declared until today. Islam described the most universal human rights.

 All sorts of torture, attacks to beliefs, the obstacles against performing religious beliefs, to prevent people from express their identity, discrimination of race and region, battles of social classes, to prohibit the languages and cultures and to regard the different qualities as a cause of superiority or inferiority are all different sorts of “zulum”.

3. The “Zulm” of someone to himself:

 A person’s cruelty against himself occurs either by involving in infidelity or polytheism or by committing sins which is a rebellion to Allah although he has faith. Hadrat Adam and Eve prayed to Allah when they were taken out from Paradise because of the sin they committed:

 “They said: "our Lord! we have wronged our own souls: if Thou forgive us not and bestow not upon us Thy mercy we shall certainly be lost." (2)

 When believers do an injustice to themselves or commit an evil deed, they immediately remember Allah The Most High and ask for His mercy. Here doing injustice to oneself have the meaning of commit sins. (3)

 Some of the people who were sent Books before , do injustice against themselves and some of them come first in the goodness with the help of Allah.(4)

 The cause of the collapse of countries and societies is oppression. So a proverb states beautifully: “ It’s not possible becoming prosperous with oppression” This means nobody can live happily and in peace for a long time while doing oppression. Absolutely there is a unhappy end of oppression.
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(1) Chapter Bakara, 2/279.
(2) Chapter A’raf, 7/23.
(3) Chapter Al-i Imran, 3/35.
(4) Chapter Fatir, 35/32.

 Not to consent to “zulum”

 To consent to cruelty also is a kind of it. Not to try for preventing the oppression of a cruel one and remaining quiet by saying the badness that doesn’t affect me may continue. It is an unconcerned attitude is to give an opportunity to his oppression and being a part of it.

 The struggle against cruelty is not only a duty of the wronged people. Everybody who has human dignity and knows the value of human rights should fight against cruelty and cruel ones.

 The Noble Quran commands to believers to struggle for the sake of the wronged people even to fight against the cruel ones (1). Those who struggle against oppression are right and there is no condemnation for them. But there are most appropriate punishments for the cruel. (2)

 If the people who behave cruelly, do not repent, cease from oppression and give the rights to their owners there will be no way of salvation for them. The end of cruelty is always bad and collapse. (3)

 Our Prophet declared:

 “The prayers of three people are not rejected. The pray of fasting person while he is breaking his feast in evening; the pray of just ruler and also prayer of a wronged person. Allah-The Most High- elevates this prayer to the skies and the gates of skies are opened for the sake of this prayer.
Then Allah Almighty declares: “I took an oath on My Greatness that I will help you even it is later” (4)

 Disobedience against Allah and His Prophet is a reflection of “zulm” and its proof. Doubtlessly who do not take the commands and principles from Allah and His Apostle and who do not make the judgment in accordance with them certainly will involve in cruelty. (5)