The Divine Education Model in the Family of the Prophets (Part 125)
Educational Lessons from the Story of Prophet Musa and Al-Khidr (Peace Be Upon Them) (Continued)
Lesson Sixteen: A Muslim Is Obliged to Strive Wisely to Remove Injustice and Support the Oppressed
A Muslim has a responsibility to strive wisely to remove injustice and support the oppressed. The methods and means of fulfilling this responsibility are diverse and readily available. The action taken by Prophet al-Khidr (AS) in damaging the ship was, in fact, intended to protect its poor and vulnerable owners, as they were unable to protect their ship from the injustice of the king. The king was forcibly seizing every sound ship. Therefore, Prophet al-Khidr (AS) caused a minor defect in the ship in order to save it from being seized by the king.
This story conveys an important message to Muslims, particularly officials and those in positions of authority in Islamic societies: they should not remain indifferent to the oppression and suffering of vulnerable and oppressed people; rather, they should take appropriate action to protect them. Such injustice may take various forms, including physical abuse and violence, economic pressure, intellectual and cultural repression, occupation of territory, humiliation, and other forms of oppression.
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: “والذي نفسي بيده لتأمرن بالمعروف ولتنهون عن المنكر ولتأخذن على يدي المسيء ولتأطرنه على الحق أطراً أو ليضربن الله بقلوب بعضكم على بعض وليلعنكم كما لعنهم.” [1]
Translation: “By Him in Whose Hand is my soul, you must enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, restrain the wrongdoer, and compel him to adhere firmly to the truth; otherwise, Allah (SWT) will turn the hearts of some of you against others and curse you, just as He cursed them.”
The expression “compel him to adhere firmly to the truth” means that the wrongdoer should, as far as possible, be prevented from committing injustice and encouraged to uphold the rights of others.
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) also said: «لا قُدَّسَتْ أمةٌ لا يَأْخُذُ الضَّعِيفُ فِيهَا حَقَّهُ غَيْرَ مُتَعْتَع.» Translation: “A nation is not pure or worthy of honor if the weak among them cannot obtain their rights from the powerful without fear or difficulty.” [2]
This message demonstrates that social justice and the protection of the rights of vulnerable people are fundamental values in Islam. An Islamic society should not be one in which powerful individuals can violate the rights of the weak while no one feels responsible for intervening.
Therefore, a Muslim is obliged to strive to relieve the oppressed from injustice. If a person lacks the ability to confront an oppressor directly, he should employ lawful, wise, and proportionate means to prevent injustice and reduce the suffering of the oppressed. The means of reform and supporting people can be diverse. Anyone who genuinely cares about the interests of people and reducing their suffering can, through wisdom and sound judgment, find appropriate ways to address their problems.
Prophet al-Khidr (AS), despite the knowledge and ability Allah (SWT) had granted him, teaches us that removing injustice does not always mean direct or forceful confrontation. Sometimes, an intelligent and strategic solution should be adopted—one that protects the oppressed while preventing more serious consequences. He damaged the ship in such a way that it was not destroyed but merely became defective. As a result, the king refrained from seizing it, and its poor owners were able to retain it. This action demonstrates that in the process of social reform, methods should be adopted that solve the problem while causing the least possible collateral harm and negative consequences.
Another important principle can also be learned from this story in dealing with problems and managing difficult situations: when confronted with two forms of harm, the lesser harm should be chosen whenever possible, particularly when the objective is to prevent injustice and bring about reform in society.
Accordingly, in Islamic thought, the implementation of certain legal punishments is also understood as serving the protection of society, religion, morality, and people’s rights. For example, although the prescribed punishments for intentional murder, adultery, and theft may initially appear severe and harmful, within the framework of the legal system and the conditions established by Islamic law, their purpose is to preserve social order, prevent the spread of crime, and safeguard the public interest. [3]
[1] Abu Dawud, Kitab al-Malahim, “The Chapter on Enjoining and Forbidding,” Hadith No. 4336.
[2] Ibn Majah, Kitab al-Ahkam, Hadith No. 2417. Al-Busiri stated in Misbah al-Zujajah, Vol. 1, p. 227: “Its chain of transmission is authentic, and its narrators are trustworthy.”
[3] Salah al-Khalidi, Ma‘a Qisas al-Sabiqin fi al-Qur’an, Vol. 2, p. 220.
