Should a person struggle against the injustices he faces in this world and to what extent should he struggle? Or, should one not waive his rights by complaining against the wrongdoers in the Hereafter?

Should a person struggle against the injustices he faces in this world and to what extent should he struggle? Or, should one not waive his rights by complaining against the wrongdoers in the Hereafter?

Dear Brother / Sister,

One must avoid doing wrong to others and try to prevent others from doing wrong. This is a duty. However, there are Islamic criteria in eliminating the wrong done to us or to someone else. It is necessary to act in accordance with them.

For instance, it is a command of our Prophet ‘to prevent an evil or an injustice one sees with the hand, if not, with the tongue (verbally), and if this is also not possible, to answer it with the objection of the heart.’ This hadith of the Prophet is explained by authorized scholars as follows:

To prevent the ‘munkar’ (evil) with hand is the duty of the state and other authorities. And to prevent it with tongue is the duty of the scholars and the people knowledgeable in that matter. Those who do not possess any authority, and who lack the knowledge to prevent the evil with tongue should hate it in their heart, in other words, they must object to that evil in their inner world.

Accordingly, when one experiences an injustice, he must apply to the authorities for its removal, and if there are people capable of preventing the evil, one must let them intervene. And in cases when all these fail to prove successful, it means that the wronged person will get her/his right on the great Day of Judgment in the Hereafter.

As for waiving one’s right, this is a virtue; one may forgive the infringements on his rights if s/he wills. Those who prefer the way of forgiving when faced with an evil done by his believing friend rather than retaliating with the same amount or more will, by all means, receive the great reward of this in the Hereafter. However, their right to demand their rights is also guaranteed. It is up to the person to decide.

Questions on Islam