Instructions to stop the oppressor, seek refuge in trials, and go to the threshold of kings

① Sayyiduna Anas رضي الله عنه narrates, the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

انصر أخاك ظالما أو مظلوما

“Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or oppressed.”
A man asked, O Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم! When he is oppressed, I will help him, so tell me how should I help him when he is the oppressor? He صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

تحجزه وتمنعه من الظلم فإن ذلك نصره

“Preventing him from oppression and forbidding him from it is helping him.”

② Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه narrates, O people! You recite this verse:

﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا عَلَيْكُمْ أَنفُسَكُمْ ۖ لَا يَضُرُّكُم مَّن ضَلَّ إِذَا اهْتَدَيْتُمْ﴾

“O you who have believed! You are responsible for yourselves; if you are rightly guided, no harm will come to anyone else’s misguidance.”

Yet I heard the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم say:

إن الناس إذا رأوا الظالم فلم يأخذوا على يديه أوشك أن يعمهم الله بعذاب منه

“When people see an oppressor (committing oppression) and do not restrain him, it is close that Allah will punish them all with a general punishment from Himself.”

① Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

ستكون فتن القاعد فيها خير من القائم، والقائم خير من الماشي، والماشي فيها خير من الساعي، من يشرف لها تستشرفه، ومن وجد ملجأ أو معاذا فليعذ به

“Soon there will be tribulations in which sitting will be better than standing, standing will be better than walking, and walking will be better than running. Whoever peeks at them from afar, they will also engulf him. So whoever finds a refuge or shelter in these conditions, let him seek refuge in it.”

① It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

من سكن البادية جفا، ومن اتبع الصيد غفل، ومن أتى أبواب السلاطين افتتن

“Whoever settles in the forest, his heart becomes hardened; whoever pursues hunting becomes heedless; and whoever goes to the threshold of kings will be afflicted by tribulations.”