of Nokounam, (Session 1601)
The Holy Qur'an, the Book of guidance and light, through profound and insightful discourse, directs humanity towards felicity and perfection. Among its fundamental concepts, oppression, oppressors, and disbelief stand as pivotal axes in understanding the moral and social framework of the Qur'an. This treatise, through an in-depth examination of Qur'anic verses, explores the concept of oppression of the self, the role of oppressors in propagating corruption and disbelief, and the distinctions between light and fire within the structure of human societies. Its aim is to provide a comprehensive perspective based on divine verses and narrations, serving as a guide for individual and societal reform. Presented in a lucid and dignified language, this study investigates the link between oppression and disbelief and their impact on social psychology and jurisprudential systems, employing allegories and references to elucidate these concepts for readers.
The Holy Qur'an, with remarkable eloquence, invites humanity to contemplate the dichotomy of light and darkness. Light manifests divine guidance that illuminates hearts and steers societies towards justice, whereas darkness symbolises misguidance and oppression that lead humans towards ruin.
One of the foundational verses in this regard is the Verse of Light, where God is described as the Light of the heavens and the earth:
"God is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The example of His light is like a niche within which is a lamp."
This verse juxtaposes divine light against the darkness of sin and oppression. The Qur'an employs the word "light" (nr) 47 times, "fire" (nran) 245 times, "oppression" (ulm) 315 times, the root "-l-l" (shadow/oppression) 198 times, and "illumination" (iy) 7 times. This frequent recurrence underscores the significance of these concepts within the Qur'anic worldview. Light represents perfection and awareness, while fire and oppression denote corruption and misguidance. The human society, like a diverse garden, comprises luminous, fiery, oppressive, and illuminated individuals. The luminous ones humbly advance towards perfection and guidance, whereas the oppressive ones, knowingly or ignorantly, inflict injustice upon themselves and others.
From a psychological standpoint, oppressive individuals who consciously commit injustice are unreceptive to counsel and tend to mock admonitions, which is inherent to their nature. In contrast, ignorant individuals may be guided towards light through education and guidance. This distinction intensifies the responsibility of religious sciences in promoting light and justice against darkness and grave oppression.
The Holy Qur'an categorises humans according to their moral and behavioural characteristics into various groups. Some are luminous, spreading guidance and goodness within society; some are fiery, igniting the fire of destruction through sin and corruption; others are oppressive, fostering darkness by perpetrating injustice against themselves and others. This classification acts as a mirror reflecting each individuals position on the path of light or darkness.
Light and fire constitute two poles of the ethical and social spectrum in the Holy Qur'an. Light signifies guidance and perfection, whereas fire and oppression symbolise misguidance and corruption. Religious sciences must, relying on the illuminating verses of the Qur'an, design just systems to ensure the predominance of the light of guidance over the darkness of oppression. This section lays the groundwork for a deeper exploration of oppression of the self as the root of all corruptions.
Oppression of the self is like a cancer that inwardly leads the human being towards destruction. The Holy Qur'an introduces this concept as the root of all corruptions and invites humans to reflect on their own behaviours.
One of the key verses referring to oppression of the self is:
"He said: My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, so forgive me."
This verse clearly defines oppression of the self as an act that distances a person from the light of guidance and drives them towards darkness. The Qur'an mentions oppression of the self in 42 instances, describing it as the root of all corruptions. Oppression of the selfwhether through heedlessness, envy, backbiting, or ill-willfirst torments the individual and subsequently harms society.
Psychologically, oppression of the self is akin to a poison that initially contaminates the individual's spirit. A person afflicted by envy, rancour, or backbiting traps themselves in an inner torment before causing harm to others. The original text beautifully illustrates this point with an allegory: "A person who harbours ill-will is like one who drives a dagger into their own heart and then wounds others." This viewpoint emphasises the necessity of self-purification and reform in the face of oppression of the self.
One of the prominent remarks in the original text is the criticism of prevalent societal culture that neglects oppression of the self and focuses solely on oppression of others. This neglect acts as a veil obscuring the truth. Instead of attentively listening to their own inner reproach and repenting from self-oppression, people engage in condemning others. This approach hinders both individual and social reform.
Oppression of the self is a root that fosters corruption within the individual and society. The Holy Qur'an, by emphasising this concept, invites humans towards self-awareness and self-reform. Religious sciences must, concentrating on this principle, devise systems that guide humans from self-oppression towards the light of guidance.
The Holy Qur'an presents the Prophets as guides for humanity, yet it also alludes to their minor oppression in certain instances. This oppression is not a major sin but a slight error deriving from their infallibility by decree.
One key verse in this regard is:
"So he called out within the darkness: 'There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.'"
This verse points to the minor oppression of Prophet Jonah (peace be upon him) which stems from neglecting some guiding duties or regret over certain decisions. This oppression is not a major sin but a slight error consistent with the doctrine of occasional infallibility (infallibility by decree) of the Prophets.
Absolute infallibility is exclusive to God, who is free from any error or defect. However, the infallibility of the Prophets is occasional and graded. While the Prophets are immune to major sins, they may under certain conditions commit minor errors that are promptly rectified through repentance and seeking forgiveness. This concept acts as a mirror demonstrating that even the greatest guides bear responsibility under divine tests.
Minor oppression of the Prophets signifies their accountability in guiding society. This oppression is not a major sin but a minor error consistent with their occasional infallibility. This section underscores the importance of repentance and reform even for the greatest guides and paves the way for examining oppressors and their role in disbelief.
The Holy Qur'an introduces oppressors as the principal agents of disbelief and corruption. This group consciously and intentionally promotes misguidance and destruction within society.
One of the key verses in this context is:
"And the disbelievers are the wrongdoers."
This verse unequivocally links disbelief with oppression. The Qur'an uses the terms "oppressors" (limn) 91 times and "wrongdoers" (limn) 33 times, totalling 124 instances. This repetition underscores the central role of oppressors in fostering disbelief and corruption.
From a psychological perspective, oppressors are those who, with awareness and deliberate intent, foment corruption and disbelief. They act as actors on a dark stage, maintaining hypocrisy and refusing to acknowledge their sins, thus remaining distant from guidance. The original text aptly illustrates: "Oppressors are like a basin that, whatever is poured into it, returns to its original state." This allegory depicts the hypocrisy and incurability of oppressors.
