65/11.5. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 4686 — Allah Gives Respite to the Oppressor
The Statement of Allah: "Such is the Seizure of your Lord when He seizes the (population of) towns while they are doing wrong. Verily, His Seizure is painful and severe." (V.11:102)
{الرِّفْدُ الْمَرْفُودُ} الْعَوْنُ الْمُعِينُ. رَفَدْتُهُ أَعَنْتُهُ {تَرْكَنُوا} تَمِيلُوا {فَلَوْلاَ كَانَ} فَهَلاَّ كَانَ {أُتْرِفُوا} أُهْلِكُوا. وَقَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ {زَفِيرٌ وَشَهِيقٌ} شَدِيدٌ وَصَوْتٌ ضَعِيفٌ.
Hadith About Oppression: Allah Gives Respite to the Oppressor
Sahih Bukhari : 4686
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4686
حَدَّثَنَا صَدَقَةُ بْنُ الْفَضْلِ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا بُرَيْدُ بْنُ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَيُمْلِي لِلظَّالِمِ حَتَّى إِذَا أَخَذَهُ لَمْ يُفْلِتْهُ ". قَالَ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ {وَكَذَلِكَ أَخْذُ رَبِّكَ إِذَا أَخَذَ الْقُرَى وَهْىَ ظَالِمَةٌ إِنَّ أَخْذَهُ أَلِيمٌ شَدِيدٌ}
Abu Musa Narrated from:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Allah gives respite to the oppressor, but when He takes him over, He never releases him." Then he recited:--"Such is the seizure of your Lord when He seizes (population of) towns in the midst of their wrong: Painful indeed, and severe is His seizure.' (11.102)
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4686In-book reference : Book 65, Hadith 208USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 6, Book 60, Hadith 208
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4686
This Hadith about oppression is short, but its warning is clear. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that Allah gives respite to the oppressor. This means the oppressor may continue for a time and may not face the result right away. But the Hadith then says that when Allah takes him over, He does not release him. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم recited verse 11:102, which speaks of the seizure of the Lord when He seizes towns while they are doing wrong, and that His seizure is painful and severe. The message is direct: delay is not safety. The oppressor should not be deceived by time, and the wronged person should know that Allah’s taking is not weak.
What we learn from this hadith
- Allah may give the oppressor time, but that delay should not be mistaken for safety.
- The Hadith links oppression with a severe divine taking when Allah seizes.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم supported the warning by reciting a Qur’anic verse.
- Wrongdoing is treated seriously in this narration.
