The Lord Almighty has stipulated this condition in the matter of people’s rights that he will not be forgiven until that person forgives him even though He is our Owner, the Owner of our lives and wealth. If He so wishes, He can forgive the rights of any person and this is absolute justice and His right, for we are His and our rights are stipulated by Him.

If He did not make our blood, wealth, honour, etc., sacred, anybody could cause us harm and would never be taken to account. Thus, if Allah Almighty wishes, He can forgive our rights over people, for He is the True Owner, but it is the mercy of that Generous and Merciful One that He has handed our rights to us. He did not allow a situation to arise where a person be forgiven or pardoned without our consent, lest an oppressed person say, ‘O My Creator! I did not receive my right.’ (Fatawa Razawiyyah, vol. 24, pp. 455-462, summarised)

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب                            صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

The rights of people and the s ayings of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم

Dear Islamic brothers! The importance of people’s rights has been mentioned at many places in the blessed Ahadees. Let us have the honour of listening to four such sayings of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم:

1.   A Muslim is a brother of a Muslim; he should not oppress him nor deem him inferior. Piety is here, and then he pointed towards his chest three times. It is enough of an evil for a person that he considers his Muslim brother to be inferior. Everything of a Muslim is Haraam upon another Muslim; his blood, his wealth and his honour. (Muslim, to the end…, p. 1386, Hadees 32 (2564))

2.   The one who has oppressed his brother in terms of his honour and any other matter, it is necessary upon him to ask for his forgiveness in the world before the Day of Judgment arrives, for there shall not be Dinars nor Dirhams there. If he has any good deed, then it will be taken from him (the oppressor) and given to him (the oppressed) in proportion to his right. Otherwise, his (the oppressed) sins will be placed upon him (the oppressor). (Bukhari, vol. 2, p. 128, Hadees 2440)