Al-Sudais: Oppressing people is the most heinous form of injustice and nullifies good deeds

During his Friday sermon, His Excellency the President General of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque, and Imam of the Grand Mosque, Sheikh Dr. Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, emphasized that oppressing people and violating their rights is among the most heinous forms of injustice, with the most serious consequences in this life and the hereafter. These poignant words, delivered from the pulpit of the Holy Mosque in Mecca, highlighted a fundamental issue affecting the cohesion of society and its spiritual and material stability.

The tyranny of materialism and the absence of religious conscience

Sheikh Al-Sudais explained that in the current era, characterized by increasing materialism and a relentless pursuit of worldly gains, disputes among people have intensified, highlighting the urgent need to reaffirm the importance of upholding human rights and combating all forms of injustice. He pointed out that the root of this problem lies primarily in the weakening of religious conscience among some and the absence of firmly established moral values, which produces individuals whose sole purpose is to transgress against others and dwell on their mistakes and shortcomings, rather than focusing on self-improvement.

The most heinous form of injustice: People's rights are inviolable

In a detailed legal explanation, the preacher of the Grand Mosque clarified that injustice is the root of all evil, and that the Lord of the heavens and the earth has warned against it in His Holy Book, forbidding it for Himself and making it forbidden among His servants. He emphasized that "injustice towards people" is the most heinous form of injustice because it pertains to the rights of created beings, which are based on strictness, unlike the rights of God, which are based on forgiveness. He described this sin as being surrounded by bloody thorns that inevitably lead its perpetrator to the abyss, no matter how numerous his outward acts of worship.

The truly bankrupt one is on the Day of Resurrection

Sheikh Al-Sudais invoked the profound legal meaning of the hadith about the "bankrupt person," explaining that a person may come on the Day of Judgment having performed the pillars of Islam—prayer, fasting, and zakat—and firmly believing that these deeds will save him, yet he will come burdened with injustices against others: insulting this person, unjustly taking that person's wealth, and shedding that person's blood. The result will be that his good deeds will be taken and given to his adversaries, and when his good deeds are exhausted, their sins will be added to his burden, and then he will be cast into Hell. His Eminence concluded by emphasizing that injustices related to the rights of others must be rectified and fulfilled in this life before the Hereafter, as they are a private right that cannot be compromised and is only waived by the forgiveness of the wronged party.

The importance of the pulpit in community guidance

This sermon is of paramount importance given the esteemed position of the pulpit in the Grand Mosque, to which Muslims worldwide turn in prayer. Reminding people of the sanctity of life, property, and honor is a fundamental pillar in maintaining social security, promoting awareness, and solidifying the foundations of a sound society based on justice and equity, far removed from the law of the jungle and the violation of sacred boundaries.