Principle of Care for the Oppressed

part 1

Status of Care for the Oppressed

One of the major principles of the Noble Prophet (PBUH) was his effort for the oppressed. He was with them, supported them, respected them, tried to wipe away their deprivation and guide them to their real dignity. He made every effort for those who are not exploitative and those who Pharaonic tendencies, and have been deprived of their real rights. He never spared any effort for freeing the righteous from imprisonment and paving the way for their elation. He helped people who seek God and have been denied their rights. God favors the righteous and the deprived; and the Prophet (PBUH) and his followers were kind to them and did their best so they could gain their rights.

The Noble Prophet is a mercy for the entire creation; a great  mercy  for  everyone  and  a  special  one  for  the oppressed. The Prophet considered himself one of them and was always next to them. Imam Khomeini (R.A) writes in this regard:

“Islam is for everyone. Islam was emerged from the masses and works for them. Islam wasn't formed among the high class. The Noble Prophet (PBUH) belonged to this lower class people. He rose from these strata. His followers belonged to this class of people, from the supposedly third level of people. The high class of the society was against the Noble Prophet. The Noble Prophet rescued the oppressed from the injustice of the oppressors as much as he could. As God says: And We desired to show favor unto those who were oppressed in the earth, and to make them examples and to make them the inheritors.”‌

The oppressed righteous persons are loved by God and are means of God mercy. Those who are not captive to the world and are true believers are means of God's blessings to all. As the Noble Prophet (PBUH) said to Sa'd ibn Abi Waqas following the Battle of Badr: Would you have won without the blessings of the oppressed?

To highlight the importance of respect for the oppressed and making an effort to improve their situation, the Noble Prophet would tell the people: God will help this nation because of the oppressed and their prayers and piety. These are the most cherished by God and the first to have joined the Noble Prophet and this has always been the case. Shamsuddin Zahbi,  the prominent  historian who passed away in 748 AH wrote: The first who followed the Noble Prophet were the poor and this is why prophets were sent. They have less attachment to superficial attributes of the world and more prone to guidance and accepting the right.

As Imam Khomeini (R.A) puts it:

His followers were from these lower strata of society, the so-called third class. The upper echelons””the self-styled high class””were against the Noble Prophet.

“Anyone going through the early history of Islam will realize that a group of poor people always surrounded the Noble Prophet (PBUH). They were known as the “People of the Suffah”‌ which is a place in the courtyard. They were homeless and slept in the yard or the place known as “Suffah”‌. They were so poor, they had nothing.”‌

Source:

Behavior and Character of the Holy Prophet of Islam from Imam Khomeini's Viewpoint  

Written By: Mostafa Dilshad Tehrani 

Translator: Ali Shahbaz

Other Links:

Principle of Modesty and Humbleness (part 1)   

Principle of Modesty and Humbleness (part 2)