إِنَّمَا ٱلسَّبِيلُ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يَظْلِمُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ وَيَبْغُونَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ ٱلْحَقِّ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ 42
Translations
The cause is only against the ones who wrong the people and tyrannize upon the earth without right. Those will have a painful punishment.
Transliteration
Innama as-sabilu ala alladhina yazlimuna an-nasa wa yabghuna fi al-ardi bighayri al-haqq. Ula'ika lahum adhabun alim.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes that the path of accountability and punishment is against those who oppress people and commit injustice in the earth without right. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this verse clarifies that Allah's retribution specifically targets tyrants and wrongdoers, emphasizing that oppression and transgression against creation incur divine punishment. Al-Qurtubi notes that this encompasses both individual acts of injustice and systemic corruption spreading throughout society.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Ash-Shuraa, a Meccan chapter dealing with divine guidance, consultation (shura), and the consequences of rejecting truth. The broader context addresses the rejection of messengers by disbelievers and the inevitable punishment awaiting those who persist in wrongdoing and oppression against others.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'Beware of the supplication of the oppressed, for there is no barrier between it and Allah' (Sahih Bukhari 2448). Additionally, 'Whoever wrongs a person in his rights, oppresses him, or takes something from him unlawfully, then on the Day of Resurrection he will be made to carry it' (Sunan Ibn Majah).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah serves as a powerful reminder that oppression of others—whether through exploitation, abuse of power, or spreading corruption—is not hidden from Allah and will result in severe punishment. For modern believers, it reinforces the moral imperative to stand against injustice, protect the vulnerable, and conduct oneself with integrity in all dealings with others.