Oppression
الظلم
Vice · Concept
Zulm — wrongdoing and tyranny, placing things out of their right place; Pharaoh is the Quran's archetype of the oppressor.
Overview
Zulm — oppression, wrongdoing, injustice — literally means putting something where it does not belong. The Quran condemns those "who wrong the people and tyrannize upon the earth without right" (42:42). Its archetypal oppressor is Pharaoh, who "exalted himself in the land and made its people into factions, oppressing a sector among them" (28:4).
The word also covers wronging oneself: Musa, after the unintended killing, prays "My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, so forgive me" (28:16).
Graph
Key connections
What do these labels mean?
Every connection on this page says what it rests on. The label tells you how directly the source supports it.
- Direct textual — Direct textual. The source states this outright.
- The source states this outright.
- Editorial thematic — Editorial thematic. IslamicGraph's own thematic grouping, not a claim of any source.
- IslamicGraph's own thematic grouping, not a claim of any source.
Select a connection to see the source it rests on.
- Oppressionالظلم
Sources
Quran references
Al-Qasas 28:4
AboutDirect — Direct textual. The source states this outright.إِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ عَلَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَجَعَلَ أَهْلَهَا شِيَعًۭا يَسْتَضْعِفُ طَآئِفَةًۭ مِّنْهُمْ يُذَبِّحُ أَبْنَآءَهُمْ وَيَسْتَحْىِۦ نِسَآءَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ
Indeed, Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and made its people into factions, oppressing a sector among them, slaughtering their [newborn] sons and keeping their females alive. Indeed, he was of the corrupters.
Al-Qasas 28:16
AboutDirect — Direct textual. The source states this outright.قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّى ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِى فَٱغْفِرْ لِى فَغَفَرَ لَهُۥٓ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلْغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ
He said, "My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, so forgive me," and He forgave him. Indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.
Luqman 31:13
AboutDirect — Direct textual. The source states this outright.وَإِذْ قَالَ لُقْمَٰنُ لِٱبْنِهِۦ وَهُوَ يَعِظُهُۥ يَٰبُنَىَّ لَا تُشْرِكْ بِٱللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّ ٱلشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌۭ
And [mention, O Muhammad], when Luqman said to his son while he was instructing him, "O my son, do not associate [anything] with Allah. Indeed, association [with him] is great injustice."
Ash-Shura 42:42
AboutDirect — Direct textual. The source states this outright.إِنَّمَا ٱلسَّبِيلُ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يَظْلِمُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ وَيَبْغُونَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ ٱلْحَقِّ ۚ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌۭ
The cause is only against the ones who wrong the people and tyrannize upon the earth without right. Those will have a painful punishment.
Across the Quran
Counts include curated links and automatic matches on the Arabic word form.
Related
People
Related
Events
Musa and Firawn
موسى وفرعونsubject of
Musa and Harun deliver Allah's message to Pharaoh, face his magicians, and endure his threats and the plagues that follow.
Related
Concepts
Justice
العدلrelated to
Adl — justice in judgment and dealing, commanded by Allah alongside excellence, and described as nearer to taqwa.
Names of Allah
Divine Names
Names that occur in the passages linked to this page are separated from names associated with it thematically.
Provenance
Relationships
What do these labels mean?
Every connection on this page says what it rests on. The label tells you how directly the source supports it.
- Direct textual — Direct textual. The source states this outright.
- The source states this outright.
- Editorial thematic — Editorial thematic. IslamicGraph's own thematic grouping, not a claim of any source.
- IslamicGraph's own thematic grouping, not a claim of any source.
Every edge in the graph, with the evidence behind it.
Oppressionexemplified byFirawnDirect — Direct textual. The source states this outright.2 src
The Quran describes Pharaoh's rule in the exact vocabulary of zulm and transgression.
Evidence
- Quran Al-Qasas 28:4Direct — Direct textual. The source states this outright.
إِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ عَلَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَجَعَلَ أَهْلَهَا شِيَعًۭا يَسْتَضْعِفُ طَآئِفَةًۭ مِّنْهُمْ يُذَبِّحُ أَبْنَآءَهُمْ وَيَسْتَحْىِۦ نِسَآءَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ
“Indeed, Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and made its people into factions, oppressing a sector among them, slaughtering their [newborn] sons and keeping their females alive. Indeed, he was of the corrupters.”
"Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and made its people into factions, oppressing a sector among them."
Open ayah 28:4 → - Quran An-Nazi'at 79:24Direct — Direct textual. The source states this outright.
فَقَالَ أَنَا۠ رَبُّكُمُ ٱلْأَعْلَىٰ
“And said, "I am your most exalted lord."”
"I am your most exalted lord."
Open ayah 79:24 →
Oppressionsubject ofMusa and FirawnDirect — Direct textual. The source states this outright.1 src
Evidence
- Quran Al-Qasas 28:4Direct — Direct textual. The source states this outright.
إِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ عَلَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَجَعَلَ أَهْلَهَا شِيَعًۭا يَسْتَضْعِفُ طَآئِفَةًۭ مِّنْهُمْ يُذَبِّحُ أَبْنَآءَهُمْ وَيَسْتَحْىِۦ نِسَآءَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ
“Indeed, Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and made its people into factions, oppressing a sector among them, slaughtering their [newborn] sons and keeping their females alive. Indeed, he was of the corrupters.”
Open ayah 28:4 →
Oppressionassociated withMusaDirect — Direct textual. The source states this outright.2 src
Musa's mission is the Quran's central confrontation with tyranny — and he also prays for forgiveness for having wronged himself.
Evidence
- Quran Al-Qasas 28:4Direct — Direct textual. The source states this outright.
إِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ عَلَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَجَعَلَ أَهْلَهَا شِيَعًۭا يَسْتَضْعِفُ طَآئِفَةًۭ مِّنْهُمْ يُذَبِّحُ أَبْنَآءَهُمْ وَيَسْتَحْىِۦ نِسَآءَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ
“Indeed, Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and made its people into factions, oppressing a sector among them, slaughtering their [newborn] sons and keeping their females alive. Indeed, he was of the corrupters.”
Open ayah 28:4 → - Quran Al-Qasas 28:16Direct — Direct textual. The source states this outright.
قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّى ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِى فَٱغْفِرْ لِى فَغَفَرَ لَهُۥٓ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلْغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ
“He said, "My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, so forgive me," and He forgave him. Indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.”
"My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, so forgive me."
Open ayah 28:16 →
Oppressionrelated toJusticeEditorial — Editorial thematic. IslamicGraph's own thematic grouping, not a claim of any source.1 src
Zulm is the absence of adl; the Quran commands the one and forbids the other in a single ayah.
Evidence
- Quran An-Nahl 16:90Direct — Direct textual. The source states this outright.
۞ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِٱلْعَدْلِ وَٱلْإِحْسَٰنِ وَإِيتَآئِ ذِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَيَنْهَىٰ عَنِ ٱلْفَحْشَآءِ وَٱلْمُنكَرِ وَٱلْبَغْىِ ۚ يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ
“Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded.”
"Allah orders justice and good conduct... and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression."
Open ayah 16:90 →
Oppressionassociated withAl-GhafurEditorial — Editorial thematic. IslamicGraph's own thematic grouping, not a claim of any source.1 src
Where the Quran speaks of a person wronging themselves (zulm an-nafs), the response it offers is forgiveness — as in Musa's prayer.
Evidence
- Quran Al-Qasas 28:16Direct — Direct textual. The source states this outright.
قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّى ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِى فَٱغْفِرْ لِى فَغَفَرَ لَهُۥٓ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلْغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ
“He said, "My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, so forgive me," and He forgave him. Indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.”
Open ayah 28:16 →