Nahj al-Balagha Hadith n. 241

Selections from The Sayings and Preaching of Amir al-Muminin Ali ibn Abi Talib (Peace Be Upon Him) Including His Replies to Questions and Maxims Expressed for Various Purposes.
Translated by Sayyid Ali Reza

وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام):

Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said:

يَوْمُ الْمَظْلُومِ عَلَى الظَّالِمِ

The day of the oppressed over the oppressor

أَشدُّ مِنْ يَوْمِ الظَّالِمِ عَلَى الْمَظْلُومِ.

will be severer than the day of the oppressor over the oppressed. 57

 

57. It is easy to bear oppression in this world hut it is not easy to face its punishment in the next world, because the period of hearing oppression even though life-long is after all limited; but the punishment for oppression is Hell whose most fearful aspect is that life there will last for ever and death will not save from punishment. That is why, if an oppressor kills someone then with that killing the oppression comes to an end, and there is no further scope for any further oppression on the same person; but its punishment is that he is thrown in Hell where he suffers his punishment. The Persian couplet says: The effect of the oppression on us has passed away, but it will ever remain on the oppressor.