In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful
Islam teaches us to ‘repel evil with good,’ which means being patient, forbearing, forgiving, and even generous to evildoers. The fruit of this path is that the good character of the believers softens the hearts of the enemies and, potentially, brings them closer to Islam, or at least neutralizes their hostility toward Muslims, whereas habitually retaliating with “an eye for an eye,” despite its permissibility as a concenssion, does not achieve the lofty objects pleasing to Allah. The purpose of Islam is to win hearts and minds to the truth, not to damn people to Hellfire.
Allah said:
وَلَا تَسْتَوِي الْحَسَنَةُ وَلَا السَّيِّئَةُ ادْفَعْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ فَإِذَا الَّذِي بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُ عَدَاوَةٌ كَأَنَّهُ وَلِيٌّ حَمِيمٌ وَمَا يُلَقَّاهَا إِلَّا الَّذِينَ صَبَرُوا وَمَا يُلَقَّاهَا إِلَّا ذُو حَظٍّ عَظِيمٍ
Good and evil cannot be equal. Respond to evil with what is best, then the one you are in a feud with will be like a close friend. But this cannot be attained except by those who are patient and who are truly fortunate.
Surat Fussilat 41:34-35
Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, commented:
أَمَرَ اللَّهُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِالصَّبْرِ عِنْدَ الْغَضَبِ وَالْحِلْمِ عِنْدَ الْجَهْلِ وَالْعَفْوِ عِنْدَ الْإِسَاءَةِ فَإِذَا فَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ عَصَمَهُمُ اللَّهُ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ وَخَضَعَ لَهُمْ عَدُوُّهُمْ كَأَنَّهُ وَلِيٌّ حَمِيمٌ
Allah commands the believers to be patient when they feel angry, to be forbearing when confronted with ignorance, and to forgive when they are mistreated. If they do this, Allah will save them from Satan and subdue their enemies to them until they become like close friends.
Source: Tafsīr al-Ṭabarī 41:34
Imam Ibn Kathir commented:
أَيْ مَنْ أَسَاءَ إِلَيْكَ فَادْفَعْهُ عَنْكَ بِالْإِحْسَانِ إِلَيْهِ
That is, those who are evil to you, then repel them by being good to them.
Source: Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr 41:34
Imam al-Baydawi commented:
ادفع السيئة حيث اعترضتك بالتي هي أحسن منها وهي الحسنة على أن المراد بالأحسن الزائد مطلقاً أو بأحسن ما يمكن دفعها به من الحسنات
Repel the evil, wherever it confronts you, with that which is better than it—that is, with goodness. The meaning of ‘better’ may be taken as that which is superior in every way, or it may mean the best possible goodness by which the evil can be repelled.
Source: Anwār al-Tanzīl wa Asrār al-Ta’wīl 5/72
Imam Abu Zayd al-Tha’bai commented:
ادْفَعْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ آية جَمَعَتْ مكارمَ الأخلاقِ وأنواعَ الحِلْمِ والمعنى ادفع ما يعرض لك مع الناس في مخالطتهم بالفعلة أو بالسيرة التي هي أَحْسَنُ
Repel evil with that which is best. This is a verse that combines noble morals and types of forbearance. The meaning is to repel people in your interactions with them by the best actions or behaviors.
Source: al-Jawāhir al-Ḥisān fī Tafsīr al-Qur’ān 41:34
And Shaykh al-Sa’di commented:
أي إذا أساء إليك أعداؤك، بالقول والفعل فلا تقابلهم بالإساءة مع أنه يجوز معاقبة المسيء بمثل إساءته ولكن ادفع إساءتهم إليك بالإحسان منك إليهم فإن ذلك فضل منك على المسيء
That is, if your enemies is evil to you, in word or deed, do not respond to them with a similar evil, even though it is permissible to punish the wrongdoer with the same proportion. Rather, repel their evil by being good to them, for that is your favor to the evildoer.
Source: Taysīr al-Karīm al-Raḥmān 41:34
Some of the Salaf interpreted “repel evil with what is better” to mean offering peace to those who showed enmity to them or ignorantly abused them.
Imam al-Qurtubi commented:
وَقَالَ مُجَاهِدٌ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ يَعْنِي السَّلَامَ إِذَا لَقِيَ مَنْ يُعَادِيهِ وَقَالَهُ عَطَاءٌ
Mujahid said ‘repel evil with what is better’ means wishing peace upon those you meet who are hostile to you, as was also said by ‘Ata’.
Source: Tafsīr al-Qurṭubī 41:34
This is consistent with the command of Allah to offer peace to those who abuse them in ignorance.
Allah said:
وَإِذَا سَمِعُوا اللَّغْوَ أَعْرَضُوا عَنْهُ وَقَالُوا لَنَا أَعْمَالُنَا وَلَكُمْ أَعْمَالُكُمْ سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُمْ لَا نَبْتَغِي الْجَاهِلِينَ
When they hear slanderous talk, they turn away from it, saying, ‘We are accountable for our deeds and you for yours. Peace˹is our only response to you! We want nothing to do with those who act ignorantly.’
Surat al-Qassas 28:55
And Allah said:
وَعِبَادُ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الَّذِينَ يَمْشُونَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ هَوْنًا وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ الْجَاهِلُونَ قَالُوا سَلَامًا
The servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk on the earth humbly, and when the foolish address them, they only respond with peace.
Surat al-Furqan 25:63
Being good to evildoers is among the highest spiritual stations that a Muslim can achieve, as it is part of the ‘excellence’ (ihsan) that the Prophet ﷺ described as the peak of Islamic worship. This noble quality is what distinguishes the righteous believers from their enemies.
Imam Ibn al-Qayyim writes:
هَذِهِ الدَّرَجَةُ أَعْلَى مِمَّا قَبْلَهَا وَأَصْعَبُ … وَهَذِهِ تَتَضَمَّنُ الْإِحْسَانَ إِلَى مَنْ أَسَاءَ إِلَيْكَ وَمُعَامَلَتَهُ بِضِدِّ مَا عَامَلَكَ بِهِ فَيَكُونُ الْإِحْسَانُ وَالْإِسَاءَةُ بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُ خُطَّتَيْنِ
This degree is the highest of all… this includes being good to the one who is evil to you and treating him oppositely from how he treated you, such that good and evil are the line separating between you.
Source: Madārij al-Sālikīn 2/328
If you only do good to those who are good to you, or when it is easy to do so, how is that different from the unbelievers and the corrupt? Do they not do the same? This is only reciprocation, a mere transaction, not virtue in itself.
Rather, patience, mercy, forgiveness, and forbearance with the worst people are among the most significant signs of true faith.
Abdullah ibn Amr reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
لَيْسَ الْوَاصِلُ بِالْمُكَافِئِ وَلَكِنْ الْوَاصِلُ الَّذِي إِذَا قُطِعَتْ رَحِمُهُ وَصَلَهَا
The one who keeps good relations with family is not the one who is reciprocated. Rather, the one who keeps good relations with family is one who does so, despite being cut off by them.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 5991, Grade: Sahih
Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said:
لَيْسَ الْوَصْلُ أَنْ تَصِلَ مَنْ وَصَلَكَ ذَلِكَ الْقِصَاصُ وَلَكِنَّ الْوَصْلَ أَنْ تَصِلَ مَنْ قَطَعَكَ
The one who reconciles is not the one who maintains relations with those who are good to him, for that is merely reciprocation. Rather, the one who reconciles is one who maintains relations with those who cut him off.
Sufyan al-Thawri, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
الْإِحْسَانُ أَنْ تُحْسِنَ إلَى مَنْ أَسَاءَ إلَيْكَ فَإِنَّ الْإِحْسَانَ إلى المُحسِنِ مُتَاجَرَةٌ كَنَقْدِ السُّوقِ خُذْ مِنِّي وَهَاتِ
Excellence is that you are good to the one who is evil to you, for only doing good to a good-doer is merely a transaction like currency in the marketplace. Take from me and give back.
Source: al-Kashf wal-Bayān ʻan Tafsīr al-Qur’ān 3:134
Jesus, the son of Mary, upon him be peace, would say:
إِنَّ الْإِحْسَانَ لَيْسَ أَنْ تُحْسِنَ إِلَى مَنْ أَحْسَنَ إِلَيْكَ إِنَّمَا تِلْكَ مُكَافَأَةٌ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَلَكِنَّ الْإِحْسَانَ أَنْ تُحْسِنَ إِلَى مَنْ أَسَاءَ إِلَيْكَ
Verily, goodness is not that you are good to the one who is good to you, for that is only a charitable recompense. Rather, goodness is that you are good to the one who is evil to you.”
As such, Allah has praised the believers in other verses who repel evil with good by being patient, merciful, and forgiving when confronted with mistreatment.
Allah said:
وَالَّذِينَ صَبَرُوا ابْتِغَاءَ وَجْهِ رَبِّهِمْ وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَأَنفَقُوا مِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ سِرًّا وَعَلَانِيَةً وَيَدْرَءُونَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ السَّيِّئَةَ أُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمْ عُقْبَى الدَّارِ
They are those who endure patiently, seeking their Lord’s pleasure, establish prayer, donate from what We have provided for them—secretly and openly—and respond to evil with good. It is they who will have the ultimate abode.
Surat al-Ra’d 13:22
And Allah said:
أُولَٰئِكَ يُؤْتَوْنَ أَجْرَهُم مَّرَّتَيْنِ بِمَا صَبَرُوا وَيَدْرَءُونَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ السَّيِّئَةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ
These will be given a double reward for their perseverance, responding to evil with good, and for donating from what We have provided for them.
Surat al-Qasas 28:54
And Allah said:
ادْفَعْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ السَّيِّئَةَ نَحْنُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يَصِفُونَ
Respond to evil with what is best. We know well what they claim.
Surat al-Mu’minun 23:96
The Prophet ﷺ not only delivered these clear instructions from Allah, but he repeatedly emphasized them in his Sunnah.
Aisha reported:
لَمْ يَكُنْ فَاحِشًا وَلَا مُتَفَحِّشًا وَلَا صَخَّابًا فِي الْأَسْوَاقِ وَلَا يَجْزِي بِالسَّيِّئَةِ السَّيِّئَةَ وَلَكِنْ يَعْفُو وَيَصْفَحُ
The Prophet was not indecent, he was not obscene, he would not shout in the markets, and he would not respond to an evil deed with an evil deed, but rather he would pardon and overlook.
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2016, Grade: Sahih
Abdullah ibn Amr reported that Allah has described the Prophet ﷺ by the signs of his coming in the Torah, as Allah said:
سَمَّيْتُكَ الْمُتَوَكِّلَ لَيْسَ بِفَظٍّ وَلاَ غَلِيظٍ وَلاَ صَخَّابٍ فِي الأَسْوَاقِ وَلاَ يَدْفَعُ بِالسَّيِّئَةِ السَّيِّئَةَ وَلَكِنْ يَعْفُو وَيَغْفِرُ
I have called you a trustworthy man who is neither rude nor loud in the markets, nor does he return evil with evil, but rather he pardons and forgives.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 2125, Grade: Sahih
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
مَا مِنْ عَبْدٍ ظُلِمَ بِمَظْلَمَةٍ فَيُغْضِي عَنْهَا لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِلَّا أَعَزَّ اللَّهُ بِهَا نَصْرَهُ
No servant is wronged, and he withholds retaliation for the sake of Allah Almighty, but that Allah will strengthen him with His support.
Source: Musnad Aḥmad 9411, Grade: Jayyid
‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amir reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
صِلْ مَنْ قَطَعَكَ وَأَعْطِ مَنْ حَرَمَكَ وَأَعْرِضْ عَمَّنْ ظَلَمَكَ
Reconcile with whoever cuts you off, give to whoever deprives you, and forgive whoever wrongs you.
Source: Musnad Aḥmad 17452, Grade: Hasan
Ali reported: When the weapon of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, had been assembled, I found three sayings on the handle or blade of his sword:
صِلْ مَنْ قَطَعَكَ وَقُلِ الْحَقَّ وَلَوْ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ وَأَحْسِنْ إِلَى مَنْ أَسَاءَ إِلَيْكَ
Maintain relations with those who cut you off, speak the truth even if it is against yourself, and be good to one who is evil to you.
Source: Mu’jam Shuyūkh Ibn al-A’rābī 1507, Grade: Sahih
Not only did the Prophet ﷺ preach the lessons of the Quran, he modeled them in concrete ways we can understand and emulate in our own lives. He did not just ‘talk to the talk,’ but he ‘walked the walk,’ so to speak.
Aisha reported: A group of Jews asked permission to visit the Prophet, and when they were admitted, they said as a play on words, “Death be upon you.” Aisha responded, “Rather, death and the curse of Allah be upon you!” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to her:
يَا عَائِشَةُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ رَفِيقٌ يُحِبُّ الرِّفْقَ فِي الْأَمْرِ كُلِّهِ
O Aisha, Allah is kind and he loves kindness in all matters.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6927, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
In another narration, the Prophet said to her:
يَا عَائِشَةُ عَلَيْكِ بِالرِّفْقِ وَإِيَّاكِ وَالْعُنْفَ وَالْفُحْشَ
O Aisha, you must be gentle, and beware of harshness and obscenity.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6030, Grade: Sahih
And in another narration, the Prophet said to her:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ رَفِيقٌ يُحِبُّ الرِّفْقَ فِي الْأَمْرِ كُلِّهِ
Verily, Allah is gentle and He loves gentleness in all matters.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2165, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Although these hostile adversaries insulted the Prophet ﷺ in his own home, he capitalized on the moment to teach his wife the application of Allah’s command to ‘repel evil with good.’
On another occasion, a bedouin harassed the Prophet ﷺ by demanding charity, even sharply tugging at his clothes, but the Prophet simply smiled and gave the man what he asked for.
Anas ibn Malik reported:
كُنْتُ أَمْشِي مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَعَلَيْهِ بُرْدٌ نَجْرَانِيٌّ غَلِيظُ الْحَاشِيَةِ فَأَدْرَكَهُ أَعْرَابِيٌّ فَجَبَذَ بِرِدَائِهِ جَبْذَةً شَدِيدَةً قَالَ أَنَسٌ فَنَظَرْتُ إِلَى صَفْحَةِ عَاتِقِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَقَدْ أَثَّرَتْ بِهَا حَاشِيَةُ الرِّدَاءِ مِنْ شِدَّةِ جَبْذَتِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ مُرْ لِي مِنْ مَالِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي عِنْدَكَ فَالْتَفَتَ إِلَيْهِ فَضَحِكَ ثُمَّ أَمَرَ لَهُ بِعَطَاءٍ
I was walking with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, while he was wearing a Najrani cloak with a thick border. A bedouin Arab overtook the Prophet and forcibly pulled his clothes. I looked at the shoulder of the Prophet and I saw that the edge of his shirt had left a mark because of the strength of his pull. The man said, ‘O Muhammad! Order them to give me something from Allah’s wealth which you have!’ The Prophet turned and he smiled, then he ordered that the man be given charity.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6088, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Nevertheless, legal retaliation or reciprocal punishment is permissible, but it has its strict limits. It is neither virtuous nor recommended, nor can it involve anything inherently sinful, lest it lead to greater sin than the original offense!
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
أَدِّ الْأَمَانَةَ إِلَى مَنْ ائْتَمَنَكَ وَلَا تَخُنْ مَنْ خَانَكَ
Fulfill the trust of those to whom they are due, and do not be treacherous to the one who betrays you.
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 1264, Grade: Hasan
Imam al-Ba’li commented:
ولا يجوزُ أن يكذبَ على مَن كذَبَ عليه ولا يشهدَ بزورٍ على من شهِد عليه بزورٍ ولا يُكفِّرَه بالباطلِ كما كفَّره بالباطلِ ولا يقذِفَه كذبًا كما قذَفَه كذبًا ولا يفجُرَ إذا خاصَمَه كما فجر هو فكذلك لا يجوزُ له أن يغدرَ في عقدٍ عقده بينهما لأجلِ كونِه غدره فلا يخونُه كما خانه، والشارعُ نهى عن الخيانةِ لمن خان ولم يجعلْه قِصاصًا فلا يأخذُ من مالِه بغيرِ علمِه بقدرِ ما أخَذَه هو وهذا أصحُّ قولَيِ العلماءِ
It is not permissible for one to lie about someone who lied about him, nor to bear false witness against someone who bore false witness against him, nor to falsely declare him an unbeliever as he falsely declared him an unbeliever, nor to slander him as he slandered him, nor to be wicked if he argues with him as he is wicked. Likewise, it is not permissible for one to betray a contract he made between them because of his betrayal, so he should not defraud him as he was defrauded by him. The Lawgiver forbade betrayal of someone who betrayed him and did not appoint it as a form of retaliation, so he should not take from his money without his knowledge in the amount that he took. This is the sounder opinion of the scholars.
Source: Mukhtaṣar al-Fatāwá al-Miṣrīyah 2/488
The Prophet ﷺ always recommended forgiveness in criminal cases, which is the exclusive right of the victim’s family, as long as such forgiveness did not endanger the public.
Anas ibn Malik reported:
مَا رَأَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ رُفِعَ إِلَيْهِ شَيْءٌ فِيهِ قِصَاصٌ إِلَّا أَمَرَ فِيهِ بِالْعَفْوِ
I never saw a case involving legal retaliation being referred to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, but that he would encourage pardoning the criminal.
Source: Sunan Abī Dāwūd 4497, Grade: Qawi
If we are wronged and harmed by others, it is our right and opportunity to earn favor with Allah by being patient and merciful. However, when other people are wronged, we cannot acquiesce to such oppression on the pretext of forgiveness, because in that case, forgiveness is not ours to give.
Imam al-Ghazali writes:
والعفو عمن ظلم والإحسان إلى من أساء من أخلاق الصديقين وإنما يحسن الإحسان إلى من ظلمك فأما من ظلم غيرك وعصى الله به فلا يحسن إحسانك إليه لأن في الإحسان إلى الظالم إساءة إلى المظلوم وحق المظلوم أولى بالمراعاة وتقوية قلبه بالإعراض عن الظالم أحب إلى الله من تقوية قلب الظالم فأما إذا كنت أنت المظلوم فالأحسن في حقك العفو والصفح
Forgiving one who wronged you and being good to one who is evil to you are among the character traits of the truthful. Indeed, it is best to be good to one who wronged you. As for one who wronged others, by which he disobeyed Allah, then you should not be good to him because being good to the wrongdoer may be evil to the wronged, and the rights of the wronged take precedence. Strengthening their hearts by confronting the wrongdoer is more beloved to Allah than strengthening the heart of the wrongdoer. As for when you yourself are wronged, then the best of your rights is to forgive and overlook.
Source: Iḥyāʼ Ulūm al-Dīn 2/167-168
In other words, ‘repel evil with good’ does not mean passively accepting the oppression of others. On the contrary, we are obligated to change the evil we see to the extent of our capabilities, but even so, we must oppose evildoers with the highest standards of Islamic ethics, lest we sink to their level.
Finally, Islam’s teaching to ‘repel evil with good’ and endure harm with patience, forbearance, and mercy is not exclusive to the Prophet ﷺ or Islam, but rather it was the ethics of all the Prophets throughout history. Islam is not a new message contradicting the previous Prophets, but rather the fulfillment of their collective mission.
Allah, quoting the Prophets of the past, said:
وَمَا لَنَا أَلَّا نَتَوَكَّلَ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَقَدْ هَدَانَا سُبُلَنَا وَلَنَصْبِرَنَّ عَلَىٰ مَا آذَيْتُمُونَا وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُتَوَكِّلُونَ
Why should we not put our trust in Allah, when He has truly guided us to the very best of ways? Indeed, we will patiently endure whatever harm you may cause us. And in Allah let the faithful put their trust.
Surat Ibrahim 14:12
In sum, the highest level of excellence in Islam is to respond to evildoers by treating them better than they treat us. This has the power to soften their hearts and bring them closer to Islam, or at least calm their hostility to the Muslims. Limited retaliation in kind is permissible as a concession, but not as a recommended virtue.
Even when we confront those who oppress others, as is our sacred duty, we must do so in the best manner, in a better way than the wrongdoers themselves. Instead, the believers must continue purifying their hearts and strengthening their faith so when Allah tests us with the challenging task of forbearance, forgiveness, or upholding justice, we can take the moral high ground and, perhaps, onlookers will witness the beautiful truth of Islam in action.
Success comes from Allah, and Allah knows best.
