Defying Tyranny without Becoming One

The tyrant’s greatest strength is the fear he instils in others, but prayer is the antidote to that fear. Oppressive power thrives not merely on weapons, laws, or armies, but on the internal submission of people who are paralysed by fear. This fear makes them compliant, silent, and unwilling to challenge injustice, thus allowing tyranny to flourish without constant force. Prayer, in this context, is not a passive retreat but an act of spiritual liberation: it shifts one’s reliance away from the oppressor’s power to the absolute authority of Allah. By invoking Allah’s help, the believer loosens the grip of fear, remembering that no harm can touch them except by Allah’s permission. In this way, prayer reclaims the heart’s freedom, making it possible to confront injustice with courage and dignity rather than with trembling submission.

Imam Muhammad b. Nasir al-Dari’s The Prayer of the Oppressed, translated and introduced by Hamza Yusuf, is both a devotional text and a profound meditation on the nature of oppression, justice, mercy, and the spiritual response to suffering. The introduction—substantial in itself—is a sweeping reflection on the human tendency toward tyranny, the cyclical nature of oppression, and the moral imperative to resist injustice without succumbing to hatred.

Hamza Yusuf situates the prayer in a universal context: all societies have known oppressors and the oppressed, yet the Qur’anic vision and Prophetic example call for breaking the cycle of retribution. The tyrant, deaf to the cries of his victims, sees them as lesser beings, while the oppressed risk being poisoned by resentment. Both are reflections of the same human potential for wrongdoing, and both must be transformed—through self-purification, compassion, and reliance on Allah.

The book’s spiritual heart lies in the understanding that powerlessness can be a divine gift. The early Meccan Muslims, including the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ himself, endured persecution without hatred, seeking instead the guidance of their oppressors. The “prayer of the oppressed” is thus not a call for the annihilation of enemies but for the halting of their wrongdoing and the restoration of justice. It is also a recognition that all real power belongs to Allah, and that invoking Him—through supplication, patience, and forgiveness—is the true source of liberation.

The text repeatedly warns against the modern obsession with political domination under the guise of religion, which, without the discipline of spiritual ethics, risks perpetuating oppression in a different form. The book calls Muslims, and all people to a renaissance rooted not in state power but in moral renewal, humility, and deep awareness of Allah’s sovereignty.

Ultimately, The Prayer of the Oppressed is an invitation to see suffering as a divine trial, an occasion for self-examination, and an opportunity to respond with justice tempered by mercy, resistance free from vengeance, and a heart anchored in light rather than shadow.

According to The Prayer of the Oppressed, human beings are easily drawn into becoming oppressors because of an innate susceptibility to the corrupting allure of power, wealth, and the illusion of self-sufficiency. When people believe they can act without accountability to a higher moral authority, their ego persuades them that others exist merely to serve their desires or can be treated as obstacles to be removed. The Qur’an warns that when man deems himself independent, he transgresses, and Hamza Yusuf expands on this by explaining that the tyrant must, to justify his own cruelty, diminish the humanity of his victims in his mind. This process not only silences his conscience but also allows him to operate without the discomfort of recognizing his own wrongdoing. In essence, oppression takes root when human beings lose sight of their interconnectedness, forsake compassion, and surrender to the darker impulses of pride, envy, and greed that lie dormant within every soul.

the cycle of oppression perpetuates itself because both the oppressor and the oppressed contribute, albeit in different ways, to its continuation. The oppressor, to live with the knowledge of his wrongdoing, must vilify or dehumanise his victims so that he can justify his actions to himself. This rationalisation dulls his conscience and allows him to repeat the same abuses without remorse. On the other side, the oppressed, unable to defend themselves and consumed by frustration, often develop deep resentment that festers over time. This resentment, when it erupts, is expressed as revenge, which in turn becomes a new act of oppression. Thus, hatred breeds hatred, violence begets violence, and each side’s wounds become the justification for the other’s cruelty. Without a conscious break in this pattern—through compassion, justice, and the refusal to mirror the oppressor’s methods—the cycle continues, passing from generation to generation like a hereditary disease of the heart.

Resisting injustice without sliding into vindictiveness is essential because the aim is not simply to defeat an enemy but to break the deeper spiritual cycle that fuels oppression itself. If one confronts wrongdoing with hatred and a desire for revenge, then one adopts the very impulses that animate the oppressor, thereby becoming a mirror image of what one seeks to oppose. The Prophetic model shows that it is possible to stand firmly against injustice while keeping one’s heart free from rancour, so that the struggle is guided by compassion and moral clarity rather than by bitterness. True victory, in this vision, lies not in the humiliation or destruction of the wrongdoer, but in the restoration of justice, the protection of the vulnerable, and the hope that even the oppressor might be guided towards what is right. By refusing to let resentment take root, one safeguards the soul from spiritual corrosion and ensures that the means used in the struggle do not betray its noble ends.

The power of the prayer of the oppressed lies in its purity, its urgency, and its direct connection to Allah without any worldly intermediary. When a person is stripped of all means, influence, and allies, their dependence on Allah becomes absolute, and such supplication carries a sincerity that cannot be fabricated. Imam al-Dari frames this as a form of spiritual truth: the oppressed have nothing left to lean on but the Divine, and in that state, their words pierce through the veils that so often cloud the human heart. This prayer is not a call for the annihilation of the oppressor, but for the halting of harm, the restoration of justice, and the transformation of hearts. It is a spiritual antidote to fear, reminding the believer that real power belongs only to Allah, and that those who call upon Him from a place of genuine helplessness are, in fact, wielding a force greater than any tyrant’s arsenal.

Cursing or hating or wishing ill upon the oppressor is the antithesis of the prophetic guidance, which calls for mercy. The Prophet ﷺ modelled a way of confronting injustice without allowing hatred to take root in the heart. While resisting wrongdoing is an obligation, the prophetic path demands that such resistance be guided by compassion, dignity, and the hope for the moral transformation of the wrongdoer. To curse or to wish harm upon an oppressor is, in essence, to surrender to the same emotional currents—anger, vengeance, spite—that fuel oppression in the first place. The Prophet’s example shows that the highest form of justice is not simply stopping the harm, but also leaving the door open for reconciliation and guidance, even for those who have committed great wrongs. In this light, mercy is not weakness; it is a deliberate act of moral strength that refuses to mirror the cruelty one is fighting against.

Power, other than Allah’s, is an illusion, and those who are empowered by Allah are often deluded into using that power in pursuit of their own desires. All authority, strength, and influence ultimately belong to Allah alone. Any power that a person appears to hold in this world is temporary, conditional, and granted only by Allah’s will. The illusion lies in thinking that such power is inherent or permanent, which leads to arrogance and misuse. Imam al-Dari warns that even when Allah grants someone the ability to lead, protect, or influence, the human ego can twist this gift into a tool for selfish ambition rather than service. This delusion turns a divine trust into a personal weapon, corrupting the one who holds it and harming those who are subject to it. In reality, true empowerment lies in recognising one’s role as a servant and custodian, not as an independent master.

Only through introspection, through a critical inward look at our emotional and mental states, can we begin the process of healing our hearts. True moral and spiritual reform starts within the self, not with external circumstances. Imam al-Dari highlights that the heart is the centre of human intention and action, and its corruption is often subtle, fed by unchecked emotions such as pride, envy, anger, or resentment. Without pausing to examine our own thoughts, feelings, and hidden motives, we risk projecting our faults onto others while remaining blind to the roots of our own wrongdoing. Introspection is therefore not a passive exercise but a disciplined practice of self-awareness, honesty, and accountability before Allah. This inner work is the necessary first step in cleansing the heart, for no lasting justice or goodness can emerge from a soul that is itself clouded by unaddressed darkness.

Hostility is not always permanent, and the human heart is capable of transformation through Allah’s will. Imam al-Dari draws on the Qur’anic principle that today’s enemy can become tomorrow’s ally, and even a beloved companion, if hearts are opened to forgiveness and guided towards truth. The verse points believers away from absolute hatred, encouraging them to leave space for reconciliation, understanding, and divine intervention. By remembering that Allah’s mercy is vast enough to change even the most hardened hearts, the oppressed are urged to temper their resistance with hope, and to recognise that victory is not only in defeating an adversary but in turning enmity into mutual respect and peace.

The refuge is from Allah to Allah. Allah is the source of all of our trials and tribulations, and we can either hate Allah for it, or painfully recognise that the secret of all of our troubles is in fleeing to Allah from Allah. Everything we face—whether comfort or hardship—ultimately comes from Allah’s will, and our response determines whether the trial becomes a curse or a means of purification. Some react to suffering with resentment towards Allah, perceiving their pain as abandonment or injustice. The believer, however, is called to understand that trials are part of a divine design meant to draw them closer to Allah. Fleeing to Allah from Allah is the realisation that the only escape from the pain Allah allows is to return to Him in trust, submission, and supplication. It is a movement from experiencing Allah’s attribute of severity to seeking His attribute of mercy, recognising that both are from the same source. That refuge from divine trial lies only in divine compassion.

In the end, The Prayer of the Oppressed is far more than a simple supplication; it is a manual for the heart in times of trial. Imam Muhammad b. Nasir al-Dari does not merely teach words to be recited, but a way of seeing oppression, resistance, and the self in the light of divine wisdom. He insists that the believer’s greatest weapon is not hatred, nor the mirroring of an oppressor’s cruelty, but the unshakable conviction that all power lies with Allah alone, and that justice pursued with mercy is the most potent force for change.

The book leaves us with the uncomfortable yet liberating truth that every external injustice has an internal dimension. It challenges the reader to ask whether their own heart harbours pride, resentment, or the seeds of tyranny. In doing so, it transforms the fight against oppression from a purely political battle into an act of personal purification, reminding us that the moral state of the heart will shape the justice we bring into the world.

Ultimately, Imam al-Dari’s message is one of hope rooted in realism. Tyranny may endure for a time, and injustice may seem overwhelming, but the believer is never powerless. Through prayer, patience, and steadfast moral clarity, even the weakest hand can be a means for divine change. The real victory is not merely in toppling a tyrant, but in ensuring that our own hearts do not become tyrants in the process.

And Allah knows best.

[Bahasa]