Helping an oppressive person who is not an habitual oppressor
To help a person, who is not always oppressive, but occasionally happens to commit oppression, is also absolutely HarÄm. If one knowingly helps a person in a situation where he oppressing another, one commits a HarÄm action and a Greater Sin and will be punished as promised in Qur’an:
“Surely We have prepared for the iniquitous a fire, the curtains of which shall encompass them about; and if they cry for water, they shall be given water like molten brass which will scald their faces, evil the drink and ill the resting place.”
(Surah al-Kahf 18:29)
Oppressing and helping someone in oppression is one and the same.
Imam Sadiq (a.s.) has remarked:
“The oppressor, the one who helps an oppressor and the one who is satisfied with it, are all partners in oppression.”
(Wasa’il ul-Shia)
It means all Three of them are equally responsible. A similar tradition has been narrated from Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a.s.) who says that the Holy Prophet (S) said:
“One who breaks allegiance to the Imam, or raises a standard of misguidance or conceals a piece of knowledge which is obligatory to be imparted or usurps some property or helps an oppressor knowingly; then he has deserted the religion of Islam.”
(Mustadrak ul-Wasa’il)
On the night of ascension (Miraj) the Holy Prophet (S) saw the following inscription on the door of Hell:
“Allah degrades the one who insults Islam, the one who insults the Holy Ahl ul-Bayt (a.s.) and the one who helps an oppressor in oppression.”
(Mustadrak ul-Wasa’il)
In this way the Qur’anic verses and traditions prove the seriousness of oppression and helping an oppressor as a Greater sin. Moreover, one who helps an oppressor has also acted against the Divine commandments of forbidding evil. He is actually a hypocrite because he has in fact encouraged an evil and this is one of the characteristics of a hypocrite. As the Almighty Allah says in the Holy Qur’an:
“The hypocritical men and the hypocritical women are all alike; they enjoin evil and forbid good...”
(Surah at-Tawba 9:67)