Combining the statement of Allah the Exalted, “So retaliate against him in kind for what he has done,” with the hadith, “Do not betray one who has betrayed you”

Question:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. This questioner says: How do you reconcile His saying

So whoever has assaulted you, then assault him in the same way that he has assaulted you.

فَمَنِ اعْتَدَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ فَاعْتَدُوا عَلَيْهِ بِمِثْلِ مَا اعْتَدَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ

[Al-Baqarah 2:194]

with his saying (peace and blessings be upon him)

and do not cheat the one who cheated you

ولا تخن من خانك

Answer:

So whoever has assaulted you, then assault him

فَمَنِ اعْتَدَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ فَاعْتَدُوا عَلَيْهِ

[Al-Baqarah 2:194]

This is a just retaliation; this is justice, whereas betrayal is injustice and oppression, for the difference between them is great.

Source شرح إغاثة اللهفان من مصائد الشيطان لابن القيم، تابع فصل وإذا تدبرت الشريعة وجدتها قد أتت بسد الذرائع إلى المحرمات — islamhouse.com (45:36)

The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.

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