An-Nahl 126: If you have to punish, punish with an equivalent of that which you were afflicted with. But if you show patience, it is certainly better for those who show patience.

We have come to Surah An-Nahl, verse 126.

If you punish, punish with the like of the torment done to you. That is, here Allah Almighty recommends right and justice. Against no one, out of your nafs, for the harm and suffering done to you, attempt more than the like. Do not follow your nafs and wrong people more than the equivalent of the harm and suffering inflicted on you. Yes. Isn't it like that in qisas too? Nose for nose, eye for eye, ear for ear, and wounds are retaliation in kind, it says. The same way. Yes. If you punish, punish with the like of the torment done to you. But if you are patient, that is surely better for those who are patient.

Why does Allah Almighty say so? I did not create people free of error, He says. They have made a mistake. They have caused you harm and suffering. And you say this: He was mistaken. He made a mistake. That fits Allah Almighty's purpose in creating him fallible. When he says: For my Lord's sake I will be patient with this person my Lord created with this purpose, Allah Almighty gives that person his reward abundantly. Yes. All created beings are Allah's servants. Allah does not want injustice and inequality among His creatures. If someone slaps someone, the one who was slapped may, in like measure and on condition of not exceeding it, respond to the other.

If a person seizes another's property, the man whose property was seized, from the one who seized it, takes only its value and its like. More than that would be wrongdoing toward the one who seized his right. That is why Allah says: the recompense of punishments is with their like. For example, today a person seizes another's right. He takes his money, 20,000 lira, 25,000 lira, 50,000 lira, whatever it is. The person takes him to court with the evidence he has. In court, the judge, just as he sentences this person for the 50,000 lira, for the time that has passed, for the money's devaluation, or with interest, tells him: You will pay this man 70,000 lira.

Now a person follows his nafs. If this person takes the 70,000 lira, he commits a sin. To the person who is to pay him the 70,000 lira as compensation: Brother, although the state awarded me these 70,000 lira, as a Muslim I take the 50,000 lira you took from me; let the 20,000 be yours — that is what he must say. That is how it is in our religion.

On whatever basis you took, give back on that basis, it says. That is the verse. If he took my 50,000 lira, I will take my money on the basis of 50,000 lira. The interest rates of the past should not concern me. Allah Almighty says: When you lend to someone, if he cannot pay the debt at its term, grant him another term. If he cannot pay at that term either, He says, grant another term. If he cannot pay at that term either, He says, if your situation allows and you were to forgive it to him — if you knew its place in His sight, He says.

This is Islamic brotherhood. Helping one another and raising the level of social life is also this. But they did away with this. They drowned us in "mine and yours", in selfish feelings, in doing things for show, and whoever was materially above another started trying to crush him. And so, just like the life of an unbeliever, in pride and arrogance they began to go on living. This is a kind of morality that does not fit with Islam. Yes, all created beings are Allah's servants. Allah does not want injustice and inequality among His creatures. If someone slaps someone, the one who was slapped may, in like measure and on condition of not exceeding it, respond to the other.

If a person seizes another's property, the man whose property was seized, from the one who seized it, takes only its value and its like. More than that would be wrongdoing toward the one who seized his right. That is why Allah says: the recompense of punishments is with their like. According to one narration, at the Battle of Uhud, when many noble Companions and Hamza were martyred — Hamza's ears and nose were even cut off, his body mutilated, and Hind, daughter of Utba, ate a piece of his liver — the Companions said: If Allah gives us victory, we too will mutilate many of them, they said. Thereupon this verse was revealed.

When the Prophet (peace be upon him) conquered Mecca the Honoured, he forgave and pardoned Hind.

Allah Almighty: When harm touches you, be patient. For Allah loves those who are patient. Someone has suffered an injustice. Then an opportunity has come into his hands. The one who did the injustice has fallen into the hands of the person he wronged. Now if this person who has the opportunity forgives the one who wronged him for Allah's sake, and even takes care of his affairs for him, the reward of this with Allah Almighty is very great. This conduct is better for him in the hereafter.