Retaliation against an oppressor

Question

In the settlement there is a man who is the rich man and headman of the village. The people are extremely distressed by his oppression, because the oppression has gone beyond all bounds. He is also a drunkard; he beats people without reason and plots to have the houses of some people looted and set on fire. In such a situation no way is seen to escape such oppression. He has also already committed one killing: they were apparently at some other event when suddenly a gun went off and a girl died.

Answer

The oppressor is a grievous sinner and deserves punishment. Every wronged person has the right to retaliation (intiqam), but they should not take the law into their own hands; exercise full caution in this.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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