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Fatwa CenterThe calamities that befall a person expiate from his /her sins
Question
As salamu aleikum, I am often wronged by people because people's Islamic values aren't that important to them these days. My question is: whenever I'm wronged or annoyed (by neighbors, traders, or whoever), does that expiate for some of my sins? Does it make a difference whether or not I do something about it (for example, complain, try to get lost money back, talk to the person who anooys me) or keep quiet and leave it up to Allah? Which is better?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
The calamities that befall a person expiate from his /her sins as we clarified in Fatwa 83577. Thus, if a Muslim is patient with the injustice and harm that he/she might encounter, then Allaah The Almighty expiates from his/her sins and raises his/her rank.
However, a Muslim has the right to ask for his right from the person who wronged him/her, but according to the Sharee'ah (Islamic legislation), in a way that he/she does not exceed the limits of Allaah The Almighty in regard to the transgressor. Nonetheless, forgiving is better; for more benefits on the merits of forgiveness, please refer to Fatwa 84351.
Therefore, in principle, forgiving is better, but forgiving may sometimes be a reason for the transgressor to persist in his injustice.
On the other hand, if the wronged person asks for his right from the transgressor, then this may prevent him/her from getting the reward of being patient.
The evidence about this is that Abu Hurayrah 
narrated that a man insulted Abu Bakr while the Prophet 
was sitting, and he was amazed and smiling. When that man persisted in his insults to Abu Bakr the latter responded to him [with some of what that man had said]. At this, the Prophet became angry and he stood up and walked away. So Abu Bakr followed him and said, "O Prophet of Allaah, he was insulting me while you were sitting, and when I responded to his insults, you became angry and you stood up (and walked away)." Then, the Prophet said: "There was an angel who was defending you (responding on your behalf), and when you responded to him for what he said, the devil came, and so, I was not to sit with the devil.'' [Ahmad]
Allaah Knows best.
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