--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Philologists assure us that żulm in…" description: "\"“Philologists assure us that żulm in Arabic originally meant \"to put something out of its proper place,\" so that all wrong of any kind is injustice, i...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/945/fazlur-rahman-21909_injustice_philologists-assure-us-that-ulm-in-arabi_342328.jpg" --- # Philologists assure us that żulm in Arabic originally… ![“Philologists assure us that żulm in Arabic originally meant "to put something out of its proper place," so that all wrong of any kind is injustice, i.e., an injustice against the agent himself) is, therefore, a very common term in the Qur’ān, with its clear idea that all injustice is basically…” quote by Fazlur Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/945/fazlur-rahman-21909_injustice_philologists-assure-us-that-ulm-in-arabi_342328.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/945/fazlur-rahman-21909_injustice_philologists-assure-us-that-ulm-in-arabi_342328.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/945/fazlur-rahman-21909_injustice_philologists-assure-us-that-ulm-in-arabi_342328.jpg) > ““Philologists assure us that żulm in Arabic originally meant "to put something out of its proper place," so that all wrong of any kind is injustice, i.e., an injustice against the agent himself) is, therefore, a very common term in the Qur’ān, with its clear idea that all injustice is basically reflexive.”” [Fazlur Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fazlur-rahman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. In Arabic, the root word for injustice conveys displacement, implying that any wrongdoing is a self‑directed harm. **In simple terms:** Injustice is seen as a self‑inflicted harm. Key Takeaway Recognize that harm often reflects inner imbalance. Themes justice language theology ethics self‑reflection Mood reflective critical Type philosophical theological When to use this quote - legal judgments - personal conflicts - social policy - interfaith dialogue Key Concepts linguistics moral philosophy Islamic studies Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to be harmed by yourself? - How can this view address collective injustice? A Different Perspective The concept may overlook systemic oppression beyond individual intent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Injustice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/injustice/) [Islam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/islam/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) ## Related quotes > [I was at Edinburgh doing history of art, Spanish and Arabic. I was originally supposed to do Italian instead of Arabic but when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-cookson/i-was-at-edinburgh-doing-history-of-art-spanish-and-arabic-i-was/) [Sophie Cookson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-cookson/) > [So you would rather suffer an injustice than do an injustice?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/so-you-would-rather-suffer-an-injustice-than-do-an-injustice/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [“Injustice against some...is injustice against all!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-pina/injustice-against-some-is-injustice-against-all/) [Timothy Pina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-pina/) > [Never stand idly while people commit what you know to be an injustice! Injustice only leads to more injustice!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/never-stand-idly-while-people-commit-what-you-know-to-be-an-injustice/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [“You cannot defeat injustice with the further injustice but you can render yourself into an unjust zealot in the process of trying.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-a-a-savastano/you-cannot-defeat-injustice-with-the-further-injustice-but-you-can/) [C.A.A. Savastano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-a-a-savastano/) > [Injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimbra/injustice-anywhere-is-injustice-everywhere/) [Kimbra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimbra/) > [What is the most precious thing in the world? I see now that it is the knowledge that you have no part in injustice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/what-is-the-most-precious-thing-in-the-world-i-see-now-that-it-is-the/) [Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/) > [“Everything human beings can imagine has been thrown at injustice, and injustice just absorbs it, and enlarges.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-baxter/everything-human-beings-can-imagine-has-been-thrown-at-injustice-and/) [Greg Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-baxter/) > [If your community is founded on an injustice, that injustice cannot be questioned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-jensen/if-your-community-is-founded-on-an-injustice-that-injustice-cannot-be/) [Derrick Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-jensen/) > [Nobody can write such ironic things unless he has a deep sense of injustice-injustice to those members of the race who are victims of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-p-adams/nobody-can-write-such-ironic-things-unless-he-has-a-deep-sense-of/) [Franklin P. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-p-adams/) > [You think I have more than most people dream of? What other people dream of doesn't matter. I always had less than I ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/you-think-i-have-more-than-most-people-dream-of-what-other-people/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [Injustice anywhere is an injustice anywhere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-kelly/injustice-anywhere-is-an-injustice-anywhere/) [R. Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kelly/) > [“Silence in the face of injustice, is injustice in action.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/silence-in-the-face-of-injustice-is-injustice-in-action/) [C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/) > [Not every bad break is negative in the long term; not every problem is a bona fide injustice; and not every injustice is major…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ringer/not-every-bad-break-is-negative-in-the-long-term-not-every-problem-is/) [Robert Ringer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ringer/) > [An injustice anywhere is an injustice everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/an-injustice-anywhere-is-an-injustice-everywhere/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## More by Fazlur Rahman > [“This idea (Taqwa)can be effectively conveyed by the term "conscience," if the object of conscience transcends it. This is why it is proper to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fazlur-rahman/this-idea-taqwa-can-be-effectively-conveyed-by-the-term-conscience-if/) [Fazlur Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fazlur-rahman/) > [“The Qur’ān definitely seems optimistic about the future, while rather grim about the past It is absolutely imperative for successor civilizations and their bearer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fazlur-rahman/the-qur-n-definitely-seems-optimistic-about-the-future-while-rather/) [Fazlur Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fazlur-rahman/) > [“This struggle between good and evil, fresh and stale, new and decrepit, between the vigor of moral youth and the dotage of senility, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fazlur-rahman/this-struggle-between-good-and-evil-fresh-and-stale-new-and-decrepit/) [Fazlur Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fazlur-rahman/) > [“Nature exists for man to exploit for his own ends, while the end of man himself is nothing else but to serve God, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fazlur-rahman/nature-exists-for-man-to-exploit-for-his-own-ends-while-the-end-of/) [Fazlur Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fazlur-rahman/) > [“To hold that the Qur’ān believes in an absolute determinism of human behavior, denying free choice on man's part, is not only to deny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fazlur-rahman/to-hold-that-the-qur-n-believes-in-an-absolute-determinism-of-human/) [Fazlur Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fazlur-rahman/) > [“↑ top up position down ↓ bottom “The corruption of religious leaders, who were expected to be the source of spiritual force and regeneration,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fazlur-rahman/top-up-position-down-bottom-the-corruption-of-religious-leaders-who/) [Fazlur Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fazlur-rahman/) > [“The simple truth is that nowhere in human history is there another man who combined so uniquely and effectively in his person both the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fazlur-rahman/the-simple-truth-is-that-nowhere-in-human-history-is-there-another/) [Fazlur Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fazlur-rahman/) > [“All evil, all injustice, all harm that one does to someone else—in sum, all deviation from man's normative nature—in a much more fundamental way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fazlur-rahman/all-evil-all-injustice-all-harm-that-one-does-to-someone-else-in-sum/) [Fazlur Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fazlur-rahman/) > [“If metaphysics enjoys the least freedom from assumed premises, man enjoys the least freedom from metaphysics in that metaphysical beliefs are the most ultimate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fazlur-rahman/if-metaphysics-enjoys-the-least-freedom-from-assumed-premises-man/) [Fazlur Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fazlur-rahman/) > [“The Qur’ān began by criticizing two closely related aspects of that society: the polytheism or multiplicity of gods which was symptomatic of the segmentation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fazlur-rahman/the-qur-n-began-by-criticizing-two-closely-related-aspects-of-that/) [Fazlur Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fazlur-rahman/) > [“The corruption of religious leaders, who were expected to be the source of spiritual force and regeneration, is the last step in the of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fazlur-rahman/the-corruption-of-religious-leaders-who-were-expected-to-be-the/) [Fazlur Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fazlur-rahman/) > [“The successful are those who can be saved from their own selfishness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fazlur-rahman/the-successful-are-those-who-can-be-saved-from-their-own-selfishness/) [Fazlur Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fazlur-rahman/) > [“The idea behind verses about the sealing of hearts appears to be the psychological law that if a person once does a good or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fazlur-rahman/the-idea-behind-verses-about-the-sealing-of-hearts-appears-to-be-the/) [Fazlur Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fazlur-rahman/) > [“Taqwā means to protect oneself against the harmful or evil consequences of one's conduct. If, then, by "fear of God" one means fear of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fazlur-rahman/taqw-means-to-protect-oneself-against-the-harmful-or-evil/) [Fazlur Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fazlur-rahman/) > [“The essence of all human rights is the equality of the entire human race, which the Qur’ān assumed, affirmed, and confirmed. It obliterated all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fazlur-rahman/the-essence-of-all-human-rights-is-the-equality-of-the-entire-human/) [Fazlur Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fazlur-rahman/) [Explore all 28 Fazlur Rahman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fazlur-rahman/) ## More Injustice quotes > [“Don't let cycles of violent crimes, uncontrollable, rising cases of bloody impunity, evil puppets in a crippled judiciary, marionettes in a corrupted legislative system…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelica-hopes/don-t-let-cycles-of-violent-crimes-uncontrollable-rising-cases-of/) [Angelica Hopes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelica-hopes/) > [There is no perfect justice, just as there is no absolute in ethics. But there is perfect injustice, and we know it when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/there-is-no-perfect-justice-just-as-there-is-no-absolute-in-ethics/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [Progress is the injustice each generation commits with regard to its predecessors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-m-cioran/progress-is-the-injustice-each-generation-commits-with-regard-to-its/) [Emile M. Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emile-m-cioran/) > [And I've never taken up a sport just because it was a social fad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinah-shore/and-i-ve-never-taken-up-a-sport-just-because-it-was-a-social-fad/) [Dinah Shore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinah-shore/) > [Nothing better protects a human being against the stupidity of prejudice, racism, religious or political sectarianism, and exclusivist nationalism than this truth that invariably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-vargas-llosa/nothing-better-protects-a-human-being-against-the-stupidity-of/) [Mario Vargas Llosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-vargas-llosa/) > [Life appears to me too short to be spent in nursing animosity, or registering wrongs. With this creed, revenge never worries my heart, degradation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/life-appears-to-me-too-short-to-be-spent-in-nursing-animosity-or/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [“Rather than being incensed by the nature of the bruise, maybe we should be inspired by the possibilities in the bruise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/rather-than-being-incensed-by-the-nature-of-the-bruise-maybe-we/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [When we struggle for human rights, for freedom, for dignity, when we feel that it is a ministry of the church to concern itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-we-struggle-for-human-rights-for-freedom-for-dignity-when-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I cannot accept being silent in the face of injustice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine-crockett/i-cannot-accept-being-silent-in-the-face-of-injustice/) [Jasmine Crockett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine-crockett/) > [A perpetually new and lively world, but a dangerous one, full of tragedy and injustice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-cary/a-perpetually-new-and-lively-world-but-a-dangerous-one-full-of/) [Joyce Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-cary/) > [I actually recommend as little actual counting as possible in a life partnership. But, when there's a sense of injustice brewing between you, some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-hax/i-actually-recommend-as-little-actual-counting-as-possible-in-a-life/) [Carolyn Hax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-hax/) > [I realize more and more how instinctively pessimistic I am of all human kindness -- since I am always so bowled over by it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-powell/i-realize-more-and-more-how-instinctively-pessimistic-i-am-of-all/) [Dawn Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-powell/) > [Of all evils of war the greatest is the purely spiritual evil: the hatred, the injustice, the repudiation of truth, the artificial conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/of-all-evils-of-war-the-greatest-is-the-purely-spiritual-evil-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Unless a man gives himself entirely to the Cross, in a spirit of humility and self-abasement; unless he casts himself down to be trampled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-the-evangelist/unless-a-man-gives-himself-entirely-to-the-cross-in-a-spirit-of/) [Mark the Evangelist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-the-evangelist/) > [In my book I specifically discussed the structural nature of injustice and offered Nine Touchstones of Goddess ethics as an alternative to the Ten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-p-christ/in-my-book-i-specifically-discussed-the-structural-nature-of/) [Carol P. Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-p-christ/) [Browse all 2,138 Injustice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/injustice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Philologists assure us that żulm in Arabic originally meant \"to put something out of its proper place,\" so that all wrong of any kind is injustice, i.e., an injustice against the agent himself) is, therefore, a very common term in the Qur’ān, with its clear idea that all injustice is basically reflexive.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Fazlur Rahman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fazlur-rahman/philologists-assure-us-that-ulm-in-arabic-originally-meant-to-put/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Injustice" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fazlur-rahman/philologists-assure-us-that-ulm-in-arabic-originally-meant-to-put/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/945/fazlur-rahman-21909_injustice_philologists-assure-us-that-ulm-in-arabi_342328.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/945/fazlur-rahman-21909_injustice_philologists-assure-us-that-ulm-in-arabi_342328.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/945/fazlur-rahman-21909_injustice_philologists-assure-us-that-ulm-in-arabi_342328.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Philologists assure us that żulm in Arabic originally meant \"to put something out of its proper place,\" so…” — Fazlur Rahman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Fazlur Rahman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fazlur-rahman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Philologists assure us that żulm in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fazlur-rahman/philologists-assure-us-that-ulm-in-arabic-originally-meant-to-put/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fazlur-rahman/philologists-assure-us-that-ulm-in-arabic-originally-meant-to-put/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```