Exegesis of Hadith: The Three Opponents of Allah

This profound hadith qudsi (divine saying) from Sahih al-Bukhari 2270 reveals three grave sins that provoke Allah's direct opposition on Judgment Day. The Prophet (ﷺ) transmits Allah's words, emphasizing the severity of these transgressions against divine covenants and human rights.

First Category: Covenant Breakers

"One who makes a covenant in My Name, but proves treacherous" refers to those who swear oaths or make agreements invoking Allah's name then deliberately violate them. This includes breaking treaties, marital vows, business contracts, and promises made under oath. Such treachery constitutes both dishonesty toward creation and disrespect toward the Creator whose name was invoked.

Scholars explain that covenants in Allah's Name carry greater responsibility than ordinary agreements. The gravity increases when Muslims break treaties with non-Muslims, as this damages Islam's reputation and violates the Islamic principle of honoring agreements.

Second Category: Slave Traders

"One who sells a free person and eats his price" condemns human trafficking and enslavement of free people. This was particularly relevant in Arabia where kidnapping and illegal enslavement occurred. The phrase "eats his price" emphasizes the added sin of benefiting materially from this injustice.

Classical commentators extend this prohibition to all forms of modern slavery, human trafficking, and exploitation where free people are treated as commodities. The consumption of ill-gotten wealth compounds the sin, making the perpetrator deserving of Allah's direct opposition.

Third Category: Wage Withholders

"One who employs a laborer and takes full work from him but does not pay him" addresses economic justice and workers' rights. Islam emphasizes prompt payment for services rendered. The phrase "takes full work" indicates the employer received complete benefit while denying the worker's rightful compensation.

Scholars stress that delaying wages without valid reason, underpaying workers, or finding excuses to avoid payment all fall under this prohibition. The laborer's sweat and effort make their wage a sacred right. Withholding it is considered among the gravest economic injustices in Islamic law.

Legal and Spiritual Implications

These three categories represent breaches of trust at different levels: divine covenants (between human and God), human dignity (through illegal enslavement), and economic justice (through wage theft). Each demonstrates how oppression manifests in spiritual, physical, and economic realms.

The hadith's structure shows progression from general covenants to specific human rights violations, indicating that betrayal of trust in any form attracts divine wrath. The repeated emphasis on "I will be an opponent" underscores that Allah Himself will confront these transgressors, bypassing normal intercession on Judgment Day.

Contemporary Application

Modern applications include: breaking business contracts after swearing oaths, human trafficking and modern slavery, withholding employees' salaries, exploiting migrant workers, and any form of unpaid labor. Employers must pay wages promptly before the "sweat dries" as instructed in other hadiths.

This teaching establishes workers' rights as divinely protected and makes fair labor practices an essential component of Islamic faith. The economic system envisioned by Islam cannot function where such fundamental injustices prevail.