When Oppressed Becomes Oppressor

Imām Ibn Taimiyyah, may Allāh have mercy on him, said:

One who’s made a habit of retaliating [when he’s been mistreated or wronged] and not being patient, will definitely fall into oppressing [others himself], since the soul will not limit itself to [retaliating only] to the degree of justice that it must [limit itself to]; anger will indeed cause someone possessed by it to go out [of his senses] to a point where he no [longer] understands what he’s saying or doing.

So while he’s there oppressed, waiting for help to come, and strength, he’s turned into an oppressor, [who can] expect to be detested and punished.

Jāmiʿ Al-Masāʾil, vol. 1, p. 173.