4. Taking back any oppression that was inflicted on someone or

asking for his forgiveness or absolvement from that. Golden Advice Series 04 So it is obligatory on a person who has committed backbiting to seek repentance according to these four conditions, because backbiting involves the rights of people, so he must seek the forgiveness of the person he has backbitten. Is it sufficient for one to just say: "I have backbitten you, so please absolve me from (this) sin" or must he inform him also of what he said about him? There are two views on this according to the Shaafi'ee scholars: The First: His clarifying what he said (when backbiting) is a condition. So if he is absolved without informing him of what he said, the pardon is not valid, just as if he were to absolve him from (stealing) unidentifiable money.

The Second: His informing him (of what he said) is not a condition, because this is something that one will not be able to tolerate and thus forgive. So his knowing (exactly what was said) is not a condition, contrary to the example of the (stolen) money. The first opinion is the strongest, since people have the ability to grant forgiveness for certain types of backbiting but not other types. And if the one who has been backbitten is either dead or absent, then one is excused from seeking to be absolved from it. However, the scholars say: He should supplicate much for that person and ask forgiveness for him, as well as do many good deeds.

Know that it is preferable for the one who has been backbitten to absolve the backbiter from his sin, but it is not an obligation on him to do so. This is because it is giving away and forfeiting one's Guarding the Tongue right, so the choice is his. However, it is strongly recommended (Muta'akkidah) for him to absolve him so that his Muslim brother can be free from the harm of this sin and so that he can be successful in receiving Allaah's great reward of Forgiveness and Love. Allaah ~ says: "Those who repress their anger and pardon people. Verily, Allaah loves the good doers.'' [Aal 'lmraan {3}: 134] The proper way he should take in making himself allow the pardoning is by reminding himself that: "This matter has already happened and there is no way to remove it now.

So it is not right for me to make him miss his chance of getting reward and absolving my Muslim brother." Allaah ~ says: "And verily, whosoever shows patience and forgives (others), that is truly from the things recommended by Allaah.'' [Ash-Shooraa {42): 43] And He says: "Show forgiveness!" [AI-A'araaf (7): 199] The Ayaat similar to what we mentioned above are many. Golden Advice Series 04 And in the authentic hadith, the Messenger of Allaah ~ said: ''And Allaah remains in the assistance of {His) servant so long as the servant remains in the assistance of his (fellow) brother."f_52J Ash-Shaafi'ee .&1 v-J said: "Whosoever is sought to be pleased, yet is not pleased is a devil." The people of the past would recite: "It was said to me: Such-and-such person has spoken badly of you and when a youth sets out to humiliate, it is a shame. So I said: He has come to us and issued an excuse. The blood-money {i.e. recompense) for a sin - to us - is the apology." So what we have mentioned here concerning the encouragement for one to absolve and forgive a person from backbiting is what is correct. As for what has been reported on Sa'eed bin AI-Musayyib ~ that he said: "I will not forgive the one who has oppressed me" and on lbn Sireen .iii v-J that he said: "I will not forbid it on him and then make it allowable for him, because Allaah has made backbiting forbidden on him and I am not going to make permissible what Allaah has forbidden, ever" then it is either unauthentic or erroneous.

This is because a person that pardons someone is not making something forbidden permissible. Rather, he is only forfeiting a right that is established for him. The texts of the Qur'aan and the Sunnah indicate clearly that it is recommended to forgive and forfeit one's rights, which are specific to this case. Or perhaps lbn Sireen's words can be taken to mean: "I do not permit myself to be [52] Muslim. Guarding the Tongue backbit, ever." This would be correct, for indeed if a person says: "I seek my honour back from the one who backbit me", he is not allowing for it to be done.

Rather, he is forbidding everyone from backbiting him, just as he forbids others from being backbitten. As for the hadith: / ~ o,, ~ :J~ ''Are you not able to be like Abu Damdam - when he would go out from his home, he would say: 'I am giving my honor away in charity for the people."' [53l Meaning: I will not seek justice from those who oppress me whether in this world or the Hereafter. This is useful in removing a transgression that existed before the absolvement, but as for what occurs after it, there must be a new absolvement made after that. And with Allaah lies the success. -End of the words from Al-lmaam An-Nawaawee- [53] Collected by lbn Sunnee, It was graded da'if by AI-Albaanee in 'Jrwaa'ul-Gha/eel. Golden Advice Series 04 Speaking About Allaah without Knowledge Speaking about Allaah ~ , without knowledge, is the foremost aspect of Shirk, which incurs the most severe punishment from Allaah ~ - For this reason, this is not allowed under any circumstances.

This is clearly communicated by Allaah ~ in Surah A'araaf, which highlights the severity of this sin, by comparing it with other major sins. He ~ says: {~ r:; ~ ;£ ~ h~1 ci~ t~ Ct j;} "Say: The things that my Lord has indeed forbidden are, AI-Fawaahish (every kind of illegal sexual intercourse) whether committed openly or secretly ... " He ~ then moved on to describe a more severe sin: Golden Advice Series 04 " ... sin, unjust oppression ... " Then to that sin which is even more severe: " ... joining partners (in worship) with Allaah (Shirk), for which He gave no authority ... " And then He, the All-Knowing punctuates it with that sin which is most severe: " ... and saying things about Allaah of which you have no knowledge.'' [AI-A'araaf (7): 33] In the Ta/seer of this Aayah, the scholars of lslaam have said that: "If speaking about lslaam (Allaah ~ ) is not the greatest crime, then Allaah ~ certainly intended to emphasize it that way.

Zinaa (fornication and adultery), the first mentioned (sin in the Aayah) is an act of one committing a sin on his/ her own soul. Secondly: (Allaah ~ mentions) oppression, a sin committed against others. This is definitely a greater evil. Then He % mentions Shirk (i.e. joining partners in worship with Allaah), obviously a greater evil than the first two, and finally, speaking without knowledge in lslaam. Every sin that followed was always greater than the previous one.

Thus, if it (speaking about Allaah M without Guarding the Tongue knowledge) is not the greatest of sins, as it was mentioned last, it was certainly intended (by Alla ah ~ ) to be understood that way." It should be seriously noted that this very grave sin is only because of Satan's encouragement of the ignorant and sometimes arrogant seekers of name and fame. "Verily, it is indeed (Shaytaan) that makes you do evil and say things about Allaah (or His Deen) of which you have no proper knowledge.'' [AI-Baqarah (2): 169] Therefore, based upon the above Aayah, we find that this is the most serious prohibition with Allaah ~ Himself. The following categories of sins are incorporated in "Speaking of Allaah without knowledge": a) Lying upon Allaah ~ - b) Attributing to Allaah ~ what is not suitable for Him c) Bid'ah (innovation) or modifying and altering Allaah's Deen d) Negating what He ~ has affirmed e) Affirming what He ~ negated f) Hostility to those who champion His cause g) Supporting His enemies h) Loving those whom He hates and hating those He loves i) Describing Him with what does not befit Him in His Essence, His Attributes, His Statements or His Actions. Golden Advice Series 04 Therefore, because of the amount of sins included in this category, there can be no greater prohibition. It is from this sin that Shirk (associating partners with Allaah) and all forms of Kufr (disbelief) originate. All forms of Bid'ah (innovations) are also founded upon "speaking about Allaah without knowledge." Some aspects of "Speaking about Allaah without knowledge" are explained in details below: