Part 41

The Imam Malik said: “Hypocritical talk renders the heart impenitent, and causes rancour.”

‘Umar bin al-Khattab 2 said: “Do not acquire knowledge for three things, and do not reject it for three other things: Do not learn it for the sake of hypocrisy, pride or boastfulness, and do not reject it out of shyness, modesty or love of ignorance.”

You should know, O Muslim brother, that quarrelling does not confirm the truth, or nullify falsehood; rather, it could become an excuse for corrupt people to adhere more tightly to their falsehood. Therefore, a Muslim should preserve his/her tongue from disputing. If he/she wants to offer any advice, he/she should do so calmly, and it would more appropriate to offer it private, between you and the one you advise, in order not to embarrasse the person in public.

5. Safeguarding one’s tongue from quarrelling

‘Aishah 4 reported that the Prophet 3 said: “The most hated person in the Sight of Allah is the most quarrelsome person.”?

Abu Hurayrah # reported that the Prophet 3 said: “A good word is also regarded as Sadaqah”.

' Recorded by Abu Dawud, and it was authenticated by al-Nawawi. It was also narrated by al-Mundiri on the authority of Anas 4.

? Recorded by al-Bukhari.

? Recorded by Muslim.

‘Uday ibn Hatim 2 reported that the Prophet 3 said: “O people, save yourselves from the Hell Fire even with half a date (fruit), given in charity.”

Al-Ghazali said: “Quarrelling is the starting point of all evil and also hypocritical talk and disputes. Therefore, one should not resort to it, except in times of necessity, and even, when it is necessary, one should safeguard one’s tongue and heart from the consequences of feuding, although that may be extremely impractical.”

“Umar said: “Piety is an easy thing: a cheerful face and gentle talk”, and one of the scholars said: “Gentle talk washes away any rancour that exists in the limbs.”

6. Preserving one’s tongue from rhetorical and boastful speech

The Prophet 4 strongly condemned rhetoric and boastfulness: “On the Day of Judgment, the dearest and closest to me will be those persons who had the best moral character. Those among you who talk with affectation and are given to boasting will be the most repugnant to me, and farthest from me on the Day of Judgment.” The Companions submitted: “O Messenger of Allah, what is meant by the word ‘Mutafayhiqun'?” he ¥ replied: “Those given to boasting.”

The Prophet #% mentioned three bad attributes in the above Hadith: Tharthar (someone who talks excessively); Mutashaddiq (someone who extends his speech and praises his talk presumptuously); Mutafayqih (someone who arrogantly elaborates in his speech, to show he is above the rest).

Al-Ghazali said: “This does not refer to refining one’s speech and reminding people, without any unnecessary usage of words; because the objective is to stir their hearts and eagerness (to seek the Pleasure of Allah), therefore some elegant speech could have a positive effect on them. However, the discussions raised for fulfilling life’s needs

! Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim. 3 Recorded by Ahmiad and al-Tirmidhi, who who categorised it as sahih.

should not include rhetoric and arrogant speech. It is very reprehensible to devote any time to it, because its incentive is arrogance and showing off, which is abhorred and rejected in Islam.”

7. Preserving one’s tongue from shameless talk

Ibn Mas‘ud reported that the Prophet # said: “A believer is not given to accusing others or cursing them, nor is he immoral or shameless.”

Usamah ibn Zayd 2 reported that the Prophet 3 said: “Allah does not love an immoral pérson who acts shamelessly.”

Jabir ibn Samurrah - reported that the Prophet # said: “Obscenity and immorality are not part of Islam, so the best example of Islam is (shown by) those who have the best of morals.”*

What is obscene in language?

Al-Ghazali said: “It is expressing immoral acts with obscene language, mostly used when describing sexual relations and everything related to it. People of vice use plain expressions, while righteous people avoid such terms, using euphemisms instead; they prefer to mention words which are indirectly related to them, out of decency.”

8. Preserving one’s tongue from insulting

Tbn Mas‘ud 2% reported that the Prophet said: “Abusing a Muslim is fusug (an evil-doing) and killing him is kur (disbelief).

An Arab nomad came to the Prophet 48 and asked for some advice, so he 3 told him: “You have to fear Allah, so if a man abuses you with something he knows about you, do not abuse him with something you know about him. Thereby, there will be evil consequences for him (for

' Recorded by al-Tirmidhi who categorised it as. hasan and gharib’, and by alHakim authenticated it.

? Narrated by Ibn Abi Dunya and al-Tabarani. Al-‘Iraqi said its chain of authorities is good.

> Recorded by Ahmad and Ibn Abi Dunya, with a good chain of narrations.

* Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

abusing you) and good rewards for you (for abstaining from abusing him), so do not abuse or insult anyone at all.” He said: “I have never abused anyone since then.”'

Ibn ‘Abbas # heard the Prophet say: “Cursed he who abuses his parents.”

‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amru 4s reported that the Prophet 4 said: “It is one of the greatest sins that a man should abuse his parents.” The people asked: “O Messenger of Allah, how does a man curse his parents?” He % repliedd: “A man may abuse the father of another man, so the latter then abuses the father of the former and his mother as well.”?

9. Preserving one’s tongue from cursing

‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar # narrated that the Prophet 3 said: “A believer is not given fo cursing.”

Samurrah ibn Jundub # reported that the Prophet % said: “Do not invoke Allah’s Curse, nor Allah’s Anger and Hell.”*

‘Imran ibn Husayn # said: “We were with the Messenger of Allah on one of his journeys, and there was a woman from the Ansar riding a she-camel that shied, so. she cursed it. The Prophet 3 heard that and said: ‘Unload it and set it free for it is accursed.’ ‘Imran said: ‘I can still see that dromedary walking amongst people and none taking any notice of it.”

Abu Darda’ reported that the Prophet 4% said: “The invoker of a curse would neither be an intercessor nor a witness on the Day of

' Recorded by Ahmad and al-Tabarani.

? Recorded by Ahmad, Abu Ya’la and al-Tabarani.

5 Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

* Recorded by al-Tirmidhi.

* Recorded by al-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud who categorised it as hasan sahih.” * Recorded by Muslim.

7 Recorded by Muslim.

Thabit ibn al-Dahhak .% reported that the Prophet 4 said: “Cursing a believer is like murduring him.”? As mentioned in the above Ahadith, cursing is invoking the expulsion of a person from the Mercy of Allah a€, which is a very serious matter, because no one has the right to judge whether another should be expelled from the Mercy of Allah, except one upon whom Allah Himself had already passed His Judgment. Therefore, it is also unlawful for a Muslim to invoke a curse upon an animal or even any inanimate body.

As for cursing a human being, there is a detailed explanation:

1. It is lawful in Islam to invoke Allah’s Curse in a general context: such as saying: “May the Curse of Allah be upon the polytheists, oppressors, and innovators in Islam.”

2. It is lawful to invoke Allah’s Curse with a specific description: such as saying: “May Allah’s Curse be upon the Jews, Christians, Magi (Zoroastrians), Khawarij (Dissenters who consider every sinful Muslim as kafir), Rawafid (Shiite extremists), people who indulge in adultery and usury...etc.”

3. It is not lawful to invoke Allah’s Curse upon any particular person, unless the curse was confirmed in Islam; such as saying: “Pharaoh, may Allah’s Curse be upon him,” or “Abu Lahab, may Allah’s Curse be upon him.”

It is not lawful to invoke Allah’s Curse upon any particular living person, even of he was a polytheist, a Jew, a Magus (Zoroastrian); because he could repent and embrace Islam before his/her death, and so would die as a devout believer in the Oneness of God. So how can one judge someone to be expelled from the Mercy of Allah? This is

' Transmitted by Ibn Abi Dunya with a good chain of narrations. ? Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

regarding the polytheist, so what about the Muslim fasiq and mubtadi‘ (i.e. the sinner or innovator in Islam).

“Umar ibn al-Khattab #% related a story about a man whom the Prophet # bad lashed for drinking alcohol: One day he was brought to the Prophet on the same charge and was lashed again. On that, a man from among the people said: “O Allah, curse him! How frequently he has been brought to the Prophet on such a charge!” The Prophet # replied: “Do not curse him, for by Allah, I know for he loves Allah and His Messenger”.

10. Withholding one’s tongue from abusing the dead

“Aishah < reported that the Prophet # said: “Do not abuse the dead, for they have attained the result of what they have done.””

She also related that the Prophet # said: “Do not remember your dead except with goodness.”

11. Preserving one’s tongue from accusing the believer of polytheism

Ibn ‘Umar 2 related that he heard the Prophet 4 say: “If a man says to his brother: ‘O kafir (disbeliever)!’ then surely one of them is such (i.e. a kafir).”"

Thabit al-Dahhak #% reported that the Prophet # said: “Whoever accuses a believer of kufr (disbelief), then it is as if he killed him.”

12. Preserving one’s tongue from excessive jest

Abu al-Hasan al-Mawrudi said: “You ought to know that jesting disregards the rights (of a person); it leads to cutting off one’s family

‘ Recorded by al-Bukhari and others.

? Recorded by al-Bukhari.

3 Recorded by al-Nasa’i.

* Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim. > Recorded by al-Bukhari.

relations and disobedience to one’s parents. It disgraces the joker and harms the person who is then subject to jesting.

‘Umar said: “He who laughs all the time would lose his respect and awe; and for he who jokes, people would scorn him; and for he who talks excessively, his mistakes would multiply, and thereby his humbleness would decrease, as would his piety, until his heart would become void of the Fear of Allah.”