Part 44

Fifth: I a man speaks publicly about his vile acts or deviation, such as drinking alcohol publicly, confiscating people’s properties and wealth unjustly, or conducting illegal affairs, then he should be denounced and exposed.

Sixth: it is permitted to define a person known by a particular nickname, such as the lame, the deaf, the blind, etc, but it is not permitted to mention such nicknames to degrade someone. If there is a possibility of referring to such a person with a more appropriate respectable name, then it is more preferable to do so.

These are the six reasons stated by the scholars. They are supported by many authentic traditions, such as the Hadith narrated by ‘Aishah 2 about a man who asked permission to enter upon the Prophet 4, to which he 3 said: “Admit him in. What an evil brother of his people.”!

Al-Bukhari used the above Hadith as evidence for permission to backbite vicious people. ‘Aishah # also reported that the Prophet # said: “T do not think so-and-so and so-and-so know anything about our religion” Al-Layth (another narrator of this Hadith) said: “These two persons were among the hypocrites.”

Fatima bint Qays mentioned to the Prophet #% that Mu‘awiyah and Jahm had sent proposals of marriage to her; thereupon he 4 said to her: “As for Abu Jahm, he dos not put down his stick from his shoulder, and as for Mu‘awiyah, he is a poor man, having no property”’, in the narration of Muslim: “As for Abu Jahm, he is woman beater” which explains the narration: “He does not put down his stick from his shoulder” but it has also been interpreted as a ‘frequent traveller’.

Zayd ibn Argam said: “While I was taking part in a ghazwa (invasion), T heard ‘Abdullah ibn Ubay (ibn Abi Salul) saying: ‘Don’t spend on those who are with Allah’s Messenger, that they may disperse and go away from him. If we return (to Madinah), surely, the more honourable of them will expel the meaner amongst them.’ I reported that (saying) to my uncle or to ‘Umar who, in his turn, informed the Prophet # about it. The Prophet summoned me, so I narrated to him the whole story. Then he 3 sent for ‘Abdullah ibn Ubay and his companions, who took an oath that they never said that. So he % disbelieved my saying yet believed his. I was more distressed than I had ever been before. I stayed at home and my uncle told me: ‘You just wanted Allah’s Messenger to disbelieve your statement and hate you.’ So Allah 8% revealed the Surah beginning with (When the hypocrites come to you) The Prophet then sent for me and recited it, saying: ‘O Zayd! Allah confirmed your statenient.”””*

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

‘Aishah 2 reported that Hind, the wife of Abu Sufyan, said to the Prophet: “Abu Sufyan is a miser. He does not give me enough to feed our children, escept what I take from him, without his knowledge”. He # said: “Take what is sufficient for you and your son in a just and reasonable manner.”

17. Preserving one’s tongue from slander

Slander is transferring words among people with the aim of undermining others.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported that the Prophet 4 once passed by two graves, and said: “The deceased persons in those graves are being tortured, but not for a great thing (to avoid)” and then he 4 added: “Yes, they are being punished for a big sin, for one of them used to cause calumnies (to cause enmity between people) while the other never saved himself from being stained with his own urine.”*

You should know that the slanderer reveals secrets and causes the separation of loved ones, so if a person relates a slander to you, then you are obliged to follow six points:

First: do not believe him because the slanderer is a fasiq (sinful; offender, deviator...); so his testimony is never accepted, Allah 3% said: (O you who believe! If a deviator brings you a report, scrutinize it carefully in case you attack people in ignorance, and so come to greatly regret what you have done)’.

' Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim. ? Surat al-Qalam, verses 11,12.

3 Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim. * Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim. 5 Surat al-Hujurat, verse 3.

Second: forbid him from doing so, advise him, and show him the evil in his act; Allah said: (command what is right and forbid what is evil)’.

Third: hate him for the Sake of Allah, because Allah hates slanderers.

Fourth: You should not think badly (be suspicious) about your absent brother; Allah 3% said: (O you who believe! Avoid most suspicion. Indeed some suspicion is a crime)”.

Fifth: The report of the slanderer should not entice you to spy and investigate about the truth of what he said, for Allah 3€ said: (and do not spy)’.

Sixth: And do not report what the slanderer said to you, saying: soand-so said this to me, because, in such a situation, you would become a slanderer yourself.

It was narrated that a man entered upon ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-Aziz 4 and mentioned something about another man; so ‘Umar told him: “We may look into your matter if you want. Then if you were lying you are among the people mentioned in the verse (If a deviator brings you a report, scrutinize it carefully) but if you were truthful, then you are among the people cited in the verse; a <slandermonger). So if you want, we could forgive you. Whereupon the man said: “Forgiveness, Q Amir of the faithful. I will never do it again.”

We ask Allah 3%, with His Blessing and Graciousness, to purify our societies from slanderers and backbiters.

18. Preserving one’s tongue from reporting in a corrupt manner This is transferring a report with two different narrations, which is

even worse than slander, because a slander is transferring a report with only one narration.

' Surat Luqman, verse 17. ? Surat al-Hujurat, verse 12. 3 Surat al-Hujurat, verse 12.

“‘Umiara ibn Yasir # narrated that the Prophet 4 said: “He who is twofaced in this world, will have two tongues of fire on the Day of

Some people said to Ibn ‘Umar: “When we enter upon our rulers, we say in their praise what is contrary to what we say when we leave them”, Ibn ‘Umar 4s said: “We used to consider that to be hypocrisy.”

Abu Hurayrah 2 reported that the Prophet 3 said: “The worst people in the Sight of Allah on the Day of Resurrection will be two-faced people; those who appear to some people with one face and to other people with another face.”*

19. Preserving one’s tongue from disclosing what takes place between you and your spouse

Abu Dharr reported that the Prophet 3 said: “The most wicked among people in the Sight of Allah, on the Day of Judgment, is the man who approaches his wife, who also approaches him, and then divulges her secret.

20. Preserving one’s tongue from singing

Allah 4 said: (There are some people who trade in distracting tales to misguide people from Allah’s Way)’.

' Recorded by al-Bukhari, in “al-adab al-mufrad’, and by Abu Dawud (4/268). ? Recorded by al-Bukhari.

3 Recorded by al-Bukhari.

4 Recorded by Muslim.

> Surat Luqman, verse 6.

The Prophet 4 said: “From among my followers, there will be people who will consider illegal sexual intercourse, wearing of silk, drinking of alcoholic drinks, and playing musical instruments.”

Allah 8 said, describing the Servants of the All-Merciful: (Those who do not bear zur (false witness) and who, when they encounter worthless talk, pass by with dignity)’.

Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyya said: “Zur in the verse means singing.”

Tbn Mas‘ud # said: “Singing plants hypocrisy in one’s heart in the same manner as water grows plants”. Yazeed bin Al-Waleed said: “Avoid singing, for it dimishes one’s chastity, increases one’s (sexual) desire and destroys one’s sense of honour; it also replaces the effect of alcohol drinking.”

All the scholars have agreed about the prohibition of singing. Abu Haneefah said: “Listening to singing is fisg (sinful).”

Imam Malik said when asked about singing that it is the work of sinful people.

Al-Shafi‘i said: “Singing is a reprehensible distraction; it resembles falsehood, so whoever does it regularly is an incompetent person whose testimony should be rejected.

Ahmad ibn Hanbal said: “Singing plants hypocrisy in the heart, so I dislike it”.

' Recorded by al-Bukhari. ? Surat al-Furgan, verse 72. > Surat al-Isra’, verse 64.

Anas # reported that the Prophet # said: “This Ummah would face disgrace, defamation and distortion once people drink alcoholic drinks, listen to female singers and play musical instruments.”!

Mu‘awiya < said: “The Prophet % has forbidden wailing, tasaweer (photography, painting), (wearing) lion’s skin, uncovering of women and their singing, (wearing) gold, piercing and (wearing) silk.””

21. Preserving one’s tongue from swearing by anything besides Allah

Ibn ‘Umar reported that the Prophet 4% said: “If anyone has to take an oath, he should only swear by Allah, or remain silent.”?

He # also reported that the Prophet % said: “He who swears by anyone but Allah is a polytheist.’*

22. Preserving one’s tongue from swearing by a religion other than Islam

This is the case of the people who take an oath to do such and such or die as a Jew, Christian, polytheist, Magus (Zoroaestrean), or any other religion but Islam. Thabit ibn al-Dahhak reported that the Prophet % said: “Whoever intentionally swears falsely by a religion other than Islam, is what he said he was.” (i.e. If he says: ‘If such a thing is not true, then I am a Jew’ is really a Jew).

23. Preserving one’s tongue from abusing the cock

' Narrated by Ibn Abi Dunya, and authenticated by al-Albani.

? Recorded by Ahmad, and authenticated by al-Albani.