An Enhanced Psychological Phenomenon: Image Distortion, Blame Projection, and Manipulation of Public Perception

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

A Recent Enhanced Psychological Phenomenon After The Passing of Some of The Senior Scholars: Distorting an Innocent Person’s Image, Projecting Blame onto Others Through Him, and Manipulating Public Perception

إِن يَسْرِقْ فَقَدْ سَرَقَ أَخٌ لَّهُۥ مِن قَبْلُ َ

If he (Bin Yamin) steals, there was a brother of his (Yusuf) who did steal before (him). [Yusuf. 77]

Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

Allah informs about the brothers of Yusuf, peace be upon him, that when they discovered the king’s cup in the saddlebag of his brother, they said: “If he steals, then a brother of his had stolen before him”. They did not merge the basis of the matter and the subsidiary with a (sound) effective cause or (sound) proof. Rather, they attached one to the other without any proof that binds the two other than mere resemblance between him and Yusuf, thus, they said: “This one is analogised to his brother; there are a number of similarities between them, and that one stole, so this one (also) steals”.

This is tantamount to (an attempt) to connect a correlated resemblance and an analogy by mere outward imagery that is devoid of the effective cause that would necessitate sameness. It is a corrupt analogy. A shared kinship and blood brotherhood is not a (valid) cause for being the same in theft, even if it were the case the theft had truly occurred. Nor is there any evidence establishing sameness between them in this matter. Thus, the connection was made merely on the basis of type of resemblance that is devoid of a (sound) cause and its evidence.

Allah said:

ثُمَّ بَدَا لَهُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ مَا رَأَوُا۟ ٱلْءَايَٰتِ لَيَسْجُنُنَّهُۥ حَتَّىٰ حِينٍ

Then it appeared to them, after they had seen the proofs to imprison him for a time. [Yusuf 35]

“It appeared to them” — meaning, it became clear to them, “after they had seen the proofs” showing his innocence, “that they should imprison him for a time.” Meaning, so that the news about the matter would die down and people would forget about it. Indeed, when something becomes widely known, it continues to be mentioned and spread as long as the causes behind it remain. But when those causes cease to exist, it is forgotten. Therefore, they saw this as being in their best interest, so they put him in prison. [2]

[1] I’laam Al-Muwaqqi’een 1/198

[2] Tafsir As-Sadi