Tag: manners

In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

The Slanderer Rebuked

Allaah [The Most High] said:

وَلَا تُطِعۡ كُلَّ حَلَّافٍ۬ مَّهِينٍ
هَمَّازٍ۬ مَّشَّآءِۭ بِنَمِيمٍ۬

And obey not everyone who swears much, and is considered worthless, a slanderer, going about with calumnies. [Surah Al-Qalam. Verses 10-11]

Allaah [The Exalted] said: [وَيۡلٌ۬ لِّڪُلِّ هُمَزَةٍ۬ لُّمَزَةٍ – Woe to every slanderer and backbiter]. [وَيْلٌ –Woe]: Meaning, loss and destruction. It is said that it means a valley in Jahannam. Qaadhi Iyaad (may Allaah have mercy upon him] stated that the word [وَيْلٌ –Woe] carries some of the following meanings: [a] It is used whilst referring to one who has fallen into destruction. [b] It is used whilst referring to one who deserves destruction. [c] It is used to refer to destruction itself. [d] It is used to refer to the difficulty found in punishment. [e] It is used to refer to grief. [f] It is used to refer to a valley in the hell fire. (1)

[لِّكُلِّ هُمَزَةٍ لُّمَزَةٍ – to every slanderer and backbiter]- Meaning, this is his preoccupation and practice (or habit)- slander, backbiting, violating the honour of the people, speaking ill of them and defaming them. Slandering by way of speech and backbiting by way of action through indication (or gesturing). (2)

The Prophet [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] said, “Whoever accuses a believer of something that is not true, Allaah will make him dwell in flowing pus on the Day of Judgement”. (3)

A Muslim Brother Must Be Defended When Slandered

Asmaa Bint Yazeed [may Allaah be pleased with her] said that Allaah’s Messenger [peace amd blessings of Allaah be upon him] said, “Whoever defends the flesh of his brother from backbiting, it will be an obligation Allaah impose on Himself to free him from the hellfire”. (4)

Even if it was established with clear proof – neither by way of conjecture nor slander – that a believer committed a sin, then indeed still this affair is lesser than the disbelief of disbeliever. Imaam Ibnul Qayyim [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said, “Firstly, sin and disobedience is something common in all the nations. It is something that has not cease to exist in the world amongst the Children of Aadam regardless of their different social classes- the common people, the ignorant ones, those who abstain from the permissible worldly things which one can do without and those desirous of it, the leaders and those under their rule. This affair is not something specific to this Ummah of Muhammad, such that (the ummah) and its Prophet are censured as a result of that. Sin and disobedience does not negate belief in the Messengers, because it can be possible for sin and disobedience to exist alongside belief in the Messengers. Although disobedience diminishes the perfection and completeness of belief in the Messengers, however it does not negate it.

Secondly, sins are wiped away through sincere repentance. Allaah forgives the slave when he turns repentant to Him (Glorified be He), even if his sins fill the heavens and are of a great number. Allaah said:

قُلۡ يَـٰعِبَادِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَسۡرَفُواْ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمۡ لَا تَقۡنَطُواْ مِن رَّحۡمَةِ ٱللَّهِ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَغۡفِرُ ٱلذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا‌ۚ إِنَّهُ ۥ هُوَ ٱلۡغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ

Say, “O Ibaadee (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allaah, verily Allaah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful”]. [Surah Az-Zumar. Verse 53]

This is the right of the one who repents because repentance wipes away the sin after it (was committed). Therefore, the one who repents from a sin is like one without that sin. And Tawheed [pure Islamic Monotheism] wipes away sins, as (mentioned) in the Hadeeth Al-Qudsiy: “O Son of Adam! If you were to meet Me with enough sins to fill the earth, then met Me, whilst not associating anything with Me (in worship), I shall meet you with its equivalent in forgiveness”. Therefore, firm Islamic Monotheism wipes away the sins of the Muslims; but if punished for their sins, they will be removed from the fire as a result of their belief in Islamic Monotheism.

As for the people of Shirk [i.e. those who ascribed partners to Allaah in worship] and the disbelievers, their good deeds are nullified as result of the disbelief and shirk they are upon. They will neither meet their Lord with good deeds in order to attain safety nor will they be forgiven any of their sins. Allaah [Glorified be He] said: [إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَغۡفِرُ أَن يُشۡرَكَ بِهِۦ وَيَغۡفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَٲلِكَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ‌ۚ – Verily, Allaah forgives not that partners should be set up with him in worship, but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He pleases]. [Surah an-Nisaa. Verse 48]

Allaah [The Most High] said: [وَقَدِمۡنَآ إِلَىٰ مَا عَمِلُواْ مِنۡ عَمَلٍ۬ فَجَعَلۡنَـٰهُ هَبَآءً۬ مَّنثُورًا – ‘And We shall turn to whatever deeds they did, and We shall make such deeds as scattered floating particles of dust]”. [Surah Al-Furqan. Verse 23] (5)

Finally, we say to this Italian ideologue, “May Allaah guide you to Islam or protect our rulers from your slanderous tongue Aameen”.

[Ref 1: Quoted by Shaikh Abdullaah Al-Bukhaari (may Allaah preserve him) in Sharh Umdatul Ahkaam: lesson 2]

[Ref 2: Sharh Ad-Duroos Al-Muhimmah Li-Aammatil Ummah’ page 27’ by Shaikh Abdur-Razzaaq Al-Badr (may Allaah preserve him). Abridged & slightly paraphrased]

[Ref 3: Saheeh Al-Jaami 6196]

[Ref 4: Al-Jaami As-Sagheer 8652]

[Ref 5: Hidaayatul Hayaaraa Fee Ajwibatil Yahood Wan-Nasaaraa’pg:123-124