Chapter 236: About Curbing One's Tongue and the Forbiddance of Slander

Translation: [ Imam Al-Ghazali elaborated on this subject in his book titled ' Ihya'a Ulum Al-Din (Revival of the Religious Sciences) '

Translation: Below is a quotation from this work hoping that it will benefit the reader on this topic.

Translation: The fifteenth Evil: Slander

This is a lengthy subject, thus, we mention first the criticism of slander and the textual proofs of this. Allah has criticized it and likened the slanderer to a person who eats his dead brother's flesh. Allah says:

Translation: 44... Nor speak ill of each other behind their backs. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Nay, you would abhor it... " * " (49:12)

Translation: The Messenger of Allah said as

Translation: Narrated by Abu-Huraira: " Allah's Messenger said: "... The Muslim's blood, property, and honor are unlawful to be violated by another Muslim. " "

Slander pertains to honor, and Allah has combined it with wealth and blood in the Hadith.

Translation: Narrated Abu-Huraira ' Allah's Messenger ﷺ said: " Do not feel envy between one another, do not outbid one another (with a view to raising the price), do not bear aversion to one another, do not bear enmity against one another, one of you should not enter into a transaction when the other has already entered into it, and be fellow brothers and slaves of Allah... " And

Translation: Narrated Anas: ' The Messenger of Allah said: " When I ascended to heaven on the night of the nocturnal journey, I passed by some people who were scratching their faces with their nails made of copper. I said: “ Who are these Gabriel! " He said: " These are the people who slander people and speak ill of their honor. " And

Translation: Narrated Ibn Abbas: ' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ addressed us so loudly that the virgins in houses heard. He said: “ O assemble of those who believed with their tongues not their hearts! Do not slander the Muslims nor find fault with them. For he who follows his brother's defects, Allah follows his defects. He who Allah follows his defects exposes him even if he is in the furthest corner of his house. " And]

Translation: Jaber said: ' We were traveling with the Messenger of Allah and we approached two graves the wherein the two who were buried there were being punished. He said: " They are being punished, but they are being punished for a dangerous affair. One of them used to slander people and the other used not to clean himself from urine. He then asked for a green palm leaf and broke it. Then he ordered that each piece should be planted on one of the graves and said: " This will alleviate their torture as long for as they are green. ”

The companions used to meet each other smiling, and they never slandered each other. They saw this as the best of deeds and its contradiction as a habit of the hypocrites.

Commenting on the following statement of Allah, Mujahed said that the verse refers to defaming people and slandering them. The verse says:

" Woe to every kind of) scandal-monger and backbiter. * " (104: 1)

Ibn Abbas said: " If you want to mention your brother's defects, remember your own defects. "

Abu-Huraira said: ' One sees the speck in his brother's eye and overlook the wooden plank in his eye. '

Al-Hasan said: ' Son of Adam! You will not attain the true faith until you do not defame people of a defect you also have and until you begin by reforming that defect in yourself. If you apply this, you will get involved in your own affair and be busy with trying to get rid of your defects. Such a servant is the most beloved to Allah. "

Omar said: ' Remember Allah ceaselessly for it is a remedy and beware of mentioning people because it is a malady. "

Nature of Slander and its Criterion

Please bear in mind that slander is to mention about your brother what he dislikes if it is conveyed to him. It is the same whether you mention a physical defect, a defect in lineage, a behavioral defect, or a religious defect. One should abstain from slandering even if about the other's garment or riding animal.

As to the physical defects, they are like squinting, baldness, shortness, tallness, yellowness, blackness, etc. As to the defects of lineage this could be like describing one as rebellious or insolent. As to the behavioral defects this could be like describing one as ill-natured, miserly, haughty, argumentative etc. As to the religious defects, they are like describing one as a thief, a liar, disloyal, neglectful of the prayer, undutiful to his parents, uncaring about his fasting, defaming people, etc. As to the worldly defects, they are like describing him as impolite, selfish, talkative, etc. As to the defects in his garments, they are like describing him as having wide sleeves, letting his garment hang down below his heels, etc.

Some people said that there is no harm in mentioning the religious defects because this is criticizing what Allah has criticized. They based their views on the narrative of a woman who used to perform the prayer and observe fasting punctually, but she used to hurt her neighbors with her tongue and when [ the Prophet] was asked about her, he said: " She is in Hellfire. " Using analogy in this case is invalid, because they asked to know what the ruling was and not to mention her defects. Unanimity is another proof as the whole Muslim nation agreed that he who mentions another man with what he hates, has slandered him according to the definition of the Messenger of Allah.

If what one has mentioned of a defect was in that person, then the person has slandered him, and he is disobedient to Allah and ' eating his dead brother's flesh '. The Messenger of Allah said as:

Translation: Narrated by Abu-Huraira: ‘ Allah's Messenger ✯ asked: " Do you know what is slander? " They replied: " Allah and His Messenger know best. " He said: " It is saying something about your brother that he dislikes. " Someone asked: " Suppose that what I said about my brother was true? " He replied: " If what you have said about him is true you have backbitten him, and if it is not true you have told a lie about him. "

Al-Hasan said: " Mentioning evil things about others are three: Ghayba (slander), Bohtan (fabricating lies against people), and ifk (repeating gossip that one hears). The three are mentioned in Allah's Book. "

Ibn-Sireen mentioned a man as saying: " That black man. ” Then he said: " I seek Allah's forgiveness, I see I have slandered him. "

When Ibn-Sireen mentioned Ibraheem Al-Nakhe'e, he put his hand on his eye gesturing that he is one-eyed.

Slander is not through the Tongue only

Please be informed that mentioning others ' defects by the tongue is unlawful because it is conveying something evil or detested from one person to another, therefore implicit or explicit mentioning, utterance and actions are equal, so gesturing and blinking, writing and movement, etc. can also categorized as being slanderous.

Translation: Narrated A'isha: ' A woman to see us. When she left, I gestured with my hand, hinting she was short. At that the Messenger of Allah said: " You have slandered her. "

Imitating others ' gait is also slander, in fact it is more repugnant than slander, because it contains more intense contempt. When the Messenger of Allah saw that A'isha has gestured with her hand, he said: " It does not please me to mime a person even if I were to have such and such. "

Writing also is another form of slander and the pen is another tongue. When an author or writer mentions a certain person and criticizes his speech, he slanders him, except in the case of having a legitimate excuse. As to saying: ' Such and such people... this is not slander. Slander is mentioning a living or a dead person with what he would dislike to be motioned. Saying; ' Some of those who passed by us today are... is slander if this refers to certain person or persons.

When the Messenger of Allah disliked anything of a person, he used to say: " What is wrong with such and such folk! "

One's saying: " Some of those who have arrived from... ", or " Some of those who claim knowledge... " is slander, if there is a indication of it being related to a certain person or people.

The most repugnant form of slander is that of the readers of the Noble Koran who depict themselves as being righteous people, not knowing that they combine two evils, i.e. slander and showing off. An example of this is if a man is mentioned before one of them, he says: " Praise be to Allah Who did not test us with seeking the pleasure of the ruler or degrading ourselves by asking for the passing delights of this life. " Or saying: " We seek refuge with Allah from lack of coyness and ask Him to protect us from it. " In such cases, one intends to defame others through praying unto Allah. Another way of showing up others ' defects is exaggerating in the use of praise, such as saying: " How excellent is the character of so and so. He did not slacken in the performance of the acts of worship, but he has been afflicted with what we were afflicted with of impatience. " In this way, he mentions himself aiming at criticizing others. He may criticize himself in imitation of the righteous people, pretending self-purification. In this way he combines between slander, affectation, and purifying his soul thinking that he is one of the righteous who do not slander people.

For this reason, Satan plays tricks with ignorant people who worship Allah without knowledge. He chases them and renders their deeds futile and mocks at them. An example of this is when one mentions another's defect and some of the listeners do not take note of it, and he says: " Glory be to Allah, how strange is this affair! " saying this in order that the people pay attention to what he has said. Then he mentions Allah's Name, using it to conceal his evil intention. Another example is one's saying: " We became sad over what has afflicted our friend and ask Allah to alleviate his misfortune. " He is a liar in his praying and in his pretended. sadness, for if he had intended praying to Allah for his friend, it would have been better if he had prayed to Allah in seclusion after performing the prayer.

A third example is one's saying: " Such and such a person has been afflicted with a dangerous evil, may Allah cure us and him. " He shows off by praying, while Allah knows his innermost wicked feelings and his concealed aim. Out of ignorance, he does not know that he has exposed himself to a detestation, more intense than that of the ignorant people who show clearly what they conceal.

A fourth example is listening attentively to slander showing wonder to encourage the slanderer to indulge more and more by saying: " I wonder, how amazing this is? I have never known him except as a good man, but now I know him in reality. May Allah protect us from what He has afflicted him. " These are signs of accepting the slanderer's statements and the one who believes in what a slanderer fabricates and the one who listens to it are partners.

The one listening to slander is not safe from its sin, except in the case when he denies [ what he hears] with his tongue or heart. If he was able to interrupt or leave the assembly, but he did not do, he sins. If he said: " Be quiet! " with his mouth but accepted it in his heart, this is hypocrisy. He is sinful as long as he does not deny it in his heart. It is not enough to use body language by signaling with the hand, an eye-brow, or cheek to the slanderer to stop. He should behave positively.

The Messenger of Allah said: " He that repels evil from his brother's honor in his absence, Allah will save him from Hellfire. "

The Motives for Slander

Please bear in mind that the motives of slander are numerous. They can be summarized in eleven causes; eight of them are related to the common people, and three are related to the religious people.

As to the eight motives, the first is to quell one's anger when it is stirred. One might mention the evil characters of another one if the latter had vexed him, especially if there was no religious curb. One may also not be able to quench his anger, and thus, it retreats to the heart and becomes a lasting spite, and then becomes an eternal cause for mentioning defects. Thus, spite and anger are some of the motives for slander.

The second is to harmonize with one's fellows, by flattering one's companions, and encouraging them to indulge in that evil speech. If they become pleased with talking about the honor of others ", he will not boycott them lest they should develop an aversion to him also. So he helps them out of courtesy. If they become angry, he may also get angry with them and indulge in mentioning other's defects and evil characteristics.

The third is that one anticipates that someone will defame him in front of a decent person, so he hastens to mention his defects to affect his testimony in advance. He may start with telling the truth about him in order to fabricate lies against him later, and thus the people believe him. He may say: " It is not my habit to tell lies. Have not I told you. the truth? "

The fourth is to attribute something to someone. When that one disavows that thing, the person who slanders mentions what that one has done mentioning nothing about the other party.

The fifth is to boast about oneself falsely by degrading another, such as saying: " So and so is ignorant and his style is weak. " He aims at showing that he is higher in knowledge [ than the one he is slandering] lest people should consider the former equal to him, and hence he precedes to criticize him

The sixth is done through envy of a person whom people praise, love, or dignify. One wants to remove the blessing from that person, but finds no way to this except through criticizing him in order for the people to stop praising him, loving him, or dignifying him. This is explicit anger, envy, and spite. It should be noted that envy may also be shown against a bosom friend and a close companion.

The seventh is for pastime, jesting, courtesy, and passing time by joking. One mentions others ' defects in order that people should laugh at such a person. This stems from arrogance and vain pride.

The eighth is to mock someone and deride him. This can be done in the presence of the person or in his absence. This also stems from arrogance and vain pride

As to the three causes of slander that are related to the religious people, these are the deepest and the most ambiguous. They are the evil insinuations of Satan, mixed with some good.

The first is that one exclaims something about a certain person while denying a wrong deed. One may say; " How strange so and so is! " He may be telling the truth, but his wonder is false. One is permitted to wonder [ at people's behavior] but not with mentioning their names, but Satan facilitates this. In this way, he slanders and backbites inadvertently. An example of this is one saying: " I wonder about so and so! How can he love his slave girl despite her ugliness? " " How can he sit with so and so despite his ignorance? "

The second is to show mercy, i.e. one becomes sad when someone else is afflicted. One may say: " I am so sorry for so and so, that poor person! " One may tell the truth about the sadness, but the sadness causes him to forget himself and he mention the afflicted one's name. In this way, he slanders that person. His sadness, mercy, and wonder were good, but Satan drove him to evil inadvertently, because one may become sad and show mercy to others without mentioning their names; but Satan stirs him to mention their name to render his sufferings fruitless.

The third is getting angry for Allah's sake. One may get angry when someone commits an evil deed and mention the name of that man, but one should show his anger against that man by ordering him to do what is good and forbidding him from what is wrong, along with concealing that man's name and not defaming him.

These three causes are not understood by the scholars let alone the common people. They think that mentioning the names of the people concerned is permissible as long as their anger is for Allah. This is incorrect. What is permissible on the subject of mentioning the name of a slandered person is explained by the following narrative:

Amer ibn Wa'ila said: ' A man passed by a group of people during the life of the Prophet. He greeted them and they returned the greeting. When he left, one of them said: " I hate that man for Allah's sake. " They said " How evil is what you have said! By Allah, we will inform him. " They told a man from their group to meet that man and inform him. The man [ who was defamed] went to the Messenger of Allah = and informed him of the story and asked him to summon the man (who had defamed him). The Messenger of Allah ﷺ summoned the man and asked him: “ Why do you hate him? ” He said: " I am his neighbor and know him better. By Allah, I have never seen him performing but the obligatory prayer. " The man said " " Ask him, Messenger of Allah, have I delayed it beyond its stated time? Have I performed its ablution, bowing, or prostration imperfectly? " The Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked the man and he said: " No. " The man said: " By Allah, I have never seen him observing fasting but the obligatory one that both the righteous and the insolent people observe. " The man said: " Ask him, Messenger of Allah, have I broken the fast [ illegitimately]? " The Messenger of Allah asked the man and he said: " No. " The man said: " By Allah, I have never seen him paying except the obligatory zakat that both the righteous and the insolent persons give; and he never gives a beggar anything. " The man said: " Ask him, Messenger of Allah, have I paid it less than the due rate or procrastinated in paying it? " The Messenger of Allah asked the man and he said: " No. " The Messenger of Allah said to the man (who had defamed his neighbor): " Get up! He may be better than you. " "

Remedy for Slander

Please bear in mind that an evil character can be cured by knowledge and practice, as each malady can be cured with its counter medication. So, let us search for its cause. Curing the tongue from slander can be done through two ways, the first is general and the second is detailed.

As to the general way, one should know that slander exposes himself to Allah's wrath and renders his deeds futile on the Day of Resurrection. It transfers his good deeds to the slandered one for what he violated of his honor. If the slanderer has no good deeds, the evil deeds of the slandered one will be transferred to the slanderer's record. Additionally the slanderer exposes himself to Allah's wrath, and he is also likened to the one who eats his dead brother's flesh. A servant may be cast into Hellfire merely when the scale of his evil deeds outweighs the scale of his good deeds.

It could happen that a single evil deed transferred to one's evil deeds, due to the oppression of others could make the scale of evil deeds outweigh his good deeds, and therefore he would be cast into Hellfire. The least dangerous result would be that one's reward would decreases. This happens after accountability [ on the Day of Judgment].

It was narrated that a man said to Al-Hasan: " I have been informed that you slander me. " Al-Hasan said: " It is not I who makes you control my good deeds. " Thus, whenever a servant believes in the texts regarding slander, he will withhold his tongue out of fear of this. It is more useful if one considers his own defects and preoccupies himself with mending them, and whenever he finds a defect, he should feel shy of leaving criticism of himself and criticizing others. He should free himself lest he should be disabled like that person having the criticized defect. This applies to the defects under his control, as to the defects in one's body, criticizing them is criticize the Creator. For he that criticized a creation has criticized its crea tor.

It was said to a wise man: " O ugly-faced one! " He said " " It was not my handiwork that I could perfect it. "

If a servant does not find any defect in himself, he should praise Allah and to be keen lest he should contaminate himself with the worst of defects, i.e. slander as this is likened to eating one's dead brother's flesh. If such a person thinks carefully about his claim that he is defect-free, he is showing his ignorance of himself, and that is one of the worst defects.

One should not forget that his pain, when he is slandered by other people, is not less than that of the people he slandered. This helps him to abstain from injuring others with what injures him.

As to the detailed way, one should consider the motive of slander or the reason behind it, because curing a malady is done through uprooting its causes, and we have explained. them. As to anger, one cures it by considering Allah's Ability to direct His anger against him. One should say: " If I directed my anger against him, Allah may direct His anger against me, because I did not abstain from what He has forbidden me. "

The Messenger of Allah said: " He that suppresses his anger while he is able to affect it, Allah will call him on the Day of Resurrection and give him the choice of the brighteyed damsels of Paradise. "

One should know that Allah gets angry with you if you substitute His satisfaction for human satisfaction. How could you be content to revere the creatures and not the Creator, and to prefer people's pleasure to Allah's? You must get angry for Allah's sake. This entails that you do not mention evil about anyone, rather you must get angry, for the sake of Allah, with your companions if they slander others in your presence, because they have disobeyed Allah with the worst of sins (i.e. slander).

As to thinking well of one's soul by attributing evil to other people when one should not mention them, this can be cured by knowing that exposing oneself to Allah's wrath (that is sure) is more severe than exposing oneself to people's anger. Thus, you live restlessly in life, lose your good deeds in the Hereafter, incur Allah's criticism, and wait for other people's criticism; and this is the extreme ignorance and disgrace.

As to your saying: " If I consume other peoples ' properties, so and so consumes them, and if I accepted the property from the state, others accept them too, " this is a type of ignorance because you emulate him that should not be emulated, because one should not emulate him that violates Allah's commandments. This can be explained by the following example. If anyone casts himself into a fire, do you cast yourself in too? If you do the same as him, you are foolish. Thus, what you would have mentioned would have been slander plus an additional sin, i.e. your emulation of the one violating Allah's commandments, in addition to proving your own foolishness and ignorance.

As to your intention to boast and praise yourself by criticizing others, please be informed that what you would have mentioned would negate your bounty with Allah

Additionally, what you expect of people's praise to you is liable to vanish, rather, their opinions about you may decrease due to your defamation of other people. In this way you have sold what is sure with Allah for what is imagined to be with people. Even if you acquired praise from the creation, this will not avail you anything with Allah.

As to slander done out of envy, this combines two types of punishment for you because you have envied him for a worldly pleasure and will live in constant punishment in life due to envy. In the meantime, you have added to the punishment in the Hereafter. Thus, you have combined the two losses, i.e. a loss in life and a loss in the Hereafter. You aimed at hurting the one you have envied, but you have only hurt your own self and lost the reward of your good deeds. Against your expectation, you in fact became your enemy's. friend and your soul's enemy, because slandering him hurts you not him and benefits him not you. As your good deeds will be transferred to him or his evil deeds will be transferred to you. In this way, you have combined between the malice of envy and the foolishness of ignorance. Your envy and criticism may turn out to be a praise for the one you envy. A poet said:

When Allah wills that a virtue prevails that has vanished

He stirs an envious tongue to revive it.

As to scorning, you intend to degrade others in people's eyes but end up degrading yourself with Allah, with the angels, and with Prophets peace be upon them. If you consider your regret, your crime, your shame on the Day of Resurrection when you will bear the evil deeds of those whom you have slandered, and thereby be driven to Hellfire, this will encourage you to abandon disgracing others. It should be obvious that becoming angry for Allah's sake does not entail slander. It is Satan who beautifies slander for you to render your anger for Allah's sake futile and fruitless, in addition to you become exposed to Allah's wrath due to your slander.

As to speculation when it leads to slander, consider yourself first! Wonder how you caused yourself and your religion to perish for another's religion or another's life. You will not be safe from punishment in life as Allah may reveal what you have concealed as you have revealed what was concealed of your brother by your speculation.

Thus, the remedy for this is knowledge and having firm. faith. He who has firm faith, his tongue is automatically withheld.

Prohibition of the Slander of the Heart

Please be informed that thinking ill of people is like uttering ill about them. As it is unlawful for you to talk to others about people's defects, it is not lawful to you to think ill of them. Passing thoughts are excluded and pardoned, even doubt is pardoned. It is the whole hearted thinking ill that is forbidden. Allah says:

Translation: " O you who believe! avoid suspicion as much (as possible), for suspicion in some cases is a sin... * (49: 12)

Translation: The wisdom behind forbidding this is that the hearts " secrets are known to none besides Allah, the Knower of the unseen. Thus, you are not to think ill of others except in the situation where you see plain and unquestionable evidence, then you are entitled to think about what you have plainly seen. What you have not seen with your own eyes, heard with your own ears, or had a firm belief in the heart are mere insinuations of Satan. You must belie him because he is the most rebellious among the rebellious. Allah says:

Translation: " O you who believe! if a wicked person comes to you with any news, ascertain the truth, lest you harm people unwittingly... * " (49: 6)

Translation: It is impermissible to give credit to what Satan insinuates. It is a well-known rule that one should not leave what is certain for what is probable. Thus, a rebellious one may not be telling a lie, but you are not ordered to give credit to what he utters. There is also another rule that if someone smelt wine on someone's breath, this does not justify affecting the prescribed punishment for drinking wine on him, because it is possible that he had rinsed his mouth with wine and then spat it out, or it could be that he was coerced to drink it. These are possible matters, and thus one should not believe them whole heartedly and think ill of a Muslim.

Translation: As one is not permitted to take others ' possessions, except when evident proofs are available to prove his entitlement to such possessions. One also is not permitted to think ill of others, except when evident proofs are available too. In case of a lack of evident proofs, one should repel such thoughts, basing your opinion on the fact that man is liable both to do good and to do evil.

If you say: " How does one know ' the firm thinking ' while doubts arise and the soul entices? We say the proof that one was thinking ill of someone is that the heart changes and one develops an aversion to the person. He may not be keen to know his latest news, to dignify him, or to become sad at what befalls him of misfortune.

As regards the heart, one knows this through developing an aversion or hatred towards someone, as regards the limbs, one knows this through their readiness to do harm. Satan induces man to do evil to people for the least evil thought one has in the heart, insinuating in him that this reaction is due to his intelligence and sharpness, and that the believer sees with Allah's light, while he is actually seeing with Satan's eyes and leaps into his darkness.

If a fair person tells you something, you would tend to believe what he has told because if you disbelieved him, you would offend his justice. This is also a form of thinking ill. It is not justice that you think ill of one person and think well of another You have to consider whether there is hostility or envy between them and if it is for this reason that he has told you that slander.

Islamic law does not accept the testimony of a fair father about his son and reject the testimony of an enemy " SO you have to pause and consider. Even if the one who told you something was just, do not believe him. or disbelieve him, but say to yourself: " That man (the slandered one) is unknown to me and I cannot see anything that shows an evil intention from him. That man who told me about him may be fair and he may not have any dispute with the slandered one, but he (who told me) may be fond of mentioning people's defects. " Thus, one may think that he is just while he is not, because the one who slanders is unjust. If this is his habit, his testimony should be rejected except that people used to fall into the abyss of slander easily and they do not care about slandering people's honor anymore.

Whenever an evil thought about a Muslim passes through your heart, you should care about him much and pray to Allah for him. This irritates Satan and prevents him from tempting you incase you defy him by showing care about your brother and praying to Allah for him. Whenever you heard a proven defect of a Muslim, advise him privately and do not let Satan deceive you and invite you to slander him. When you advise him, do not advise him showing pleasure at knowing about his defects or show him scorn by rebuking him with your preaching. Let your aim be to release him from that sin, showing the same sadness that you w if any defect in your religion afflicted you. Be more pleased if he abandons that evil deed, without your advice than if he gives it up because of your advice. If you do so, you will have combined between a reward for advising, one for the sadness (that you showed for him), and one for restoring him to the religion of Allah.

Spying on people is one of the fruits of thinking ill because the heart is not convinced by conjecture, it strives to confirm the ill thought, even through spying on people. For this reason, Allah has forbidden spying. He said:

Translation: " O you who believe! Avoid suspicion as much (as possible): for suspicion in some cases is sin. And spy not on each other, nor speak ill of each other behind their backs... * " (49:12)

Translation: The previous verse combined together the three vices, i.e. slander, thinking ill, and spying on people. Spying means that one does not leave alone those for whom Allah has screened their defects, in fact he tries to reveal them by spying in order that he knows that which would be better for his heart and religion if it remained concealed.

Translation: Permissibility of Slander

Please be informed that it is permissible to mention others ' faults if there is a legal justification that negates the sin of slander. They are six occasions:

The first is mentioning that an unjust judge has taken a bribe or committed an act of oppression as long as that judge takes bribe or oppresses. The one being oppressed is entitled to complain to the ruler attributing oppression to that judge, because this is the only way to restore one's rights. The Messenger of Allah said as:

Translation: Narrated by Abu-Huraira A man came to the Prophet demanding his debts and behaved rudely. The companions of the Prophet wanted to harm him, but Allah's Messenger said (to them): " Leave him. For the creditor (owner of a right) has the right to speak... " And

Translation: Narrated Abu-Huraira " The Prophet said: “ Procrastination in repaying debts by a wealthy person is an injustice... " And

Translation: " Delay in paying what is due by one able to repay [ a debt] entails punishment. "

The second is seeking help to change what is wrong and saving a sinful person from the way of sin. It was narrated that Omar passed Othman or Talha and greeted him, but he did not return the greeting. So Omar went to Abu- Bakr and mentioned this to him and Abu-Bakr came to reconcile between them. This was not considered to be slander to them.

It was narrated that someone told Omar that Abu-Jandal, who was in Greater Syria, had drunk some wine. Omar wrote to him:

Translation: " Hâ - Mêêêm³ 3 * The revelation of the Book is from Allah,

Translation: Exalted in Power, Full of Knowledge * Who forgives sin, accepts repentance, and Who is strict in punishment, and Who has a long reach (in all things). There is no god but He: to Him is the Final Goal, *** (40: 1-3)

Translation: It is obvious that Omar considered this as slander from the one who conveyed the information to him, because he tried to correct the mis-deed. If this is not the intention, it is unlawful.

The third is asking for a religious verdict such as the saying of a woman to a scholar: " My father, or brother, has oppressed me, what should I do? " It is more acceptable if one phrases the question implicitly such as saying: " What is the ruling on a father who has oppressed his son or daughter? " Specifying a person's name is permissible, but within limits. The following narrative was compiled by Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim:

Narrated A'isha; ' Hind, the mother of Mu'aweya said to Allah's Messenger: " Abu-Sofyan (her husband) is a miserly person. Am I allowed to take his money secretly? " The Prophet said to her: " Take what suffices you and your sons reasonably. "

She mentioned the miserliness and oppression by her husband to her and his son, but the Prophet did not rebuke her for that because she said it intending to learn the legal ruling.

3 According to the rules of recitation of the Noble Koran, the letter Mêêêm is prolonged 6 Haraka (6 counts) a count equals the time taken in folding and unfolding one's finger. Hence it take 3 ês.

The fourth is warning a Muslim against evil. Thus, if one sees a scholar who frequents an innovator or a rebellious person and he fears lest that scholar would be affected negatively by these people, one is permitted to reveal their innovation or rebellion. This is permissible only if one fears lest the innovator or the rebellious person could affect the scholar negatively. This is the source of delusion, as envy could be the motive and Satan deludes man showing mercy at people. He who bought a slave and came to know that he is known for theft, rebellion, or any other fault is permitted to mention this, because keeping silent harms the buyer. Mentioning it harms the slave, but the buyer is worthier to be warned. The one who assesses witnesses, if asked about one of the witnesses, he should mention his faults if he has any. A matchmaker has to mention the faults of a [ potential] spouse, to give advice not to defame. If a matchmaker knew that a brief mention is sufficient, he should do this. It may be enough to say: He / she would not suit you, " But if the matchmaker knows that an explicit information is essential, he should say it explicitly. It was said that telling people's faults is permissible in regard to three people: an unjust ruler, an innovator, and a rebellious one who shows his rebellion publicly.

The fifth is naming someone by the name of a defect that he has become known by. Examples of this is A'araj (the lame one) or A'amash (the bleary-eyed one), if one is not identified except by that name. There is no harm in mentioning this as the compilers of Sunna say narrated by A'amash (the bleary-eyed one) or narrated by A'araj (the lame one). The scholars have done this for necessity, additionally the people who bore these names did not dislike them. It would however, be better if one chose another good name, for example, one may call a blind. person, " The seer " averting the defective name.

The sixth is when the slandered one reveals his lewdness publicly like effeminate man or the one who drinks wine publicly in a way he does not feel shy if this is mentioned to him. Omar said: " There is inviolability for the one showing his lewdness openly. " It is impressible to expose the rebellious who screens himself. Al-Salt ibn Tareef said: " I said to Al-Hasan: " Is my mentioning the fault of the one showing his lewdness openly slander? " He said: " No. " Al- Hasan also said: " There is no slander for three people: the one following his whims, the rebellious who shows his rebellion. openly, and an unjust ruler. " It should be noted that these three people should have the characteristics of doing the evil deed openly; they may even boast about it. So how can they dislike it while they expose it? It is impermissible to mention a fault of any of them, other than what one of them shows openly.

Atonement of Slander

You should know that a slanderer should repent to Allah and show regret for the slander so that his will be pardoned by Allah.He should then seek the pardon of the slandered one showing regret and sorrow, to be released from that burden. The slanderer who shows off may seek pardon from the slandered one only to show his piety, but in fact he is not regretful. In this way he commits another sin.

Al-Hasan said: " Seeking the forgiveness of Allah is sufficient for the slanderer (he should not seek pardon of the slandered one). "

Mujahed said: " To atone for ' eating your dead brother's flesh ' is to praise him and pray to Allah for him. "

Ata'a ibn Abu-Rabah was asked about repentance from slander and he said: " To walk to the slandered one and to say to him: ' I have told a lie against you, oppressed you, and I have done evil to you. Requite of me if you will or pardon if you will. " This is a sound opinion.

As to the allegation that there is no indemnification for honor, this is a weak opinion because the Noble Koran and Sunna have prescribed a definite punishment for defamation of honor.

Translation: Narrated Abu-Huraira Allah's Messenger said: " Whoever has oppressed another person concerning his reputation, or anything else, he should beg him to forgive him before the Day of Resurrection when there will be no money (to compensate for wrong deeds), but if he has good deeds, those good deeds will be taken from him according to the oppression that he has done, and if he has no good deeds, the sins of the oppressed person will be loaded on him. "

Thus, seeking the slandered person's pardon is essential as long as one is able to do it. If the slandered person has died or is absent, the slanderer should ask Allah to forgive his sins on his behalf, pray to Allah for him, and do many good deeds.

If you say: " Is it obligatory to seek the slandered person's pardon? " I say: " No, as it is an optional deed; it is not obligatory, it is desirable. " The slanderer should exaggerate in praising the slandered one and showing him love, doing this until the slandered person is satisfied. If the slandered person is not satisfied, what the slanderer does will be recorded for him as good deeds that will be set against the slander's punishment on the Day of Resurrection.

Some of the pious predecessors [ the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and those who followed soon after them] would not seek a slandered person's pardon. Sa'eed ibn Al-Mosayib said: " I do not seek the pardon of him whom I have wronged. " Ibn Seereen said: " I am not entitled to make slander permissible because Allah has forbidden it. "

Allah says

" Hold to forgiveness; command what is right; but turn away from the ignorant. * " (7: 199). The Prophet said to Gabriel: " What is afw (hold to forgiveness)? ” Gabriel said: " It is to pardon him who oppressed you, show kindness to him who severed his relationship with you, and to give to him who deprived you. " " "

It was narrated that Al-Hasan was informed that a man has slandered him. Al-Hasan sent a plate full of fresh dates and said to him: " I have been informed that you have added some good deeds to mine, so accept this present and know that I cannot compensate you the due compensation. "

Dear Muslim brother! Keep in mind that you should curb your tongue as far as you can. Your tongue is the means through which you will perish or be render safe.

It is said that a man could perish due to a slip of the tongue while he could not perish due to a slip of the foot.

It should be obvious that if the harm and benefit in speech are equal, it is better to keep silent.]

Now, let us read what Imam Al-Nawawi compiled in the same concern.]

Allah said:

Translation: you who believe! Avoid most forms suspicion. Indeed, some forms of suspicion are sins. Spy not, neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it (so hate backbiting). And fear Allah. Verily, Allah is the One Who forgives and accepts

(49:12) And repentance, Most Merciful.

Translation: “ And do not think ill about that which you have no knowledge. Verily, you are responsible for your hearing, sight, and the heart * " (17: 36) And

Translation: " Not a word does he (or she) utter, but there is a watcher by him ready (to record it). * " (50: 18)

Translation: The Messenger of Allah said as:

Translation: 810. Narrated by Abu-Huraira:; Allah's Messenger said: " Whosoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should not harm his neighbor, and whosoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should entertain his guest generously and whosoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should speak what is good or keep silent. (i.e. abstain from all kinds of evil and dirty talk, e.g. abusing, lying, backbiting etc.). " " " (Bukhari)

Translation: 811. Narrated Mo'az ibn Jabal: ' I was with the Prophet on a journey. One morning, I was near him and I said: " Messenger of Allah! Tell me about a deed that is liable to admit me into Paradise and keep me away from the Fire. " The Messenger of Allah said: " You have asked me about a grave thing yet it is easy for him whom Allah has made it easy. You should worship Allah, ascribing nothing with Him; perform the prayer, give zakat; observe fasting; and perform pilgrimage (to Mecca). " Mo'az said: ' The Messenger of Allah e said: " Would I guide you to the ways of goodness? Fasting is a shield, giving (obligatory and voluntary) charity extinguishes sin as water extinguishes fire, and performing the voluntary Night Prayer in the last part of night. " Mo'az said; ' The Messenger of Allah recited:

Translation: " They slip quietly away from their bed to appeal to their Lord in fear and hope, and they spend (in charity) out of the sustenance that We have bestowed on them. * Now no person knows what delights of the eye are kept hidden (in reserve) for them, as a reward for their (good) deeds. * " (32: 16-17)

Translation: Mo'az said: " The Messenger of Allah said: " Should I inform you about the head and the peak of the affair? " I said: " Yes indeed, Messenger of Allah! " He said: " The head matter is Islam and its peak is Jihad. " Mo'az said: ' Then, the Messenger of Allah said: “ Should I inform you about the prominent organ over these things? " I said: " Yes indeed, Prophet of Allah! " He caught his tongue and said: " Withhold this. " I said: " Will we be called to account for what we say, Prophet of Allah? " He said: " May your mother be deprived of you Mo'az! Does anything besides the tongue drag people in Fire? " (At-Termizi)

Translation: 812. Narrated Abu-Musa: ' Some people asked Allah's Messenger: " Whose Islâm is the best? (i.e. Who is a very good Muslim?) " He replied: " One who avoids harming the Muslims with his tongue and hands. " (رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ : 100.Bukhari)

Translation: 813. Narrated Sahl ibn Sa'ad ' Allah's Messenger said: " Whoever can guarantee (the chastity of) what is between his two jawbones (i.e. his mouth and tongue) and what is between his two legs (i.e. his private parts), I guarantee Paradise for him. " (Bukhari)

Translation: 814. Narrated Abu-Huraira: ' The Prophet said: “ A servant (of Allah) may utter a word, which pleases Allah, without giving it much importance, and because of that Allah will raise him degrees (of reward). And a servant of Allah may utter a word (carelessly) which displeases Allah without thinking of its gravity and because of that he will be thrown into the Hellfire. " (Bukhari)

Translation: 815. Narrated Abu-Huraira: Allah's Messenger asked: " Do you know what is slander? " They replied: " Allah and His Messenger know best. " He said: " It is saying something about your brother that he dislikes. " Someone asked: " Suppose that what I said about my brother was true? " He replied: " If what you have said about him is true you have backbitten him, and if it is not true you have slandered him. " " (Muslim)

Translation: 816. Narrated Abu-Bakra رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ : Once the Prophet was riding his camel and a man was holding its reins. The Prophet asked: " Which day is this day? " Abu-Bakra said: ' We kept silent thinking that he might give it another name. He said: " Isn't it the day of Nahr (slaughtering of the animals for sacrifice)? " We said: " Yes indeed. " He further asked: " Which month is this? " We again kept silent thinking that he might give it another name. Then he said: " Isn't it the month of Zol- Hijja? " We said: " Yes indeed. " He said: " Verily! Your blood, your property and your honors are inviolable to one another like the inviolability of this day of yours, in this month of yours and in this city of yours. It is incumbent upon those who are present to inform those who are absent because those who are absent might comprehend (what I have said) better than the present audience. " (Bukhari)

Translation: 817. Narrated Oqba ibn Amer;: ' I said: " Messenger of Allah! How does one attain felicity? " He said: " Bridle your tongue, let your house be your resort, and weep for your sins. " (At-Termizi)

Translation: 4 Imam Al-Taybi said: " If one says: ' How do we reconcile between this Hadith and the one that says: " Narrated Al-No'aman bin Basheer: ' I heard Allah's Messenger ﷺ saying: " Both the legal and illegal things are evident but in between them there are doubtful (unclear) matters that most of people have no knowledge about. So whoever saves himself from these doubtful (unclear) matters, he saves his religion and his honor. And whoever indulges in these doubtful (unclear) matters is like a shepherd who grazes (his herds) near the privately owned pasture of someone else. He is liable to encroach it at any moment. (O people!) Beware! Every king has an inviolable area and the inviolable area of Allah on the earth is what He has prohibited. Beware! There is a piece of flesh in the body, if it becomes good (reformed), the whole body becomes good, but if it gets spoilt the whole body gets spoilt and that is the heart. " I say: " The tongue is the translator of the heart and its physical substitute so, if anything is attributed to it, it is by way of a metaphor similarly to the way one says: ' The physician has cured the patient. " "

818. Narrated Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri (in the Marfo'o Hadith): ' The Messenger of Allah said: " Every morning, the organs appeal to the tongue in full humility: ' Fear Allah for our sake for we follow you. If you have been upright, we will be upright and if you have gone crookedly we would go crookedly. " (At-Termizi)

Translation: 819. Narrated Amr ibn Al-Ahwas: ' I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying in the Farewell Pilgrimage: “ Which day is this? " They said: " The day of Hajj. " He said: " Your blood, your properties, and your honors are as inviolable as this inviolable day of yours and this inviolable City (Mecca) of yours. Behold! No one commits a crime except against himself. No father is responsible for what his son commits and no son is responsible for what his father commits. Behold! Satan has become desperate of being worshipped in this region forever. He is satisfied with what you consider to be minor sins and [ so you] commit them. " (At-Termizi)

Translation: 820. Narrated A'isha: ' I mimicked a man to the Prophet and he said: “ I would not mimic any person even if I was given such and such. " A'isha said: " Messenger of Allah! Safiya is (then she gestured with hand that she is short). " The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “ You have said a word that if it was mixed with the sea water, it would spoil it. " (At-Termizi)