Avoid suspicion, spying and backbiting others ........

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱجۡتَنِبُواْ كَثِيرً۬ا مِّنَ ٱلظَّنِّ

إِنَّ بَعۡضَ ٱلظَّنِّ إِثۡمٌ۬‌ۖ وَلَاتَجَسَّسُواْ وَلَا يَغۡتَب

بَّعۡضُكُم بَعۡضًا‌ۚ أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُڪُمۡ أَن يَأۡڪُلَ

لَحۡمَ أَخِيهِ مَيۡتً۬ا فَكَرِهۡتُمُوهُ‌ۚ

وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ تَوَّابٌ۬ رَّحِيمٌ۬

O ye who believe! avoid suspicion as much (as possible): for suspicion in some cases is a sin: and spy not on each other, nor speak ill of each other behind their backs. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Nay, ye would abhor it...but fear Allah: for Allah is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful."

(Qur'an: Hujurat: 49: 12)

REFLECTION

Personal inner purity demands that our thoughts and opinion of others are never allowed to be clouded, such that it may become corrupted by insinuations, conjectures or unsubstantiated reports from other sources. But our Nafs (self) tends to develop certain inclinations towards wanting to judge others especially when we are infected by self-conceit and arrogance. Thus, the commandment to avoid suspicion aims at preventing defilement of that innocence towards others already present in us. Observe the child, and we would marvel at how pure are their regard towards others.

Yet, as we grow, we become more self-aware and our personality develops complexity. We adopt traits which sullied that child-like innocence and we regard this neutrality (not harbouring any suspicion of others) not as innocence, but being a ‘naïveté.’ This is further compounded by other social influences that may encourage distrust (of various degrees) towards others, as well as our inner shortcomings of selfishness, conceit and arrogance which relish at looking down upon others. These propensity, if not managed would propel us towards inquisitiveness that tantamount to sinning against others. To be cautious is not justification to prejudge others negatively. Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. advises:

“Avoid suspicion, for suspicion is the gravest lie in talk and do not be inquisitive about one another and do not spy upon one another and do not feel envy with the other, and nurse no malice, and nurse no aversion and hostility against one another. And be fellow-brothers and servants of Allah.

[Hadith reported by Muslim]

Unfettered inquisitiveness leads to further sins

When such inquisitiveness is not checked and tampered with justice for others – in that their honour must also be safeguarded – we may be tempted to encroach into their privacy. Our Prophet s.a.w. warns us against infringing the personal rights of others:

"All of a Muslim is prohibited to another Muslim: his blood, his honour and his property."

[Hadith reported by Muslim]

"O assembly of those who have believed with their tongues, but into whose hearts faith has not yet reached! Do not backbite the Muslims, nor seek out their secrets! For, whoever seeks out the faults of his brother, Allah will seek out his secrets. And, whoever has his secrets sought out by Allah, Allah will disgrace him, even [if he hides] in the depths of his house."

[Hadith reported by Abu Dawud]

Beware of backbiting (ghibbah)

Another dangerous malady, the outcome of inquisitiveness of others combined with our conceit which tends to rouse us into divulging the faults in others, is the sin of ‘ghibbah’ (backbiting). The Prophet s.a.w. considers this sin to be worst than adultery or imbibing intoxicant:

"Beware of backbiting, for backbiting is more serious than adultery. A man may commit adultery, and drink [wine], and then repent, and Allah will forgive him. But, the backbiter will not be forgiven by Allah until his companion [i.e. the one being backbited] forgives him."

[Suyuti reports in “Al-Jami` as-Saghir”, hadith from Ibn Abid-Dunya, and Abush-Shaykh, Al-Tawbikh.]

And Allah s.w.t. likens 'ghibbah' to eating the flesh of your dead brother/sister, to stress how detestable and abhorrent this sin is, Allah asks:

أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُڪُمۡ أَن يَأۡڪُلَ لَحۡمَ أَخِيهِ مَيۡتً۬ا فَكَرِهۡتُمُوهُ‌ۚ

"Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Nay, ye would abhor it..."

Any one who has encountered dead flesh would definitely understand how detesting to even be near it, let alone consuming it!?

Meaning of ‘ghibbah’ (backbiting)

Many people may not be aware that what may be doing is actually 'ghibbah'. Thus we need to remove any ambiguity and learn the actual meaning of 'ghibbah' (backbiting). It has been defined precisely by the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. as:

"Your mentioning your brother with something about him that he dislikes [being spoken about]." Someone then asked, "How about if my brother possesses that [characteristic which I am mentioning]?" He replied, "If he possesses that which you mention, then you have [indeed] backbitten him. And, if he does not possess that which you say of him, then you have slandered him."

[Hadith reported by Muslim and Ahmad]

Exceptional cases in which 'ghibah' may be permissible

[a] Injustice. One who has suffered injustice is entitled to mention the perpetrator of that injustice to someone who is capable of restoring his
rights to him, such as a legitimate Muslim ruler or judge or police or the relevant authority - but not just anyone.

[b] Seeking help to change an evil, or to reform the wrongdoer, e.g. discussion with peers or those who can counsel and advise him to change. If the intention in telling the ‘ghibah’ is not to change the wrong but out of malice or vengeance, or merely for fun etc. then it is forbidden to relate it.

[c] Asking for a fatwa from qualified religious scholar. A person may say, 'My father/brother/wife has done such-and-such to me. What can I do about it? This is similar to No.[b].

The basis for this is:

On the authority of `A’ishah: Hind, the wife of Abu Sufyan, said to the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), "Abu Sufyan is a miserly man, and he is not giving me what would suffice me and my child, unless I take from him without his knowing." He said, "Take what suffices you and your child according to common usage."

[Hadith reported by Bukhari and Muslim]

However, it is more precautionary to avoid mention of names, for example by asking instead, "What is the verdict regarding a person who has done such-and-such?"

[d] Warning, such as warning a prospective buyer that the merchant is a swindler, or warning a student that his prospective teacher is an innovator or a deviant. Also, revealing the faults of weak narrators and forgers of hadith, and giving someone a candid appraisal of a person whom the former is thinking of marrying.

The basis for this is:

On the authority of Fatimah bint Qays : she said, "I came to the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and told him, "Abu Jahm and Mu`awiyah have [both] proposed to me." He said, "As for Mu`awiyah, he is a poor man with no money, and as for Abu Jahm, his stick never leaves his shoulder."

[Hadith reported by Bukhari, Muslim and Malik]

[e] If someone is commonly known by a nickname which he do not object to being called by it, although if there is some alternative way to refer to him, it is preferable rather than nickname. When the nickname signify evil or bad, avoid using it, even if he do not object to people using it. This is to honour him and perhaps may serve as lesson to him to not continue to demean himself.

[f] Someone who sins openly, and has no qualms about his sins being known or mentioned i.e. blatant disregard. However, it is not permissible to mention any of his secret sins (those not committed openly).

"There can be no backbiting of one who casts off the mantle of modesty."

[Suyuti reports in “Al-Jami` As-Saghir” hadith from Bayhaqi]

Allah s.w.t. wish for us to be free of these sins, out of His Compassion for us. Thus He stresses upon us to strive always to being truly conscious Him (Taqwa) and fearful of His retribution - and therefore to hasten to repentance and seek forgiveness before the Day when regret is of no use i.e. in the Hereafter on Judgement Day.

وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ تَوَّابٌ۬ رَّحِيمٌ۬

"but fear Allah: for Allah is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful."

OUR DO'A

رَبَّنَآ إِنَّكَ جَامِعُ ٱلنَّاسِ لِيَوۡمٍ۬ لَّا رَيۡبَ فِيهِ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُخۡلِفُ ٱلۡمِيعَادَ

رَبَّنَا فَٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَڪَفِّرۡ عَنَّا سَيِّـَٔاتِنَا وَتَوَفَّنَا مَعَ ٱلۡأَبۡرَارِ رَبَّنَا وَءَاتِنَا مَا

وَعَدتَّنَا عَلَىٰ رُسُلِكَ وَلَا تُخۡزِنَا يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَـٰمَةِ‌ۗ إِنَّكَ لَا تُخۡلِفُ ٱلۡمِيعَادَ

"Our Lord! Thou art He that will gather mankind together against a day about which there is no doubt: for Allah never fails in His promise.

Our Lord! forgive us our sins blot out from us our iniquities, and take to Thyself our souls in the company of the righteous. Our Lord! Grant us what Thou didst promise unto us through They Messengers, and save us from shame on the Day of Judgment: for thou never breakest Thy promise."

O Allah! Shower Your Salutation and Grace upon our Leader, Your Most Beloved Prophet, Muhammad and upon his family and progeny, his companions and all who follow and strive upon your Deen, from time to time till the Hereafter - and by their right in Your estimation we ask You for Your forgiveness and Mercy - for ourselves, our families and companions, and all those whom we love amongst the believers - aa-min "