1- General advice Some of the Major Sins [1] Backbiting, [2] Tale-bearing, [3] Envy, [4] Injustice From `Abdul-`Aziz ibn `Abdullah ibn Baz to those who see it of my Muslim brothers, may Allah grant me and them success in fulfilling what pleases Him, and keep us away from disobeying Him, Amen! As-salamu `alaykum warahmatullah wabarakatuh (May Allah’s Peace, Mercy, and Blessings be upon you!), to continue: I advise every Muslim to have Taqwa (fearing Allah as He should be feared) in all circumstances and guard his tongue from saying anything other than that which is useful, because Mubah (permissible) talk may lead to what is Haram (prohibited) or Makruh (reprehensible), and this is common among people, Allah the Exalted says: Not a word does he (or she) utter but there is a watcher by him ready (to record it). Allah (Exalted be He) also says: And follow not (O man i.e., say not, or do not or witness not) that of which you have no knowledge. Verily! The hearing, and the sight, and the heart, of each of those one will be questioned (by Allâh). The Prophet (may Allah’s Peace and Blessings be upon him) also says in the Hadith agreed upon by Al-Bukhari and Muslim and narrated by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): “He who believes in Allah and the Last Day should either utter good words or stay silent…” . There are things that may be a topic of talks but should not be spoken and one should be warned against talking about them, for they could lead to major sins, which would lead to displeasing Allah and to His Punishment. These things have become commonly widespread in some communities: 1- Backbiting : That is talking about your brother or sister in a way that they would dislike, if they heard about it, whether it be talking about their body, family, character, actions, sayings or about their religion or life, or even talking ill about their clothes, home or car. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Do you know what backbiting is? They (the Companions) said: Allah and His Messenger know best. Thereupon, he (the Prophet) said: Backbiting is talking about your brother in a manner which he does not like. It was said to him: What is your opinion, if I actually find (that failing) in my brother that which I made a mention of? He said: If (that failing) is actually found (in him) what you assert, then you in fact, backbit him, and if it is not in him, it is a slander against him. Reported by Muslim. Backbiting is Haram (prohibited), no matter what the reason behind it; whether it is to calm down rage, or to compliment those present and make conversation with them, or reconciling or courtesy of companions. Or to encourage others to speak or to envy others or just for fun, or to waste time or if a person speaks ill of others to make those present laugh. Allah the Exalted forbade this, and warned His slaves against it, He the Exalted says: O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion; indeed some suspicions are sins. And 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 Allâh. Verily, Allâh is the One Who forgives and accepts repentance, Most Merciful. In a Hadith by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: The Muslim is inviolable by his Muslim brother, with regard to his blood, wealth and honor Reported by Muslim. He (peace be upon him) said in his final Khutbah (sermon) in his Farewell Hajj: Your blood, your properties and your honors are as sacred to one another as the sanctity of this day of yours in this month of yours in this town of yours. (Listen) Have I not conveyed Allah’s message to you? Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim. It is also narrated by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: The worst kind of usury is indulging in evil talk about the honor of your Muslim brother. Reported by Al-Bazzar and Abu Dawud. The authentic Hadiths of the Prophet (peace be upon him) that refer to the prohibition of backbiting and warning against it are so many. 2- Tale-bearing Among vices that should be avoided, kept away from and warned against is tale-bearing. It refers to the act of transferring conversations from one person to another, or from one group to another, or from one tribe to anotherwith the intention of causing corruption and driving people away from each other. It includes disclosing what people dislike no matter if the person reported, the person informed, or even others may dislike it. This act of disclosing may be done verbally, written, or by using code, or gestures regardless of the subject reported whether it is a saying or an action and whether it is a defect or imperfection in the person reported or not. A person must refrain from talking about what he knows or sees in people, unless there is some benefit to Muslims in transferring information or that it will eliminate evil. Motives behind tale-bearing is either to cause evil to the person being spoken about or to show love to the person who is being informed, or to engage in ones advantages and disadvantages; all of which is forbidden. No one should believe rumor mongers; because a person who gossips is considered a Fasiq (someone openly and flagrantly violating Islamic law), whose Shahadah (testimony of faith) is rejected. Allah the Exalted says: O you who believe! If a Fâsiq (liar — evil person) comes to you with any news, verify it, lest you should harm people in ignorance , one must forbid him from doing so, advise him against it, and condemn the act, for Allah (Exalted be He) says: …enjoin (on people) Al-Ma‘rûf – (Islâmic Monotheism and all that is good), and forbid (people) from Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief in the Oneness of Allâh, polytheism of all kinds and all that is evil and bad) One should dislike him for Allah’s sake and should not think negatively of his brother, who is being spoken about. He should think good of his brother, Allah (Exalted be He) says: O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion; indeed some suspicions are sins. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘Beware of suspicion, for it is the worst of false tales. Agreed upon its authenticity i.e. reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim. He should not spy on the person who was spoken about or defame his self by committing the same forbidden act that the gossiper committed by repeating the gossip which he heard. The evidence for the prohibition of tale-bearing in the Quran and Sunnah (whatever is reported from the Prophet) are many; for example, Allah (Exalted be He) says: And (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) obey you not everyone Hallaf Mahîn (the one who swears much and is a liar or is worthless). [Tafsir At-Tabari] A slanderer, going about with calumnies, Allah (Exalted be He) also says: Woe to every slanderer and backbiter. It is narrated by Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: The story-teller will not enter Paradise (Agreed upon by Al-Bukhari and Muslim). Ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Should I inform you what slandering is? It is tale-carrying, which creates dissension amongst people. Reported by Muslim. Tale-bearing is one of the reasons of punishment in the grave, for Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) passed by two graves and said: “These two people are being tortured not for a major sin (to avoid).” The Prophet (peace be upon him) then added, “Yes! (they are being tortured for a major sin). Indeed, one of them never saved himself from being soiled with his urine while the other used to go about with calumnies (to make enmity between friends).” (Agreed upon by Al-Bukhari and Muslim) Backbiting and tale-bearing are forbidden due to the damage they cause, the corruption between people and the divisions and chaos which it creates, igniting the fire of hatred, envy and hypocrisy, and eliminating all affection and fatality. Also causing quarrels and discord among brothers who were once close. It also involves lying, treachery, betrayal, deception and accusations of the innocent, which lead one to curse, abuse and insult. They are sings of cowardice, and pettiness and defect. In addition to this, the sinners who make these accusations will bear many sins, which will lead to the wrath of Allah, and indignation and painful punishment. 3- Envy That which should be avoided and kept away from, a reprehensible trait, which is known as envy. That is, a person wishing that a certain bounty and grace be removed from his brother in Islam, whether this grace and bounty is related to religion or is worldly. This is objecting to what Allah has destined and granted His slaves. This is injustice by the envious person to himself for his Iman (faith) is decreased due to this, causing calamities and concerns for himself, ruining him in a great way. Allah (Exalted be He) says: Or do they envy men (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم and his followers) for what Allâh has given them of His Bounty? Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Do not be envious of one another; do not artificially inflate prices against one another; do not hate one another; do not shun one another; and do not undercutone another in business transactions; and be as fellow-brothersand servants of Allah. Reported by Muslim. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) also narrated that the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Avoid envy, for envy devours good deeds just as fire devours fuel. Reported by Abu Dawud. 4- Injustice A person is also required to stay away from injustice, which is being unfair and legal misbehavior. The biggest of these is Shirk (associating others in worship with Allah) of Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) through violation and sins. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says: And (remember) when Luqmân said to his son when he was advising him: “O my son! Join not in worship others with Allâh. Verily joining others in worship with Allâh is a great Zûlm (wrong) indeed. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) also says: And it is the disbelievers who are the Zâlimûn (wrong-doers). This also includes taking other people’s property without the right to do so, or taking something from one’s land or attacking or abusing them, which is also a major sin and disobedience of Allah. This is – we seek refuge in Allah- a result of the darkness of ones heart, for if one’s heart was lit with the light of guidance, then he would have reconsidered, Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says: There will be no friend, nor an intercessor for the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers), who could be given heed to. Allah (Exalted be He) also says: …and for the Zâlimûn (wrong-doers, polytheists and disbelievers in the Oneness of Allâh) there is no helper. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) also says: Consider not that Allâh is unaware of that which the Zâlimûn (polytheists, wrong-doers) do, but He gives them respite up to a Day when the eyes will stare in horror. Allah (Exalted be He) also says: And whoever among you does wrong (i.e. sets up rivals to Allâh), We shall make him taste a great torment. It is reported in Sahih (authentic book) Muslim, from Abu Dhar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Allah (the Exalted) says: “O My servants, I have forbidden injustice upon Myself and have forbidden it for you, so do not wrong one another…” It is also narrated by Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Be on your guard against committing oppression, for oppression is a darkness on the Day of Recompense Likewise, `Abdullah ibn `Amr ibn Al-`As (may Allahbe pleased with them) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: A Muslim is the one who avoids harming Muslims with his tongue and hands. And a Muhajir (emigrant) is the one who gives up (abandons) all that Allah has forbidden. (Agreed upon by Al-Bukhari and Muslim). These Hadiths and others with the same meaning are evident that one should be warned of injustice in matters related people, their honor, and property, due to the great evil and great corruption and their dire consequences. They also indicate the obligation of Tawbah (repentance to Allah) to Allah, the Exalted, of past sins and advising others to leave all that Allah has forbidden of injustice and all other sins. May Allah grant me and you good attitude and good deeds and keep us away from bad deeds and attitudes! May He guide us to His Straight Path, for He is All-Gracious and The Generous. May Allah’s Peace and Blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions! 2- Choosing a Good Spouse in Marriage . Choosing the Mother (i.e. one’s wife): If someone wishes to produce ripe fruits, he will indeed search for the land that is most fertile. One of the great aspects of wisdom behind getting married is to produce righteous offspring that will worship Allaah and serve as a provision for their parents. The Prophet said: “Marry women that are loving and fertile for indeed I will outnumber the nations through you.” [Reported by Abu Dawood] [1] Furthermore, the Prophet clarified the people’s standards when seeking a partner for marriage, saying: “A woman is married for four (reasons): Her wealth, her lineage, her beauty and her religion. So choose the woman with (good) religious qualities, may your hand be covered in dust.”[2] Allaah says: “Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient and guard in the husband’s absence what Allaah orders them to guard.” [Surah An-Nisaa: 34] The devoutly obedient (Qaanitaat) here refers to those women obey their husbands – by guarding their honor, wealth and lives in their absence. The Prophet warned about (marrying) a beautiful woman from a bad origin, saying: “Beware of the green manure.” The Companions asked: “What is the green manure?” He said: “A beautiful woman of bad origin (i.e. upbringing).” [Reported by Ad-Daaraqutnee][3] On the other hand, he praised a woman with good religious qualities, saying: “Shall I not inform you of the best treasure that a man gathers – A righteous wife.” [Reported by Al-Haakim] [4] And he said: “Choose for your seeds (a good mother), for indeed breeding is a strategy.” [Reported by Ibn Maajah] [5] This is from the rights that a child has over his father – that he picks a good mother for him. A man once came to ‘Umar bin Al-Khattaab complaining about his son being undutiful to him. He had brought his son with him and began blaming him for his disobedience, so the son asked: “Doesn’t a son have a right over his father also?” ‘Umar said: “Of course.” The son said: “Then what is it?” ‘Umar replied: “That his father carefully chooses a mother for him, that he gives him a good name and that he teaches him the Qur’aan.” At this, the son said: “My father has not done any of these things. As for my mother, she was a black slave woman that used to belong to a Zoroastrian (Majoos). He named me Ju’al and did not teach me even one letter from the Qur’aan.” ‘Umar turned to the man and said: “You came to me to complain about your son being undutiful to you, however, it is you who were undutiful to him before that!” Abul-Aswad Ad-Du’alee once told his children: “I was good to you when you were children, when you grew up, and also before you were born.” They asked: “And how is it that you were good to us before we were born?” He said: “I chose for you a mother through whom you would not be mistreated.” Ar-Riyaashee would recite this same theme in the following poetic verses: “The first good thing I did for you was my choosing (for you) an honorable woman of noble descent and clear virtue.” The Wife Searching for a Righteous Husband: Just as a husband should look for a righteous wife, so too should a woman look to choose a righteous husband. Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allaah said: “If someone should come to you whose religion and character you are pleased with, marry (your daughter) off to him. If you do not do so, there will be mischief in the land and widespread corruption.” [6] Based on this, we see that the firm foundation that a potential couple should base their selection of one another should be that of: Religion and Character. This is what will bring about a correct and proper upbringing for children. On the wedding night when the groom consummates the marriage, it is recommended for him to say: “O Allaah, I ask you for her good and the good that she was molded upon” whilst placing his hand upon her head. He should also pray two rak’aat with her. [7] Footnotes: [1] Reported by Abu Dawood (2050) and An-Nasaa’ee (3227) from the narration of Ma’qal bin Yassaar and authenticated by Ibn Hibbaan (4056 and 4057). The hadeeth was also reported by Ahmad in al-Musnad (12613) and Ibn Hibbaan (4028) from the narration of Anas bin Maalik. [2] Reported by Al-Bukhaaree (5090), Muslim (1466), Abu Dawood (2047), An-Nasaa’ee (3230) and Ahmad in al-Musnad (9521) [3] Reported by Ad-Daaraqutnee in al-Afraad from the narration of Abu Sa’eed in marfoo’ form. Al-‘Ajaloonee mentioned it in Kashf-ul-Khafaa(1/319, no. 855). What it means is that it is disliked to marry a corrupt woman since a woman with bad roots will affect her child negatively. The basis (for the similitude) is that crops grow upon manure that is placed in a dirty area. So the outward appearance of the crops appears nice but the inner appearance of the manure is vile and rotten. The word diman is the plural of the word dimnah, and that refers to manure (i.e. fertilizer). [4] Reported by Al-Haakim in al-Mustadrak (2/363, no. 3281) from the narration of Ibn ‘Abbaas. [5] Reported by Ibn Maajah (1968) from the narration of ‘Aa’ishah, may Allaah be pleased with her, with the wording: “Choose (a good mother) for your seeds, marry the suitable ones (among women) and wed (your children) to them.” It is also reported with the wording: “And look into which source you place your child for indeed breeding is a strategy.” This hadeeth was transmitted by Al-Qadaa’ee in Musnad-ush-Shihaab (1/370, no. 638) from the narration of Ibn ‘Umar. Also see Kashf-ul-Khafaa (1/358, no. 960). [6] Reported by At-Tirmidhee (1085) from the narration of Abu Haatim Al-Muznee, and he said: “This is a hasan ghareeb hadeeth.” Abu Haatim Al-Muznee was a Companion. No other hadeeth is known to have been reported by him on the Prophet except this hadeeth. Abu Dawood also mentioned it in al-Maraaseel (224) but according to him, Abu Haatim Al-Muznee is a Taabi’ee. The hadeeth also has a supporting witness in the hadeeth of Abu Hurairah with the wording: “If someone whose religion and character you are pleased with proposes marriage to you (i.e. your daughter), then marry (her) off to him. If you fail to do so, there will be mischief in the land and widespread corruption.” [Reported by At-Tirmidhee (1084) and Ibn Maajah (1967)] [7] Reported by Al-Haakim in al-Mustadrak (2/202, no. 2757); ‘Abdullaah bin ‘Amr reported that Allaah’s Messenger said: “If one of you obtains a slave-girl or a wife or a riding beast, he should take hold of her forelock, supplicate for blessings and say: ‘O Allaah, I ask You for her good and the good that she was molded upon. And I seek refuge in You from her evil and the evil that she was molded upon.” Al-Haakim authenticated it and Adh-Dhahabee agreed.
Posted on: Mon, 11 Aug 2014 09:36:38 +0000
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