Assalamualaikum!This is a short story with fictional characters…
… but based on
the Qur’an and
authentic Ahadith
of the Prophetsaw
Average viewing
time: 5 minutes
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Assalamualaikum, dear brothers and sisters in Islam!
My name is Majid and there’s something I recently learned that I’d like to share with all of you.
You see, I was visiting my friend Saleh last week and…
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Well, that too but the real cause of the problem is my business partner, Mahmud! He is a lazy, good-for-nothing man – I now regret my decision to enter into a partnership with him!
What’s the point? He’s not bothered with keeping up with his part of the deal and it’s incurring us losses. I find him asleep at his desk whenever I visit the office!
I did talk to him once and he said some family concerns were occupying his mind. But it’s been months now and he doesn’t get his lazy self out of the office to check on the work in progress!
Yes – a heavy breakfast, an early lunch and no intention to work for progress – that’s what’s wrong with him!
Majid, I understand your concern for your business, but I must also advise you to be cautious with your words…
You don’t mean ‘backbiting’, do you? But this isn’t backbiting… I’m telling you the truth about Mahmud – nothing wrong with that.
Brother, Alhamdolillah, we are Muslims and it is our duty to uphold a person’s honor in his presence as well as in his absence.
The Messengersaw of Allah said: “Do you know what backbiting is?” They said, “Allah and His Messenger know best.”
Hesaw then said, “It is to say something about your brother that he would dislike.”
Someone asked him, “But what if what I say is true?”
The Messengersaw of Allah said, “If what you say about him is true, you are backbiting him, but if it is not true then you have slandered him.” (Sahih Muslim)
These are not my words but the words of Allah’s Messengersaw, whom Allahswt sent to us as a complete role model.
I never thought of it that way. Now I recall that there is an ayah in the Qur’an about backbiting… but I don’t remember it exactly…
O you who believe! Avoid much suspicions, 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 accepts repentance, Most Merciful.
Surah Al Hujurat: 12
Yes, that’s the one. Subhaan Allah, I would never have thought of correlating that ayah to what I say about Mahmud!
But what if I go and tell Mahmud what I am saying to you right now? That’s not backbiting, is it? He would know what I said about him…
Well… I don’t know…I mean, he has his faults so he cannot expect to be let off without any harm… he’s practically asking for it!
I wonder, brother, which one of us is free of faults? We all have weaknesses and we dislike others to know about them.
How would I feel if a particularly bad habit of mine was spread among the people? I wouldn’t know how to face those people.
Then what must one do? We talk about people all the time, we joke about it… we really don’t mean any harm.
Brother, in our open and unchecked discussions, we have much to lose. Indeed, Allahswt has said about a group of gossip mongers in the Qur’an…
When you were propagating it with your tongues, and
uttering with your mouths that whereof you had no
knowledge, you counted it a little thing, while with Allâh it
was very great. Surah An-Noor: 15
What Saleh was an eye-opener but it made perfect sense. Backbiting and slander can really harm relationships. I wish I could continue the story but it’s time for Asr salah in my part of the world.
I’ll just leave you with this ayah from the Qur’an that’s a great motivation to avoid backbiting and abusing people…
The good deed and the evil deed cannot be equal.
Repel (the evil) with one which is better (i.e. Allâh
ordered the faithful believers to be patient at the time
of anger, and to excuse those who treat them badly),
then verily! he, between whom and you there was
enmity, (will become) as though he was a close friend.
Surah Fussilat: 34
May Allah reward you for
listening intently and
may He guide you to
what is best in His Deen!
If you have any comments or suggestions, please visit www.beautifulconduct.wordpress.com and let us knowInshaa Allah!
Assalamualaikum
!