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الادب المفرد
Adab al-Mufrad
كتاب الأقوالBook of Sayings
بَابُ قَوْلِ الرَّجُلِ: هَلَكَ النَّاسُChapter: Saying "People Are Ruined"
Hadith 759
اُردوEn
حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ، عَنْ سُهَيْلِ بْنِ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: ”إِذَا سَمِعْتَ الرَّجُلَ يَقُولُ: هَلَكَ النَّاسُ، فَهُوَ أَهْلَكُهُمْ.“
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When you hear someone saying that the people are ruined, then he is the most ruined among them."
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Maulana Usman Muneeb
Benefits and Issues:
➊ The meaning of this is that the person who criticizes people, mentions their faults, and says that the times have become corrupt, that there can be no improvement here, etc.—such a person is himself the most misguided and heading towards destruction. This is because, firstly, he is afflicted with self-admiration and considers himself pious while regarding others as insignificant and sinful, even though Allah Ta’ala has forbidden self-purification (). The second reason is that he is spreading despair by claiming that now there is no good person left. His criticism is not for the sake of reform but rather to spread hopelessness. In reality, such a person is himself the worst in deeds.
➋ This is prohibited when it is done out of self-righteousness and to spread despair among people. However, if someone, upon witnessing the miserable state of people, feels anguish and expresses heartfelt pain, and is himself a person of good deeds, then there is no harm in saying such things.
➊ The meaning of this is that the person who criticizes people, mentions their faults, and says that the times have become corrupt, that there can be no improvement here, etc.—such a person is himself the most misguided and heading towards destruction. This is because, firstly, he is afflicted with self-admiration and considers himself pious while regarding others as insignificant and sinful, even though Allah Ta’ala has forbidden self-purification (). The second reason is that he is spreading despair by claiming that now there is no good person left. His criticism is not for the sake of reform but rather to spread hopelessness. In reality, such a person is himself the worst in deeds.
➋ This is prohibited when it is done out of self-righteousness and to spread despair among people. However, if someone, upon witnessing the miserable state of people, feels anguish and expresses heartfelt pain, and is himself a person of good deeds, then there is no harm in saying such things.
Source: Fadlullah al-Ahad: Urdu Commentary on al-Adab al-Mufrad, Page: 759
