Surah Al-Hujuraat (49) — Ayah 12

(Ayah 12) ➊ { يٰۤاَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوا اجْتَنِبُوْا … :} In the previous verse, Muslims were forbidden from those things that spoil mutual relations and are apparent to each other, i.e., mocking, finding faults, and calling by bad names. Now, three things are forbidden that relate to other brothers but of which they have no knowledge. These are suspicion, spying, and backbiting. All three are acts of extreme baseness and cowardice because the one who does them does not have the courage to face people. This is the fifth verse of this surah that begins with {’’ يٰۤاَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوا ‘‘}. The purpose is that these three acts are contrary to faith and its claim, so avoid them.

➋ { اجْتَنِبُوْا كَثِيْرًا مِّنَ الظَّنِّ … :} The first thing stated is to avoid forming a bad opinion about someone just because of what you hear or see about them; rather, as much as possible, try to have a good opinion about all the words and actions of a believer, because some suspicions are completely baseless and sinful. Therefore, avoid excessive suspicion, as it leads to those suspicions that are sinful. Here, Allah has declared some suspicions to be sinful, not all, because there are several types of suspicion. One is predominant suspicion, which becomes strong due to some evidence or strong sign; acting upon it is correct. Most of the rulings of Shariah are based on this, and almost all worldly affairs run on it, such as court decisions, witness testimonies, mutual trade, information through telephone and letters, and narrations of single reporters. In all these things, the knowledge obtained through reflection, investigation, and full effort is also predominant suspicion, but acting upon it is obligatory. It is called suspicion because there remains a very slight possibility of its opposite, i.e., of it not being correct, for example, the witness's testimony may not be correct, the informant may be lying, or the narrator may have made a mistake, but this possibility is not considered. If one were to go by this possibility, no work in the world could be done. Therefore, the knowledge obtained after full effort and evidence, even if called suspicion, is in reality knowledge, and acting upon it is obligatory.

Another type of suspicion is when a thought settles in the heart for some reason but has no evidence. Due to the lack of evidence, the possibility of its being or not being is equal in the heart; this is called doubt, or the possibility of its being is less than its not being, which is called delusion. These forms of suspicion are blameworthy and must be avoided. {’’ اِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ اِثْمٌ ‘‘} (Indeed, some suspicions are sins) refers to these, and Allah's statement: « اِنَّ الظَّنَّ لَا يُغْنِيْ مِنَ الْحَقِّ شَيْـًٔا » [ یونس : ۳۶ ] (Indeed, suspicion does not avail against the truth at all) and Allah's statement: « اِنْ يَّتَّبِعُوْنَ اِلَّا الظَّنَّ وَ مَا تَهْوَى الْاَنْفُسُ» [ النجم : ۲۳ ] (They follow only assumption and what their souls desire) mention this type of suspicion, and regarding this, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: [ إِيَّاكُمْ وَالظَّنَّ، فَإِنَّ الظَّنَّ أَكْذَبُ الْحَدِيْثِ ] [ بخاري، الأدب، باب : «یأیھا الذین آمنوا اجتنبوا کثیرا من الظن…» : ۶۰۶۶ ] "Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the most false of speech." It is called the most false because when a person suspects someone without evidence, he decides that the person is such and such. Since in reality, the person is not like that, his decision is called a lie, and the greatest lie because he, without any indication or reason, merely on the prompting of his soul or Satan, declared him bad, when there was no basis for his being bad.

➌ The verse commands to avoid such suspicion that is baseless, for example, a person who is apparently righteous, whose faults Allah has concealed, who is generally observed to be chaste and trustworthy, and there is no evidence or sign of his being dishonest or sinful, to suspect him is forbidden. However, if there is real evidence or sign for suspicion, then suspicion is not forbidden. For example, if a person's company is only with those known for theft or adultery, or he roams at night where he has no business, then suspicion about him is natural; therefore, Allah did not forbid all suspicion but said: «اجْتَنِبُوْا كَثِيْرًا مِّنَ الظَّنِّ اِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ اِثْمٌ » "Avoid much suspicion, for some suspicion is sin." Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his Sahih Bukhari: {’’بَابُ مَا يَجُوْزُ مِنَ الظَّنِّ‘‘} "Those suspicions that are permissible." And in this chapter, he mentioned the hadith from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: [ مَا أَظُنُّ فُلاَنًا وَ فُلاَنًا يَعْرِفَانِ مِنْ دِيْنِنَا شَيْئًا قَالَ اللَّيْثُ كَانَا رَجُلَيْنِ مِنَ الْمُنَافِقِيْنَ ] [ بخاري، الأدب، باب ما یجوز من الظن … : ۶۰۶۷ ] "I do not think that so-and-so and so-and-so know anything of our religion." Laith said: "These two men were hypocrites." This permissible suspicion refers to the suspicion whose signs or evidence are clear.

➍ Just as it is forbidden to have bad suspicion about another Muslim, it is also obligatory for a Muslim himself to avoid every act that may cause someone to have a bad opinion about him. Ali bin Husain narrates that the wife of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), Safiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her), informed him that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was in the mosque and his wives were with him. When they were about to leave, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said to Safiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her): "Do not hurry until I go with you." Her house was in Usama's courtyard. So the Prophet (peace be upon him) went out with her, and two Ansar men met him. They saw the Prophet (peace be upon him) and moved ahead. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said to them: [ تَعَالَيَا إِنَّهَا صَفِيَّةُ بِنْتُ حُيَيٍّ ] "Come here! This is (my wife) Safiyyah bint Huyayy." They said: "Glory be to Allah! O Messenger of Allah! (Could we ever think badly of you?)" The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: [ إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يَجْرِيْ مِنَ الْإِنْسَانِ مَجْرَی الدَّمِ، وَ إِنِّيْ خَشِيْتُ أَنْ يُلْقِيَ فِيْ أَنْفُسِكُمَا شَيْئًا ] [ بخاري، الاعتکاف، باب زیارۃ المرأۃ زوجھا في اعتکافہ : ۲۰۳۸ ] "Satan flows through man like blood, so I feared that he might put something in your hearts."

➎ { وَ لَا تَجَسَّسُوْا:’’جَسَّ يَجُسُّ جَسًّا‘‘} (n) To feel something with the hand to find out, to investigate, to spy, to try to find out secret matters. Spying is a necessary result of bad suspicion, because when a person forms a bad opinion about someone, he spies on him to prove it and seeks out those faults of his that Allah has concealed, so that he can prove his suspicion true. This is completely against the love and brotherhood of faith. When it is commanded to conceal even those faults of a Muslim brother that one knows, how can it be permissible to seek out those faults that are merely the product of suspicion or which Allah has concealed? The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: [ إِيَّاكُمْ وَالظَّنَّ فَإِنَّ الظَّنَّ أَكْذَبُ الْحَدِيْثِ، وَلاَ تَحَسَّسُوْا، وَلاَ تَجَسَّسُوْا، وَلاَ تَنَاجَشُوْا، وَلاَ تَحَاسَدُوْا، وَلاَ تَبَاغَضُوْا، وَلاَ تَدَابَرُوْا، وَكُوْنُوْا عِبَادَ اللّٰهِ إِخْوَانًا ] [ بخاري، الفرائض، باب تعلیم الفرائض :۶۰۶۶، ۶۷۲۴ ] "Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the most false of speech, and do not seek out faults, do not spy, do not artificially raise prices (in buying and selling), do not envy one another, do not harbor malice against one another, do not cut off relations with one another, and be, O servants of Allah, brothers." Abu Barzah Aslami (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: [ يَا مَعْشَرَ مَنْ آمَنَ بِلِسَانِهِ وَلَمْ يَدْخُلِ الْإِيْمَانُ قَلْبَهُ ! لاَ تَغْتَابُوا الْمُسْلِمِيْنَ وَلاَ تَتَّبِعُوْا عَوْرَاتِهِمْ فَإِنَّهُ مَنِ اتَّبَعَ عَوْرَاتِهِمْ يَتَّبِعِ اللّٰهُ عَوْرَتَهُ، وَ مَنْ يَتَّبِعِ اللّٰهُ عَوْرَتَهُ يَفْضَحْهُ فِيْ بَيْتِهٖ ] [ أبوداوٗد، الأدب، باب في الغیبۃ : ۴۸۸۰، قال الألباني حسن صحیح ] "O group of those who have believed with their tongues but faith has not entered their hearts! Do not backbite Muslims and do not seek out their hidden faults, for whoever seeks out the faults of Muslims, Allah will seek out his faults, and whoever's faults Allah seeks out, He will disgrace him in his own house." Sometimes a person spies with the intention of reform, but this is not the way of reform; it creates mutual enmity and increases corruption, not reform. Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say: [ إِنَّكَ إِنِ اتَّبَعْتَ عَوْرَاتِ النَّاسِ أَفْسَدْتَهُمْ أوْكِدْتَ أَنْ تُفْسِدَهُمْ ] "Indeed, when you seek out people's faults, you will corrupt them," or he said: "It is close that you will corrupt them." Abu Darda (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "This was something Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) heard from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and Allah benefited him with it (that he ruled over Syria for twenty years and over the whole Muslim world for twenty years, and the people had no particular complaint against him)." [ أبوداوٗد، الأدب، باب في النھي عن التجسس : ۴۸۸۸، و قال الألباني صحیح ]

➏ Just as suspicion is permissible when there is evidence or indication, similarly, spying on the enemies of Islam or those who cause disorder is also permissible; rather, it is obligatory for the Muslim ruler to be aware of the conditions of his subjects and to prevent those who violate Allah's limits. However, it is not permissible in any way to investigate or take action merely on the basis of suspicion.

➐ { وَ لَا يَغْتَبْ بَّعْضُكُمْ بَعْضًا:’’ لَا يَغْتَبْ ‘‘} (gh, y, b) from the form ifti‘al: {’’اِغْتَابَ يَغْتَابُ اِغْتِيَابًا ‘‘} To mention about someone in his absence something he dislikes to be mentioned. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: [ أَتَدْرُوْنَ مَا الْغِيْبَةُ ؟ ] "Do you know what backbiting is?" They said: "Allah and His Messenger know best." He (peace be upon him) said: [ ذِكْرُكَ أَخَاكَ بِمَا يَكْرَهُ ] "It is your mentioning about your brother something he dislikes." It was asked: "What if what I say is actually in my brother?" He (peace be upon him) said: [ إِنْ كَانَ فِيْهِ مَا تَقُوْلُ فَقَدِ اغْتَبْتَهُ وَ إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِيْهِ فَقَدْ بَهَتَّهُ ] [ مسلم، البر والصلۃ، باب تحریم الغیبۃ : ۲۵۸۹ ] "If what you say is in him, you have backbitten him, and if it is not in him, you have slandered him."

➑ { اَيُحِبُّ اَحَدُكُمْ اَنْ يَّاْكُلَ لَحْمَ اَخِيْهِ مَيْتًا فَكَرِهْتُمُوْهُ:} In this sentence, intense hatred for backbiting is instilled in several ways. Thus, tearing apart a brother's honor and dignity through backbiting is likened to eating a person's flesh, and not just any person but one's own brother, and not just a living brother but a dead one. Then, by shaming with the question of loving such a disgusting and detestable thing, it is asked: you should have had intense hatred for such a filthy and repulsive thing, so do you love it instead of hating it? Then {’’ اَحَدُكُمْ ‘‘} is said: does any one of you like this? Meaning, not even one out of millions would like this, so why would any one of you do this act!?

➒ { فَكَرِهْتُمُوْهُ:} That is, if this thing were presented before you, you would surely hate it.

➓ The reason backbiting is likened to eating the flesh of a dead brother is that just as a dead person cannot stop someone from eating his flesh, similarly, the one who is being backbitten cannot defend himself because he is not present.

⓫ Just as backbiting is forbidden, listening to it is also forbidden, because the listener is equally a participant in backbiting. If he did not support it by remaining silent, the backbiter would not have the courage to do it. Both are enjoying the flesh of their dead brother, one by backbiting and the other by listening. Therefore, one should also avoid listening to backbiting, and rather, while defending the honor of his Muslim brother, should stop the backbiter from it.

⓬ { وَ اتَّقُوا اللّٰهَ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ تَوَّابٌ رَّحِيْمٌ:} That is, only the fear of Allah can restrain a person from those acts that are forbidden in these verses; without it, nothing can. Therefore, fear Allah and repent from all these sins; surely Allah is Most Accepting of repentance and Most Merciful.

⓭ Nawawi, in "Al-Adhkar," while detailing backbiting, said: "Whether it relates to his body, religion, or worldly matters, whether it is about his appearance or character, his wealth, children, parents, wife and children, or his clothing, gait, speech, cheerfulness, or grimness, in short, any mention of anything related to him that he dislikes is backbiting. Then, whether this mention is by tongue or writing, by gesture or allusion, in all forms it is backbiting. Whether the gesture is by the eye, hand, head, or any part of the body, it is included in backbiting."

Backbiting about the body, for example, is to use words like blind, lame, one-eyed, bald, short, tall, black, hunchbacked, or any such word to belittle him. Backbiting about religion is to call him a sinner, thief, traitor, oppressor, lazy in prayer, impure, disobedient to parents, or a thug, etc. About worldly matters, for example, to call him useless, talkative, gluttonous, etc. About character, for example, to call him ill-mannered, arrogant, show-off, hasty, cowardly, or sluggish. About his father, for example, to belittle him by calling him a weaver, cobbler, black, Abyssinian, etc. Then, one form of backbiting by tongue, hand, and body is to mimic him, for example, to imitate his stammering, nasal speech, limping, being hunchbacked, or being short. In short, the rule is that any act intended to belittle a Muslim brother is backbiting and is forbidden.

⓮ Sometimes, backbiting about a Muslim brother is also permissible, and his fault can be mentioned in his absence. The rule is that when a necessary religious purpose cannot be achieved without it, then it is permissible. Nawawi, and before him Ghazali, have listed six occasions when backbiting is permissible: (1) Complaint against oppression, i.e., the oppressed has the right to speak against the oppressor. Allah said: « لَا يُحِبُّ اللّٰهُ الْجَهْرَ بِالسُّوْٓءِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ اِلَّا مَنْ ظُلِمَ » [ النساء : ۱۴۸ ] "Allah does not like the public mention of evil except by one who has been wronged." And the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: [ فَإِنَّ لِصَاحِبِ الْحَقِّ مَقَالاً ] [ بخاري، الاستقراض، باب استقراض الإبل : ۲۳۹۰ ] "Surely, the one with the right has the right to speak." It is better that he mention his oppression before a king, judge, or someone who can help him. (2) To inform those who can prevent a sin or evil act, or who can help prevent it. If the purpose is only to disgrace the doer, it is not permissible. The verses and hadiths about enjoining good and forbidding evil are evidence for this. (3) To mention someone's fault before a mufti when seeking a fatwa, for example, Hind bint Utbah (may Allah be pleased with her) asked the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) about her husband Abu Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with him): "Abu Sufyan is a miserly man (he does not give me enough for myself and my children), so is it a sin for me if I take something from his wealth without his knowledge?" He (peace be upon him) said: [ خُذِيْ أَنْتِ وَ بَنُوْكِ مَا يَكْفِيْكِ بِالْمَعْرُوْفِ ] [ بخاري، البیوع، باب من أجری أمر الأمصار… : ۲۲۱۱،۵۳۶۴ ] "Take what is sufficient for you and your children in a reasonable manner." The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) did not forbid Hind (may Allah be pleased with her) from mentioning her husband's fault, because her purpose was to ask a question.

(4) For the welfare of Muslims and to protect them from harm, to inform them of someone's evil is permissible. Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said that a man came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and he said: [ اِئْذَنُوْا لَهُ، بِئْسَ أَخُو الْعَشِيْرَةِ ] [ بخاري، الأدب، باب ما یجوز من اغتیاب … : ۶۰۵۴ ] "Let him in, he is a bad man of his family." The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) considered it necessary to inform Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) of this man's evil. Many things come under the welfare of Muslims and protecting them from harm, for example, criticizing hadith narrators and witnesses in court is permissible, rather obligatory, and there is consensus of the ummah on this. Secondly, when someone asks for advice about marrying, entrusting, partnering, becoming a neighbor, doing business, or any other matter, he should tell the truth. Fatimah bint Qais (may Allah be pleased with her) asked the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) about marrying either Muawiyah or Abu Jahm (may Allah be pleased with them), so he (peace be upon him) said: [ أَمَّا أَبُوْ جَهْمٍ فَلاَ يَضَعُ عَصَاهُ عَنْ عَاتِقِهِ، وَأَمَّا مُعَاوِيَةُ فَصُعْلُوْكٌ لَا مَالَ لَهُ، انْكِحِيْ أُسَامَةَ بْنَ زَيْدٍ ] [ مسلم، الطلاق، المطلقۃ البائن لا نفقۃ لھا : ۱۴۸۰ ] "Abu Jahm beats women a lot, and Muawiyah is a poor man, he has nothing, so marry Usamah bin Zaid." And giving correct advice is the right of a believer; the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: [ وَ إِذَا اسْتَنْصَحَكَ فَانْصَحْ لَهُ ] [ مسلم، السلام، باب من حق المسلم للمسلم ردّ السلام : 2162/5 ] "And when he seeks your advice, advise him sincerely."

(5) If a person openly disobeys Allah, robs people, or openly drinks alcohol, then mentioning those sins of his that he does not feel the need to hide and does not mind being mentioned is permissible, because backbiting is to mention things he dislikes. (6) If a person is known by a nickname, without which he cannot be identified, and he does not dislike it, then mentioning him by that nickname is permissible, even if it contains some defect, for example, A‘mash (whose eyes are weak), A‘raj (lame), Asamm (deaf), and A‘ma (blind), etc. The condition is that the purpose is not to belittle him.

⓯ In this verse of the Noble Qur'an, Allah has said: « وَ لَا يَغْتَبْ بَّعْضُكُمْ بَعْضًا » that Muslims should not backbite one another. Similarly, {’’ذِكْرُكَ أَخَاكَ بِمَا يَكْرَهُ‘‘} also shows that only the backbiting of a Muslim is forbidden, because a disbeliever is not our religious brother, so there is no sin in backbiting him.