Prohibition of Oppression, Cursing, Boasting Favors, Slander, and Backbiting in Islam
Compiled by: Tauheed.com – Complete Book Link Available
◈ Allah Almighty says:
إِنَّمَا السَّبِيلُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ يَظْلِمُونَ النَّاسَ...
"Blame is only upon those who wrong people and cause tyranny on earth unjustly. For them is a painful punishment."
[Ash-Shura: 42]
◈ He further says:
وَمَن يَظْلِم مِّنكُمْ نُذِقْهُ عَذَابًا كَبِيرًا
"And whoever among you commits oppression, We shall make him taste a great punishment."
[Al-Furqan: 19]
◈ Jabir bin Abdullah (RA) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
"Avoid oppression, for oppression will be darkness on the Day of Judgment."
[Muslim: 2578]
◈ Abu Musa Al-Ash‘ari (RA) narrated:
"Allah gives respite to the oppressor, but when He seizes him, He does not let him escape."
[Bukhari: 4686; Muslim: 2583]
◈ Abu Mas‘ud Al-Badri (RA):
"I was beating a slave when the Prophet ﷺ said: 'O Abu Mas‘ud! Know that Allah is more capable over you than you are over him… Had you not stopped, the Fire would have touched you.'"
[Muslim: 1659]
◈ Hisham bin Hakeem bin Hizam (RA):
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"Allah will punish those who punish others in this world."
[Muslim: 2613]
◈ Abdullah bin Umar (RA):
"A woman was punished because of a cat… and entered Hell."
[Bukhari: 2365; Muslim: 2242]
◈ Jabir (RA):
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"Allah curses the one who brands an animal on its face."
[Muslim: 2117]
◈ Abdullah bin Umar (RA):
"Allah curses the one who takes a living creature as a target for shooting."
[Bukhari: 5515; Muslim: 1958]
◈ The Prophet ﷺ said:
"The punishment by fire is only for the Master of Fire (i.e., Allah)."
[Abu Dawood: 2675]
◈ Abdullah bin Umar (RA):
"If someone calls another a disbeliever or enemy of Allah, it rebounds upon the speaker if the accusation is false."
[Bukhari: 6104; Muslim: 60]
◈ Thabit bin Dhahak (RA):
"Cursing a believer is like killing him."
[Bukhari: 6047; Muslim: 110]
◈ Abu Darda (RA):
"Those who curse will not serve as witnesses or intercessors on the Day of Judgment."
[Muslim: 2598]
◈ Abdullah bin Mas‘ud (RA):
"If the curse is undeserved, it returns to the one who uttered it."
[Abu Dawood: 4905]
◈ Abu Barzah Al-Aslami (RA):
"We will not accompany one who is cursed."
[Muslim: 2596]
◈ However, cursing oppressors, disbelievers, usurers, and habitual liars is supported by general texts, but it should not be directed toward specific individuals.
◈ Jundub (RA):
"Allah said: 'Who is it that says such a thing about Me?' … So He nullified the man’s deeds."
[Muslim: 2621]
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُبْطِلُوا صَدَقَاتِكُم بِالْمَنِّ وَالْأَذَىٰ...
"O believers! Do not nullify your charity by boasting about it or by causing hurt, like one who spends to show off but neither believes in Allah nor the Last Day."
[Al-Baqarah: 264]
◈ Abu Dharr (RA):
"Three people Allah will not speak to on the Day of Judgment… one of them is the one who boasts about his favors."
[Muslim: 106]
Definition:
A slanderer is one who carries tales between people to spread discord — especially between spouses.
◈ Hudhayfah bin Yaman (RA):
"The tale-bearer will not enter Paradise."
[Bukhari: 6056; Muslim: 105]
◈ Abdullah bin Abbas (RA):
"Two people are being punished in their graves… one of them used to spread slander."
[Bukhari: 216; Muslim: 292]
◈ Abu Hurairah (RA):
"The worst of people is the one who goes to both parties with different statements."
[Bukhari: 3494; Muslim: 2526]
وَلَا يَغْتَب بَّعْضُكُم بَعْضًا...
"Do not backbite one another. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would surely hate it."
[Al-Hujurat: 12]
◈ Anas bin Malik (RA):
"Jibreel (AS) told the Prophet ﷺ that the people he saw were those who committed backbiting."
[Abu Dawood: 4878]
◈ Abu Hurairah (RA):
"He is not of us who creates enmity between a wife and her husband or between a slave and his master."
[Abu Dawood: 2175]
◈ Aisha (RA):
"If what I said were mixed with the sea, it would spoil its taste."
[Abu Dawood: 4875]
◈ Abu Hurairah (RA):
"Backbiting is to mention your brother in a way he dislikes."
[Muslim: 2589]
◈ Abu Darda (RA):
"Whoever defends the honor of his Muslim brother, Allah will protect his face from the Fire on the Day of Judgment."
[Tirmidhi: 1931]
Compiled by: Tauheed.com – Complete Book Link Available
❖ Oppressing Others (Whether Muslim or Non-Muslim)
Qur'anic Teachings:
◈ Allah Almighty says:
إِنَّمَا السَّبِيلُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ يَظْلِمُونَ النَّاسَ...
"Blame is only upon those who wrong people and cause tyranny on earth unjustly. For them is a painful punishment."
[Ash-Shura: 42]
◈ He further says:
وَمَن يَظْلِم مِّنكُمْ نُذِقْهُ عَذَابًا كَبِيرًا
"And whoever among you commits oppression, We shall make him taste a great punishment."
[Al-Furqan: 19]
Prophetic Traditions:
◈ Jabir bin Abdullah (RA) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
"Avoid oppression, for oppression will be darkness on the Day of Judgment."
[Muslim: 2578]
◈ Abu Musa Al-Ash‘ari (RA) narrated:
"Allah gives respite to the oppressor, but when He seizes him, He does not let him escape."
[Bukhari: 4686; Muslim: 2583]
◈ Abu Mas‘ud Al-Badri (RA):
"I was beating a slave when the Prophet ﷺ said: 'O Abu Mas‘ud! Know that Allah is more capable over you than you are over him… Had you not stopped, the Fire would have touched you.'"
[Muslim: 1659]
◈ Hisham bin Hakeem bin Hizam (RA):
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"Allah will punish those who punish others in this world."
[Muslim: 2613]
❖ Oppression Against Animals
Prophetic Traditions:
◈ Abdullah bin Umar (RA):
"A woman was punished because of a cat… and entered Hell."
[Bukhari: 2365; Muslim: 2242]
◈ Jabir (RA):
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"Allah curses the one who brands an animal on its face."
[Muslim: 2117]
◈ Abdullah bin Umar (RA):
"Allah curses the one who takes a living creature as a target for shooting."
[Bukhari: 5515; Muslim: 1958]
◈ The Prophet ﷺ said:
"The punishment by fire is only for the Master of Fire (i.e., Allah)."
[Abu Dawood: 2675]
❖ Calling a Muslim a Disbeliever or Cursing Them
Prophetic Traditions:
◈ Abdullah bin Umar (RA):
"If someone calls another a disbeliever or enemy of Allah, it rebounds upon the speaker if the accusation is false."
[Bukhari: 6104; Muslim: 60]
◈ Thabit bin Dhahak (RA):
"Cursing a believer is like killing him."
[Bukhari: 6047; Muslim: 110]
◈ Abu Darda (RA):
"Those who curse will not serve as witnesses or intercessors on the Day of Judgment."
[Muslim: 2598]
◈ Abdullah bin Mas‘ud (RA):
"If the curse is undeserved, it returns to the one who uttered it."
[Abu Dawood: 4905]
◈ Abu Barzah Al-Aslami (RA):
"We will not accompany one who is cursed."
[Muslim: 2596]
◈ However, cursing oppressors, disbelievers, usurers, and habitual liars is supported by general texts, but it should not be directed toward specific individuals.
❖ Despairing of Allah’s Mercy
◈ Jundub (RA):
"Allah said: 'Who is it that says such a thing about Me?' … So He nullified the man’s deeds."
[Muslim: 2621]
❖ Boasting About Favors (Mann)
Qur'anic Teaching:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُبْطِلُوا صَدَقَاتِكُم بِالْمَنِّ وَالْأَذَىٰ...
"O believers! Do not nullify your charity by boasting about it or by causing hurt, like one who spends to show off but neither believes in Allah nor the Last Day."
[Al-Baqarah: 264]
Prophetic Tradition:
◈ Abu Dharr (RA):
"Three people Allah will not speak to on the Day of Judgment… one of them is the one who boasts about his favors."
[Muslim: 106]
❖ Tale-Bearing (Slander / Namimah)
Definition:
A slanderer is one who carries tales between people to spread discord — especially between spouses.
Prophetic Traditions:
◈ Hudhayfah bin Yaman (RA):
"The tale-bearer will not enter Paradise."
[Bukhari: 6056; Muslim: 105]
◈ Abdullah bin Abbas (RA):
"Two people are being punished in their graves… one of them used to spread slander."
[Bukhari: 216; Muslim: 292]
◈ Abu Hurairah (RA):
"The worst of people is the one who goes to both parties with different statements."
[Bukhari: 3494; Muslim: 2526]
❖ Backbiting (Ghibah)
Qur'anic Teaching:
وَلَا يَغْتَب بَّعْضُكُم بَعْضًا...
"Do not backbite one another. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would surely hate it."
[Al-Hujurat: 12]
Prophetic Traditions:
◈ Anas bin Malik (RA):
"Jibreel (AS) told the Prophet ﷺ that the people he saw were those who committed backbiting."
[Abu Dawood: 4878]
◈ Abu Hurairah (RA):
"He is not of us who creates enmity between a wife and her husband or between a slave and his master."
[Abu Dawood: 2175]
◈ Aisha (RA):
"If what I said were mixed with the sea, it would spoil its taste."
[Abu Dawood: 4875]
◈ Abu Hurairah (RA):
"Backbiting is to mention your brother in a way he dislikes."
[Muslim: 2589]
◈ Abu Darda (RA):
"Whoever defends the honor of his Muslim brother, Allah will protect his face from the Fire on the Day of Judgment."
[Tirmidhi: 1931]
