This excerpt is taken from Dr. Yusuf al-Qaradawi's book Halal and Haram in Islam, translated into Urdu by Muhammad Tahir Naqqash.
Do not mock others
In the above-mentioned verses of Surah Al-Hujurat, Allah Almighty has declared all those things forbidden which affect brotherly relations and human dignity:
The first thing in this regard is mocking people. It is not permissible for a believer who hopes for Allah and the Hereafter to mock, ridicule, or blame anyone. Because such behavior involves hidden arrogance, pride, and contempt for people, and this act is equivalent to ignorance in the sight of Allah. Therefore, Allah Almighty has said:
لَا يَسْخَرْ قَوْمٌ مِّن قَوْمٍ عَسَىٰ أَن يَكُونُوا خَيْرًا مِّنْهُمْ وَلَا نِسَاءٌ مِّن نِّسَاءٍ عَسَىٰ أَن يَكُنَّ خَيْرًا مِّنْهُنَّ
“Do not mock one another; perhaps they may be better than them. Nor insult one another, nor call each other by offensive nicknames. Wretched is the name of disobedience after faith.”
Reference: (Surah Al-Hujurat: 11)
In the sight of Allah, a person's virtue lies in faith, sincerity, and connection with Allah, not in appearance, status, or wealth. It is narrated in a hadith:
إن الله لا ينظر إلى صوركم ولا إلى أموالكم ولكن ينظر إلى قلوبكم وأعمالكم
“Allah does not look at your faces or your wealth but looks at your hearts and deeds.”
Reference: Muslim, Book of Righteousness and Maintaining Ties of Kinship, Chapter on the Prohibition of Oppressing a Muslim, Hadith: 2564/34
Therefore, how can it be permissible to mock a man or woman on the basis that they suffer from some physical defect or financial poverty? It is narrated that once the shin of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) was exposed. His shins were very thin. Some people laughed upon seeing them, but the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
أتضحكون من دقة ساقيه؟ والذي نفسي بيده لهما أثقل فى الميزان من جبل أحد
“Do you laugh at the thinness of his shins? By the One in Whose hand is my soul, they will be heavier on the scale than Mount Uhud.”
Reference: Musnad Ahmad: 1/420-421 - Musnad al-Tayalisi: 355
The Quran has described how the sinful polytheists used to mock the righteous believers, especially the weak Muslims such as Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him), Ammar (may Allah be pleased with him), etc. The Quran has made it clear how on the Day of Judgment the criteria will change. Those who mock others will themselves be mocked. The verse explicitly forbids women from mocking one another because generally women are more prone to mocking other women.
Insulting and Defaming
The second forbidden matter in this series is insulting and defaming. A person who finds faults in others is like one who wounds them with a spear; in fact, sometimes insulting and defaming is even more severe than a spear wound. Because spear wounds heal, but wounds caused by the tongue do not heal. The Holy Quran states:
وَلَا تَلْمِزُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ
"Do not insult one another."
Reference: (Surah Al-Hujurat: 11)
But the Quran has described the community of believers as one soul by saying أَنْفُسَكُمْ because they are all responsible for and supportive of each other. Therefore, whoever insults his brother has, in reality, insulted his own self.
Calling by a Bad Nickname
Calling someone by a bad nickname is also a form of mockery and insult, which is forbidden. That is, calling a person by a name that he dislikes and through which he is mocked and insulted. It does not suit a person to call his brother by a nickname that causes him pain. This is outright oppression and against manners and good taste.
Suspicion
Islam desires that within society there should be purity of hearts and mutual trust. There should absolutely be no atmosphere of suspicion, doubt, or conjecture. That is why the fourth forbidden thing mentioned in the referenced verse is suspicion. It is stated:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اجْتَنِبُوا كَثِيرًا مِّنَ الظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ
"O you who have believed, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin."
Reference: (Surah Al-Hujurat: 12)
But what causes sin is suspicion. And it is not permissible for a Muslim to harbor suspicion against his Muslim brother without any reason, justification, or clear evidence. People should be considered innocent by default, and one should not create opportunities to slander them by falling into the whispers of suspicion.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
اياكم والظن فإن الظن أكذب الحديث
"Avoid suspicion, for suspicion is the worst of false tales."
Reference: Bukhari, Book of Manners, Chapter: O you who have believed, avoid much suspicion, Hadith: 6066; Muslim, Book of Virtue and Maintaining Ties, Chapter: Prohibition of Suspicion and Spying, Hadith: 2563
Due to human weakness, a person cannot completely protect himself from doubt and suspicion regarding others, especially those with whom relations are strained. However, he should not submit to these thoughts nor follow them. This is the meaning of the hadith:
إذا ظننت فلا تحقق
"When suspicion arises, do not consider it correct."
Reference: Tabarani in Al-Kabir: 3/258; Fath al-Bari: 10/213
Curiosity
As a result of mistrust towards others, a person inwardly falls into suspicion and begins to be inquisitive internally. But Islam wants to keep both the outward and inward aspects of society pure and clean. Therefore, along with the prohibition of suspicion, curiosity is also forbidden. Because often one thing leads to another. It is absolutely not permissible to violate people's sanctity through curiosity and to pursue their hidden matters, even if they are personally committing sins, as long as they keep it hidden and do not openly commit the sin.
Abu Haitham, may Allah have mercy on him, says that I said to Sayyiduna Uqbah bin Amir, may Allah be pleased with him: Our neighbors drink alcohol, so I want to call the police and have them arrested. He said, do not do that, rather advise and warn them. Abu Haitham, may Allah have mercy on him, said: I forbade them but they did not desist, so I wanted to hand them over to the police. Uqbah, may Allah be pleased with him, said: Do not do that because I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say:
من ستر عورة فكأنما استحيا موءودة فى قبرها
“Whoever conceals the faults of a Muslim, it is as if he has given life to a girl who was buried alive.”
Reference: Musnad Ahmad: 4/158 Abu Dawood Kitab al-Adab Bab fi al-Sitr 'ala al-Muslim Hadith: 4891, 4892 Sahih Ibn Hibban: 1/367 Mustadrak Hakim: 4/384 and its chain is weak
The Prophet of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, has declared exposing people's faults as a sign and characteristic of hypocrites. Sayyiduna Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with both of them, said that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, appeared on the pulpit and loudly said:
يا معشر من أسلم بلسانه ولم يفض الإيمان إلى قلبه لا توذوا المسلمين ولا تتبعوا عوراتهم فإنه من يتبع عورة أخيه المسلم يتبع الله عورته ومن يتبع الله عورته يفضحه ولو فى جوف رحله
“O people! Those who have professed Islam with their tongues but whose hearts have not yet entered faith, do not harm the Muslims and do not pursue their faults. Whoever pursues the faults of his Muslim brother, Allah will pursue his faults. And whoever Allah pursues for his faults, He will disgrace him even if he is inside his house.”
Reference: Tirmidhi Kitab al-Birr wa al-Silah Bab ma ja'a fi ta'zim al-Mu'min Hadith: 2032
For the purpose of protecting people's sanctities, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, strongly forbade looking into someone's house without their permission. He said:
من اطلع فى بيت قوم بغير إذنهم فقد حل لهم أن يفقووا عينه
“Whoever looks into the house of someone without their permission, it is permissible for the household to gouge out his eye.”
Reference: Bukhari Kitab al-Diyat Bab man itla'a fi bayt qawm Hadith: 6902, Muslim Kitab al-Adab Bab Tahrim al-Nazar fi bayt ghayrih Hadith: 2158
Similarly, listening to people's conversations without their consent and secretly is also declared forbidden. He said:
من استمع إلى حديث قوم وهم كارهون صب فى أذنيه الآنك يوم القيٰمة
“Whoever listens secretly to people's conversations while they dislike it, molten lead will be poured into his ears on the Day of Judgment.”
Reference: Bukhari Kitab al-Ta'bir Bab man kadhaba fi hulmihi Hadith: 7042
The Quran has made it obligatory that whoever wants to meet someone should not enter their house until he has sought permission and greeted them.
The prohibition of curiosity and pursuing hidden matters is a general ruling that includes both rulers and subjects. Sayyiduna Muawiyah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
إنك إن اتبعت عورات الناس أفسدتهم أو كدت تفسدهم
“If you pursue people's hidden matters, you will create discord among them.”
Reference: Abu Dawood Kitab al-Adab Bab fi al-Tajassus Hadith: 4888 Ibn Hibban: 1495
And Sayyiduna Abu Imamah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
إن الأمير إذا ابتغى الريبة فى الناس أفسدهم
“Indeed, when a leader begins to search for doubts and suspicions among the people, he creates discord among them.”
Reference: Musnad Ahmad: 4/6 Abu Dawood reference above Hadith: 4889
