Those who accuse a muslim without evidence/proof

acedoc

Junior Member
Asalamu aliakum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh


Audu billalllahe min shytanir rajeem


Bismilahir rahmanir raheem

Allah (SWT) says in Al Quran:

Say (O Muhammad), Produce your proof if you are truthful”
[al-Baqarah 2:111]

“Since they produce not witnesses, they are the liars in the sight of Allaah”
[al-Noor 24:13]



May Allah's curse be on all liars. Ameen. Those who accuse their muslim brothers to make a little profit for themselves.

This is a fatwa from Islam-qa on those muslims who falsely accuse other muslims (slander). We must fear Allah.

Advice to one who slanders his Muslim brothers and accuses them without any proof
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Question:
Our Shaykh, I love you for the sake of Allaah and I hope that you can tell me how to silence those who slander the scholars. There are people who accuse you of being extreme in labeling others as kaafirs and of Qutbi (a group that claims to base its ideas on the writings of Sayyid Qutb) – as they call it. What is your answer? Please note that I am – as Allaah knows – one of those who love you for the sake of Allaah.

Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.

May Allaah love you, for Whose sake you love us, and may He bring us together in His mercy on the Day whereon neither wealth nor sons will avail, except him who brings to Allaah a clean heart (cf. al-Shu’ara’ 26:89).

With regard to what you have said in your question, we advise you to keep away from everyone who speaks about your Muslim brothers or slanders them, or accuses them and casts aspersion on their intentions. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “O you who have spoken the words of faith but faith has not entered your hearts! Do not backbite about the Muslims or seek out their faults, for whoever seeks out their faults, Allaah will seek out his faults even if he is his house.” Narrated by Abu Dawood, no. 4880; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani.

It is also necessary for you to advise these people to fear Allaah and refrain using such labels and names that divide the Muslims. With regard to offering advice and correcting mistakes, this should not be done by means of exposing people’s faults or casting aspersions on their intentions etc.

With regard to the issue of takfeer (labeling people as kaafirs), this is subject to further discussion. Describing as a kaafir one who has been described as such by Allaah or by His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is obligatory. Allaah has described some groups as being kaafirs in His Book, as when He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Surely, disbelievers are those who said: ‘Allaah is the third of the three (in a Trinity)’”

[al-Maa’idah 5:73]

“Surely, in disbelief are they who say that Allaah is the Messiah, son of Maryam (Mary)”

[al-Maa'idah 5:17]

But it is haraam to label as a kaafir someone whom Allaah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not label as such.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Just as it is not permissible to label a specific person as a kaafir unless the conditions of labeling someone as such have been met in his case, so too we should not shy away from labeling as kaafirs those whom Allaah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) have labeled as such. But we must differentiate between what is specific and what is general.

Sharh Kitaab al-Tawheed, 2/281.

See also question no. 21576.

And Allaah knows best.

Moreover, everyone who levels an accusation against another person must provide proof:

“Say (O Muhammad), Produce your proof if you are truthful”
[al-Baqarah 2:111]

“Since they produce not witnesses, they are the liars in the sight of Allaah”

[al-Noor 24:13]

This problem is widespread among some of those who claim to be religiously-guided, may Allaah guide them, for they make accusations against people on grounds that are not regarded as something worthy of criticism in sharee’ah or that do not undermine a person’s religious commitment.

Then they do not bring any proof of that, and they follow their own whims and desires, because it is human nature to appoint oneself as judge, praising and condemning on a whim.

We must go against the whims and desires of our own selves and measure people by the criteria set out in Islam; we should make mention of their good points and advise them with regard to their mistakes.

And Allaah is the Source of strength.

Islam Q&A
 

acedoc

Junior Member
“O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion; indeed some suspicions are sins. And......

“O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion; indeed some suspicions are sins. And spy not, neither backbite one another…”[al-Hujuraat 49:12]



Slandering callers and reformers

Question:
In recent days there has been a lot of slander against those who call people to Islam (daa’iyahs) and dividing them into groups and categories. What is your opinion on that?

Answer:

Praise be to Allaah.
Allaah has enjoined justice and good treatment of others, and He has forbidden wrongdoing, hatred and enmity. Allaah sent His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) with the same message as He sent all the Messengers, namely the call to Tawheed and to worship of Allaah alone. He commanded him to establish justice and forbade him to do the opposite, i.e., to worship anything other than Allaah, to cause division and to transgress against the rights of others.

In these days it has become very common that people who claim to have knowledge and to be calling people to good slander many of their brothers among the well-known daa’iyahs, and they talk about the seekers of knowledge, daa’iyahs and lecturers. They do that in secret in their own gatherings, but it may be recorded on tapes that are distributed among the people, and they may do it openly in public lectures in the mosques. This behaviour goes against the commands of Allaah and His Messenger in several ways.

1 – It is a transgression against the rights of the Muslims, and against the elite of the people, namely the seekers of knowledge and daa’iyahs who are striving to make the people aware and to teach them and correct their beliefs and practices, and to organize lessons and lectures, and to write beneficial books.

2 – It splits the Muslims and causes division in their ranks. They are the most in need of unity and they need to keep away from division, discord and too much gossip amongst themselves, especially when the daa’iyahs who are being slandered are from among the Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah who are well known for their opposition to bid’ah (innovation) and myth, and for standing up against those who promote such things, and for exposing their plots and tricks. We see no benefit to be gained by such actions, except for the enemies who lie in wait for opportunities to harm the Muslims, such as the kaafirs, hypocrites and followers of bid’ah and misguidance.

3 – This action offers support and help for the self-serving among the secularists, westernizers and other heretics who are well known for stirring up trouble among the daa’iyahs and telling lies against them, and inciting people against them in their writings and recordings. It is contrary to Islamic brotherhood for those who are too hasty to help their enemies against their brothers among the seekers of knowledge, daa’iyahs and others.

4 – This spreads corrupts ideas in the hearts and minds of the common folk and elite; it spreads and propagates lies and false rumours, and causes a great deal of backbiting and slander. It leaves the door wide open to evil people who persist in spreading doubts and stirring up fitnah, and who are keen to cause harm to the believers by accusing them of things that they did not do.

5 – Much of what is being said has no basis in reality; rather these are illusions which the Shaytaan has made attractive to them, through which he has tempted them. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion; indeed some suspicions are sins. And spy not, neither backbite one another…”[al-Hujuraat 49:12]

The believer should interpret what his Muslim brother says in the best possible way. One of the salaf said: Never think of something that is said by your brother as being bad when you still find room for a good interpretation.

6 – Whatever ijtihaad is produced by some scholars or seekers of knowledge, in areas where ijtihaad is permitted, the author of said ijtihaad cannot be blamed or rebuked for it, so long as he is qualified to engage in ijtihaad. If someone else has a different opinion, it is better for him to debate with him in a proper manner, striving to reach the truth via the shortest route and leaving no room for the insinuating whispers of the Shaytaan or for him to cause trouble among the believers. If that is not possible, and someone thinks that he has no choice but to explain what is wrong with his ijtihaad, then he should choose the best wording and the most subtle way of explaining, and not resort to attacking, slandering or going to extremes in criticizing him, which may cause others to reject the truth or to turn away from it. He should also avoid criticizing specific people, casting aspersions upon their intentions or saying unnecessary or irrelevant things about them. In such cases the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) would say, “What is the matter with some people who say such and such…?”

The advice I offer to these brothers who have fallen into the sin of slandering the daa’iyahs is to repent to Allaah for the things that they have written or said that may have corrupted the hearts of some youth and filled them with hatred and grudges, and kept them from seeking beneficial knowledge or from calling people to Allaah by making them preoccupied with gossip and talking about this one and that one, and seeking out faults for which they could criticize people, and going to extremes in doing that.

I also advise them to offer expiation for the things that they have done by writing and other means that they think they should not have done, and to remove from people’s minds the wrong ideas they may have given them. They should focus on fruitful actions which will bring them closer to Allaah and will be beneficial to people, and they should beware of being too hasty to accuse people of kufr, fisq and bid’ah without any clear evidence or proof. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever says to his brother ‘O kaafir!’ one of them will be deserving of that description.” (Saheeh, agreed upon).
It is prescribed for those who call others to the truth and for seekers of knowledge, if they are uncertain about something said by a scholar or anyone else, to refer to the prominent scholars and to ask them, so that they can explain the facts of the matter to them and remove the confusion and doubt from their minds, in accordance with the words of Allaah in Soorat al-Nisaa’ (interpretatiuon of the meaning):

“When there comes to them some matter touching (public) safety or fear, they make it known (among the people); if only they had referred it to the Messenger or to those charged with authority among them, the proper investigators would have understood it from them (directly). Had it not been for the Grace and Mercy of Allaah upon you, you would have followed Shaytaan (Satan), save a few of you”[al-Nisaa’ 4:83]

And Allaah is the One Whom we ask to reform all the Muslims and to unite their hearts in taqwa and to bring the scholars of the Muslims and those who call to the truth together in doing that which pleases Him and will benefit His slaves. May He unite them in following guidance and protect them against all the causes of division and dissent; may He support the truth through them and humiliate falsehood through them, for He is the One Who is able to do that. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions, and those who follow his guidance until the Day of Resurrection.



Majmoo’ Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi’ah li Samaahat al-Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him), vol. 7, p. 311.
 
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