Islamic Nafsiya (Disposition) - Part 8

Morals

Morals are the traits or characteristics and they need to be regulated according to the Sharee'ah. What the Sharee'ah has said from these morals as pretty (hasan) is considered pretty and what the Sharee'ah has said as ugly (qabeeh) is considered ugly. This is because morals are a part of Sharee'ah and part of Allah's orders and prohibitions. The Sharee'ah encourages exhibiting of good morals and forbade ones that are bad. The Muslim, and especially the Da'wah carrier, must seek to be characterised with the good morals in accordance with the relevant Sharee'ah rules. It is also worth mentioning and focusing on the point that the morals need to be based on the basis of the Islamic 'Aqeedah and the Muslims need to embrace them on the premise that they are orders and prohibitions of Allah (swt). So he is honest because Allah (swt) has ordered that he be honest, he is trustworthy because Allah (swt) has ordered the keeping of trusts (Amaanah). He does not engage in morals because of any material benefit such that people buy from him or they elect him. This is what distinguishes the honesty of the Muslim from the honesty of the Kaafir. The former is true honesty because Allah (swt) has ordered him to be honest while the latter is honesty for the sake of a benefit, both are worlds apart.

Here are some texts relating to honesty:
 'Abdullah b. 'Amr (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''The best amongst you is the one best in morals.''
(Agreed upon)
 Nawas b. Sam'aan (ra) narrated: I asked the Messenger of Allah (saw) about piety and sin. He said:

''Righteousness is good morality, and wrongdoing is that which wavers in your soul and which you dislike people finding out about.''

Narrated by Abu ad-Dardaa' (ra) that the Prophet (saw) said:

''On the Day of Resurrection, nothing will weigh better in the scales for any of Allah's servants than good character. Truly Allah detests the wicked and foul-tongued.''
Reported by Ibn Hibbaan in his Sahih and at-Tirmizi who said the hadith is hasan sahih.

Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated: The Messenger of Allah (saw) was asked about the thing most that would admit people into Jannah, he said:

''Fear (taqwa) of Allah Almighty and good morals.''
He was asked about the thing that would most that would take people to Hell-fire and he said:

''The mouth and the private parts.''

Narrated by Abu Umaamah (ra) that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''I guarantee a house in the surroundings of Paradise for a man who avoids quarrelling even if he were in the right, a house in the middle of Paradise for a man who avoids lying even if he were joking, and a house in the upper part of Paradise for a man whose character is good.''

Abu Hurayrah (ra) reported that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''The one who has the most perfect Imaan amongst you is the one with the most beautiful morals and the best of you is the who is best to his wives.''

Examples of good morals:

a) Modesty (Hayaa'):

Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''Imaan has more than seventy (According to some sixty) branches, of which the most important is saying la ilaha illa Allah, and the least one is to remove some obstacle (stone, wood, thorn, etc) from the way; and modesty also is a special requisite of Imaan.”''

b) Gentleness, deliberation and kindness:

 Ibn 'Abbas (ra) and Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri (ra) reported that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said to Ashajj 'Abd al-Qays:

''You have two characteristics which Allah likes: gentleness and deliberation.''

'Ayisha (ra) reported that the Prophet (saw) said:

''Allah is gentle and loves gentleness in all things''


Reported by Muslim.
 'Ayisha (ra) narrated: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) say in my house:

''O Allah, whoever gains some kind of control over the affairs of my people and is hard upon them, be hard upon him, and whoever gains some kind of control over the affairs of my people and is kind to them, be kind to him.''

c) Honesty:

He (swt) says:

''O you who believe! Be afraid of Allah, and be with those who are true (in words and deeds.'' [ at-Tawbah:119]

Ibn Mas'ud (ra) narrated that the Prophet (saw) said:

''You are enjoined to speak the truth for truthfulness leads to piety and piety leads to Jannah. A man continues to speak the truth until he is recorded in the sight of Allah as a
truthful person...''

Ka'b b. Maalik said:

''I said; O Messenger of Allah (saw), Allah, the Exalted, has delivered me only because I adhered to the truth, and as part of my repentance I shall speak nothing but the truth for
the rest of my life.''

It has been narrated that al-Hasan b. 'Ali (ra) said: I memorised the saying of Allah's Messenger (saw):

''Leave that which makes you doubt for that which does not make you doubt, for honesty is peace of mind and lying is doubt.''
Reported by at-Tirmizi who graded the hadith as hasan sahih.

'Abd Allah b. 'Amr (ra) narrated:

The Messenger of Allah (saw) was asked; which people are the best? He said: every makhmum al-qalb and honest tongue. They said: We know what is an honest tongue but what is makhmum al-qalb? He said: Every God-fearing and pure heart which harbours no sin, injustice, hatred or envy.''

Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''Speak the truth for it goes with piety and both are in Paradise.''

Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''The truthful and trustworthy merchant will be in the company of the Prophets, the upright and the martyrs.''

d) Checking what one says or relates and precision in reporting:

He (swt) said: ''And follow not (O man i.e., say not, or do not or witness not, etc.) that of which you have no knowledge.'' [Al-Israa: 36] 

And He (swt) said:

''Not a word does he (or she) utter, but there is a watcher by him ready (to record it).''

Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''It is enough falsehood for a person to transmit everything he hears.''

e) Good speech:
 'Iddi b. Haatim (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''Fear the Fire, even if by giving half a date (in charity). The one who is not able to do so should speak a good word.''

Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that the Prophet (saw) said:

''Speaking a good word is charity.''

'Abd Allah b. 'Amr (ra) narrated that the Prophet (saw) said:

''In Paradise there are rooms whose inside can be seen from the outside and the outside can be seen from the inside,'' For whom will this be O Messenger of Allah? asked Abu Musa al-Ash'ari. The Prophet (saw) replied: ''The ones who are best in speech, who lays out the best food and prays throughout the night while others are sleeping.''

f) A Cheerful face:
 Abu Zarr (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''Do not belittle any small act of kindness even if it is to talk to your brother with a cheerful face''

Jabir b. 'Abd Allah (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''Do not belittle any small act of kindness even if it is to talk to your brother with a cheerful face or to pour water from your bucket into the vessel of the one who asks for it.''

Abu Zarr (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:
''Your smiling in your brother's face is charity.''

Abu Jari al-Haythami (ra) narrated: I came to the Messenger of Allah (saw) and said:

I came to the Messenger of Allah (saw) and said: O Messenger of Allah, we are Bedouins, teach us something by which Allah will allow us to benefit from. He said: ''Do not belittle any good act, even if it is to pour water from your bucket into the bucket of your brother, or to speak to your brother with a cheerful face.''

g) Remaining silent except to speak that, which is good:
Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that the Prophet (saw) said:

''Whosoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, then let him speak good or remain silent.''
(Agreed upon).

Al-Barraa' b. 'Aazib (ra) narrated:

A Bedouin came to Allah's Messenger (saw) and said: teach me an action which will earn me admission into heaven.'' The Prophet (saw) said: ''You have certainly used a few words in order to ask something very important. Set a slave free and release someone from bondage. If you are not able to do this then feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, enjoin the good and forbid the evil. If again you cannot do that, then restrain your tongue from saying anything except what is good.''

Thawban (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''Blessed is he who controlled his tongue, his home was roomy for him, and he cried for his sin''.

Bilal b. Harith al-Muzani (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''A man speaks what is pleasing to Allah without thinking of the great degree it reaches, but Allah will write for him His good pleasure for it until the day when he meets Him. And a man speaks what excites the wrath of Allah without realising the degree (of Allah's wrath) it reaches, but Allah will write His wrath for him for it until the day when he meets Him.''

Mu'az b. Jabal narrated:

''I was in company with the Prophet in a travel, and one day I was close to him while we were travelling. So I said: O Messenger of Allah, tell me of an act which will take me into Paradise and will keep me away from Hell fire...shall I not tell you of the foundation of all of that?'' I said: ''Yes, O Messenger of Allah,'' and he took hold of his tongue and said: ''Restrain this''' I said: ''O Prophet of Allah, will what we say be held against us?'' He said: ''May your mother be bereaved of you, Mu'az ! Is there anything that topples people on their faces - or he said on their noses into Hell-fire other than the jests of their tongues?''

h) Fulfiling of trusts:

He (swt) said:

''O you who believe! Fulfil (your) obligations.'' [ Al-Maa'idah:1] He (swt) said:

''And fulfil (every) covenant. Verily! the covenant, will be questioned about.'' [ Al-Israa:34]

i) Anger for Allah's sake:

'Ali b. Abi Talib (ra) narrated:

The Prophet gave me a silk suit. I went out wearing it, but seeing the signs of anger on his face, I tore it and distributed it among my wives.

Abu Mas'ud 'Uqbah b. 'Amr al-Badri (ra) narrated:

A man came to the Prophet and said: ''I keep away from the morning prayer only because such and such person prolongs the prayer when he leads us in it. The narrator added: I had never seen Allah's Messenger more furious in giving advice than he was on that day. He said, ''O people! There are some people among you who make others dislike good deeds and cause the others to have aversion (to congregational prayers). Beware! Whoever among you leads the people in prayer should not prolong it, because among them there are the sick, the old,
and the needy.''

j) Thinking well of the believers:

He (swt) said:

''Why then, did not the believers, men and women, when you heard it (the slander) think good of their own people.''

k) Being a good neighbour:

He (swt) said:

''Worship Allah and join none with Him in worship, and do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, Al-Masakin (the poor), the neighbour who is near of kin, the neighbour who is a stranger, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (you meet), and those (slaves) whom your right hands possess.''

Ibn 'Umar and 'Ayisha narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''Jibreel kept advising me about neighbours until I thought he would assign them inheritance.''

Ibn Shurayh al-Khuzzaa'I (ra) narrated that the Prophet (saw) said:

Anas (ra) narrated the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''By the One in whose Hands rests my soul, a servant cannot believe until he loves for his neighbour or brother that which he loves for himself.''

Sa'd b. Abu Waqqas (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw):

''Four things bring one joy: a righteous wife, a spacious house, a pious neighbour and a comfortable riding animal(i.e means of transport).''

Naafi' b. al-Harith (ra) narrated that that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''From the things that bring joy to a man are a good neighbour, a comfortable riding animal, and a spacious house.''

Abu Zarr (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''When you cook curry, increase its soup and send something to your neighbour.”''

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah (ra) that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''O Muslim women, let no (female) neighbour despise (or look down on) her (female) neighbour even if just the foot of a lamb.''

'Ayisha (ra) narrated: I said: O Messenger of Allah, I have got two neighbours, the house of one is near my house and the house of another is some distant. Whose right is greater? He
said:

''The right of one whose house is nearer.''

l) Keeping trust:
 He (swt) said:

''Verily! Allah commands that you should render back the trusts to those, to whom they are due.'' [ an- Nisaa':58]
 

Huzayfah (ra) narrated:

The people of Najran came to the Prophet (saw) and said: Send to us an honest one. TheProphet said: ''I will send to you an honest person who is really trustworthy.'' Each of the
Companions of the Prophet desired to be that person, but the Prophet sent Abu 'Ubayda b. Al-Jarrah.''

Abu Zarr (ra) narrated:

I said to the Prophet (saw): Messenger of Allah, will you not appoint me to a public office? He stroked my shoulder with his hand and said: Abu Zarr, you are weak and authority is a
trust, and on the Day of Judgment it is a cause of humiliation and sorrow except for the one who fulfils its obligations and (properly) discharges the duties attendant thereon.

Huzayfah b. al-Yamaan (ra) narrated:

''Amanah (the trust) descended in the innermost (root) of the hearts of men (that is, it was in their heart innately, by Fitrah, or pure human nature).''

Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''Assure me six things and I shall assure you of Jannah''. I said what are they O Messenger of Allah? He said: prayer, Zakah, trust (Amaanah), protection of chastity, stomach and tongue.''

The Amaanah in this hadith are the Sharee'ah obligations. Some say it means 'obedience'. It also includes all commands and prohibitions. Thus, just as the Khaleefah has been given a trust (amaanah) so has the Waali, the 'Aamil, the Qadi, the member of the Shura council, the Ameer of the Army, the ambassador, the one who prays, fasts, makes pilgrimage, offers the zakah , the one who carries the Da'wah, the one who teaches people the morals, the seeker of knowledge, the Mufti, guardian of the
waqf (endowment), the secretary of the State treasury (bayt al-Maal), the salesman, khaaris (the one who evaluates the crops for zakah and kharaj), the 'Aamil responsible for the Sadaqaat, the one who surveys Kharaaji land, the mujtahid, the muhaddith, the historian, the biographers (siyar), the one responsible for the cattle, director of industry, the delegated assistant, the executive assistant, the translator, the one who teaches children Qur'an, the man responsible for his family, the woman responsible over her husband's house, the doctor, the mid-wife, the chemist, the nurse, the partner, the employee, the director of the Daar al-Khilafah, the directors under the Khaleefah's supervision, the
director of the consumer goods, director of the guest house, the director of karaj, kitchen, and maintenance, the lawyer, the man sleeping with his wife, the one who bears a secret, the media, the reporter, the correspondent who listens to news about people due to his work on the phone and on the internet and so on and so forth. Trust is something of great importance, its area is wide and no responsible person is free of it however big or small his responsibility is.

m) Piety (wara') and leaving the doubtful matters:
 Huzayfah b. al-Yamaan (ra) narrated the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''The excess of 'Ilm (knowledge) is better than the excess of 'Ibaadah (worship), and the bestof your religion is the wara' (piety, self restrain).''

n) Respecting the 'Ulama', the elderly and the pious:
 He (swt) said:

''Say: ''Are those who know equal to those who know not?'' It is only men of understanding who will remember.''
[ az-Zumar:9]

Jaabir (ra) narrated that the Prophet (saw)

Jabir (ra) reported: After the battle of Uhud, the Prophet (saw) arranged the burial of twoof the martyrs in one grave. In each case he would ask, ''Which one of them had learnt more Qur'an by heart?'' He placed whichever was thus pointed out to him, first in the Lahd

Lahd is a type of grave in which a niche is made on the left side of it to place the corpse. The grave which is straight, a common type, is called Darih. This Hadith tells about the distinction of the Hafiz and his superiority over others. Similarly, the learned, the pious and men of outstanding virtues should have preference over others.  (This is the commentary of Imam Nawawi in his Riyadh as- saliheen.)

'Abdullah b. 'Umar narrated:

''He is not one of us who shows no mercy to our younger ones and does not acknowledge the right due to our elders.''

'Ubaadah b. as-Saamit (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''He is not from my Ummah who does not acknowledge the honour due to our elders, who shows no mercy to our younger ones and nor recognises the right of our scholar.''

'Abdullah b. al-Mas'ud (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''Let those be nearest to me in Salah (prayer) who are mature and possess (religious) knowledge, then those who are nearest to them in these respects.'' He repeated this three times and then added, ''Beware of indulging in the loose talks of the markets (when you are in the mosque).''

Abu Sa'eed Samurah b. Jundub (ra) narrated:

I was a boy during the lifetime of Messenger of Allah (saw), and used to commit to my memory what he said, but I do not narrate what I preserved because there were among us people who were older than me.

Abu Musa (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''It is out of reverence to Allah that we respecting an aged Muslim, and the one who commits the Qur'an to memory and does not exaggerate pronouncing its letters and nor forgets it after memorising, and to respect the just ruler.''

o) Altruism and beneficence:

Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated:

That a man came to the Prophet (saw) and said: I am famished. He sent a word to one of his wives and she sent back a word: By Him, Who has sent you with the Truth, I have nothing but water. Then he sent a word to another and received back the same reply. He sent a word in turn to every one of them and the same reply came back. Then he said: Who will make this one his guest? One of the Ansar said: Messenger of Allah, I will. So he took him home and said to his wife: Have you anything? She answered: Nothing, except a little for the children. He said: Beguile them with something, and when they should ask for food, put them to sleep. When the guest comes in, put out the light, and make him feel that we are also eating (with him). So they sat down and the guest ate and they passed the night hungry. When he came to the Prophet (saw) in the morning, the latter said to him: Allah was well pleased with that which you did about your guest last night.

Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''Food of the two is enough for three and food of the three is enough for four.''

Once we were on a journey with Messenger of Allah (saw) when a rider came and began looking right and left. Messenger of Allah (saw) said, ''Whoever has an extra mount should offer it to him who is without it, and whoever has surplus food should give it to him who has nothing''; and he continued mentioning other properties until we thought that none of us had any right to the surplus of his own property.

p) Generosity and spending in the good causes:

He (swt) said:

''And whatsoever you spend of anything (in Allah's Cause), He will replace it''.[ Saba':39]
He (swt) said:

''And whatever you spend in good, it is for yourselves, when you spend not except seeking Allah's Countenance. And whatever you spend in good, it will be repaid to you in full, and you shall not be wronged.'' [ Al-
Baqarah:272]

He (swt) said: '' And spend (in charity) out of what We have provided for them, secretly and openly.'' [ Ar-Ra'ad:22 and
Faatir : 29 ]

''By no means shall you attain Al-Birr (piety, righteousness, etc., it means here Allah's Reward, i.e. Paradise), unless you spend (in Allah's Cause) of that which you love.'' [ Aali 'Imraan: 92]

He (swt) said:

''The likeness of those who spend their wealth in the Way of Allah, is as the likeness of a grain (of corn); it grows
seven ears, and each ear has a hundred grains. Allah gives manifold increase to whom He pleases. And Allah is
All-Sufficient for His creatures' needs, All-Knower.'' [ Al-Baqarah:261]

He (swt) said:

''And the likeness of those who spend their wealth seeking Allah's Pleasure while they in their own selves are sure and certain that Allah will reward them (for their spending in His Cause), is the likeness of a garden on a height; heavy rain falls on it and it doubles its yield of harvest. And if it does not receive heavy rain, light rain suffices it. And Allah is All-Seer of (knows well) what you do.'' [ Al-Baqarah:265]

He (swt) said:

''Those who spend their wealth (in Allah's Cause) by night and day, in secret and in public, they shall have their reward with their Lord. On them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.'' [ Al-Baqarah:274]

He (swt) said:

''Those who spend [ in Allah's Cause - deeds of charity, alms, etc.] in prosperity and in adversity] who repress anger and who pardon men; verily, Allah loves Al-Muhsinun (those who do good).'' [ 'Aali 'Imraan:134]

Ibn Mas'ud (ra) narrated that the Prophet (saw):

''There is no envy except in two: a person whom Allah has given wealth and he spends it in the right way, and a person whom Allah has given wisdom (i.e. religious knowledge) and he gives his decisions accordingly and teaches it to the others.''

Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''Every day two angels come down from Heaven and one of them says, 'O Allah! Compensate every person who spends in Your Cause,' and the other (angel) says, 'O Allah! Destroy the property of he who withholds (from spending).''

Asmaa', daughter of Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq (may Allah be pleased with them) said: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''Do not tighten (your spending), otherwise it will be tightened on you''.

Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that he heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''The example of an alms-giver and a miser is like the example of two persons who have two iron cloaks on them from their breasts to their collar bones. When the alms-giver wants to give in charity, the cloak becomes capacious till it covers his whole body to such an extent that it hides his fingertips and covers his footprints (obliterates his tracks). And when the miser wants to spend, it (the iron cloak) sticks and every ring gets stuck to its place and he tries to widen it, but it did not become wide.''

q) Turning away from the ignorant people:

He (swt) said:
''And turn away from the foolish (i.e. don't punish them).'' [ Al-A'raaf:199]

''And when the foolish address them (with bad words) they reply back with mild words of gentleness.'' [ Al-Furqaan:63]

r) Obedience:
Obedience is of two types: absolute and unrestricted obedience, which is the obedience to Allah and His Messenger and obedience confined to the good actions. However if one was ordered to commit a sin there is no obedience. Examples of restricted obedience include obedience to parents, the husband or the
Ameer. All such obedience is obligatory and their evidences are known.

Blameworthy Characteristics

a) Lying:
 Ibn Mas'ud (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''Falsehood leads to transgression and transgression leads to the Hell-fire. A man continues to speak falsehood till he is recorded with Allah as a great liar.''

Al-Hasan b. 'Ali (ra) said I memorised the following from the Messenger of Allah (saw):

''Leave that which makes you doubt for that which does not make you doubt, for honesty is peace of mind and lying is doubt.''
Reported by at-Tirmizi who said the hadith is hasan sahih.
 It is narrated that the Prophet (saw) said:

''Four traits whoever possesses them is a total hypocrite and whoever possesses some of them has an element of hypocrisy until he leaves it: the one who when he speaks he lies, when he promises he breaks his promise, when he disputes he transgresses and when he makes an agreement he violates it.''

 Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''Beware of lying for it will be with immorality, and both will be in the Hellfire.''
Reported by Ibn Hibbaan in his Sahih. 

 The Messenger of Allah (saw) very often used to ask his Companions, ''Has any one of you seen a dream, so he would narrate to him as much as Allah willed to relate. One day he (saw) said,...As for the man I came upon him while the sides of his mouth, his nostrils and his eyes were torn off from front to back, he is the symbol of the man who goes out of his house in the morning and tells lies that are spread all over the world...''

[If an informative text contains dispraise of an action, then such as action is haraam or disliked] 

Reported by al-Bukhari.
 Ibn 'Umar (ra) narrated that the Prophet (saw) said:

''The worst of lies is to pretend to have seen something which he has not seen.''

Reported by al-Bukhari.
 Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''The signs of a hypocrite are three; when he speaks he lies, when he makes a promise he breaks it and when he is given a trust he betrays it.''

It has been narrated that 'Ayisha (ra) said:

''There is no (bad) moral the Messenger of Allah hates more than lying; had he revealed any part of it, coming from his heart, he would then know he needed a repentance (of it)''.

Reported by Ahmad, al-Bazzaar and Ibn Hibbaan in his Sahih. Al-Haakim declared it as sahih with which az-Zahabi agreed.

 Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''There are three (types of) people to whom Allah will not speak on the Day of Resurrection, and nor will He purify them, nor look at them, and they will have a painful punishment. These are: An aged man who commits Zina (illicit sexual act), a ruler who lies, and a proud poor person.''

 Bahz b. Haakim (ra) narrated from his father who narrated from his grandfather Mu'awiyyah b. Haydah (ra), he said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''Woe be on one who speaks and lies in order to make people laugh, woe be on him, woe be on him.''
Reported by at-Tirmizi who said: this hadith is hasan sahih. It has also been reported by Abu Dawud, Ahmad, ad-Daarimi and al-Bayhaqi.

 Hakeem b. Hizaam (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''Both parties in a business transaction have a right to annul it so long as they have not departed from each other. Moreover if they tell the truth and make everything clear to each other (i.e., the seller and the buyer speak the truth, the seller with regard to what is purchased, and the buyer with regard to the money) they will be blessed in their transaction. However if they conceal anything and lie, they may get some benefit but they eliminate the blessing of their transaction. The illicit oath might promote the commodity, but it destroys the earning.''

 Rifaa'ah b. Raafi' b. Maalik b. al-'Ijlaani az-Zarqa al-Ansaari (ra) said:

''O traders! They responded ,to the Messenger of Allah and raised their necks and eyes towards him. He (saw) said: 'Traders on the Day of Judgment will be raised as immoral except the one who feared Allah, was righteous and honest.''

'Abd ar-Rahman b. Shabal (ra) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) say:

''Traders are liars/immoral,'' they said; O Messenger of Allah! Has not Allah (swt) permitted trade? He said: Of course, but they take oaths and thus fall into sin, and they speak and thus lie.''

Abu Zarr (ra) narrated that the Prophet (saw) said:

''There are three (types of) people to whom Allah will neither speak on the Day of Resurrection and nor look at them nor purify them, and they will have a painful chastisement.'' The Messenger of Allah (saw) repeated it three times. Abu Zarr (May Allah be pleased with him) remarked: ''They are ruined. Who are they, O Messenger of Allah?'' Upon this, the Messenger of Allah (saw) said, ''One who lets down his lower garments (below his ankles) out of arrogance, one who boasts of his favours done to another; and who sells his goods by taking a false oath.''
(Reported by Muslim).

Salman (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''There are three (types of) people to whom Allah will not speak on the Day of Resurrection: An aged man who commits Zina (illicit sexual act), a proud poor person, and a person who made Allah as goods for himself, where he does not buy except with taking an oath and does not sell except with taking an oath.''

Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that the Prophet (saw) said:

''(There are) three (types of persons to whom) Allah will neither speak to them on the Day of Resurrections, nor look at them. (They are) a man who takes a false oath that he has been offered for a commodity a price greater than what he has actually been offered. A man who takes a false oath after the 'Asr (prayer) in order to grab the property of a Muslim through it. And a man who forbids others to use the remaining superfluous water. To such a man Allah will say on the Day of Resurrection, 'Today I withhold My Blessings from you as you withheld the superfluous part of that (water) which your hands did not
create.''


The issue of lying relates two matters

First: Use of double meaning (tawriyah) and ma'aareed (turning the attention of the listener to a different meaning): It is the expression, which has an obvious meaning but one is intending another meaning different to the apparent meaning. It might apply to an expression, which is open to two meanings; one is likely while the other is remote. One intends by it the remote meaning but the listener understands the likely or probable meaning, which immediately comes to one's mind. We can see this in the hadith of Anas (ra) reported by al-Bukhari: One of the sons of Abu Talha became sick and died and Abu Talha at that time was not at home. When his wife saw that he was dead, she
prepared him (washed and shrouded him) and placed him somewhere in the house. When Abu Talha came, he asked, ''How is the boy?'' She said, ''The child is quiet and I hope he is in peace.'' Abu Talha thought that she had spoken the truth. Or as in the hadith of Ibn 'Abbas reported by Ibn Hibbaan in his Sahih: ''When Surat Al-Lahab was revealed, the wife of Abu Lahab came looking for the Prophet (saw) while Abu Bakr (ra) was sitting beside him. Abu Bakr said to the Prophet (saw), ''wish if you get
aside (or go away) as she is coming to us; she may harm you.'' The Prophet (saw) said, ''There will be a screen set between me and her.'' Therefore, she did not see him (saw). She said to Abu Bakr, ''Your companion is saying poetry against me.'' Abu Bakr said: ''By Allah, he does not say poetry.'' She said, ''I do believe you?'' Then she left. Abu Bakr said, ''Did not she see you?'' The Prophet (saw) said,

''An angel was screening me from her.''
We see this also in the hadith of Anas (ra) reported by Ahmad, at-Tirmizi in his ash-Shamaa'il and al- Baghawi in his Sharh as-Sunnah. It has been graded as sahih by Ibn Hajar in al-Isaabah. 

Anas (ra) says:
That there was a man from the desert people whose name was Zahir. He used to bring gifts from the desert to the Prophet (saw), and in return the Prophet (saw) would provide him with whatever he needed when he wanted to go out. The Prophet (saw) said,

''Zahir is our man of the desert, and we are his town-dwellers.'' The Prophet (saw) loved him very much, and he (Zahir) was an ugly man. One day the Prophet (saw) came to him whilst he was selling some goods. He embraced him from behind. The man could not see him, so he said, ''Let me go! Who is this?'' Then he turned around and recognised the Prophet (saw), so he tried to move closer to him once he knew who it was. The Prophet (saw) started to say, ''Who will buy this servant?'' Zahir said, ''O Messenger of Allah (saw), you will find me unfit for sale.'' The Prophet (saw) said, ''But in the sight of Allah (swt) you are not unfit for sale,'' or he said, ''But in the sight of Allah (saw) you are valuable.''

Second: lying which is permitted: Lying is permitted in war, to bring reconciliation between spouses due to the hadith of Umm Kalthum daughter of 'Uqbah b. Abu Mu'ait (ra) as reported by
Muslim. She said: ''I never heard him give dispensation for what people say except in three cases; in war, to bring reconciliation between people and a man is speaking to his wife and wife speaking to her husband.''

Also Jabir b. 'Abd Allah (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''War is deception.''

Asmaa' bint Yazeed narrated that she heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) addressing the people:

''O people, what does force you to follow up one lie after another as moths follow each other into the fire. Each lie shall be written against the son of Adam except a man lying to his wife to please her, a man lying as part of the deception of war or a man lying to two Muslims to bring about reconciliation between them.'' 

Ibn Hajar said in his al-Fath al-Baari: 'The scholars agreed that what was meant by lying in respect to husband and wife is in matters where a duty is not neglected by him or her and where one does not take what belongs to the other.' 

An-Nawawi said in Sharh Sahih Muslim: 'as regards lying to one's wife and vice versa, what's meant is to show love, make promises which are not binding etc. As for deception to prevent him or her from a duty or to take a right that does not come under this subject, rather this is haraam according to the Ijmaa' of the Muslims.' As an example, regarding the obligatory duty of paying Nafaqah (maintenance) the husband says 'I did not find any food in the market' or if the wife who has been called to bed by her husband says 'I am in a state of menses'.

b) Breaking one's promise:

Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''The signs of a hypocrite are three; when he speaks he lies, when he makes a promise he breaks it and when he is given a trust he betrays it.''

The hypocrisy here is one of action and not rejection i.e. the hypocrisy does not relate to the creed and thus it is haraam and not kufr. As for hypocrisy in belief this is kufr, may Allah save us from it.

c) Swearing and bad language:
 'Ayisha (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''Be calm, O 'Ayisha! Take care of kindness, and beware of harshness and bad language.''

'Ayisha (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

'Iyad b. Himaar al-Jaashi'I (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) one day said in his khutbah:

''The inmates of Hell are of five types: (counted them till) and those who are in the habit of abusing people (shanzeer) and using obscene and foul language...''

Reported by Muslim. The meaning of shanzeer is the one who had bad morals.Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said

''Modesty is part of Imaan (faith) and it leads one to Jannah. Obscenity is part of aversion/estrangement and aversion leads one to jahannam (hell).''

Ibn Mas'ud (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''A believer is not he who defames or curses and is neither the obscene nor the foul in speech.''

d) Gossip:
 Al-Mugheerah b. Shu'bah (ra) narrated: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) say:

''Allah (swt) hates that you do three things: gossip, wasting property and excessive questioning.'' (Agreed upon).

Jabir b. 'Abd Allah (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''The dearest and nearest among you to me on the Day of Resurrection will be one who is the best of you in manners; and the most abhorrent among you to me and the farthest of you from me will be the prattler/chatterbox, the boaster/bigmouth, and Al-Mutafaihiqun.'' The Companions asked him: ''O Messenger of Allah! We know about the pompous and the garrulous, but we do not know who Al-Mutafaihiqun are.'' He replied: ''The arrogant people.''

Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that he heard the Prophet (saw) say:

''Verily Allah's servant may utter a word without realizing what it contains [whether it is a good or a bad word], and because of it he will stumble into the Fire a distance greater than what lies between the East and West.''

e) Hating a Muslim or the Muslims:

Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''... It is enough of a sin for a Muslim to hate his fellow Muslim brother.''

f) Mocking or making fun of a Muslim:

He (swt) said:

''O you who believe! Let not a group scoff at another group, it may be that the latter are better than the former; nor
let (some) women scoff at other women, it may be that the latter are better than the former, nor defame one another,
nor insult one another by nicknames. How bad is it, to insult one's brother after having Faith [i.e. to call your Muslim brother (a faithful believer) as: ''O sinner'', or ''O wicked'', etc.]. And whosoever does not repent, then such are indeed Zalimun (wrong-doers, etc.).''

Al-Hasan (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''Verily those people that make fun of people – for them a gate of Jannah will be opened. It will be said to them: Come (and enter). That person will come with all of his anguish and depression – but when he gets close, the gate will be closed in his face. Then another gate (to Jannah) will be opened and it will be said: Come (and enter). So that person comes with all of his anguish and depression. But when he gets close, the gate will be closed in his face. This will keep happening to him until it gets to the point where it will be said to someone: Come (and enter), and he will not come out of despair from ever entering paradise.''

g) Showing malice towards a Muslim:
 Waathilah b. al-Asqa' (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''Do not show malice towards your brother otherwise Allah will have mercy on him and test you.'' Reported by at-Tirmizi who said the hadith is hasan.

h) Betrayal:

Abdullah b. 'Amr (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said :

''There are four traits which if a person has will be true hypocrite. Anyone who has one of these four traits will have a trait of hypocrisy until he leaves it:..and when he gives a pledge he betrays it....'' Agreed upon.

Ibn Mas'ud, Ibn 'Umar and Anas narrated that the Prophet (saw) said:

''For every betrayer (perfidious person), a flag will be raised on the Day of Resurrection, and it will be announced (publicly) 'This is the betrayal (perfidy) of so-and-so.'' 

Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri (ra) narrated that the Prophet (saw) said:


''Every traitor will have a flag tied to his buttocks on the Day of Judgment. It will beraised according to the level of his treachery. Nay, there is no treachery graver than the
treachery of the Ameer of the people.'' 

Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that the Prophet (saw) said that Allah (swt) said:

''I will be an opponent to three types of people on the Day of Resurrection; One who makes a covenant in My Name, but he betrays it...'' Reported by al-Bukhari.

'Amr b. al-Hamq (ra) narrated: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) say:

''Any man who entrusted his life with another person and then that person killed him then I will have nothing to do with the killer even if the one killed was a disbeliever.''

Abu Bakrah (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''The one who unjustly kills a person with whom there is a covenant he will not smell the fragrance of Jannah, though it can be smelled from a distance of five hundred years journey.''

i) Reminding someone of a gift or a good deed one has done for that person:

 He (swt) said:

''O you who believe! Do not render in vain your Sadaqah (charity) by reminders of your generosity or by injury.''
[ Al-Baqarah: 264]

Abu Zarr (ra) narrated that the Prophet (saw) said:

''There are three (types of) people to whom Allah will neither speak on the Day of Resurrection nor look at them nor purify them, and they will have a painful chastisement.'' The Messenger of Allah (saw) repeated it three times. Abu Zarr (ra) remarked: ''They are ruined. Who are they, O Messenger of Allah?'' Upon this, the Messenger of Allah (saw) said, ''One who lets down his lower garments (below his ankles) out of arrogance, one who boasts of his favours done to another; and who sells his goods by taking a false oath.''

j) Envy: which means to hope that another person loses the blessing he has been granted. As for hope that one has the like of something this is ghibtah (to desire or wish for something) and it this is allowed.

''Or do they envy men (Muhammad SAW and his followers) for what Allah has given them of His Bounty?'' [ an-Nisaa:54] He (swt) said:

''And from the evil of the envier when he envies." [ Al-Falaq:5]

Anas (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

'...do not envy each other...'

Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''The dust raised on account of fighting in the path of Allah and the smoke of Hell will never exist together within the heart of a believer, and nor shall Imaan and envy reside
within the heart of the believer''. Reported by Ahmad, al-Bayhaqi, an-Nasaai and Ibn Hibbaanin his Sahih.

Damrah b. Tha'labah (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''The people will remain in goodness as long as they do not envy each other.''

Az-Zubayr (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''The sickness of the previous nations will creep into you, i.e. jealousy and hatred. These sicknesses are shavers; I don't say they shave hair but they shave the Deen.''

 'Abdullah b. 'Amr (ra) narrated that:

The Messenger of Allah (saw) was asked; which people are the best? He said: every makhmum al-Qalb and honest tongue. They said: We know what is an honest tongue but what is makhmum al-qalb? He said: Every God-fearing and pure heart which harbors no sin, injustice, hatred or envy.''

k) Cheating:
 Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''The one who cheats us is not one of us.''

Ma'qil b. Yasaar (ra) narrated: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) say:

''Any servant who has been given charge by Allah to look after the people and dies whilst cheating them then Paradise will be forbidden to him.''

l) Deception:
 'Abdullah b. Mas'ud (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''The one who cheats us is not one of us, cheating and deception will be in the hell-fire.'' Reported by Ibn Hibbaan in his Sahih.

'Iyaad b. Himaar al-Majaashi'i (ra) narrated that one day the Messenger of Allah (saw) said in his sermon (khutbah):

''...The inmates of Hell are of five types: and one of them is a man who betrays you morning and evening, in regard to your family and your property.''

m) Anger for other than Allah's sake:

Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that:

A man said to the Prophet (saw) give me admonition. He said: do not get angry. The man repeated it three times and he (saw) said: do not get angry.'

Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that the Prophet (saw) said:

''The strong is not the one who can wrestle another person down but the one who controls himself when angry.''

Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri (ra) narrated: one day the Messenger of Allah prayed salat al-Asr with us, then he stood to address us and we memorised the following words from him that day:

''The sons of Adam have been created in various categories. Some are slow to anger and swift to cool down. Some others are swift to anger and swift to cool down, thus one of them makes up for the other. Some of them are also swift to anger and slow to cool down; but the best of them are those who are slow to anger and swift to cool down, and the worst of them are those who are swift to anger and slow to cool down.'' He continued, ''Beware of anger, for it is a live coal in the heart of the son of Adam. Do you not notice the redness of his eyes and the swelling of the veins of his neck? So when anyone experiences anything of that nature he should lie down and cleave to the earth.'' Reported by at-Tirmizi who said the hadith is hasan sahih.

Ibn 'Umar (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

Ibn 'Abbas (ra) narrated regarding the saying of Allah (swt)

''Repel (the evil) with one which is better.'' [ Fussilat:31]

n) To think badly of Muslims:

He (swt) said:

''O you who believe! Avoid much suspicions, indeed some suspicions are sins.'' [ Al-Hujuraat:12]

Ibn 'Abbas said in the Tafseer (exegeses) of this ayah: Allah (swt) forbade the believer from thinking badly of another believer.

Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:''Beware of suspicion for suspicion is the most mendacious of talk.''

To think badly of a believer who is apparently good and upright is not allowed. Rather it is recommended that one thinks well of him. As for the Muslim who on the surface looks dubious then
it is allowed to think badly of him due to the hadith of 'Ayisha reported by al-Bukhari where she said: The Messenger of Allah said:

''I don't believe so and so people know anything about our Deen,'' and in another version:

''I don't believe so and so people know anything about the Deen we follow.'' Al-Bukhari said: al-Layth b. Sa'd said the two men were from the hypocrites.

o) Being two faced:
 Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''One of the most evil of people is the two-faced person who shows one face to these people and another face to those people.''

Muhammad b. Zayd (ra) narrated that some people said to his grandfather 'Abdullah b. 'Umar (ra):

''We enter the presence of our rulers and we say to them things different to what we say when we come out. He said: In the time of the Messenger of Allah (saw) we used to
consider this as hypocrisy.'' Reported by al-Bukhari.

'Ammar b. Yaasir (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:
''The one who has two faces in this world, on the Day of Judgment he will have two tongues made out of fire.''

p) Injustice:

Ibn 'Umar (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''Injustice will be darkness on the Day of Resurrection.''

Abu Musa (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw):

''Allah gives respite to the wrongdoer until, when He seizes him, He does not let him go.'' and then recited:

''Such is the Seizure of your Lord when He seizes the (population of) towns while they are doing wrong. Verily, His Seizure is painful, and severe.'' [ Hud:102]

Ibn 'Abbas (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) sent Mu'az to Yemen and said:
''Fear the du'a of the oppressed for between it and Allah there is no barrier.''

Abu Zarr (ra) narrated that the Prophet (saw) narrated from his Lord 'azza wa jalla that He said:

''O my servants! I have forbidden injustice upon myself and I have made it forbidden amongst you as well, so do not commit injustice against each other.'' Reported by Muslim.

Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that the Prophet (saw) said:

''He who has done a wrong affecting his brother's honour, or anything else, must ask his forgiveness for it now before he will have neither dinar or dirham. If he has any good deed to his credit it would be out of his credit that the measure of his wrongdoing would be deducted, but if he has no good deeds it will be taken from the other's evil deeds and laid upon him.''

Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim: he neither oppresses him nor does he fail him, he neither lies to him nor does he hold him in contempt. Piety is right here-and he pointed to his breast twice. It is evil enough for a man to hold his brother Muslim in contempt. The whole of a Muslim for another Muslim is inviolable: his blood, his honour, and his property.''

Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''Three people's supplications will not be rejected: a just ruler, a fasting person until he breaks his fast, and an oppressed person, where Allah raises it over the cloud and opens the gates of heavens for it. The Lord says: By My Glory, I will help you, even after some time.''

'Uqbah b. 'Aamir al-Juhani (ra) narrated that the Prophet (saw) said:

''The supplications of three people are answered: the father, traveller and the oppressed.''

Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''The du'a of the oppressed is answered even if he is a transgressor for the transgression is against himself.''

q) Speech contradicting action:

He (swt) said:

''Enjoin you Al-Birr (piety and righteousness and each and every act of obedience to Allah) on the people and you forget (to practice it) yourselves, while you recite the Scripture [the Taurat (Torah)]! Have you then no sense?''
[ Al-Baqarah:44] 

This ayah is an address to the children of Israel. It is from the Sharee'ah before us though in the end of the ayah Allah drew out attention to His statement to them: 'Afalaa thawqiloon'. It means the one who does what they did, does not think. Thus, this became a speech for us. 

He (swt) said:

''O you who believe! Why do you say that which you do not do? Most hateful it is with Allah that you say that
which you do not do.'' [ as-Saff:2-3]

Usamah b. Zayd (ra) narrated: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) say:

On the Day of Judgment, a man will be brought and thrown into Hell, as a result of this, his intestines will come out, and he will go circling and holding his intestines like a donkey running a mill. His companions in the Hellfire will ask him: O you! What is the matter? Did you not order people to do good and avoid evil? He will say: That is so. I enjoined others to do good, but did not do it myself; and I forbade them from doing evil but did it myself.

Jundub b. 'Abd Allah al-Azadi (ra), the companion of the Prophet (saw), narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''The example of the one who teaches the people good and forgets himself is like the lamp which gives others light but itself burns out.''

r) Purifying oneself to show off to others:
 He (swt) said:

''So ascribe not purity to yourselves. He knows best him who fears Allah and keep his duty to Him.'' [ an-Najm:32]
 Muhammad b. 'Amr b. 'Ataa said: I named my daughter Barrah. Zaynab bint Abu Salamah said to me:

(She said): I was also called Barrah, but Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Don't hold yourself to be pious (the meaning of barrah is pious). It is God alone who knows the people of piety among you. They (the Companions) said: Then, what name should we give to her? He said: Name her as Zaynab. 

The blameworthy purification is when there is no legitimate reason. It is the pride that results when someone is impressed with himself. As for when there is a legitimate need i.e. the Sharee'ah has approved, then it is allowed.

1)That of being a Prophet who has been commanded to discus his Prophethood since the position of Prophethood in this world and in the Hereafter requires it. 

The hadith of Abu Hurayrah (ra) with the following wording:

''I am the leader of mankind on the Day of Judgment.'' 

2) That it is from a scholar by which he wants to drive people to take from him, because he considers he has knowledge people want it, but not for pride or boasting over others. This is like the hadith of Ibn Mas'ud, ahich is agreed upon, he said:

''The companions of the Messenger of Allah (saw) knew I am more informed of the Book of Allah than them. Had there been any one more informed than me with it I would have travelled to him (to learn from him)''.

Al-Bukhari added after the words (in the Book of Allah), the words (and I am not better than them). An-Nawawi mentioned in sharh Muslim (elaboration on sahih Muslim): The Sahabah did
not object to the saying of Ibn Mas'ud. Similar to this is that which came in the hadeeth of Abt at- Tafeel, 'Aamir b. Wathilah, he said: I heard 'Ali (ra) stood up and said:

''Ask me before you lose me; and you will not ask after me any one like me. Ibn al-Kawaa' stood up and said: Who are those who changed the bounty of Allah into kufr, and placed their people the house of loss? He said, they are the hypocrites of Quraysh. He said: who are those whose effort goes astray in the life of the world, and yet they reckon that they do good work? He said, from these are the people of Harooraa'.'' 

3) To repel evil away from him, as in the hadith of Aby Abdel Rahman, Abdullah b. Habib b. Rabee'ah that came in al-Bukhari, and he is one of the great tabi'een.

''That when 'Uthman (ra) was under siege he looked over to them and said: I ask you by Allah, and I only ask the companions of the Prophet (saw). Don't you know that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: Whoever dug Roomah (a spring of water) he would have the jannah, so I dug it. Don't you know that he (saw) said: Whoever equipped the army of 'usrah (difficult ghazwa of Tabuk) he would have the jannah, so I equipped them. He said, they agreed to what he said''. The words of 'Uthman were in the presence of the sahabah, they believed him and did not consider his words an objectionable self-praising.

q) Greed and avarice:

He (swt) said:

''And whosoever is saved from his own covetousness, then they are the successful ones.'' [ at-Taghaabun:.16]

He (swt) said:
''And whosoever is saved from his own covetousness, then they are the successful ones. But he who is greedy miser and thinks himself self-sufficient . And gives the lie to Al-Husna; We will make smooth for him the path for evil.'' [
Al-Layl:8-10]

Jabir (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''Fear miserliness for it destroyed those who came before you and led them to spill their blood and violate the prohibitions.'' Reported by Muslim.

Anas (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''O Allah! I seek refuge from you from miserliness...'' Reported by Muslim.

Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''The worst evil that is in a person is the appalling miserliness and wanton cowardice.''
Reported by Ahmad and Ibn Hibbaan in his Sahih.

Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that the Messenger for Allah (saw) said:

''...Miserliness and Imaan can never reside at the same time in the heart of the servant.''
Reported by Ahmad, Ibn Hibbaan in his Sahih and al-Haakim.

r) Separation and bearing mutual enmity:

 Anas (ra) narrated (saw) that the Prophet (saw) said:

''Do not boycott each other, bear enmity between each other, hate each other, envy each other, be servants of Allah as brothers. It is not allowed for a Muslim to break relations with his brother for more than three days.'' Agreed upon.

Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''The actions are presented every Monday and Thursday. On the day Allah a'zza wa jalla will forgive anyone who does not commit shirk with Allah, except a man between him and his brother there was a grudge. He will say: leave these two until they make up.'' 

Abu Ayyub (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''It is not lawful for a Muslim to desert (stop talking to) his brother beyond three nights, the one turning one way and the other turning to the other way when they meet. The better of the two persons is the one who begins with salaam.'' If the break in relations is for the sake of Allah then it is allowed. For example, it has been authentically narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) ordered the three who stayed behind (form the battle of Tabuk) to be boycotted.

s) Abuse and curse:
Cursing the righteous is haraam according to the consensus of the Muslims. However it is allowed to curse the reprehensible attributes such as when someone says: ' May Allah curse the tyrants, may Allah curse the disbelieves, may Allah curse the Jews and Christians, may Allah curse the transgressors
(fasiqoon), may Allah curse those who draw.' etc.

The evidences that prohibit cursing a believer are the hadith narrated by Zayd Thabit b. ad-Dahhak al-Ansaari (ra) who said the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''Cursing the believer is like killing him.'' Agreed upon. The hadith of Abu Dardaa' (ra) who said the Messengers of Allah (saw) said:

''Those who curse will not be the intercessors and nor witnesses on the Day of Judgment.''. And the hadith of Ibn Mas'ud (ra), which states that the Messenger of Allah
(saw) said

''Abusing the Muslim is transgression...''

The hadith of Abd Allah b. 'Amr who narrated that that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''The biggest of the grave sins (kabaa'ir) is that a man should curse his parents,'' He (saw) was asked: ''How can a man curse his own parents?'' He replied: ''that he should curse someone else's father and so he curses his father. Or that he curses someone else's mother so he curses his mother.''' Reported by al-Bukhari.

As regards the permission to curse those with specific attributes, the evidence for this is the following:
He (swt) said:

''Those among the Children of Israel who disbelieved were cursed by the tongue of Dawud (David) and 'Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary). That was because they disobeyed (Allah and the Messengers) and were ever transgressing beyond bounds.'' [ Al-Maa'idah:78]

He (swt) said:

''Verily, Allah has cursed the disbelievers.'' [ Al-Ahzaab33: 64]

He (swt) said:

''The Curse of Allah upon those who lie." [ Aali 'Imraan:61.]
He (swt) said: ''No doubt! the curse of Allah is on the Zalimun (polytheists, wrong-doers.'' [ Hud11:..18]
He (swt) said:
''They are the ones cursed by Allah and cursed by the cursers.'' [ Al-Baqarah:.159.]

From the Sunnah we have the hadith of 'Ayisha (ra) who said the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

May Allah curse the Jews and Christians because they took the graves of their Prophets as places of worship.'' 

 The hadith of Ibn 'Umar (ra) who said the Messenger of Allah
(saw) said:

''Allah cursed the Jews and forbade them the fat of carrion but they embellished them and
sold them.'' 

 The hadith of Abu Hurayrah (ra) who narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''The Prophet has cursed those women who connect other women's hair with other hair (to make it long) and those who get their hair connected with other hair; and those who practice tattooing and those who get themselves tattooed.'' 

 The hadith of Ibn 'Abbas (ra) who said:

''The Messenger of Allah (saw) cursed those men who look for resemblance with women and those women who look for resemblance with men.''

''Allah cursed the one who accepted usury, the one who paid it, the one who recorded it, and the witness to it if they knew.' And he said they are the same..'' 

t) Audacity in committing minor sins:
 Sahl b. Sa'd (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''Beware of the minor sins which are often thought of as insignificant, for they are like a group of people who camped in the bottom of a valley. One of them brought a stick, and
another brought a stick, until they had gathered enough to cook their food. These minor sins, if a person is called to account for them, will destroy him.'' 

 'Ayisha (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''Beware of the minor sins, for there are some people who will request from Allah to account for them …'' Reported by an-Nasaa'i, Ibn Maajah and Ibn Hibbaan in his Sahih. 

Anas (ra) said:

''You do things which in your eyes are less significant than a hair, but at the time of the Messenger of Allah, we used to count them as things that could destroy a man.'' Reported
by Bukhari.

u) The rich deferring someone's right when the owner demands his right:

He (swt) said:
''Then if one of you entrust the other, let the one who is entrusted discharge his trust (faithfully).'' [ Al-
Baqarah:.283]

Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''Delay in payment by a rich man is injustice, but when one of you is referred for payment to a wealthy man, let him be referred.''

Ash-Shareed b. Suwayd ath-Thaqafi (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''The delay of the rich of paying the debt justifies the violation of his honour and justifies his punishment.''

Abu Zarr (ra) narrated that the Messengers of Allah (saw) said:

''There are three that Allah loves and three that Allah hates.'' he quoted the hadith until he came to the part:

''The three that Allah hates are: an old man who commits adultery, the poor man who is arrogant and the unjust wealthy person.'' Reported by Ibn Khuzaymah and Ibn Hibbaan in their Sahihs. 

v) Bad neighbourliness:

Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that the Prophet (saw) said:

''By Allah, he does not believe! By Allah, he does not believe! By Allah, he does not believe!'' It was said, ''Who is that person, O Allah's Messenger?'' He said, ''That person whose neighbour does not feel safe from his evil.''

Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that the Messengers of Allah (saw) said:

''The one who believes in Allah and the Last Day shall not harm his neighbour.''

Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that the Prophet (saw) said:

''My Lord, I seek refuge with you from a bad neighbour in my place of abode. For a temporary neighbour is bound to depart.'' Reported by Ibn Hibbaan in his Sahih. Also reported by al-Haakim, an-Nasaa'i and al-Bukhari in al-Adab al-Mufrad.

Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that:

A man came to the Messenger of Allah complaining about his neighbour. The Prophet said: Go and be patient. He came him twice or three times, so he said: ''Go and take your things out into the road.'' The man did as the Prophet had suggested. People gathered around him asking him what was the matter with him. He told them that he had a neighbour who caused him harm and that he complained to the Prophet who told him to go and put his things out into the road. People cursed him and prayed Allah to visit him with disgrace. The man was informed of what happened. He came directly and said to his neighbour: ''Go back to your house. By Allah, I will cause you no harm whatsoever.''

Sa'd b. Abi Waqqas (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''Four things bring happiness. And four things bring misery: The bad neighbour, bad wife, bad mounting ride and narrow living space.'' Reported by Ibn Hibbaan in his Sahih and
Ahmad reported it with a sahih isnad.

w) Betrayal:

He (swt) said:

''Certainly Allah likes not the treacherous.'' [ Al-Anfaal:..58]

''O you who believe! Betray not Allah and His Messenger, nor betray knowingly your Amanat (things entrusted to you,
and all the duties which Allah has ordained for you).'' [ Al-Anfaal:27]

'Iyaad b. Himaar al-Majaashi'I (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said one day in his Khutbah:

''..The inmates of Hell are of five types:... those dishonest people whose greed cannot be concealed even in the case of minor things...''

Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''When the trust (amaanah) is lost then wait for the Final Hour.'' He was asked: ''how will it be lost? He said: ''when authority is given to those who do not deserve it, then wait for the Final Hour.'' Al-Bukhari.


Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) used to say:

''O Allah! I seek refuge in You from hunger; surely, it is the worst companion. And I seek refuge in You from treachery; surely, it is a bad entourage.''

Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw)

''Allah says: 'I am the third of the two partners unless one of them betrays his companion, so if one of them betrays his companion I withdraw from them.''

x) Backbiting and slander:

Backbiting means to mention something about your brother which he does not like. If it is not true then it is slander. Both are haraam due to the following evidences:

He (swt) said:

''Neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it (so hate backbiting)] . And fear Allah. Verily, Allah is the One Who accepts repentance, Most Merciful.'' [ Al-Hujuraat:12]

Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''Do you know what gheebah is?'' They said, ''Allah and His Messenger know best.'' He said, ''It is to mention something about your brother (in his absence) that he would hate.''
It was said, 'What if what I say about my brother is true?' He (saw) said: ''If what you said about him is true then you would have backbitten him, and if it is not true, then you would have slandered him (buhtaan).'' Reported by Muslim.

Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that the Messenger for Allah (saw) said:

''Every thing of a Muslim is sacred to one another in his blood, honour and property''

Abu Bakrah (ra) narrated that the Messenger for Allah (saw) said in his farewell speech:

''Verily your blood and your wealth and your honour are sacred (to one another) as the sacredness of this day, as the sacredness of this month, as the sacredness of this land. O Allah, have I given the message?''

'Ayisha (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said to his companions:

''Do you know what the worst form of usury is in the sight of Allah?'' They said, ''Allah and His Messenger know best'' The Prophet (peace be on him) replied, ''The worst form of usury is the violation of the personal honour of a Muslim.'' He then recited, ''Those who harm believing men and believing women undeservedly have laid upon themselves a calumny and a manifest sin.''

Listening to backbiting is haraam due to the saying of Allah (swt):

''And those who turn away from Al-Laghw (dirty, false, evil vain talk, falsehood, and all that Allah has forbidden).'' [ Al-Mu'minoon:3] He (swt) said:

And when you (Muhammad SAW) see those who engage in a false conversation about Our Verses (of the Qur'an) by mocking at them, stay away from them till they turn to another topic. And if Shaitan (Satan) causes you to forget, then after the remembrance sit not you in the company of those people who are the Zalimun (polytheists and wrongdoers, etc.).'' [ Al-An'aam:68] 

The Muslim should defend the honour of his brother in his absence due to the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (ra) reported by Muslim:

''The Muslim is the brother of another Muslim, he is not unjust to him, and nor does he desert him.''
The one who is able but does not defend his brother in his absence then that constitutes deserting him. This is due to the hadith of Jabir (ra) reported by Abu Dawud. Al-Haythami said the isnad is hasan. The hadith states that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''No (Muslim) man will desert a man who is a Muslim in a place where his respect may be violated and his honour aspersed without Allah deserting him in a place where he wishes his help; and no (Muslim) man who will help a Muslim in a place where his honour may be aspersed and his respect violated without Allah helping him in a place where he wishes his help.''

The scholars permitted backbiting for six reasons: to complain, in seeking help to change a munkar, seeking a legal verdict, warning Muslims of evil, which is considered naseehah, mentioning the sin of the one who openly commits sins and to introduce someone.

y) Spreading calumnies (an-Nameemah):

He (swt) said:

''A slanderer, going about with calumnies.'' [ Noon:11]

Huzayfah (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''The person who goes about with calumnies will never enter Jannah.''

Ibn 'Abbas (ra) narrated that the messenger of Allah (saw) passed by two graves and said:

''Verily, they (occupants of the two graves) are both being tormented and they are not being tormented for something major.'' 

In the report from Al-Bukhari: ''Rather, it is indeed something major. As for the first one, he used to go around spreading gossip (nameemah) and as for the other, he used not to protect himself from his own urine.''

z) Cutting relations:


 He (swt) said:

''Would you then, if you were given the authority, do mischief in the land, and sever your ties of kinship? Such are they whom Allah has cursed, so that He has made them deaf and blinded their sight.'' [ Muhammad:.22- 23.]

Abu Muhammad Jubayr b. Mut'im (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''The one who severs ties with the relations will not enter Paradise.''

Abu 'Abd ar-Rahmaan (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said;

''Allah created His creation, and when He finished it, the kinship (unmarriageable female relatives) got up and said, ''I seek refuge with you from Al-Qati'ah (breaking ties with me by kith and kin).'' On that Allah said, ''Will you be satisfied if I bestow My Favours on him who keeps your ties, and withheld My Favours from him who cuts your ties?'' On that it said, ''Yes, O my Lord!'' Then Allah said, ''That is given for you.''

Al-Bukhari reported in his Sahih that the Prophet (saw) said:

''The Al-wasil (the one who keeps good ties with kith and kin) is not the one who recompenses the good done to him by his relatives, but Al-wasil is the one who keeps good relations with those relatives who had severed the bond of kinship with him.''

'Ayisha (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

''The rahim (unmarriagable female relatives) is tied to the Throne (of Allah) and it says, ''With him who keeps me united, Allah will keep connection, but with him who severs me, Allah will sever connection.''

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