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Wild Rumors

After the battle of Uhud, 'Aisha (رضالله عنها) lost her necklace; so while the Muslim army moved forward, she stayed behind to find it. The army had a lost-and-found guy--Sawfan ibn Mu'atib (رضالله عنه)--who travelled behind the army and picked up lost items. So when he saw her, he immediately said la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah (there is no might or power except Allah), hopped off his camel, and let her go on it. Not one word passed between them (as they narrated later).

When they reached Medina, rumors sprang up: 'Aisha and Sawfan committed zina. Rumours by Abdullah ibn Ubay, the chief of the hypocrites.

Four groups emerged during this great fitnah--a fitnah where people offered to kill Sawfan. A fitnah where the Messenger of Allah himself (صلي الله عليه وسلم) drew back from his wife, unsure what to do. (Though Allah revealed verses confirming her innocence, after a month.) Who were these four groups?

1. Gossip-Mongers: one group actively took it upon themselves to spread the vicious rumors (and they even knew it was false).
2. Echoers: one group didn't believe in it, but they still passed it on to others, anyway--and so word spread quickly.
3. The Silent Ones: one group remained silent. Completely. They didn't say she did it, they didn't say she didn't do it; they side-stepped the fitnah.
4. Deniers: one group--even though they had no evidence--denied it. Some said "we only know good of Sawfan (رضالله عنه) and 'Aisha (رضالله عنه)." And this is how Muslims should be--husnul thunn, or giving our brothers and sisters the benefit of the doubt.

And Allah rebuked these groups, and revealed ayaat that Muslims should not pass on unconfirmed rumors, that they should think good of their brothers and sisters. The Messenger of Allah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) even had people publicly lashed for spreading accusations without proof!

Allah says:

Translation: Verily! Those who brought forth the slander (against 'Aishah) [...] unto every man among them will be paid that which he had earned of the sin [...]. Why then, did not the believers, men and women, when you heard it (the slander) think good of their own people and say: "This (charge) is an obvious lie?" [...] Since they (the slanderers) have not produced witnesses! Then with Allah they are the liars. [...] When you were propagating it with your tongues, and uttering with your mouths that whereof you had no knowledge, you counted it a little thing, while with Allah it was very great. [Surah Noor, verses 11-15]

This happens today--you see a brother or sister at the mall walking with someone of the opposite sex. Or Muslims get arrested for purported acts of terrorism because they went paintballing once. But what should you do?

1. Default to a good opinion. Innocent until proven very guilty. You'll find that, most cases, you turn out to be right, and they really were innocent.
2. Confirm a statement before you pass it on. If it's not confirmed when it reaches you, no problem; but do confirm it before you tell others about it.
3. Don't get lashed! Remember, the Messenger of Allah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) had them lashed--those who didn't even believe it, but only passed it on! This is the level of enormity of the deed; remember it well.

And we ask Allah to make us among those who are safe from backbiting and slander, both to ourselves and to others (ameen)!

Muhammad Alshareef. Lecture. AlMaghrib. The Shepherd’s Path. University of Ryerson, Toronto. March 2007.

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1. # Sins of Tongue
   http://abdurrahman.org/character/index.html#sins

   * Hold that Tongue - by Muhammad Alshareef
   * I’m Not Lying Im Only Joking - by Muhammad Alshareef
   * To Kill a Mocking Tongue - by Muhammad Alshareef
   * Guarding the Tongue - Imaam Abu Zakariyaa Yahyaa bin Sharaf An-Nawawee
   Before you is a chapter from the great book “Al-Adhkaar” of the great scholar of the seventh century, Abu Zaakariyaa Yahyaa bin Sharaf An-Nawawee. This is a very beneficial chapter entitled “Hifdh-ul-Lisaan” [Guarding the Tongue]
   * Gossip - IslamQ&A
   * How to Stop Gossip - Shaykh Husayn al-Awaaishah
   * The Bad Consequences of the Tongue
   * The Dangers of He Said He Said - by Shaykh Rabee bin Hadee Al-Madkhalee
   * The Many Dangers of the Tongue - Imraan Hussein
   * The Islamic Ruling on Music and Singing - Abu Bilaal Mustafa al-Kanadi - Univ of Essex
   * [Audio] Bad Use of the Tongue Part1- Part2 - by Yahya Adel Ibrahim
   * [Audio] Control the Use of Tongue - by Yahya Adel Ibrahim
   * [Audio] Good Use of the Tongue Part1 - Part2 - by Yahya Adel Ibrahim
   * Look At The Tongue And The Hands - By Umm Abdur-Rahmaan - Hudaa magazine

   Comment by AbdurRahman Meda — July 7, 2007 #

2. Assalam Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah

   jazakAllaah khairan, great reminder. Sometimes humans forget (as is our nature) that we all make mistakes and we would like one to overlook our mistakes….so what makes us better than the rest of the herd (to not look over THEIR mistakes). What’s worse is what some people do - automatically think of the worst in people.

   May Allaah make us into true Believers who love for one another what we love for ourselves, Ameen

   Comment by Salafiya — July 7, 2007 #

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