Riyadh al-Salihin from the words of the Master of the Messengers, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
Chapter: The Prohibition of Spying and Eavesdropping on Those Who Dislike Being Listened To.
Allah the Exalted says: ﴾And do not spy on one another﴿.
And He the Exalted says:
“And those who malign believing men and believing women undeservedly, they bear the guilt of slander and manifest sin.” (33:58)
“And those who malign believing men and believing women undeservedly, they bear the guilt of slander and manifest sin.” (33:58)
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him:
That the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the most untruthful of speech."
"Do not seek out the faults of others, and do not spy on one another."
"Do not compete against one another, and do not envy one another."
"Do not harbor hatred for one another, and do not turn your backs on one another."
"Rather, be servants of Allah, brothers, as He has commanded you."
"The Muslim is the brother of the Muslim; he does not wrong him, nor does he abandon him, nor does he belittle him."
"Piety is here, piety is here,"
And he pointed to his chest.
"It is sufficient evil for a man to belittle his Muslim brother."
"Everything of a Muslim is sacred to another Muslim:"
"His blood, his honor, and his wealth."
"Indeed, Allah does not look at your bodies nor at your appearances,"
"But He looks at your hearts and your deeds."
In another narration: "Do not envy one another, and do not harbor hatred for one another."
"Do not spy on one another, and do not seek out the faults of others."
"And do not engage in deceptive bidding (najash)."
"And be, servants of Allah, brothers."
In another narration: "Do not cut ties with one another, and do not turn your backs on one another."
"Do not harbor hatred for one another, and do not envy one another."
"And be, servants of Allah, brothers."
In another narration: "Do not boycott one another."
"And let none of you undercut the sale of another."
Muslim narrated all these versions.
And al-Bukhari narrated most of them.
*Al-tahassus* (seeking out faults):
Meaning, listening to the speech of people when they dislike it.
*Al-tajassus* (spying):
Tracking the private faults of the Muslims.
*Al-tanafus* (competition):
Meaning, the desire to be the sole possessor of something.
*Yakhdhuluhu* (abandoning him):
Meaning, to cease supporting and assisting him.
And delaying that despite having the ability to do so.
*Al-tanajush* (deceptive bidding):
Meaning, increasing the price of a commodity,
In order to deceive and trick someone else.
From the benefits of the hadith:
Clarification of abandoning acting upon suspicion, upon which legal rulings are not based.
The obligation to refrain from investigating suspicions that harm the one suspected.
Warning against suspicion in its absolute sense.
Clarification that suspicion is a form of lying.
And that it is among the gravest forms of it.
The prohibition of spying and seeking out faults.
And that whoever suspects something about his brother,
Has no right to inquire about his brother's state.
The prohibition of injustice in all its forms.
Warning against Muslims failing to support one another.
Warning against Muslims insulting one another.
A stern warning against belittling other Muslims.
A stern warning against violating the honor, wealth, and blood of Muslims.
Reward is not based on the size of the body or the beauty of appearance.
Rather, it is based on the sincerity and excellence of one's deeds.
The foundation of faith and righteousness resides in the hearts.
Clarification of the prohibition of *najash* in sales.
The obligation of mutual love between Muslims and the encouragement thereof.
On the authority of Mu'awiyah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, say:
"If you follow the private faults of the Muslims, you will corrupt them,"
"Or you will come close to corrupting them."
Narrated by Abu Dawud.
From the benefits of the hadith:
Warning against spying on the private faults of the Muslims.
On the authority of Ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him:
That a man was brought to him, and it was said to him:
"This is so-and-so, whose beard is dripping with wine."
He replied: "We have been forbidden from spying,"
"But if something becomes apparent to us, we will act upon it."
Narrated by Abu Dawud.
From the benefits of the hadith:
Whoever brings a claim against another by spying on him,
His claim is not accepted.
Chapter: The Prohibition of Thinking Ill of Muslims Without Necessity.
Allah the Exalted says:
“O ye who believe! Shun much suspicion; for lo! some suspicion is a crime. And spy not, neither backbite one another. Would one of you love to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Ye abhor that (so abhor the other)! And keep your duty (to Allah). Lo! Allah is Relenting, Merciful.” (49:12)
“O ye who believe! Shun much suspicion; for lo! some suspicion is a crime. And spy not, neither backbite one another. Would one of you love to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Ye abhor that (so abhor the other)! And keep your duty (to Allah). Lo! Allah is Relenting, Merciful.” (49:12)
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him:
That the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"Beware of suspicion,"
"For suspicion is the most untruthful of speech."
Agreed upon.
Chapter: The Prohibition of Belittling Muslims.
Allah the Exalted says:
“O ye who believe! Let not a folk deride a folk who may be better than they (are), not let women (deride) women who may be better than they are; neither defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames. Bad is the name of lewdness after faith. And whoso turneth not in repentance, such are evil-doers.” (49:11)
“O ye who believe! Let not a folk deride a folk who may be better than they (are), not let women (deride) women who may be better than they are; neither defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames. Bad is the name of lewdness after faith. And whoso turneth not in repentance, such are evil-doers.” (49:11)
“O ye who believe! Let not a folk deride a folk who may be better than they (are), not let women (deride) women who may be better than they are; neither defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames. Bad is the name of lewdness after faith. And whoso turneth not in repentance, such are evil-doers.” (49:11)
﴾Perhaps they may be better than them﴿.
﴾And do not insult one another﴿.
﴾And do not call one another by [offensive] nicknames﴿.
﴾Wretched is the name of disobedience after faith﴿.
“O ye who believe! Let not a folk deride a folk who may be better than they (are), not let women (deride) women who may be better than they are; neither defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames. Bad is the name of lewdness after faith. And whoso turneth not in repentance, such are evil-doers.” (49:11)
And He the Exalted says:
﴾Woe to every scorner and mocker﴿.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him:
That the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"It is sufficient evil for a man,"
"To belittle his Muslim brother."
Narrated by Muslim.
On the authority of Ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him:
From the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, who said:
"No one will enter Paradise who has in his heart,"
"An atom's weight of pride."
A man asked:
"A man likes his garment to be fine,"
"And his sandals to be fine."
He replied:
"Indeed, Allah is Beautiful and loves beauty."
"Pride is rejecting the truth and looking down upon people."
Narrated by Muslim.
The meaning of *batr al-haqq* (rejecting the truth):
Meaning, to push it away.
And *ghamthuhum* (looking down upon them):
Meaning, belittling them.
This has already been explained more clearly in the chapter on pride.
On the authority of Jundub Ibn 'Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"A man said:"
"'By Allah, Allah will not forgive so-and-so.'"
So Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, said:
"'Who is this who swears by Me that I will not forgive so-and-so?'"
"'I have forgiven him and nullified your deeds.'"
Narrated by Muslim.
*Yata'alla* (swearing):
Meaning, he swears by Him, Glorified and Exalted be He.
*Ahbattu 'amalak* (nullified your deeds):
Meaning, I have invalidated them.
From the benefits of the hadith:
Warning against belittling Muslims and holding them in contempt.
The vastness of Allah's mercy and forgiveness for His servants.
The prohibition of despairing of Allah's mercy.
Evidence that Allah forgives sins without repentance.
The prohibition of being definitive about a judgment that belongs solely to Allah, the Almighty.
A lesson for the Muslim in etiquette with his Lord and with the servants of Allah.
Chapter: The Prohibition of Showing Gloating (Shamatah) Over a Muslim.
Allah the Exalted says:
﴾The believers are but brothers﴿.
And He the Exalted says:
“Lo! those who love that slander should be spread concerning those who believe, theirs will be a painful punishment in the world and the Hereafter. Allah knoweth. Ye know not.” (24:19)
“Lo! those who love that slander should be spread concerning those who believe, theirs will be a painful punishment in the world and the Hereafter. Allah knoweth. Ye know not.” (24:19)
On the authority of Wathilah ibn al-Asqa', may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"Do not show gloating over your brother,"
"Lest Allah show him mercy and afflict you."
Narrated by al-Tirmidhi.
*Shamatah* means rejoicing at a calamity that has befallen a Muslim.
From the benefits of the hadith:
The recommendation of showing mercy between Muslims.
And feeling pain for one another when calamities occur.
Calamities befall the servants:
Either as a punishment or as a trial.
Or as an expiation and a raising of ranks.
So the one who gloats is not safe from that.
For he is a human who sins and makes mistakes.
A calamity might befall him as a punishment or a trial.
So who can guarantee him that this will not happen?
Showing gloating over brothers,
Is an aid to the Shaytan against them.
And causes them to despair of Allah's mercy.
In this chapter is the previous hadith of Abu Hurayrah,
In the chapter on spying:
"Everything of a Muslim is sacred to another Muslim."
The hadith.
Chapter: The Prohibition of Slandering Established Lineages.
In the outward appearance of the Shari'ah.
﴾And those who harm believing men and believing women﴿
﴾For [something] other than what they have earned﴿.
“And those who malign believing men and believing women undeservedly, they bear the guilt of slander and manifest sin.” (33:58)
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"Two things in people,"
"Are acts of disbelief (kufr) on their part:"
"Slandering lineage,"
"And wailing over the dead."
"Two things," meaning two traits.
"Are acts of disbelief on their part,"
Meaning, they are among the deeds of the disbelievers and the customs of the Age of Ignorance.
Whoever deems them permissible while knowing,
Of their prohibition, is a disbeliever in them.
*Niyahah* (wailing) means raising the voice,
In weeping over the dead.
From the benefits of the hadith:
Clarification that these matters are among the deeds of,
The disbelievers and the customs of the Age of Ignorance.
Some sins are labeled,
With the term 'disbelief' to emphasize their gravity,
To alert to the severity of their prohibition,
And to warn against falling into them.
People are trusted regarding their lineages,
So it is not permissible to slander them.
Chapter: The Prohibition of Deceit and Fraud.
Allah the Exalted says:
﴾And those who harm believing men and believing women﴿
﴾For [something] other than what they have earned﴿.
“And those who malign believing men and believing women undeservedly, they bear the guilt of slander and manifest sin.” (33:58)
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him:
That the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
Said: "Whoever bears arms against us,"
"Is not one of us."
"And whoever cheats us is not one of us."
Narrated by Muslim.
And in a narration of his:
That the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
Passed by a pile of food,
He inserted his hand into it,
and his fingers felt dampness.
He asked, "What is this, O owner of the food?"
He replied, "It was rained upon, O Messenger of Allah."
O Messenger of Allah.
He said, "Why did you not place it on top of the food,
so that the people could see it?"
"Whoever cheats us is not one of us."
"Sabrah" means a heap.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
A clarification that bearing arms against Muslims
is not in accordance with the guidance of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him.
The prohibition of promoting fraudulent goods.
It is mandatory to display all types of goods,
both the inferior and the superior among them,
so that the seller may be absolved of responsibility,
and so that the buyer is not deceived.
The ruler is responsible for monitoring the markets
and punishing the cheaters who
deceive the servants of Allah,
and consume their wealth unjustly.
Intentional cheating
leads to causing significant damage
to the economy of the Muslim Ummah.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him,
that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
said, "Do not practice Najash (bidding up prices without intent to buy)."
Agreed upon.
On the authority of Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both,
that the Prophet, peace be upon him,
forbade Najash.
Agreed upon.
Najash.
Najash.
Meaning: increasing the price of a commodity
so that others may be deceived by it.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
The prohibition of the sale involving Najash.
A warning against deceiving Muslims.
On the authority of Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both,
he said: A man mentioned to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
that he was often deceived in transactions.
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said,
"When you enter into a transaction,
say: 'No deception.'"
Agreed upon.
"Khallabah" means deception.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
The permissibility of selling with a condition of option (khiyar).
The permissibility of the condition of option for the buyer alone.
The prohibition of deception in transactions.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him,
he said:
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said,
"Whoever corrupts a man's wife or his slave,
is not one of us."
Narrated by Abu Dawud.
"Khabbaba" means to corrupt or deceive.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
Whoever corrupts one spouse against the other,
is not following the guidance of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him.
It is forbidden for a servant
to influence another person's servant,
or his wife, or his son, or his young boy,
or those like them, in a way that corrupts them against him,
if what he is telling them
is not an enjoining of good or a forbidding of evil.
Riyad al-Salihin.