TAMBIHUL GHAAFILEEN - ADMONITION FOR THE NEGLECTFUL
by Faqih Abul Laith Samarqandi

12. SLANDER

WHO IS THE WORST PERSON?

Rasulullah (sallallahu-alayhi-wa-sallam) once asked the Sahabah (R.A), who is the worst person?"

"Allah and his Prophet (sallallahu-alayhi-wa-sallam) know best," was the reply.

Rasulullah (sallallahu-alayhi-wa-sallam) said, "The worst person is the one who carries tales, who tells everyone the same tale and speaks ill of others."

PUNISHMENT IN THE GRAVE FOR THOSE WHO CARRY TALES: - 3 CAUSES.

It has been mentioned that punishment in the grave is divided into three parts:

A third is for backbiting,

Another third is for not being cautious when urinating,

While the last third if for carrying tales.

CARRYING TALES AND SPREADING ANARCHY.

Hadhrat Hamaad bin Salma (R.A) narrates that a person once sold a slave, warning the buyer that the slave had the bad habit of carrying tales. Thinking nothing of the fault, he purchased the slave.

After a few days the slave approached his master´s wife and told her that her husband no longer loved her and intended to marry someone else. She was extremely shocked, but he assured her of the fact. He then told her that he had a plan to secure his love for her. When she invoked him to inform her of his plan, he responded, "Shave off some hairs from below his beard while he sleeps. This is a tried and tested method."

The slave then approached the master and told him that his wife has fallen in love with another man and was waiting for an opportunity to murder him. When the master asked in surprise, "How is this possible?" The slave replied, "You may test her by pretending to sleep and then seeing what she will do."

That night the husband pretended to sleep. The wife was awaiting this opportunity and grabbed hold of a blade. The husband, being prepared, seized hold of the blade and killed her instead. When the relatives of the wife learnt of the murder, they had him executed. As a result the two families were divided.

THE PERSON WHO CARRIES TALES IS WORSE THAN THE DEVIL AND ONE WHO DABBLES IN BLACK MAGIC.

This is so because the person who carries tales causes as much harm in a minute than a person engaged in black magic does in a week. While shaytaan always does things indirectly and with deception, the tale carrier perpetrates his / her works openly.

SEVEN QUESTIONS.

Abu Abdullah Al Qurashi (R.A) narrates that a person travelled seven hundred miles to ask a learned scholar seven questions viz.

1. What is heavier than the skies?
2. What is wider than the earth?
3. What is harder than a stone?
4. What burns more than fire?
5. What is colder than Zamhareer (a cold area of Jahannam)?
6. What is deeper than the oceans?
7. What is weaker than an orphan, yet more deadly than poison?

The replies were:

1. Slandering a chaste person is heavier than the skies.
2. The truth is wider than the earth.
3. The disbeliever´s heart is harder than a stone.
4. Greed burns more than fire.
5. To be refused a request by a relative is colder than Zamhareer.
6. A content heart (of a patient person) is deeper than the oceans.
7. When the fabrication of a tale is exposed, it is more deadly than poison and the tale carrier then becomes weaker than an orphan and is humiliated.

A TALE CARRIER SHOULD NOT BE RELIED ON.

Hadhrat Hassan Basri (R.A) says that when a person carries a tale to you, then remember that he will certainly carry tales about you to others. Therefore, you should never believe anyone who speaks ill of others.

A person once spoke ill of another to Hadhrat Umar bin Abdul Aziz (R.A). The khalifa said, "If you are lying, then the following verse will apply to you viz. ´Oh you who believe, if a sinner brings any news to you, then verify it.´ However, if you are truthful, then the following verse will apply to you viz. ´The one who reviles and carries tales.´ (i.e. Your word cannot be relied on).

CARRYING TALES FORBIDS PRAYERS FROM BEING ACCEPTED.

Hadhrat Ka´b Ahbaar (R.A) says that a drought once afflicted the people of Hadhrat Moosa (A.S). Hadhrat Moosa (A.S) took the people to the plains to supplicate to Allah, but to no avail.

Hadhrat Moosa (A.S) supplicated, "Oh my Rabb! Your bondsmen have thrice beseeched You, but You have not responded." Allah told him, "Oh Moosa! There is a tale carrier amongst you, due to whom your du´aas are not being accepted."

Hadhrat Moosa (A.S) said, "Oh my Rabb! Inform us who this is so that we may be rid of him." Allah replied, "How can We carry tales when We have forbidden the same? You should all repent collectively." When they all repented, their du´aa was accepted and the drought was lifted.

GEMS FROM THE LIPS OF THE PIOUS.

When someone informs you that another has been foul mouthing you, then remember that he (the informant) is actually the foul mouthed one.

Hadhrat Wahab bin Munabbih (R.A) says, "When anyone sings any praises for you that are not applicable, then remember that he may someday speak such ills of you that also do not apply to you."

6 THINGS TO DO WHEN SPOKEN ILL OFF

Faqih Abul Laith Samarqandi (R.A) says that you should adopt the following six procedures when someone informs you that another has spoken ill of you.

1. Do not believe it (because the tale carrier is not to be trusted).
2. Forbid him from telling you (it is incumbent that the Muslim forbids evil).
3. Express your anger at him for the sake of Allah (just like pleasure for Allah´s sake is encouraged, expressing anger for Allah´s sake is also commendable).
4. Do not entertain evil thoughts of the person being spoken about merely due to the information passed on by the tale carrier (because it is haraam to harbour ill thoughts about another Muslim).
5. Do not research the information given (because Allah has forbidden spying on others).
6. Do not emulate the vile action that this tale carrier has perpetrated (i.e. do not relate this information to others).

SOME AHADEETH.

1. Rasulullah (sallallahu-alayhi-wa-sallam) said, "The one who carries tales will not enter Jannah. The two-faced person will be in the worst condition on the Day of Judgement. He is the one who approaches one person with one face and another with another face." [Bukhari and Muslim]
2. Rasulullah (sallallahu-alayhi-wa-sallam) has also mentioned that when a person tells lies, the angels run a mile from him due to the odour that emits from his mouth." [Tirmidhi]

Rasulullah (sallallahu-alayhi-wa-sallam) has mentioned that the person who carries tales will have a tongue of fire on the Day of Qiyamah.