Whoever Brings About Animosity and Lacks Manners Must be Reprimanded (Part 10)

Follow @AhleDhikr

Whoever is known to have such destructive characteristics, to which the people of knowledge and al-Emaan do not condone nor are pleased with then such people must be reprimanded and in turn put to shame as a repercussion for such bad behavior.

If, however, a person lacks manners in his attempt to rectify mistakes, manners which have been dictated by the people of knowledge; then the perceived mistake can only be tackled once ones manners have been rectified. They must be addressed with gentleness and if the perceived mistake can be interpreted in two ways – then it is obligatory to understand the perceived mistake in the best possible manner and optimism and it is not permissible to have bad thoughts about him, whatsoever.

‘Umar bin al-Khattab [may Allaah be Pleased with him] said, “It is not permitted to understand the statement of your brother with the worst possible interpretation whilst understanding it in a upright manner is yet possible[1].”[2]

---

[1] Reported by Ibn Hajar in al-Kaafee ash-Shaaf (Pg. 67).

[2] Another extremely important paragraph - if one perceives a mistake, then there are two possible outcomes; either one clarifies the mistake or he hastens to refute without clarification. It may be that the mistake was not intended and one can interpret the error from an angle which has no misunderstanding. With this, one reinforces the respect they have for the scholar, not stripping it based on a mistake. Rather he carries the perceived mistake with manners and no ill intent. As for the one who has no intention except to bring about animosity, hatred, jealousy, sickness, revenge, defamation, backbiting, tale-carrying and evil thoughts of the scholar - may Allaah Protect us from these traits - then such a person is treading on a very dangerous path. He falls into four terrible sins:

1. He doesn’t give the scholar the benefit of the doubt

2. He interprets the speech of the scholar in the worst possible manner

3. He has sinned with Allaah, a great sin

4. He has slandered, lied and bore false witness.

So be careful of these people and there are many of them – may Allaah not increase them. Allaah, the Glorified and the Exalted, Knows what’s in the hearts of men, so we can’t say that everyone who corrects mistakes of scholar has fallen into such a category, however, it is for the student of knowledge to beware of being from this type of person. Their traits are clear, so whoever wants the Sunnah, then stick to it with truthfulness in speech and action.